Obama considers 1 additional debate

[sandnsea]

I didn't realize there were so many debates, it was smart of him to point it out. I don't think he needs to do another debate, but it shuts Hillary up so I guess that's the best thing to do.

"But Mr. Obama said most of that fighting would be done on the ground in the next voting states, not in debates. When asked whether he would accept the invitation from Mrs. Clinton to attend four more debates in the coming weeks, he laughed.

“I don’t think anybody is clamoring for more debates,” he said. “We’ve had 18 debates so far. I think we’ve had 10 more than we’ve had in the last Democratic contest.”
He said he would agree to at least one debate, but noted, “It’s very important for me to spend time with voters.”

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/06/obama-more-rounds-to-fight/#more-4154

[woolldog]

1. Great response:

"It's more important for me to spend time with the voters."

[MagsDem]

"saying nothing at all, and spewing platitudes while avoiding....

taking a stand on any issues."

[loveangelc]

2. I hope it's the Chris Matthews one.

lol

[LadyVT]

3. More important than to let people know what his positions are????

[MagsDem]

5. That's the last thing he wants to do

[HCE SuiGeneris]

6. And that he SMOKES!

[cali]

7. Did you miss the part about there already having been 18

debates? He'll do another one. 4 more is ridiculous.

[MagsDem]

9. LOL - yeah, 18 where they each got 12 min of speaking time

let's have debates that are one on one so people can actually compare them in the issues. He won't do it because he loses every time.

[cali]

30. bzzzt. I suggest you go back and review the

time each had. They only had 12 minutes each last week? How about the week before that? Or the week before that? What garbage. And no one thinks he did anything but a good job last week. Hillary needs the debates way way more than he does, do to her money problems. He's the one up and he can set the debate schedule. That's the way politics works. She's in trouble. Suck it up.

[MagsDem]

32. He's one up on what? He has 100 less delegates....

I hope he does continue to refuse to debate here. He is going to look like a world class wuss as a result.

[cali]

34. He's not refusing, cupcake. Spin away. He's just not acceding to her

demands of 4 debates. Look, ONLY candidates who are behind demand more debates. And despite her greater number of SUPER DELEGATES, she's not ahead. They're essentially tied. SDs can and do switch allegiances. In two days it's likely he'll take LA, NE and WA. Then he'll be ahead in delegates. He's already ahead in states. Remember how just a few days ago, Hill's campaign was insisting that they'd won twice as many states as Obama? (4 to 2) Well, now they're several states back, and he's going to increase the margin of states, number of votes and number of delegates. She has a chance at ME on the 10th and perhaps of VA on the following Tuesday, but the calendar is decidedly in his favor until March 4 and so is the money. He'll be able to set up lots of offices in TX and OH and even in smaller states like RI and VT. He'll be able to massively outspend her on advertising. Right now they're in a dead heat. In a few days he'll have renewed momentum. She's not in big trouble, but she's in a bit of a pickle.

[MagsDem]

35. Well she's not behind, so I guess that blows your theory all to hell

Only candidates that are afraid to discuss the issues refuse debates. He can win every piddly red state, and WA too, but it will go down the convention, where super delegates and the Florida win will put her over the top. He mo has peaked. All the remaining big states will go to her.

[woolldog]

8. If you

don't know what his positions are by now, that's your fault. Do some research.

[joshcryer]

11. Even his defenders don't know what his positions are.

Please tell me how his health care penalties work.

YOU CAN'T.

[woolldog]

15. I'm not

going to spoonfeed you the answers.

[joshcryer]

17. As predicted.

YOU CAN'T.

Not even his most ardent "Krugman Defender" can. He doesn't know, it's "vague." There is absolutely no evidence. I read all the BS on his site. There's nothing!

[MagsDem]

24. You don't KNOW the answers

[joshcryer]

26. No, there IS NO answer.

They can't answer it because Obama didn't even talk about fucking penalties until Krugman called him out.

[MagsDem]

13. He doesn't talk about the issues when he makes speeches

That's the main problem with him. He talks in platitudes and never includes any specifics.

