Clinton challenges Obama to Lincoln-Douglas style debate

[mystieus]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080426/ap_on_el_pr/democrats

This just gives more free airtime for Hillary. I'd let her mire in her financial situation.

Update: The Obama campaign released this statement by Communications Director Robert Gibbs after David Axelrod spoke with CNN.

"We have participated in 21 nationally televised debates, the most in primary history, including four exclusively with Senator Clinton. Senator Clinton refused an earlier invitation that had been accepted to debate in North Carolina. Over the next 10 days, we believe it's important to talk directly to the voters of Indiana and North Carolina about fixing our economy, cutting the cost of health care and ending a war in Iraq that never should have been authorized in the first place."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/26/clinton-challenges-obama-to-lincoln-douglas-style-debate/

[jaxx]

1. Good for Obama

I remember the one debate where Hillary ran on for like 16 minutes and nobody could shut her up. Let her go make her case in person like he will. Let her whine.

[Taxmyth]

2. Makes Senator Obama look afraid

and if that's the message he wants to take to the convention or even to the GE should he be the nominee, so be it. I'm sure the Republicans won't look askance at him for that.

[yourguide]

4. Nope, just makes him look smart

why give her any more free air time to try and associate him with Farrakhan and Hamas. That was crap and she knows it yet she still rolled it out.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted sub-thread

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

[polpilot]

19. Loser Clinton wants free tv. No thank you.

[DearAbby]

7. No it is good strategy

why give Clinton free airtime? It is good strategy.

[Liberal Gramma]

8. No, it makes him look like he wasn't born yesterday.

[rocktivity]

9. Makes Senator Obama look fiscally responsible

His time and money is better spent on actual campaigning now that it's impossible for Hillary to beat him on the delegate count. Let her pay for her own advertising.

:headbang:
rocknation

[rodeodance]

23. No way is O. fiscally responsible. He spent your $$ 3:1 and stilll LOST in PA!!

[tammywammy]

25. I say the candidate that's not $10 million in debt is the one that's fiscally responsible

[rodeodance]

26. your donations went down the sewer--te he--

[tammywammy]

43. No, I feel that my donations have been spent very well

I do hope with that $10 million Hillary raised she manages to pay off some of that Iowa debt.

[rocktivity]

29. It's not Obama's fault that he outspends Hillary

She has nothing TO spend!


rocknation

[wileedog]

47. ANd still has 4 times as much money as he does.

She has spent $150 Million to lose an election she led by 30 points.

[rodeodance]

16. **run obama run~~SEE OBAMA RUN~~

[wileedog]

46. If there hadn't been 21 already and 4 one on one

you might have a point.

At this point he sounds sensibly tired of doing the same old thing again.

You think the Republicans are going to be asking for 22 debates?

[DearAbby]

3. No need for

anymore debates between these two. There would be no advantage or change in the numbers to warrant it.

The next debate should be between the Democratic Nominee and the Republican Nominee. MHO

[NJSecularist]

5. Personally, I have no problem with Obama not accepting a debate within the next 10 days.

But if he thinks he's going to get away with no more debates for the rest of the primary season, he has another thing coming.

[wileedog]

48. Good God why?

They have already done more debates than any Primary in history.

What in the world is so compelling that he has to do another one with a candidate that has almost no chance of winning at this point?

Was McCain debating Huckabee every other night?

[backscatter712]

6. I'll bite your kneecaps off!!!

[Cha]

10. Excellent comment from Monsieur Gibbs..

he was being too kind not mentioning her refusual to debate the anti-war candidate, Jonathan Tasini, in 2006 for the Democratic Senate Primary in New York.

I voted for Jonathan Tasini.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5697172

[jenmito]

11. I'm SO glad they said, "Senator Clinton refused an earlier invitation that had been accepted to

debate in North Carolina." :thumbsup:

[wpelb]

21. If it hadn't been for this . . .

Sen. Clinton could have had him backed into a bit of a corner. By reminding voters that she had refused a debate first, Sen. Obama is able to get out of the corner. It may not be a perfect strategy, but it's probably more than adequate given the delegate and popular-vote counts, as well as the opinion polls at this juncture.

[okasha]

12. It's a win-win for her.

If he debates, she cuts him to pieces.

If he refuses, he's in a defensive (read: losing) posture and will be seen as afraid to take her on.

Poor baby.

[blogslut]

13. Pretend is fun, Senator Clinton

Who gets to play Douglas and who gets to play Lincoln?

[my3boyz]

14. I think one of Obama's surrogates said her campaign

needs oxygen and they are not going to provide it for her.

[C_U_L8R]

15. No quarter

it's over Hlllary

[fortyfeetunder]

17. Isn't Hillary's campaign budget running in the red?

As many have said, this is just a ploy to get free airtime.

Had she been on the winning end, she would be beseeching him to quit while she was ahead and stop asking for debates.

