If I were running the Boswell campaign, I wouldn't want to give Fallon a platform to talk about Boswell's voting record either. I've noticed that none of the Boswell supporters who comment from time to time at Bleeding Heartland have accepted my invitation to put up a diary defending the Congressional votes that inspired Fallon to challenge Boswell in the first place.

In any event, it's common for an incumbent to resist debates. Why risk making a mistake or giving a challenger more name recognition and media attention? If Boswell sticks to direct-mail pieces and press releases, he can keep the media's attention on endorsements, clout and hard work as well as negative messaging on Fallon. The only public poll of this race so far showed Boswell ahead 52-28. It isn't clear what turnout model the pollster was using, and Boswell's campaign has not released the results of any internal polling this year. But it makes sense for the incumbent to try to run out the clock until the June 3 primary.

Two weeks ago, after Boswell's campaign had turned down eight different organizations' invitations to debate, citing the Congressman's busy schedule, Fallon cast doubt on Boswell's excuse:

Clearly, with our economy in shambles, skyrocketing gas prices and no end in sight to the Iraq War, voters want to know how Boswell and I differ in our plans to address these and other pressing issues," Fallon said.

Debate organizers have told Fallon's staff that the Boswell campaign insists the Congressman is too busy in Washington to participate. "That's puzzling," Fallon said, "since the Congressman made time for the Drake Relays Parade this weekend and appears able to attend many fundraisers. I think in this case, actions speak louder than words."

At that time, the press secretary for the Boswell campaign told me, "We are currently working with KCCI [the CBS affiliate in Des Moines] and the Des Moines Register to see if we can find a date that is mutually acceptable."

By May 3, the number of invitations to debate had grown to nine, and Boswell had turned them all down, including three possible dates for that KCCI/Des Moines Register debate. Fallon hit back with a statement slamming Boswell for refusing to talk about the issues:

"The only real issue I've heard Congressman Boswell address is his defense for voting to authorize the Iraq War," said Fallon. "Other than that, he has focused his efforts and PAC-funded resources on the politics of deception and personal attacks. It seems the Congressman is no longer interested in listening to the concerns of Iowans or that he needs to present the case that he is best for the district. I believe Iowans don't want a Washington D.C. insider who prefers to subvert the issues through non-disclosure and negative attacks. "

I had to laugh when I got the official response from Boswell's press secretary on May 5:

Congressman Boswell is currently helping to pass the Farm bill and other measures that benefit Iowa families.  We were unable to find a date which works.

I know he was back in the district this past weekend, because I saw him on Sunday morning (May 4) at an event organized by the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines. Why couldn't he have agreed to debate Fallon this past weekend, when he was planning to be in the Des Moines area?

I think we all know the answer to that question. I wouldn't mind Boswell's refusal to debate so much if he were being honest about his reasons. To say he's too busy working on the Farm Bill is a joke.

The Des Moines Register noted that two of the dates proposed by that newspaper and KCCI fell "during the last week of May, when Congress is expected to be in recess."

Asked why those dates were unacceptable,

A Boswell spokesman said the campaign did not feel there would be adequate time before the June 3 primary to respond to any misinformation that might arise during the debate.

Give me a break. The guy with a far bigger war chest is worried that he wouldn't be able to respond to "misinformation" during a debate? Sounds to me like he doesn't want Fallon to get any time in front of the tv cameras to highlight the differences between the candidates on the issues.

On Wednesday Fallon ratcheted up the pressure by sending "a proposal to ten media outlets and organizations to join together to host a debate between him and Congressman Boswell." Yesterday the Fallon campaign said four of those organizations had already "expressed an interest in pursuing a joint debate."

I doubt Boswell can be persuaded to debate Fallon at this late stage, but at the very least his flimsy excuses for not debating should receive more media coverage.

In other news, yard signs for both candidates are popping up all over the Des Moines area. Usually the Boswell or Fallon signs stand alone. However, when a person has more than one sign in the yard, the Boswell sign is almost always paired with a Hillary sign, and the Fallon sign usually is paired with an Obama "HOPE" sign or an anti-war sign such as "Support the Troops--End the War." I've only seen one yard that had both Hillary and Fallon signs, and I haven't seen the Obama-Boswell combination anywhere, although someone I know has run across that once.

I don't know how much of a boost the yard sign war will give the challenger, but in a district Obama carried on January 3, it can't hurt Fallon to have so many of his yard signs in front of Obama supporters' homes.

If you are so inclined, please contribute to Fallon's campaign via Act Blue or through this page on the campaign's website.

Progressive Kick's great website about Boswell's voting record will tell you why it's important for progressives not to give this incumbent a pass. David Kowalski's piece on Leonard Boswell, Bush Dog is also worth a read.