Here's how things stand with the debates

[rocktivity]

From the US Commission on Presidential debates web site:

Presidential debate:
Thursday, September, 30, 2004, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL (Fox)
Friday, October 8, 2004, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO (ABC)
Wednesday, October 13, 2004, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ (NBC)

Vice presidential debate:
Tuesday, October 5, 2004, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

Each debate will last for ninety minutes, start at 9:00 p.m. ET, and take place before a live audience...Each debate will have a different single moderator to be selected by the CPD...no later than September 10.

Format:
The candidates will be seated at a table with the moderator in the first and third presidential debates and in the vice presidential debate. The second presidential debate will use the town meeting format in which undecided voters, selected by the Gallup Organization, will question the candidates.

Pool coverage for the third presidential debate has not yet been determined.

So what's the good and bad news here? Should Kerry allowed Bush to "neotigate" any further terms? And would it be a good idea for Kerry to commit to showing up and proceeding without Bush if he doesn't?

:headbang:
rocknation

[troublemaker]

1. Kerry should demand a traditional stand-up debate

Bush is very weak and he falls apart after standing for more than about twenty minutes... he becomes confused and hunches over the podium clutching onto it for support.

[mailman82]

7. No Surrender

No more terms>>>>>No Surrender>>>> No Prisoners!!!!!!!!!!!

[frylock]

10. plus 10:30pm est is way past shrubs bedtime..

someone's going to be a little cranky.

[NightOwwl]

2. No more negotiation.

And Kerry should show up alone if Bush the coward refuses to appear.

ETA: Now I understand why he's trying to get out of at least 1 debate. Troublemaker is right, he doesn't want to use the podium because it makes him look even more cowardly than usual.

[SeekingTruth]

3. One thing...

Edwards should not sit at at able with Cheney. It will make him look like the son at the table with the father in a serious type kitchen table conversation.

Edwards needs to be up on his feet so he can use his better body language. Remember, most tells in language come from body language and not verbal language.

I can't believe the Kerry campaign would go for this....

[rocktivity]

13. I don't believe anything's been "negotiated" yet

I believe these are just the parameters that the commission has laid out. I don't think Kerry should request to change anything unless Bush does.

This is exactly the kind of discussion I was hoping for. Thanks, and keep it coming!

:headbang:
rocknation

[Old and In the Way]

4. Yes, Kerry should show up even if AWOL doesn't.

I don't particularly like Fox moderating the 1st debate.....it will be interesting to see what questions are pitched to Kerry and Bush.

[Leilani]

5. Make Crashcart stand for 90 minutes...

EOM

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

6. Bush will show

One of the reasons the incumbent party gets to have their convention last is that they also wind up in the driver's seat running up to the debates, meaning they hold the negotiating cards, not us. We need the debates more than they do, but there's no chance in hell Bush could get away with not debating at all. He would get absolutely hammered if he didn't show.

[NightOwwl]

9. Unfortunately, I think Bush could get away with refusing to debate.

His apologists let him get away with everything else, why should this be any different?

[oasis]

11. Pundits will not quip that Chimpy is AWOL from the debates? I think not.

[loveable liberal]

8. kerry should charge ahead

Kerry should have nothing to fear. I expect bush* to give the same tired responses to every question.

example:

Q: mr president*, how do you expect to create jobs in a second term?

A: Lemme exsshhplain...you see...in order to create jobs, you have to have a plan. Jobs are what you get after hard work, so if you want a job, which i create, working hard is the best way...to...to get one.

It'll be 90 minutes of hilarity and weeping, knowing this guy has a chance....

[Jon8503]

12. The First Debate Is Fox , Guess Hume will be Moderator

[shraby]

14. If the prisoners at Abu Ghraib

were made to stand for hours at a time, the candidates for president can at least stand for 90 minutes.

[sally343434]

16. It was days at a time

Our glorious war-criminal troops made them stand (or roped them up) for days at a time, not hours.

The live-audience thing is silly, and it will just become another WWF circus.

