Bush Campaign to Pick (James) Baker as Debate Negotiator

[Khephra]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush's re-election campaign this week will appoint Bush family confidant James Baker to negotiate the details of campaign debates between Bush and Democrat John Kerry, Republican officials said on Wednesday.
The selection of Baker, who was Bush's lead representative in the Florida recount battle in 2000, came amid indications that Bush only wanted to agree to two debates with Kerry rather than three as proposed by the Commission on Presidential Debates.

Proceeding without formal agreement from the Bush campaign, the commission set debates beginning Sept. 30 in Coral Gables, Florida, with a second slated for Oct. 8 in St. Louis and a third Oct. 13 in Tempe, Arizona. A vice presidential debate between incumbent Dick Cheney and Kerry's running mate, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, was set for Oct. 5 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Republican officials said the Bush campaign would name Baker this week. Baker, a longtime friend and adviser to Bush's father, former President Bush, has served as White House chief of staff, treasury secretary and secretary of state.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=6127230

[shaolinmonkey]

1. Oh Lord, so it begins. Who's negotiating for us?

Will Baker "fix" this too?

[Cocoa]

6. Vernon Jordan n/t

[Davis_X_Machina]

14. Good news. Vernon's one scary dude...

..I remember when Ken Starr tried to rattle his cage -- no sale, no how, not ever. Clinton could have stood having a few more such friends.

No way do I want to negotiate anything with Mr. Jordan....

[Davis_X_Machina]

2. I believe the technical term is not...

...'debate negotiator', but 'wartime consigliere'.

[htuttle]

12. He's an errand boy, sent by grocery clerks to collect a bill

James "Tom Hagen" Baker -- always willing to clean up after the Bushes.

[KittyWampus]

17. Thanks To Clark Campaign For The Consigliere Moniker!

if the cement shoe fits... and all that.

[demnan]

They've hauled out their consuleri

let's haul out ours - Carville!

[AlCzervik]

3. Kerry better not play ball because if he does it's not going

to turn out well for him.

[Catfight]

4. First thing, "Can Bush bring Cheney?"

[BillZBubb]

5. Please Kerry: Don't negotiate with these terrorists!!!!!

Tell them flat out the Debate Commission has set up the debates and that you will be there. They can shove their "negotiations" where the sun don't shine!!!!!!

[Cassandra]

7. He'll probably say...

We've debated endlessly already, we've done all the debates already, we don't need to debate again. ......POS!

[Drifter]

8. Why do either of the candidates have ...

ANY say in the format of the debates. It is not for them it is for us.

Ok then, is James Baker going to be negotiating the terms of the next terrorist attack as well ?

I have seen the tired old republican mantra for 3 long years now. The point of the debates is to see how the candidates react to the situation at hand (not the vacuum the AWOL always appears to be in).

I say ban all campaign ads and have weekly debates (couple hours each) for 8 to 10 weeks before the election. That should allow all the issues to be addressed at length.

Cheers
Drifter

[UpInArms]

9. I just cannot say how much I despise

this giant freakin' piece of bat shit.

When the negotiations include:

can the idiot wear an earpiece with the answers piped in and have the questions given to him prior to the debates - it should be blasted across the media of this country that this stupid lying cockroach of a squatting asshole that has been occupying the people's house is once again cheating and lying and attempting to extort our country.

:grr:

[Cocoa]

10. negotiate hard, Kerry

and make an issue out of Bush's attempts to weasel out.

Tie it in with Bush's lack of press conferences (the numbers comparing him to other presidents are unbelievable).

Also tie it in with the secrecy of the Bush administration.

With all the momentous events of the past few years, the terrorist attack, the wars, everything else, how can Bush possibly defend hiding from the American people?

[Rambis]

11. Why do we have to?

Can't we just have ordinary americans ask them questions that impact our lives?

[abburdlen]

13. Time for letters to the editors

Bush doesn't want this to be about the smears and those shadowy groups? He wants to talk issues? Wouldn't weekly 30 minute debates with Kerry provide the American voters a chance top see the vision each candidate has for America's future.
If either man doesn't have the courage to face his opponent in televised debate, how can we trust them to lead the country?

[0007]

15. Will Baker have control over the moderator's questions and

will junior be fed information with his new secret ear piece on how to answer the questions?

These guy bring their own dice, cards and rules when they come to rip 'ya off, 'eh? ..... and how about the lighting technicians, will they give junior favorable light over shabby lighting for Senator Kerry? LOL!!

James A. Baker III the man that defended the Saudis against the 911 WTC victims in their lawsuit.

[Leilani]

16. Dems, hold on to your wallets!

NT

[wicket]

18. Bush is a COWARD if he does any less than 3!!!!

[nerrard]

19. Wicket...

I can think of MANY more things that make him a coward other than wussing out of the debates, yet AGAIN!

Kerry better put his best attack dogs on this one...press for more, not less! Make him sweat on national tv for all to see what a fool he is!

[Snellius]

20. Bush also tried to back out of debating Al Gore

He tried to chicken out in the last election by insisting that the "debate" be in a talk-show format, without a direct confrontation between the candidates. Then, after trying to back down, he accused Gore, who obviously rejected the idea, of backing down on his promise to debate him "any time, any where". He'll try something similar this time, no doubt.

[Khephra]

21. kick

[RobertSeattle]

22. Girlie Men negotiate debates

Real men just show up.

[Coventina]

23. *sigh* The debate in Tempe is at ASU

where I go to school.

It's going to be hell.

[MagickMuffin]

24. Time for another

BALE OUT!
Send in the Hired Gun
He's a root n toot n smoke em out of da debates

[drscm]

25. Once again "the family" calls in the "consigliere." eom

eom