Hillary demonstrates her weakness by not committing to NY debate with Sanders

[NWCorona]

"Hillary Clinton refuses to commit to a debate against Bernie Sanders in New York according to what a top Hillary advisor told CNN’s Kate Bolduan. Hillary is allegedly concerned with the tone Sanders is using in his campaign ads.

“This is a man who said he’d never run a negative ad ever. He’s now running them. They’re planning to run more,” Joel Benenson, Clinton’s top aide, said. “Let’s see the tone of the campaign he wants to run before we get to any other questions,” Benenson continued when asked if Hillary would agree to a debate in New York.


Benenson failed to specify what was mentioned in the Sanders ads that could be considered an attack, or why a veteran politician like Hillary wouldn’t have the ability to defend herself during a debate against her Democratic opponent. One would think a debate would be the perfect platform to repudiate claims made in a 30-second spot. Honest politicians, should love the opportunity to defend themselves in a public forum, right?

The truth is, Benenson has been whining about Bernie’s “negative” ads since January. Are the ads low-brow and Trump-esque in mocking the way Hillary looks?

No.

Is Sanders putting out deceptive ads that lie to voters about Hillary’s voting record?

Not even close."


http://www.rawstory.com/2016/03/hillary-demonstrates-her-weakness-by-not-committing-to-ny-debate-with-sanders/

[Trust Buster]

1. How many debate threads do we need ? This is the 5th or 6th by now. Can they be merged ?

[Gwhittey]

2. Yea I agree

Less threads for the sake of your back.

[revbones]

37. Thread win. nt

[NWCorona]

4. I'm not sure how many there are at the moment

But this is new material and besides how many "Bernie so rude to Jane" threads were there until it was debunked?

[ljm2002]

42. Are you the hall monitor? n/t

[Arkansas Granny]

3. Of all the words that could be used to describe Hillary, "weak" should be at the

very bottom of the list.

This kind of thinking is delusional.

[Punkingal]

7. I think it does make her look weak, but I would think that about anyone who won't debate.

Not just Hillary. Debates are a good thing. It's disappointing to me, and not because I'm a Bernie supporter, but because I'm a voter.

[BreakfastClub]

41. I think it's sexist. I know I'm not supposed to think that, but I do. nt

[thereismore]

5. "why a veteran politician like Hillary wouldn’t have the ability to defend herself during a debate"

That says it all. She is not up to it. How can she possibly be President.

[Punkingal]

6. I think the Clinton campaign is making a mistake.

[dchill]

8. I don't know, but maybe...

The problem for Hillary is that the public always benefits from being informed.

[ViseGrip]

40. For $$ and ratings, a network is going to offer him. Then she'll come

weakened. So be it. She broke her word, here. Not good in a campaign, where all we have is your word and record. This is why she cannot win in Nov.

[CoffeeCat]

10. I agree, she's investing a great deal of

energy into avoiding a NY debate.

She looks weak and bratty.

And the excuses are hilarious. She doesn't like Bernie's "tone." He's doing negative ads. This is a political campaign, is it not?

You can't employ that dirty dog Brock who spends most waking hours smearing Bernie for being racist, sexist and a monster--and then get all haughty when Bernie does a negative ad.

Grow up Hillary. Quit making excuses and work together to make these previously agreed upon debates happen. No one is interested in your feelings about Bernie's "tone".

[LonePirate]

9. Did people skip the previous 500 debates and town halls?

Both candidates say the same things time and time again. They have become repetitive and uninformative.

[NWCorona]

12. I disagree

Besides there's two more official debates scheduled.

[CalvinballPro]

14. NY is an expensive state for running ads (Bernie's M.O. so far) and he needs free airtime.

Thinks he can get it through a Dem debate, even though he literally has nothing new to say that hasn't already been said at every debate so far.

He's losing and he knows it.

[amborin]

11. she's scared

[CalvinballPro]

13. NY is 63-28 for Clinton as of recent polling. Yeah, so "weak." ROFL nt

[NWCorona]

16. Maybe that's why she doesn't want to debate?

Yes very weak!

[CalvinballPro]

18. Clinton, strong, doesn't need debate. Sanders, weak, needs debate desperately. nt

[NWCorona]

22. ...

[CalvinballPro]

25. Can't see videos because of a work filter, but your concession is otherwise accepted.

I'm sure whatever it was, it's was snarky and basically just an admission that your argument has no merit.

[NWCorona]

30. So in other words you are giving up and blaming filters

Understandable.

[ljm2002]

43. Now *that* is WEAK!!!!! n/t

"I'm sure whatever it was, it's was snarky and basically just an admission that your argument has no merit."

Okay, okay, if you insist: your candidate's own words were snarky.

[ladjf]

15. Here's my take on the Bernie request for another debate.

Hillary probably feels that she currently has the upper hand. But, Bernie is highly charismatic in most of his public appearances and there is no doubt that there is some upward momentum for Bernie's campaign. Hillary might think , "why risk another public appearance together when I'm already in the lead". That makes sense.

