Hansen: Boswell slights voters in playing it safe

Thursday, May 29, 2008

(The Des Moines Register)MARC HANSEN, mahansen@dmreg.com

Somebody should have brought a Leonard Boswell cardboard cutout to the congressional candidates' forum Wednesday night in Des Moines.

Back when Boswell was running against (and away from) Stan Thompson a few years ago, the Thompson people actually considered the idea.

But, no. In the end, they worried that a cardboard cutout Leonard would diminish Thompson's candidacy instead.

Judging by the results, it couldn't have hurt. With Boswell declining yet another invitation to debate Ed Fallon before the June 3 Democratic primary, the plan at the State Historical Building was to place an empty podium on the stage.

Not a bad idea, but it might have been more fun watching a flesh-and-blood Fallon debate a cardboard Boswell, with Fallon playing both roles.

"Congressman Boswell, early on, you promised not to serve beyond four terms. This would be your seventh. What happened?"

Flesh-and-Blood Fallon could then dart behind Cardboard Boswell and say:

"Oh, please. Everybody says that and nobody follows through. Come on, it's a campaign promise. It means nothing. I'm no different from anyone else."

Boswell has his reasons for not debating Fallon. Wednesday night's event was supposed to be a hostile environment teeming with Fallon backers.

The story line has changed since the beginning. At first, Boswell was too busy serving his constituents in Washington, voting on important bills, to bother with such mundane matters.

With Congress in recess, with the 3rd District Democratic primary less than a week away, the excuse has changed: Now there isn't enough time to disprove a false accusation or repel a scurrilous comment from his opponent.

That's Boswell's story, anyway. Nobody in the real world is buying it, but that doesn't seem to matter.

Someone playing the role of Cardboard Boswell could have said, "Why should I debate with anybody? I'm ahead in the polls. Why blow the lead or give this new pretender more credibility than he deserves? Call me when I'm 20 points down. That's when I'll show up."

Primary voters would probably accept the explanation. Like it or not, at least it's the truth.

As it is now, Boswell insults their intelligence and gives them reason to disregard the good things he has done for them.

Boswell isn't that easy to dislike. He served his country in Vietnam. He's plain-spoken, low-key, down-to-earth.

On a personal level, he's Neal Smith without the frills.

While he hasn't made Smith's impact, he has helped advance some important legislation. A moderate Democrat, he is a slippery target for the Republicans he votes with so often.

If Boswell were down 20 points, surely he would have put Wednesday's forum ahead of the "Outdoors with Outdoor Dan" radio show. At 6 p.m., an hour before the candidates forum, Boswell was scheduled to be Dan's guest on KRNT-AM.

A persistent sort, Fallon sent Boswell a last-minute invitation anyway, taking note of his opponent's busy agenda.

"Since the radio program ends at 7 p.m.," Fallon said in a release, "I want to make sure the congressman knows that he's still welcome to participate in the debate, even if unscheduled."

I wasn't able to tune in, but I'm wondering: When Boswell was chatting with Outdoor Dan, did he manage to squeeze in a reference to Ralph Nader?

In case you hadn't heard, Fallon voted for Nader in 2000 and has been paying for it ever since. Fallon has apologized for voting for Nader and points out that Boswell voted for the war in Iraq, the Patriot Act, the repeal of the estate tax, NAFTA, No Child Left Behind and the Bush energy bill, and has a few apologies coming himself.

Debates don't solve much. More often than not, they are disappointing and inconclusive. Rarely do you get a clear winner. Yet they give voters a chance to compare and contrast, to take both candidates' measure at once.

Debating Fallon might not be better for Boswell personally, but it's better for his party, better for, cue the music, democracy. Declining to debate might be the way to win a primary election, but it isn't the way to win new friends and, better yet, keep old ones.