http://www.greenwichtime.com/scn-gt-a1mayminaug26,0,3961896.story?coll=green-top-headlines

Libertarian looks for opening in fray

By Hoa Nguyen
Staff Writer

August 26, 2006

Unlike another Connecticut Congressional race in which a third party candidate gets regular coverage by the national news, a third party candidate in the race for the 4th Congressional District can't even get the time of day from his opponents.

Libertarian candidate and Greenwich resident Phil Maymin invited incumbent Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., and Democratic challenger Diane Farrell to a debate on Tuesday at Town Hall. Though both candidates have indicated in the past that they were open to debates -- "We look foward to debating all our opponents É" Shays' campaign manager has said, and "We're glad to debate whoever the sponsors (of the debate forums) decide to invite," Farrell's campaign manager has said -- both said they're too busy.

Neither Shays nor Farrell has time to attend Maymin's debate, their campaign staff members said, because they have been invited to about a dozen other debates in October.

Michael Sohn, Shays' campaign manager, said Shays was also occupied with his work in Congress.

Farrell's campaign manager, Adam Wood, said she has other events scheduled for the same night Maymin had proposed. And even if Maymin were to reschedule, he said, Farrell probably still wouldn't have time to attend.

"Right now we're focused on doing events that are focusing on Diane and her policies and what she's going to do to bring about change in Washington," Wood said.

Nevertheless, Maymin will go ahead with Tuesday's event, instead using the time to talk with the public about issues such as how long U.S. troops should remain in Iraq (he proposes a deadline of July 4). He said he has invited Iraq's representatives to the United Nations to attend, in the hopes that they might gain a different perpsective.

"It's an opportunity for them to see how real Americans respond (to the war in Iraq)," Maymin said.

Staff members reached by telephone yesterday at the Iraqi mission to the United Nations were unsure whether the invitation was accepted or even received.

Despite the slight from Shays and Farrell, Maymin said he remains optimistic that he may have a chance to debate his opponents. Chances of that happening seem unlikely; he has yet to be invited to any of them.

"The last thing that Shays and Farrell want to do is give a platform to a third-party candidate," said Scott McLean, associate professor of political science at Quinnipiac University.

A third-party candidate is easily shut out of debates because the major-party candidates can afford to snub him and they also can't risk including him, McLean said.

Of Maymin, McLean said, "He can't win -- he can only draw votes away. Shays and Farrell don't have to take that chance because if he's included on any debate format, all they have to say is 'I didn't come to debate a third-party candidate who doesn't have a chance to win.' "

An organizer of one of the debates put it more delicately. Mary Ann Morrison, executive director of the Greenwich Chamber of Commerce, which has scheduled a two-hour forum between Shays and Farrell on Oct. 12, said there isn't enough time during the debate for a third candidate to participate. She said organizers of other debates are following suit.

"They all seem to be following this same route," Morrison said. "The race between Shays and Farrell is going to be closely watched across the country."

Meanwhile, Maymin is cranking out press releases and taking jabs at Shays, taking credit for the congressman's announcement on Thursday that he now supports setting a timeline to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq.

"It's so nice to see that you can have such a strong influence on the constituents and even their candidates," Maymin said of the effect he says he has on Shays, adding that the incumbent's turn-around in position came just four days after Maymin released a position paper calling for a deadline. "That's quite a coincidence," Maymin said sarcastically.

Shays' campaign manager dismissed Maymin's claims of having any weight on Shays' positions.

"Chris has been to Iraq 14 times and has had more than 90 hearings on Iraq," Michael Sohn, said. "Those are the things that have shaped and influenced him."