2012 CA Senate debate: on Principles & Values


Dianne Feinstein: OpEd: Feinstein refusing to debate is a democracy dodge

Elizabeth Emken is the Danville Republican who has taken on a task that few--no, make that, NO--big name Republicans had the guts to do: Challenge Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Feinstein has refused to debate her. No, not even at 3 a.m. on a Saturday on a cable access station in Turlock. As Feinstein's campaign manager told us a while back after Emken challenged DiFi to a series of debates : "This is the sort of typical cliche move from someone is 19 points down and has $25,000 in the bank and 35 percent name recognition," he said.

Editorial boards all up and down California--including our very own Ivory Tower-dwellers--have called out Feinstein for the democracy dodge.

Emken ramped it up when the San Francisco Chronicle/SFGate.com's Shaky Hand Productions video crew caught up with her. She called DiFi "arrogant" and "dismissive" for not agreeing to debate:

Source: San Francisco Chronicle on 2012 CA Senate debate Oct 10, 2012

Elizabeth Emken: Feinstein is arrogant and dismissive for not debating

Elizabeth Emken is the Danville Republican who has taken on a task that few--no, make that, NO--big name Republicans had the guts to do: Challenge Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Feinstein has refused to debate her. No, not even at 3 a.m. on a Saturday on a cable access station in Turlock. As Feinstein's campaign manager told us a while back after Emken challenged DiFi to a series of debates : "This is the sort of typical cliche move from someone is 19 points down and has $25,000 in the bank and 35 percent name recognition," he said.

Editorial boards all up and down California--including our very own Ivory Tower-dwellers--have called out Feinstein for the democracy dodge.

Emken ramped it up when the San Francisco Chronicle/SFGate.com's Shaky Hand Productions video crew caught up with her. She called DiFi "arrogant" and "dismissive" for not agreeing to debate:

Source: San Francisco Chronicle on 2012 CA Senate debate Oct 10, 2012

Elizabeth Emken: Wins primary slot against 14 Republicans and 5 Democrats

Elizabeth Emken squeaked past 22 other challengers to face Dianne Feinstein, the popular, well-financed lawmaker in November. None of the aspiring Feinstein challengers--14 Republicans, five Democrats and members of four minor parties--had much money or name recognition except Orly Taitz, who earned a measure of fame from her attempts to show that Pres. Obama was not born in the US. [NOTE: California has a non-partisan primary, with two winners who proceed to the general election].

Source: Los Angeles Times on 2012 CA Senate debate Jun 5, 2012

Elizabeth Emken: Wins primary slot against 14 Republicans and 5 Democrats

Elizabeth Emken squeaked past 22 other challengers to face Dianne Feinstein, the popular, well-financed lawmaker in November. None of the aspiring Feinstein challengers--14 Republicans, five Democrats and members of four minor parties--had much money or name recognition except Orly Taitz, who earned a measure of fame from her attempts to show that Pres. Obama was not born in the US. [NOTE: California has a non-partisan primary, with two winners who proceed to the general election].

Emken won backing from the state GOP and from several of the state's Republican elected officials and made campaign stops throughout the state. She had raised the most money of any of the challengers, a little more than $300,000, federal records showed.

Feinstein, who is seeking her fourth full term in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 44% to 30%, with 21% of voters unaffiliated, had raised more than $9 million.

Source: Los Angeles Times on 2012 CA Senate debate Jun 5, 2012

Dianne Feinstein: Offers three televised Senate debates, but no Fox News

Dear Dr. Taitz, If you do become the Republican candidate, I would like to set up three debates to be televised by three major television stations. However, our campaign has five ground rules which we would like agreement upon before proceeding further:
  1. No questions shall be asked and no answers shall be given concerning the eligibility of President Obama or any related matters. The debate should focus on economic, social, and foreign policy issues.
  2. The format of the debates shall provide for a two minute response, followed by a one minute rebuttal, followed by a 30 second response.
  3. No notes, documents, or teleprompters shall be allowed.
  4. No debates shall be televised by Fox News or any affiliates thereof.
  5. None of your supporters shall be allowed to attend. Guests shall be limited to 100 voters chosen at random.
Please let me know if these ground rules would be satisfactory.
Source: Email from Feinstein to Taitz on 2012 CA Senate debate May 14, 2012

Orly Taitz: Sen. Feinstein offers three debates, without birther issue

Dear Dr. Taitz, If you do become the Republican candidate, I would like to set up three debates to be televised by three major television stations. However, our campaign has five ground rules which we would like agreement upon before proceeding further:
  1. No questions shall be asked and no answers shall be given concerning the eligibility of President Obama or any related matters. The debate should focus on economic, social, and foreign policy issues.
  2. The format of the debates shall provide for a two minute response, followed by a one minute rebuttal, followed by a 30 second response.
  3. No notes, documents, or teleprompters shall be allowed.
  4. No debates shall be televised by Fox News or any affiliates thereof.
  5. None of your supporters shall be allowed to attend. Guests shall be limited to 100 voters chosen at random.
Please let me know if these ground rules would be satisfactory.
Source: Email from Feinstein to Taitz on 2012 CA Senate debate May 14, 2012

  • The above quotations are from 2012 CA Senate debate.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Principles & Values.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Orly Taitz on Principles & Values.
  • Click here for more quotes by Elizabeth Emken on Principles & Values.
Candidates and political leaders on Principles & Values:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Dec 04, 2018