Indy Star Editorial: It's time for serious debate ... Obama "disengages"

[Iceburg]

...
As such, the candidates need to engage Indiana voters and one another in a forum that stretches beyond glossy TV commercials, showy campaign stops and rote speeches delivered in city after city.

In short, the candidates need to meet for a debate in Indiana in the next few days.

...
A debate planned for North Carolina, which also holds its primary on May 6, fell apart this week after the Obama campaign backed out. The senator's loss in Pennsylvania should prompt his advisers to reconsider whether this is the right time to disengage.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080424/OPINION08/804240320/1291/OPINION08

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Indiana is calling Obama out of the speech closet.

[goclark]

1. Did they endorse HC

[spooky3]

36. IndyStar is conservative and will probably endorse McCain.

[Texas Hill Country]

2. ouchie

[RBInMaine]

3. Fine, let's have a REAL debate then, one with REAL moderators and REAL questions.

[Saturday]

4. Obama doesn't win debates so he won't play. nt

[HereSince1628]

5. If a newspaper has important questions,

it should have its reporter(s) ask them in interviews and publish the answers.

Moreover, Indiana citizens have had plenty of opportunity to watch and read about all the previous nationally televised debates.

There is nothing to be gained by more debates except for the selling of advertising.

[Iceburg]

9. LOL ... Bubble Bama doesn't take questions from reporters/nt

[1776Forever]

49. Post just said Obama took questions for 1 hr. yesterday in IN - I agree totally with you!!!!!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5663536&mesg_id=5663536

[1776Forever]

51. Take it from here........Who is stumping for Hillary?

:banghead:

[rodeodance]

6. and add the fact that he has been reluctant to talk with reporters--and

did not take questions after his rally on Tues. night (separate threads here on DU).

ummm..

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rodeodance]

13. Personal insults--very Mature of you.

......You are a walking JOKE. Since when do they take questions after 7000-people late rallies???

[rodeodance]

11. Clinton has accepted> invitation issued by the Indiana Debate Commission,........

........The Clinton campaign already has accepted an invitation issued by the Indiana Debate Commission, along with its partners CNN and PBS, to stage in a debate here. (The Debate Commission represents various civic and media organizations, including The Star. Star Editor Dennis Ryerson is vice chairman of the commission.)

Obama, who weeks after seemingly wrapping up the nomination is still struggling to close out the race, needs something to stem Clinton's growing momentum in the wake of her victories in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Texas................

[Window]

15. Of course she has...she has no money...needs the free air-time.

:rofl:

[Iceburg]

16. By your logic the nonimation is for sale to the highest bidder /nt

[karynnj]

7. This paper was owned by Dan Quayle's family in the 1970s

and was very conservative then - is that still the case, Hoosiers?

[Tesha]

12. If the Hillary people are quoting it, odds are it's still "Right". (NT)

[PVnRT]

42. Quayle's wife's family, Quayle just married in

It was owned by the Pulliams, not by Gannett, but they haven't forgotten their "roots," so to speak.

[karynnj]

45. thanks -

She was even worse than her husband - I remember that dreadful speech at the GWHB convention - back when the media was not happy with that ugly convention - too bad the media didn't react that way to the uglier 2004 one.

[ShortnFiery]

10. Here's a ABC question for Hill: Is your husband seeking treatment for his sexual addition?

If 'Not' then what are the chances that either your husband or yourself could be BLACKMAILED if his future indiscretions are caught on video?"


:evilgrin: Now that would be comparable to "Do you think Rev. Wright loves this country as much as you do?" OR "Why don't you darkies in the Senate wear flag pins so the 'good ole boys' don't mistake you for terrorists?" :crazy:

[Iceburg]

14. Perhaps you should be asking Obama (the Candidate) about the same affliction...male trait? /nt

[rodeodance]

17. So many Obama fans are OBSESSED with Bill Clinton's penis!!

[Buzz Clik]

30. sigh. This is so sad. Weeks upon weeks of two fisted disruption. And you've become this.

Makes me all teary.

[rodeodance]

47. You are mixed up. I did not bring up the topic. learn to read.

[Buzz Clik]

52. Are you obsessed with Clinton's penis? Or simply talking about others' obsession with his penis?

Or, do just like using the word "penis" when others were talking about sex in more abstract terms?

