Looks like Time Warner and Fox have made an 'in kind' contribution to Tillis in NC

[NCcoast]

Time Warner Cable's "Empty Chair" Political Stunt Boosts Tillis Campaign With Phony Debate Scandal

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/10/22/time-warner-cables-empty-chair-political-stunt/201272

In early July, Hagan announced that she would attend three debates in the North Carolina Senate race, but would not participate in a fourth debate Time Warner Cable News (TWC) planned to host on October 21. TWC acknowledged that Hagan had declined the invitation, but moved forward with the program, still billing it as a "debate," and placed an empty chair next to Tillis during his appearance. Tillis' campaign was quick to attack Hagan's decision not to attend, hyping the "empty chair in Kay Hagan's place."

When the event was initially proposed, it was billed as a debate between Tillis and Hagan and sponsored by TWC and local papers The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer. The two papers withdrew "after learning that an empty chair would be placed on the set," The News & Observer reported. "We wanted to have a serious discussion with Mr. Tillis about the issues without any gimmicks," News & Observer executive editor John Drescher said, citing an "honest miscommunication" with TWC, "My understanding was that we would tell viewers every 15 minutes that Sen. Hagan had declined our invitation but that we would not have an empty chair." Both The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer referred to the event as an "appearance on a cable TV news show" by Tillis rather than a "debate."

[Lee-Lee]

1. Staying away from it was not a good move

I can get them thinking if she wasn't coming it would get cancelled, but once it was clear that the event was going to happen anyway she should have shown up.

I can't imagine what justification her people could have used to get her to hand Tillis a one hour free commercial.

[NCcoast]

2. Judging from what happened anyway...

It clearly was a rigged game and she knew it. Fox News declares they're going to have their own debate. You know where that's going. 'Ms. Hagan, have you got your drinking under control yet?' It might look bad in the short term but I think she did the right thing. It's like the Grimes/Chuck Todd deal. Once it's been thoroughly examined people understand that she had nothing to gain by being there, I hope.

[aquart]

3. Who watched?