Murphy Fitzpatrick Debate: What we had here, folks, was a failure to communicate.

With the second radio debate scheduled for tomorrow, I figured it was about time to get the recap of the first one up over here.   I planned to do a blow-by-blow recap of the event but now I don't think it will be worth it.  I already weighed in with the opinion that the whole thing didn't do much for me.  Both candidates were alernately defensive and offensive and never informative.  The local paper, the Courier Times, characterized the whole thing as a verbal sparring match.   I guess it could have risen to that level if Patrick were a better speaker and if Fitzpatrick did anything other than treat the whole thing like a game of gotcha, breaking format to ask the same questions over and over again as if that proved anything.  When Murphy learns how to deflect that tactic - and he's almost there now - Fitzpatrick will wish he had something else in his bag of tricks. 

If the debate tomorrow is any better, I'll do a better job of blogging it.   I prefer to liveblog these things anyway.

UPDATE:  I don't know if there's going to be a repeat debate tomorrow.  Murphy has a lunch scheduled with Nancy Pelosi at noon, which was when the first show happened.

UPDATE:  Ah, I see.  Murphy couldn't make it so Fitzpatrick did the hour by himself.   I only heard the last ten minutes but I did hear the host tell Fitzpatrick that he's a gentleman in every sense of the word.  I also hear a caller, who disagrees with Fitzpatrick's position on vampire (reverse) mortgages, say this: (paraphrased)

Well, I'm going to vote for you anyway even if we disagree on some points because we have to keep control of the House and the Senate.  If the Democrats get in there they're gonna get us all killed.

Fitzpatrick ended the interview by setting up the return appearance for next week and mentioning that candidate Murphy is "out there raising money" and so couldn't be here today.    I can't guarantee much, but I can guarantee that Fitzpatrick has at least one scheduling commitment carved into stone in his calendar between now and Election Day.  Patrick Murphy should do the same.