[Doosh]

20. certified GOP attack dog

I can just see Cal Thomas, Krauthammer, and Barnes asking the questions.

[Leilani]

22. That is pool coverage

not moderators...

that means they do the camera work.

The moderators are: Jim Lehrer& Bob Schiefer for the sit downs.

Charlie Gibson for town Hall.

And Gwen Ifill for Veep debates.

[rocktivity]

27. Thanks--the names of the moderators weren't on the site

I guess Fox will be shooting Kerry at the most unattractive angles.

:headbang:
rocknation

[WilliamPitt]

15. Three Presidential debates and one VP debate

Is the same, more, or less than 2000? I can't immediately recall.

P.S. In 2000, Bush could run as a giddy outsider. He didn't really have a relevant record to run against on foreign policy issues, having been a Constitutionally-weak governor. Now, he has a record, and he is going to run away from it as fast as he can.

Of course, however, Bush is going to kick Kerry's ass in the debates. ;)

[JohnnyRingo]

17. Team Kerry should stay in campaign mode until the first debate...

...Take no time to "debate the debates". Dodge and avoid negotiations if possible.

Then show up as scheduled. Accept no "too busy" excuses. No doctor's excuse. No note from his mother.

The American people deserve to hear a public airing of the issues.
Not more GW campaign rhetoric and catchphrases.

[RichardRay]

18. Really too bad to make Edwards sit down

He's used to presenting argument with verbal and non-verbal skills, in fact he's REALLY good at it. Making him stay seated gives Cheney's flat, dead pan delivery a better spin.

I wonder if Edwards can get up and move around when he's speaking?

Richard Ray - Jackson Hole, WY

[HFishbine]

19. Allow time for candidates to question each other

You don't see that much anymore, but I like a format that allows candidates to question and answer each other -- can you imagine?

[AnnInLa]

21. Doubtful bu$h will go for the town-hall format,

as you know, the bu$h team is already talking about limiting the debates to just two. So guess which format would suffer? Doubtful that Rove will let him off the leash to answer questions to which he would ramble, dissemble, and not know the answers to. Of course, if it's a gallop audience, then Rove will know the questions before-hand. Edwards will have to sit, due to the strain on cheney's heart (one could ask, "what heart").

[DieboldMustDie]

23. Bush loves the town-hall format...

as long as everyone in attendance has signed a loyalty oath. :evilgrin:

[lagniappe]

25. No loyalty oaths for the debates. The Dems really need to

use that as a talking point.

[imax2268]

24. standing up or sitting down...

who cares...I want to hear Kerry embarrass BushCo like he did with O'Neill back in 71...I believe that this will be BushCo's downfall...

bring it on GOP fuckers...!

[liberal N proud]

26. Kerry should crush bush in the second debate unless

Carl Rove can get people planted with scripted questions.
That would be the only way shruby can do well.

[rocktivity]

28. Monday kick

eom

[MallRat]

29. Kerry must insist on LINCOLN-DOUGLAS rounds in these debates.

Bush will only crumble under direct questioning by an opponent. Town hall meetings can be gamed (yes, they can, folks), and with rare exceptions, media questions are going to be too polite and inoffensive. Kerry MUST be given the opportunity to question Bush.

This must be a non-negotiable term. If I were in the Kerry camp, I would even sacrifice one of the debates to insist on having this.

-MR

[yellowcanine]

30. Kerry shouldn't negotiate with people who want to be dictators.

[lagniappe]

31. Kerry needs to stand firm. No negotiations.

This is an issue we will win. We need to keep repeating that Bush wants Cheney to hold his hand and they want audience members to sign loyalty oaths.

[Renew Deal]

35. I agree

He should show up at that third debate whether Bush shows up or not.

[goodhue]

32. I hope and trust that Kerry and Edwards will stand up!

Sitting behind table for 90 minutes is lame.

[cheshire]

33. Has * agreed? I heard he hasn't.

[Renew Deal]

34. Bad news is that Gallup picks the "undecideds"

I bet they will fudge this.