Hey Hillary, pay to play, that's what they say!

[rodeodance]

20. yeah , we know your boring talking point--actually Obama is RUNNING FROM HILLARY--HE IS A CHICKEN

[anonymous171]

22. I'd run from her too at this point. She's just a one trick pony.

SMEAR SMEAR SMEAR

[rodeodance]

24. Obama can't keep up with her Political savviness. IT's run run run mr. Obama !

[jenmito]

37. Wrong. If he stoops to her level of attacking,she'll play the victim card and you and your buddies

will all go along with it.

[ima_sinnic]

38. yeah, running like I'd run from a mosquito or a gnat

--she's irrelevant. she has no chance of getting the nomination, so why should he waste his beautiful mind on her? what would be the point? to create another distracting side show for the pundits to twist and distort? to give the snake some more openings for her treacherous little "gotcha" moments? to keep alive the notion that she might actually have a chance at the nomination? He has better ways to spend his time and effort than in yet another pointless "debate" with that treacherous but irrelevant Rambo wannabe. Let him talk directly to the voters about why he is better than McCain without the annoyance of the Hillary-gnat in his face.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

27. All he has to do is say yes 'on his terms'

his date

[VolcanoJen]

28. So Hillary proposes a side-by-side press conference and calls it a "debate."

Yeah, if I were Obama, I wouldn't nibble at her catnip either.

[Hippo_Tron]

30. Yea, these debates are a sham if they can't ask each other questions

BTW, you're not a West Wing watcher fan, are you? President Bartlet used the term "joint press conference" to describe these phony debates.

[VolcanoJen]

33. Of course I'm a West Wing fan!!

Where do you think I stole that line from? ;-)

[JimGinPA]

31. I'm Pretty Sure She Meant Lincoln - Wilkes-Booth Style Debate

:scared:

[cjsmom44]

40. RE: THAT'S IT...

THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT SHE IS UP TOO

SHE IS GRASPING AT STRAWS

SHE WANTS TO SEE HIM STUMBLE

AND

WILL DO ANYTHING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN

I AM GLAD HE SHUT HER DOWN

BRING ON MCCAIN...THAT IS ONE DEBATE HE IS EAGER TO HAVE :applause:

[Iceburg]

32. Obama has neither the knowledge nor the confidence to compete on such equal footing

Lack of knowledge and fear are not winning traits in any profession.

[VolcanoJen]

35. That's rich

Obama lacks "knowledge?" Really!??!???!!

And what about the prior 21 debates... this "fear" meme is new to you, yes?

[KaptBunnyPants]

34. Clinton challenges Obama to decisive ro-sham-bo match.

Winner take all. Oh wait, make it 2 out of 3. No, I meant 3 out of 5.

[Bensthename]

36. Her broke ass can sit and watch him on CNN. No free publicity for her. She blew it.

Obama has all the power right now. She blew her remaining chances. He really doesn't need her calling him an elitist with terrorist ties. She blew it.

And he can not respond back as hard because he is pretty much the nominee and cant risk losing the Hillbots' vote.

So I would say it is not in his best interest.

[jenmito]

39. Exactly. And he agreed to 2 debates when he didn't have to. I'm glad he refused this time. Why

should he give her free airtime? I'm GLAD he's not giving her the opportunity to smear him without him being able to smear her back without looking like a "bully" which you KNOW she and her husband will accuse him of being.

[Bensthename]

41. They take advantage of the fact he can not fight back very hard

for fear of losing the Hill bot vote. They can say and do anything to him because they have nothing to lose. Obama is playing defense and running out the clock and it is driving them crazy.. No more debates for Hillary.

[jenmito]

44. Yup. He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't fight back.

It's best that he concentrates on McCain and fighting for the American people like he said today.

[Gore1FL]

42. I still say Obama should agree on one condition

She debates Mike Gravel first.

The winner of that also-ran debate can then debate the only one with a chance of winning.

[anonymous171]

45. Gravel would tear her apart.

I say go for it. :evilgrin:

[RichardRay]

49. I don't believe Senator Clinto knows...

what a 'Lincoln-Douglas' debate is. If she just means a un-moderated free for all then Senator Obama makes a good tactical choice in turning her down. If she really means an LD debate in the full NFL format then it would be a great step upwards from anything I've ever seen touted as a 'debate' in US electoral politics.

Definition of 'Lincoln-Douglas' Debate

(Note: 'NFL' is not the National Football League :-)

(second note: I've got this post stored away - I will add it to every single thread that starts off with suggesting that Senator Clinton wants a 'Lincoln-Douglas' debate. Just my little pedantic self trying to help people get it right.)

[TexasObserver]

50. What next from Hillary? "Meet me at Dead's Man Curve, Barack!"

She's completely lost her mind, and in this state of extended delusion has come to see herself as a modern, ever changing super hero.