[woolldog]

19. ...

I haven't seen much difference between his level of specificity and Clinton's or Edwards' or any of the Republican candidates for that matter.

[joshcryer]

23. During the debate between him and Hillary he took her talking points on immigration.

Verbatim.

[MagsDem]

27. All right, let's compare them

Here's Obama's last speech on economic policy -- notice very few specifics:

http://www.barackobama.com/2008/01/22/remarks_of_senator_barack_obam_41.php

Here is Hillary's -- notice lots of specifics:

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/speech/view/?id=5466

You can do the same on every single issue.

[woolldog]

28. ....

The candidates provided enough specifics to be graded on their stimulus plans:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/22/AR2008012202614.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

[MagsDem]

31. I can think for myself, but thanks anyway

And who the fuck is Ruth Marcus, and why should I care what she thinks?

[Drunken Irishman]

18. Oh please. How many debates have there been?

How many chances have people had to watch Obama and Clinton over the past year? If they're not paying attention now, they won't be paying attention two or three weeks from now.

What's the point of debating if you're saying the exact same shit over and over again? No debate has really offered anything new, especially the past month or so. It's a waste of time for both candidates and Obama is right in saying so.

[Apollo11]

33. I LOVE watching the debates. I WANT MORE !!!

To watch a debate you just need cable TV or an internet connection.

What is the alternative for folks who want to hear the candidates, see how they deal with difficult questions and compare their stands on the issues?

Wait in line for 5 hours to get into an Obama event so I can hear the exact same stump speech he has been giving for the past 6 to 12 months? :eyes:

Until now we only had one debate with just Clinton and Obama. It was great. Hillary did a good job on the immigration issue. Obama scored a couple of points on Iraq. What's not to like? B-)

[Kahuna]

25. This will help www.barackobama.com/issues/

If you REALLY want to know what his positions are.

[MagsDem]

4. Oh he's just afraid to debate her because he loses everytime

There have only been a few debates where they were one on one. He is wussing out, that's all.

[cali]

10. Actually, no one but the hillary devotees thought he lost the

last debate. She's a better debater, no doubt, but he did just fine one on one. And this is further evidence that he's in the catbird seat and gets to call some shots.

More monumental whinging from you. wow. how unsurprising.

[joshcryer]

12. Striking change of position you've had in the last 24 hours.

:hi:

[ProSense]

16. I don't think that's it. After all, he

tripped her up and caused her to spew mumble on Iraq in the last debate and delivered a smack down in a previous debate.

He'll be fine if he does it, don't know about Hillary, or if the free exposure will help alleviate the problem with her campaign finances.

[JI7]

14. you really think they would be quiet about it if he agreed to 1 ?

he needs to just bring up why she didn't ask for more before. why she had agreed not to debate on fox but now wants to.

if he agrees to 1 , they will call for another and then again accuse him of being scared or whatever else if he refuses.

i'm not against it but i know what it's about.

[sandnsea]

20. There's not that much time

She wants one a week for the next 4 weeks because she doesn't have any money. If he gives her one and chooses the date to benefit him, it could work out okay. He's kind of in the driver's seat, considering how many debates there have already been and the magnitude of the LA debate. How could you top that?

[Drunken Irishman]

22. BINGO. She needs FACE TIME this month because Obama will dominate news.

When he rolls to wins Saturday and Tuesday and then the Tuesday after that, all the news will be talking about Clinton's losses and Obama's wins. She needs to neutralize that through debates. Obama is smart to say "one debate and that's it". What's the point of debating issues they've already debated over the course of a year? Well for Clinton, it's free press, for Obama, he has nothing to gain and everything to lose.

[StevieM]

21. How nice of him (eom)

x

[adabfree]

29. Smart move

[SKKY]

36. I see no purpose in another debate...

...does anyone really think another debate is going to resolve anything? At this point, after 18 debates, what else don't we know about our respective candidate, or the other candidate?

[sandnsea]

37. kick

[Hoof Hearted]

38. I think one more is appropriate. n/t