Panel Won't Sign Agreement but Will Enforce Stipulations (Debates)

[Khephra]

The Commission on Presidential Debates said Monday that it would enforce many of the stipulations agreed to by the campaigns of President Bush and Senator John Kerry, but that it would not sign the agreement itself - which aides to Mr. Bush had indicated was a prerequisite for his participation in the debates.

The 32-page agreement, released last Monday, included a provision that gave the candidates the right to walk away from its terms if the commission did not sign it. Mr. Kerry's campaign aides indicated last week that they would not make an issue of whether the commission signed the agreement, something it has never been asked to do before. Mr. Bush's campaign indicated that it might.

But after the commission said Monday that its decision not to sign the agreement was final, Mr. Bush's campaign said it was satisfied with a statement the commission posted on its Web site that said "the debate format rules will be enforced as stated in the Sept. 20 memorandum."

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/28/politics/campaign/28debate.html

[Sub Atomic]

1. regarding this administration:

what a bunch of fu(king pussies!!

[Skip Intro]

3. They're a bunch of effin' cowards

Why not hold those who made these statements to the letter of their words: "we know where they are" and "uranium from Niger" and "mushroom cloud" and "I saw the first plane hit" and "reconstituted nuclear weapons" and "moblie weapons labs" and "I hit the trifecta" and "them wmds must be under here somewhere, ha ha ha" - on and on.

I'm just sick of it.

[Gman]

2. So the tough Bush backed down... he blinked

he gulped, took a deep breath and there ain't a damn thing he can do bcause he damn sure ain't gonna walk away from the debates at this point.

[AndyTiedye]

4. Boosh Already Got a Debate Format Tailored To Make Him Look Good

and make it almost impossible for him to screw up.

[Carolab]

7. Way to stand up to a bully

Just say NO. What was he gonna do? Not debate? C'mon...

[krkaufman]

5. Did anybody see Olbermann's rundown of the debate criteria tonight?

From what I heard, nearly every debate rule favors Bush. Anything that limits the time a candidate speaks favors Bush, and every rule constricting the format (moving from an actual "debate", dog forbid, to a mediated, bi-lateral press conference) favors the candidate with a more limited knowledge base and intellect.

[MarinCoUSA]

6. Bush will not face a Kerry direct question? Drunk pilot? etc?

Really! One of the debate rules is that no candidate questions are allowed.

[pfitz59]

9. Utter bullshit!

Two-faced press conference is not a debate!

[Carolab]

8. Translation?

"The 32-page agreement, released last Monday, included a provision that gave the candidates the right to walk away from its terms if the commission did not sign it."

Does this mean that the candidates do NOT have to adhere to the terms, even though they will be enforce by the commission? Does it mean that the commission cannot be held responsible if the "rules" are broken, but the candidate(s) can?

[fearnobush]

10. I say Bu$h sure as hell plans to break these dumb Texan rules.

Kerry most certainly will have to. Don't be surprised to see underarm diapers for Bu$h. He sweats alot, a real lot, so the panel agreed to jack the room temp up!!! to make Kerry sweat, to level the playing field. Kerry go get those arm pit Depends!!!!

[Dickie Flatt]

11. Why is FOX controlling the broadcast

Paul Schur, a spokesman for the Fox News Channel, which is telecasting the first debate on Thursday for the major news networks planning to carry it, said, "Because of journalistic standards, we're not going to follow outside restrictions."

[llmart]

12. And they said Poppy Bush was a wimp???

His son is the biggest wimp ever. No wonder he chickened out of the VietNam War and flew around the country hiding his ass after Sept. 11th. This guy is a first-class coward! He's even afraid of a real debate. Pathetic loser.