Deukmejian Refuses to Join Bradley in Debates : ‘Distorted’ Campaign Attacks by Mayor Cited in Decision Not to Share Platform With Opponent

Gov. George Deukmejian is refusing to debate his Democratic general election opponent, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, because of what his campaign director contended Tuesday are the challenger’s “distorted, untruthful and personal attacks” on the Republican chief executive.

Larry Thomas, who is in charge of the governor’s reelection effort, said the governor so far has refused all debate offers because he fears Bradley would use the public forums to continue the attacks he has used in radio and television commercials.

The broadcast ads link Deukmejian’s acceptance of hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to his handling of state toxic waste disposal policy and insurance industry regulation.

Text of Letters

Thomas released the text of letters he sent to the League of Women Voters, Town Hall and various news organizations which had hoped to sponsor debates. He said the governor does not plan to meet Bradley face-to-face “at this time” because of the mayor’s attacks.

In response to the letter, Bradley campaign officials said they stand by statements made by the mayor about the Deukmejian record. Bradley spokeswoman Ali Webb indicated that the mayor does not intend to change his style.

“We think the governor is running from something, like his record. We wouldn’t want to run on his record, either,” she said.

Thomas seemed to leave the door open to the possibility of debates if the mayor changes his hard-hitting campaign style, but he warned in virtually identical letters:

“I must at this time indicate that the manner in which the mayor has been conducting his campaign should not give anyone any confidence about our willingness to share a platform with him this fall.”

Thomas wrote that he expects that “the mayor’s widely criticized tactics of distortion will continue.”

In an interview, Thomas used harsher language. He said the governor’s position could change over the next five months, but charged: “They have conducted a very vicious, distorted campaign based on personal attacks on the governor and they have to be held accountable.”

Officials of the League of Women Voters, which sponsored two debates between Bradley and Deukmejian when the two first ran against each other in 1982, said they would continue to push for face-to-face appearances.

“We are continuing to hope that down the line a debate will eventually occur. We will not give up,” said Betty Trotter, spokeswoman for the league.

But Rolland Headlee, executive director of Town Hall, a Los Angeles public affairs forum, said he interprets Thomas’ letter as a definite “no.” He said the two candidates would be invited to address his organization individually.

Debates have been common among California gubernatorial candidates in recent elections. Even before Deukmejian and Bradley squared off in 1982, former Democratic Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. debated both of his Republican opponents, Houston Flournoy in 1974 and Evelle J. Younger in 1978.

Deukmejian, who enjoyed a wide lead over Bradley in public opinion polls published shortly before the June primary, has been dragging his feet on debates since his Democratic opponent suggested that the two debate 14 times before the Nov. 4 general election.

Bradley made his proposal to debate Deukmejian on primary election night. The governor’s immediate reaction was to laugh it off, saying so many debates between the two would put reporters to sleep.

Bradley has already accepted debate invitations from Los Angeles radio stations KABC and KNX, the League of Women Voters and Town Hall.

Tom Quinn, Bradley’s campaign chairman, claimed that the mayor’s own post-primary opinion polls show a significant narrowing of the gap between Bradley and Deukmejian and suggested that this is why the governor rejects a face-to-face meeting.

“I don’t think this has anything to do with our ads. I think his desire to avoid appearing with the mayor is based solely on a dramatic narrowing of the polls we’ve seen in the last six weeks,” Quinn said.

Quinn predicted that Deukmejian will suffer substantial public relations damage if he does not debate Bradley, and said: “I would expect that public pressure will build and we will have some debates.”

A Los Angeles Times poll taken before the June 3 primary election showed Deukmejian holding a 12-point lead over Bradley. A California Poll taken right before the primary by San Francisco pollster Mervyn Field showed Deukmejian with an 18-point advantage.