So what is it with political candidates and radio shows these days? On the heels of Roger Sharpe’s no-show at WSJS, Charles Taylor fails to show for a debate with Heath Shuler on Asheville radio station WWNC.

Taylor, saying he couldn’t make the drive to Asheville because he had a commitment to visit his 95-year-old mama, tried to hold up his end via telephone from a Hendersonville radio station. That wasn’t good enough for Shuler, so he walked out.

OK, Taylor deviated from the agreement he made with Shuler and WWNC. Shuler said Taylor had an unfair advantage because staffers could be feeding him the answers down in Hendersonville. It shouldn’t matter, though. A candidate who’s confident in his positions would have remained on the air in order to clearly state them and let his opponent take the heat for breaking the rules.