Dem. Wetterling accused of ducking debates

ST. CLOUD, Minn., Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Congressional candidate Patty Wetterling, a Minnesota Democrat was accused Monday of ducking debates after she pulled out of two planned forums.

Wetterling's campaign said she would not appear at the debates, which were arranged six weeks ago, because they conflicted with her daughter's upcoming wedding.

A Wetterling campaign spokesman blamed "a staff scheduling error" for the confusion, saying she had never intended to campaign the week of the wedding, the St. Cloud (Minn.) Times reported Monday.

The excuse did not wash with the state's GOP, which accused her of trying to avoid any discussion of the issues following several stumbles in her first debate with the 6th Congressional District's GOP incumbent Mark Kennedy.

At Farmfest 2004 the two appeared together, "in a candidate forum that, by Wetterling's own admission, caught her off-guard," the Times said.

Republicans suggest the Farmfest debate, where Wetterling pleaded ignorance on several topics, has scared her off of future debates. Wetterling, however, has challenged Kennedy to five debates in September and October.