I have not been invited to take part in the debates involving Democratic and Republican presidential candidates that will be held today and Thursday, right here in my own company's building.
The reason is perfectly obvious. Everybody on the candidates' campaign staffs--and everybody in this building, for that matter--is clearly afraid of the kind of questions that I would ask.
In fact, when it was first disclosed that John McCain was thinking of skipping Thursday's GOP debate to campaign in New York instead, I naturally surmised that it was because McCain had presumed I would be among the reporters firing questions at him.
Brave war hero or not, I knew he'd duck me. Dealing with that warm and fuzzy New York media would be a snap compared to what McCain would face here in California.
Then came word Tuesday that the Arizona senator was agreeable to participating in the debate after all--even, if necessary, via satellite.
By then, McCain's staff undoubtedly had been assured that I would take no active role in these Los Angeles Times/CNN debates, the only ones scheduled in California before the Super Tuesday primaries of March 7.
He and George W. Bush, Alan L. Keyes, Al Gore and Bill Bradley all could rest easy. None of them would be required to field any of the blunt Qs that I had prepared for this specific Q and A, the answers to which could tip the entire election.
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Questions at the Times/CNN debates now will probably focus on the same old boring topics--government spending, health care, that kind of thing--rather than some really juicy stuff the candidates could be grilled about point blank.
For example:
"Mr. McCain," I had intended to begin. "A man who calls himself a friend of yours, author Michael Lewis, made an interesting comment in a recently published essay.
"Lewis said that upon informing you that he was moving to Berkeley, Calif., you wrinkled up your nose as if you had 'just swallowed sour milk,' and then asked: 'How could anyone live there?'
"Could you please clarify this?"
See? I would have McCain on the ropes, right from the beginning of the debate.
Picture him perspiring, tongue-tied, twisting in the wind. The man stands accused of being a vicious Berkeley-basher. I can envision the entire University of California campus there in revolt. Angry demonstrations and protests galore: "Where would you prefer us to live, senator? Palo Alto?"
