The Tacoma News Tribune reports today that Rep. Dave Reichert will not debate Democratic challenger Suzan DelBene. Reichert spokesperson Darren Littell insists that the three-term Republican's schedule is just too full to actually, you know, talk to voters:

"As far as the debates," Littell told me yesterday, "they waited to request anything until very late and Congressman Reichert’s schedule had already filled up."

Uh-huh.

According to a campaign press release, DelBene sent her debate request to Reichert on Sept. 9—52 days before the election. And according to the U.S. House calendar, of those 52 days, Reichert must be in the other Washington to cast votes on only eleven full days: six in September and five in October.

I'm not sure I can recall a competitive House race in which the incumbent refused to debate, so it's no wonder the DelBene campaign is incensed:

This excuse, of course, is just that: an excuse. The reason Reichert won’t debate is because he doesn’t want to explain why he opposed Wall Street reform and the small business lending fund. And he doesn’t want to explain why he considers environmental votes “chess pieces.” These, and other elements of his record, are indefensible.

Yeah, I suppose. Maybe.

Or, perhaps, Reichert won't publicly debate DelBene because he's afraid to reveal the fact that he is brain-damaged? I mean, if I'd spent two months with a fist-sized blood clot inside my skull, I might not feel up to debating DelBene either.

Either way it's a big "FUCK YOU" to both the public and the press, as is Reichert's refusal to show up at editorial board interviews (or any interviews for that matter), or even give advance notice of the few private events he may or may not attend. Hell, it's not at all clear that Reichert even has a schedule, let alone a full one.

You gotta wonder at what point folks start asking themselves why a man who brags about looking the Green River Killer straight in the eyes, can't do the same with 8th CD voters?