Confusion, contradictions and game playing have thus far stalled the mayoral debate process.
As it stands, Republican mayoral candidate Sam Katz's office believes that three debates are scheduled: Oct. 7 with the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists and a number of other journalistic organizations, Oct. 21 on WPVI Channel 6 TV and on Oct. 28 with WHYY radio.
But a spokesman from Democratic Mayor John Street's campaign said that "negotiations were still underway," and that Street had not agreed to any debate dates or formats.
There have been no debates between the candidates so far, despite the fact that Katz extended an offer to Street as early as March.
"We've said from day one that we are excited about the opportunity to talk to Philadelphians about getting the city back on track," Katz spokesman Nathan Raab said. "That's why we've accepted every debate that we've been asked to attend, even the ones that the mayor has turned down."
Katz faces Street in a rematch of the 1999 election, in which Katz lost by less than 1 percent of the vote.
In that election, there were at least five debates over eight months, including the primary season in the spring. This year, no debates were held during the primaries, and the general election is looming just over a month away.
Raab said he believes that Street might be dodging debating because he "is not prepared to face the voters on his record over the past four years."
But Street spokesman Frank Keel believes that it is the difference in the candidates' jobs that makes Katz more eager to debate than Street.
"Katz is basically an unemployed guy with all the time in the world to debate," Keel said. "Meanwhile, Mayor Street is busy being the mayor of the fifth-largest city in the country."
Both sides have accused the other of using the debates to play petty political games, instead of using them to inform voters of the candidates' stance on issues.
"We're looking at the debates as an opportunity to contrast records. They are looking at it as an opportunity to play games," Keel said last week.
But the official line was virtually the same from the Katz campaign.
A Sept. 2 press release said that the candidate was "frustrated by stall tactics and [Street's] unwillingness to debate toe-to-toe."
Keel added that on a number of occasions, the campaigns had met to iron out schedules for the debates, and that after the meetings, the Katz campaign had released negative press statements that made Street look uncooperative.
"They just wanted to go on the attack. That just seems to be the style of the Katz campaign.... He's been that way since March," Keel said.
The Katz camp responded, saying that Street's people had been disingenuous, and that the press releases were a response to information Street released to the press that Katz felt was incorrect.
Street has also been accused of ducking debate forums to which he had previously agreed to attend. At a Sept. 12 forum on Latino community issues, Street canceled the day before, and sent a campaign official in his place, according to a Katz press release.
Al Dia, a weekly Spanish newspaper, reported on the event in its most recent issue.
It reported that Street was evasive, and that "only the day before the event" -- which had been planned five months beforehand -- did he inform the group that he definitely would not attend.
