O'malley is just like Cardin. Neither of them want to debate. They both think they have the elections lined up. Both are cocky and I cant wait to see them both go down in the dust. Let me know when that first debate happens, Ill be there

If they do debate, count on Duncan being offensive and pulling some kind of stunt. He knows he's losing and he'll "go for broke" by attacking O'Malley personally

Sure, bring the debates on I say . . . but the comparison between progress in Montgomery County under Duncan and progress under O'Malley in Baltimore City is a truly silly debate.

Everyone knows that Duncan's Montgomery County miracle message (aka, the revitalization of Silver Spring, etc.) is a joke.

Also, Duncan's message of 'look what I've done in Montgomery Co.' just doesn't seem as impressive as the economic progress that's been made in Baltimore under O'Malley (especially in the downtown harbor area).

In other words, it's far more impressive that O'Malley has been able to do what he's done in Baltimore with limited resources than what Duncan has done in wealthy Montgomery County.

Even before Duncan took over as County Executive, Montgomery County was the richest county in Maryland and one of the richest in the entire U.S.

In other words, it will be tough for most Marylanders to relate to or have much respect for Duncan's Montgomery County miracle facade.

Who knew the O'Malley staff read the Post blogs? I sure didn't, but after reading Duncan's Montgomery County Miracle post and Pepe le MoCo, it is pretty obvious.

Having lived in Montgomery County most of my life (but definitely not a Duncan supporter) let me correct a few mistakes here. First off, Duncan did a good job on Silver Spring, I'll grant him that. Aside from that he's managed to simply sit there and look good. Also, Montgomery County was not the richest county in the nation before he took office or now--saying that is showing everyone how little you know about the political scene aside from *go o'malley, go o'malley, go o'malley*--hey, that's fine though, I heard they were looking for cheerleaders in the Baltimore City Schools after half of the people failed out of the reading programs.

My beef with Duncan is taxes.

Let's move on to the illustrious amazing wonder boy Martin O'Malley. Wonder boy in Baltimore was off playing in a rock band while his special ed students failed 99% of state tests, off playing in a band while his city jumped back to the second most dangerous in the nation, off playing in his band while the crime stats were being cooked by his brother who received a no-bid contract to do...*gasp* stats, and off playing in his band while school kids in the BCPS were literally huddling in jackets because the heat dial was turned down to keep costs down (since O'Malley's great job with schools had them paying to heat 1/3 extra buildings that weren't even being used). Anyone who can't see why Rock Star is bad is either blind, related to him, or getting a job from him like everyone from the hiring and firings committee got.

What's O'Malley afraid of debating Duncan? You know his comment 'when it is appropriate' means he'll keep putting it off, putting it off, and putting it off until the very end--right, because otherwise his vulnerabilities (crappy schools, rising crime, questionable crime stats) etc may come up.

And what's this nonsense about the inner harbor? Everyone knows that was under the end of Schmoke. Willie Don ironically started it.

So let's all sit back and quote Mayor O'Malley in 1998 about Kurt Schmoke's crime stats. Those crime stats were "A massive hoax," but today the crime stats are 'audited internally and well'. O'Malley is so full of it that I'm not sure how he can even look at himself after contradicting himself at every corner.

And Duncan, we don't need more tax and spend liberals in the state capital--we've got plenty with busch and miller.

Bryan, James,

I don't see O'Malley's press person's comments as indicating that the mayor is opposed to having an organized debate. I took it more as, "Hey, the primary election isn't until September. Having a debate in mid March doesn't make sense."

This subject is so premature that, as the post stated, "The two campaigns haven't even begun to discuss if and when such events will occur."

Does anyone really think Duncan can "beat" O'Malley in a debate? I've seen both of these guys speak in public and Duncan is very awkward. When someone asked him a tough question he face got beet-red and he stumped and fumbled the answer.

O'Malley, on the other hand, is very cool behind the podium. Throw him a curve ball and watch this guy come back at you head on.

I can't wait for the debates. O'Malley will mop Duncan rhetorically. It will be like the Kennedy-Nixon debate.

Just for the record, I've lived in Montgomery County all my life. My support for O'Malley is largely based on watching Duncan in action for 12 years. As the campaign goes on, Duncan will become more and more nasty. That's his response to not getting his way. Remember "End Gridlock"?