BUSH DUCKING DEBATE
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| Wed, 09-15-2004 - 10:45am |
Presidential Debates and Missed Opportunities<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Wednesday, <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />September 15, 2004; Page A24
The president has been offered a rare opportunity to discuss key issues and concerns with Americans and appears to be leaning toward declining it . President Bush seems to be concerned about the town-hall-meeting format of the second debate, in which undecided voters picked by the Gallup Organization would ask the candidates questions. The Post noted that the Bush campaign is concerned that "people could pose as undecided when they actually are partisans."
Can't the president answer citizens' questions, partisan or not?
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I am extremely unhappy about the prospect of the president skipping the most critical of the three debates. But I am not surprised, given that the 1992 town-hall-style debate is largely seen as the nail in the coffin of his father's reelection bid and given the great pains the White House has taken to insulate President Bush from criticism and the opinions of Americans who are not vocal supporters.
Rather than canceling the town-hall debate, the Commission on Presidential Debates should leave an empty stool on stage next to the candidate who does show up. That might make for the most interesting presidential debate in years.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21915-2004Sep14.html?referrer=email
Patriotism means to stand by the Country. It does not mean to stand by the President. -- Theodore Roosevelt.

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I have a question? Is there a good place to voice our displeasure with his refusal to take part in this debate?
Yes Kerry can go anyway and turn it into a question/answer period.
The empty stool would be a nice touch. One question remains....if it turns out not to be a debate will the press even cover it? The only way it could be effective is that it gets the same air time as a usual debate.
This is why the Kerry camp's thought to not accept the nomination at the Convention went away very quickly.
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I love it. That would make a real statement out our Bush who can hardly get through a complete sentence without botching it. The town hall debate is the only one I am really excited about, where they can actually ask real questions and see if he can answer them coherently.
Patriotism means to stand by the Country. It does not mean to stand by the President. -- Theodore Roosevelt.
Edited 9/15/2004 11:05 pm ET ET by righton2004
For the townhall type debate that he is trying to duck, yes, they would ask questions that both candidates would answer, unprepared questions.
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