Brown agrees to Kennedy Institute debate on condition widow Vicki Kennedy stays neutral

Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) said Monday that he would agree to a debate against challenger Elizabeth Warren at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, but only if the former senator's widow agreed to stay neutral in the November election.

The Brown campaign also asked that MSNBC, which prominently features liberal talk show hosts like Rachel Maddow, Al Sharpton and Chris Matthews, be dropped as a sponsor of the contest.

“In order to proceed, we need to know that in keeping with the spirit of neutrality expressed in Vicki Kennedy’s letter that she will not endorse or otherwise get involved in this race,” Brown’s campaign manager, Jim Barnett, said in a letter to the institute.

Brown won a 2010 special election to succeed Kennedy after his death, becoming the first Republican elected to the Senate from Massachusetts since 1972.

Barnett added that they would be amenable to former NBC News Anchor Tom Brokaw moderating the debate, as had been proposed by the Kennedy Institute's offer.

“Furthermore, while we accept Tom Brokaw as a moderator, we prefer debates with local media sponsors, not out-of-state cable networks with a reputation for political advocacy,” Barnett wrote. “We are confident that issue can be easily addressed as there are a number of Massachusetts media outlets that would be willing to sponsor a debate such as the one you are proposing for the Kennedy Institute, and I’m sure they would be pleased to have Mr. Brokaw as moderator.”

Thus far Warren and Brown have only been able to agree to two televised debates, both to air on local Massachusetts channels. The campaigns have been sniping over the logistics of the contests, with each attempting to gain an upper hand with more favorable moderators and forums.

On Thursday, Warren accused Brown of trying to avoid the contest at the Kennedy Institute.

“I don’t know why Scott Brown is dodging the debate,” Warren told the Boston Herald. “What I do know is that we do owe it to the people of the commonwealth of Massachusetts to have a debate that covers the issues that engage what’s happening in their lives. I thought Scott Brown would want that debate.”

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