The first and only televised debate in the race for governor is set to occur today, and Green Party nominee Ed Boyd plans to protest his exclusion.
Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich and Democratic Baltimore City Mayor Martin O?Malley will tape an hourlong debate at WJZ (channel 13) at 1 p.m. to be aired 7 p.m. Monday. Anchor Kai Jackson will host the show, and anchor Denise Koch is scheduled to moderate the discussion, according to WJZ spokeswoman Liz Chuday.
Reporters from other media will be allowed to view the taping remotely and report on it prior to its airing.
At 7 p.m. today, Maryland Public Television (Channel 22) and WBAL TV (Channel 11) hopes to simulcast an hourlong live debate at the MPT studio in Owings Mills, but Ehrlich has yet to confirm he will participate in that debate.
Some details were still being worked out late Friday. MPT Vice President Steven Schupak said the station is seeking to share the broadcast with public radio and other channels, such as C-SPAN.
Both O?Malley and Ehrlich have pressed each other to do more debates, but the governor has insisted that any joint appearances take place by Sunday to free up his time for campaigning.
“We are committed to both debates,” said O?Malley spokesman Rick Abbruzzese. “We do feel it?s a little strange to be doing two debates in one day.”
Ehrlich campaign spokeswoman Shareese DeLeaver said the governor is making no special preparations for the debates.
Boyd, whose name also appears on the Nov. 7 ballot, said he and his supporters expect to show up and protest being shut out of the debates, most likely at MPT. An Aug. 31 debate at MPT between Democratic candidates Ben Cardin and Kweisi Mfume drew protests from three Democrats who had also mounted major campaigns.
American University professor Allan Lichtman was arrested by Baltimore County police when he refused to leave the doorway of the station.
Boyd, 45, manager a temporary employment office, said he plans no “civil disobedience,” but he noted that in other states third-party candidates on the ballot have been allowed to participate in TV debates.
O?Malley and Ehrlich look like “two spoiled kids in the sandbox fighting over who gets the shovel,” Boyd said.
