CARBONDALE - The Southern Illinois debate committee is no longer trying to facilitate a debate between Gov. Rod Blagojevich and challenger Judy Baar Topinka; however both campaigns have promised to continue negotiating a possible date to stage one in Southern Illinois.

Neither the Blagojevich nor the Topinka campaigns were able to reach a compromise Friday, the deadline the committee - composed of members from The Southern Illinoisan, WSIU and the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute - had set for the candidates to agree on a date.

The committee left the campaigns to negotiate a date between themselves with the understanding it would no longer actively work with the candidates to hold a venue if they hadn't agreed in writing to an event by Friday. The missed deadline means the Marion Civic Center may no longer be the setting for the event if it happens.

When Blagojevich failed to commit to the committee's proposed Sept. 26 date, the campaign suggested Oct. 3. The Topinka campaign indicated it had prior commitments that evening and wouldn't make it.

Topinka campaign spokesman John McGovern declined to comment Friday afternoon, saying he was waiting to hear further information from Blagojevich's camp.

Sheila Nix, spokeswoman for the governor's campaign, said she has been communicating with Topinka's people. "We're making progress, we're getting close and we think we will have some news at the beginning of next week," she said.

Green Party candidate Rich Whitney of Carbondale, who was also invited to participate in the Southern Illinois debate, said Blagojevich seems to be taking evasive tactics when it comes to agreeing on a final date.

"I'm keenly disappointed that the other two campaigns were not able to come together on a date," Whitney said when contacted by The Southern. "I suspect that's more the fault of the Blagojevich campaign at this stage. I can't imagine what could be more important on his schedule than a public debate when he's running for office."

Whitney also addressed the governor's alleged aversion to debating him face-to-face at the proposed Illinois Radio Network debate Oct. 2.

"Wherever I am in the polls right now ? I think if you were to poll people on whether they want to hear all candidates speak in the debate, I think we'd hear a majority of the people say yes," he said.

Debate committee spokesman Mike Lawrence, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, said the decision to stand down from pressing a debate is firm.

"We made it clear to both campaigns we wanted to hear by this week," Lawrence said. "Obviously they don't have it put together. I understand they are continuing to talk, but I'm skeptical at this point they'll come to an agreement on a Southern Illinois debate."

If the candidates do, he added, the committee will see to what extent, if any, it can participate.

Blagojevich and Topinka are zero for zero on agreeing to any debates that sponsors have attempted to set up for them this fall. The Rockford Register-Star rescinded its invitation to stage one earlier this month, after the campaigns repeatedly failed to agree on a date. The Illinois Radio Network debate for Oct. 2 has yet to be finalized either.

The candidates' inaction has prompted at least one local citizen to pass around a petition seeking signatures of those wishing to see a Southern Illinois debate happen. Dan Bost of Murphysboro, brother of Republican State Rep. Mike Bost, has initiated the document. Rep. Bost said his brother took it upon himself to begin the petition; he had no involvement.

caleb.hale@thesouthern.com

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