Inslee, McKenna will share stage twice, but don't call them debates

Call it a forum. Call it a conversation.

But don't call it a debate when the leading candidates for governor – Democrat Jay Inslee and Republican Rob McKenna – share the spotlight at two events at The Westin Hotel in Seattle next Wednesday.

First up is a breakfast forum. For an hour, Inslee and McKenna will sit in comfy chairs and answer questions from Linda Thomas of 97.3 KIRO FM. They won't be asking each other any questions but they may get some queries tossed their way by members of the audience.

The event is sponsored by NAIOP, Enterprise Community Partners and Forterra (formerly Cascade Land Conservancy) which represent commercial real estate developers and conservationists respectively.

Then, for lunch, the Rotary Club of Seattle is hosting the two gentlemen at an event dubbed 'Conversation with the Candidates.'

It may be fall before the two men for a debate along the lines of what took place in Spokane earlier this month.