Opponents Change, Attitudes Change

Back in 2011, William Hallenbeck agreed to only one debate with his Democratic opponent, Nick Haddad, and that was a very structured and controlled one, sponsored by HAALA (Hudson African American Leadership Alliance) and moderated by Reverend Ron Grant, with "specific rules for proper decorum."

In 2013, Hallenbeck steadfastly refused to debate his Democratic challenger, Victor Mendolia, agreeing only to discrete videotaped interviews in which the candidates responded separately to the same ten questions posed by Greg Mosley.

    
This year, facing Democratic challenger Tiffany Martin Hamilton, Hallenbeck seems to have found his voice and his taste for debate. The Register-Star reports this morning that the mayor has "challenged" Hamilton to "two or three debates" in October: "Mayoral contenders looking at 3 October debates." What didn't make news when it happened is that the Hamilton campaign had suggested a series of debates that would begin in July, but the mayor had demurred, maintaining that starting in July would be premature.
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