Scozzafava's statement may inadvertently send a different message to voters

Dede Scozzafava walked down into enemy territory this morning to hold a press conference outside Doug Hoffman's campaign office to discuss the lack of candidate forums and debates.

Mr. Hoffman's people were ready for her, creating a sea of red "Hoffman Congress" signs for the television cameras as Ms. Scozzafava spoke. Across the street, volunteers on Bill Owens' campaign waved bright blue signs and got motorists to honk their support.

As WWNY's Alex Field correctly surmised, it was Watertown's own version of "West Side Story," complete with the Sharks and the Jets and uh, a third gang.

It was a made-for-TV moment, although I don't think it made the statement that Ms. Scozzafava was aiming for. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people watch television with the sound turned down to a level where they can't hear the report - at bars or restaurants, at the gym, in their own homes.

If you turn down the sound, what you predominately see is a bunch of free publicity for Doug Hoffman. People don't know Ms. Scozzafava's face well enough to figure out the disconnect between what they're seeing.

I also believe that there should be more debates, so I'm sympathetic to Ms. Scozzafava's stated purpose. But she would have been better served holding the press conference outside her own place, where her campaign - not her opponent's - could control the visibility.

UPDATE: Mr. Hoffman's campaign has weighed in.

“Dede Scozzafava is either extremely cynical or has a very short memory," said Rob Ryan, the candidate's spokesman. "On Aug. 19, the Hoffman campaign challenged Dede Scozzafava to a series of three to five debates across the district. We asked the Republican county chairs to sponsor them. The Hoffman campaign even offered to pick-up the rental costs of the venues. Both Scozzafava and the GOP county chairs refused."

The result would have very likely been the same. Mr. Hoffman, by his own admission, was scared to death of speaking in front of crowds two months ago. I don't think debates would have helped his cause to win the GOP nomination.

If Ms. Scozzafava was intent on holding a press conference outside an opponent's office, it should have been Mr. Owens' office. The Democratic and Working Families Party candidate has only agreed to one debate, while Mr. Hoffman has agreed to at least three.

Q&A with media - and footage of Bill Owens' supporters