Netroots Open Fire On Hillary For Agreeing To Debate On Fox

[ProSense]

Netroots Open Fire On Hillary For Agreeing To Debate On Fox

By Greg Sargent - February 5, 2008, 4:20PM
It's starting. Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake, Matt Stoller of OpenLeft, and Joe Sudbay of AmericaBlog all blast Hillary for accepting an invitation to debate on Fox. She'll be taking a lot of criticism over this.

Obama won't say whether he'll be accepting the invite. "We'll figure out our schedule, including any debates, soon," Obama spokesperson Bill Burton tells me. What will Obama do? Nixing the debate gives Obama a big opening to outflank Hillary with the netroots, but Obama has already appeared on Fox, and this doesn't seem like the type of battle Obama likes.

It's worth noting that here's an instance where John Edwards' absence from the race will be felt. You can bet he'd be raising his voice against participating. Without a major, top-tier Dem candidate giving voice to the case against Fox, it will be that much easier for Hillary and Obama to both accept the network's invitation.

[ProSense]

1. Hillary stepped in it! n/t

[sfam]

2. As an Obama supporter, I think he's in trouble if he doesn't accept.

He's trying to go after independents and republicans. Hillary made a terrific tactical move here. If Obama refuses, they'll charge he's being a democratic partisan, and will hopefully try to generate a backlash against independents and republicans voting for him. Fox, of course, will take Hillary's side.

So my take is "Point Hillary." Obama should suck it up and accept.

[krkaufman]

3. Don't kid yourself. It was totally a calculated move by her...

... in the hopes that Obama refuses, as you say, and then they'll use his refusal to say that he's not really trying to reach-out or unite the country.

It's a callous ploy by Hillary, as the issue with Fox Noise has nothing to do with reaching out to Republican viewers, but that Fox Noise is unapologetically partisan and a blight on the country's political discourse. Further, Fox Noise viewers are largely the 25%ers whom no Democratic candidate will attract, so Fox is a stupid forum for a Democratic primary debate (which is the rationale that Obama should use to refuse the forum, while announcing a simultaneous alternate debate/forum on a less-biased network). The Democratic nominee can debate on Fox Noise during the GE campaign, but I see little benefit in doing so now.

Hillary's risk, though, is that she'll anger Democrats, and she isn't yet safely out of primary season.


p.s. Considering Hillary's recent chumminess with Rupert Murdoch, I wouldn't put it past her to have arranged a deal where the moderators would do a hit on Obama while taking it easy on her. </tinfoil>

[my2sense]

4. Totally Agree - This is a set-up n/t

[CoffeeCat]

5. By standing up and saying NO to Hillary...

...had her inane debate-a-thon ideas, which include a stint on Fox--
Obama empowers himself and makes himself look strong.

He's able to smack down Clinton, but did you see how he did it? With
style and grace. He said that this is a time to talk with the voters
directly.

Hillary's campaign is running low on funds. Four debates, one per week,
would give her some much-needed, free air time.

Obama, very wisely, declined her suggestion.

She can always ask. He can always say no.