However, Bernie needs some dramatic events to try to move ahead. So, he challenges. If she accepts, he'll try to out debate her and he figures "what do I have to lose"? But, if she declines, which is what she will do and what Bernie thought she would , Bernie might gain a little just by the fact that Hillary
was "afraid to debate him", which probably isn't the case.

This was a gambit by Bernie.

[NWCorona]

19. It's not a request by Bernie

There's two more official debates scheduled. Bernie's not asking for an additional debate.

[ladjf]

23. I must be uninformed. I was under the assumption that Bernie wanted another

debate but that Hillary did not. So, you are saying that the debate was already scheduled?
Doe that mean Hillary want sot back out of a planned debate? Hard to keep up with all these bits and pieces.

[NWCorona]

27. The issue is that there's supposed to be one in April and one in May

But there's no date set.

Bernie wants it before the NY primary. Understandable but not guaranteed.

Hillary is refusing to commit to any more debates. Period.

[ladjf]

29. Thanks of straightening me out on this point. nt

[NWCorona]

31. No problem!

[CalvinballPro]

28. All agreed to one debate "in April" and one debate "in May." Sanders is acting like he sets the date

which seems kind of unilateral to me, but hey, I'm not the flailing, failing candidate who needs free media attention ahead of a primary he seems poised to lose, badly.

I also find it ridiculous that Sanders fans are whining about a debate not happening in a month that hasn't even fucking started yet.

[ljm2002]

44. You are right about one thing...

...Hillary does not want another debate and she never wanted another debate -- well, except for the extra one in NH, which she wanted badly. She only agreed to more debates than that because Bernie played hardball (as he should have) when her campaign asked for the extra debate in NH.

Now she is trying to avoid having another debate before NY, because she figures she's got nothing to gain from it.

Her campaign can correctly point out that although they agreed to a debate in April, they never set a date for it, and therefore they can decline to have it before the NY primary without breaking their word. But it still makes her look weak, and it still betrays a dismissive attitude to voters IMO, and it breaks the spirit of their agreement if not the letter of it.

Also her campaign manager's statements really sounded like they are going to avoid any more debates at all until Bernie's campaign changes its "tone" and starts to "behave". Talk about tone! Childish, condescending and authoritarian all rolled into one.

But as we all know, politics ain't beanbag. If her campaign decides she has less to lose by avoiding a debate and appearing to go back on her word, than she does by agreeing to the debate, that is what they will do.

[GreatGazoo]

17. How tired did Benenson look in that clip ??

Benenson was part of the team that did Obama's 2008 primaries and GE. He looked a lot better during Obama's streak of wins that he does right now.

Hillary bought Benenson thinking that he would bring the magic that defeated her in 2008. Problem is Hillary just isn't Obama. The things that worked for Obama and his campaign won't work for Hillary. She is still the baggage-heavy, legacy insider that small donors and voters reject:

[CalvinballPro]

21. Why isn't Bernie retaining more of Obama's coalition then? He's the one bleeding support, apparently

[EyeOnLife]

39. Not according to recent results

Bernie has won PoC in AK, HI and WA. Three of the top 10 states that are the most diverse.

California happens to be one of the top 10 states, and Bernie will net 70-75%.

Know what's another? New York and PA.

Good luck.

[Betty Karlson]

20. LIES and broken promises. Disgusting woman.

(to the jury: if she were a man, I'd have said "disgusting man", because lies and broken promises are pretty disgusting. This is about character, not overies.)

[tk2kewl]

24. if Sanders were distorting Hillary's record...

a debate is the perfect opportunity to set the record straight.

Of course Sanders is not the one distorting her record - it is Hillary who is hiding her own record and distorting Sanders' - so setting the record straight is "off the table."

[SheenaR]

26. I make no secret of my support for Sanders

but while I want a debate, she stands to gain nothing from debating. Only negatives could come of it.

Without a debate she can continue to try and run out the clock on the remaining states and keep the lead..

I don't love it, but it's the right strategy if I am her.

[SHRED]

33. If she thinks her positions are strong...

...then she'd want as many debates as possible to share them with as many people as possible.

[SheenaR]

35. In theory yes,

But if I am trying to win, I stay away from Bernie.

Granted, I want a debate. I am just putting myself on that side of things.

[hack89]

36. No. The only goal is to win the nomination

another debate doesn't help her do that. All it would do is potentially give Bernie a lift - that is not her job.

[NWCorona]

34. I definitely understand that line of thinking

And I'd except that strategy if there wasn't two more official debates scheduled. It's not really Hillary's place to say no and not come off looking like she's dodging Bernie.

Also if she thinks this will go over well in NY, she's mistaken.

[SHRED]

32. Sarandon Sarandon Sarandon

Bernie's supporters...that's the real issue isn't it?

[Marr]

38. Possibly her most Queen-ly proclamation yet.

My lady, I'm afraid you can't just refuse to engage people as President because you do not like their tone.