[pocoloco]

34. LOL Hillary should have paid a little more attention to it!

[Mags]

39. Yes they are.

[rodeodance]

53. and wise voters are bored with those old issues. --yet Obama fans think

they are not.

[newmajority]

44. Uh, you mean addiction, right?

Hillary is the one with the addition problem.

[CBGLuthier]

18. How many fucking debates do we need?

If there is anyone who doesn't understand the difference between the two candidates by now then they should not be allowed to vote.

[Iceburg]

20. At least one, where we can see that Obama can stand on his own two feet/nt

[SoonerPride]

23. I've seen 21 debates. Sorry you weren't paying attention.

I'm sure you can find them on the web.

There is no need for more free air time for Mrs. Clinton.

[Iceburg]

26. I've seen them all ...hence my assertion /nt

[rodeodance]

19. k and r.

[Neshanic]

21. He's been phoning it in for months.

[Buzz Clik]

25. 1-800-HILLARY-LOST

[Iceburg]

28. No answer (too many numbers) ... dial 1-800-HILLARY-WON ... she's IN!!! /nt

[yellerpup]

22. The Leader in a contest has no reason to debate

If the situaiton were reversed, Sen. Clinton would not agree to another debate, either.

[Buzz Clik]

24. Screw the Indy Star. It's a wannabe paper.

"Look at us! We're important! We're mimicking Bill O'Reilly by calling Obama a coward!"

As a fairly regular reader of the Indy Star, I guarantee you no one in Indiana cares what they think.

[Birthday]

27. Yuck.

Obama should stick to conversing with real people - real voters. Town Hall type meetings would be helpful, in Indiana. But the ridiculous and destructive "debates" are, I hope, a thing of the past.

[PBS Poll-435]

29. He has already answered, like 8 questions, let him

Finish his GODDAMN waffle already!

[Romulox]

31. Obama doesn't want to have to make a lot of CRAZY PROMISES he has no intention of keeping! nt

[izzybeans]

32. The Star is a notorious right wing rag. Of course they

will criticize the democratic front runner.

[BigDDem]

33. He's a coward. Waaa waaa waaaa those reporters are

mean to me!!

10 Million people watched the last one, maybe you guys aren't interested in debates but clearly many are.

[PBS Poll-435]

35. Yeah...me too.

It is cheaper than the movies and gives me an excuse to drink!

:beer:

[Name removed]

37. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[yourguide]

43. There have been 21 over the past year...sorry you havent been paying attention.

And HRC lost all rights to any debate by her trying to link Obama to Hamas via Rev Wright. If he's going to debate a Rethug, it should be the rethug with the nominee status, not another dem behaving as rethug.

[purji]

38. so after 20 debates they are finally getting serious?

way to go Indy star! :eyes:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

40. Debate what? They're both moderates who agree on almost everything.

As the last "debate" proved when it was about important stuff like flag pins and preachers. :shrug:

[PVnRT]

41. LOL The Indy Star?

The fucking rag owned by Dan Quayle's wife's family? That has a quote from Corinthians right below the header on Page 1? Honestly, double-check things before you post crap from conservative sources.

The Indy Star wants some prestige in running a presidential debate (did you get to the end where they mentioned they are on the state debate commission?). I think it would be good to have a debate in Indiana, but let's not pretend that the Star is being altruistic about this. They already have their endorsement of McCain written, ready to run on August 23rd.

[madwivoter]

46. Debate? or question and answer session sponsored by the M$M?

I think you need to realize these are NOT DEBATES.

If they would hold an actual debate, I'm sure Obama would agree.

Here's the first clue that you are not watching a debate: the "moderator" in a real debate will not say there are "no rules" (and will not interrupt the debater with their own opinions, arguments or statements regarding the question asked).

[Shae]

48. Smart guy.

He isnt' going to willingly walk into another ambush especially with Hillary who is no longer a viable candidate.
The ABC debate was a waste of time, ours and his.

The next person he debates should be McCain.

[AtomicKitten]

50. He's the frontrunner. The frontrunner calls the shots. Commence sniveling.

[jackson_dem]

54. In both OH and PA he lost about 5 points from the debate to the vote

It is obvious why he can't stand up to questions. He isn't even taking reporter's questions from his traveling press corps anymore. He isn't ready for prime time and he knows it.