MSNBC: "Bush likely to bow out of one debate"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

Bush likely to bow out of one debate
Adviser cites concern over possible town meeting participants

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5926845/

President Bush may skip one of the three debates that have been proposed by the Commission on Presidential Debates and accepted by Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), Republican officials said yesterday. The officials said Bush's negotiating team plans to resist the middle debate, which was to be Oct. 8 in a town meeting format in the crucial state of Missouri.

Bush aides refused to discuss their opening position. Officials familiar with the issue said he plans to accept the commission's first debate, which is to focus on domestic policy, and the third one, which is to focus on foreign policy.

The audience for the second debate, to be at Washington University in St. Louis, was to be picked by the Gallup Organization. The commission said participants should be undecided voters from the St. Louis area. A presidential adviser said campaign officials were concerned that people could pose as undecided when they actually are partisans.

"It's not a fear of the format," said the adviser, who refused to be identified to avoid annoying Bush. "They want two debates that are focused on clear differences on foreign and domestic policy. We benefit from the differences."

[Richardo]

1. Bawk! bawk bawk bawk BAAA-AWK!

Chicken shit.

"But Uncle Dick! Non-handpicked audiences SCARE me!!"
"There, there little Nimrod, him won't have to face those mean mean pawtisans. Him's a LEADER!"

[apnu]

3. Now we only need JK to say that on Good Morning America

Then I'd be very happy indeed!

[RobertSeattle]

4. Bwak Bwak Chickehawk

Kerry ought to go through with the debata and have a cardboard cutout of Bush there. The RW pundits would probably declare the Cardboard cutout the winner!

[Walt Starr]

2. COWARDS!!!!!

THEY ARE AFRAID TO FACE THE VOTERS!!!

Spread the meme, that's what they are, afraid of the voters!

[Richardo]

10. He's democracy's staunchest defender - unless you dare to exercise it.

Chicken shit. Oh wait, I said that already.

[underpants]

5. Come on W they were going to give written copies of questions

Geez talk about be scared, he can't RISK having someone ask anything about oh let's see

TANG
Illegal abortion
Failed Businesses
When he moved into the ranch
His fear of horses
His record (and records) as Governor
Lying us into a war
Politicizing 9/11 (including fund raising) over and over

That just a few off the top of my head.

[John_H]

6. Was a Kerry spokesperson contacted for this story?

[livetohike]

7. The adviser refused to be identified -says it all

"It's not a fear of the format," said the adviser, who refused to be identified to avoid annoying Bush.

Fear, fear, fear. Everyone is afraid of this chicken.

[rocktivity]

8. I hope Kerry bows in and offers to do the second debate solo.

I am a little concerned about how these undecided voters will be chosen, though. Maybe it would be better to have voter questions written in and pulled at random.

:headbang:
rocknation

[gratuitous]

9. Chicken George!

Doesn't trust the American people!

And so what if one or two "partisans" sneak into the Missouri town hall setting? Isn't Chicken George confident enough in his position (whatever it is this week) to answer a hostile question or two?

What if we agree to let Dick Cheney go and hold his hand again?

[9119495]

11. YESSSSS! Kerry should go to MO that night by himself

and proclaim that Bush's refusal to debate is an insult to the great state of MO. He should have an 8-hour town hall meeting--people can come and go as they please; heck, it could even move. This might bring MO in!

[shaolinmonkey]

17. I agree. Free airtime for Kerry, no rebuttal. These are presidential

debates and if he doesn't show up, tough shit.

[TheFarseer]

21. Repubs can have someone fill in for him

maybe Alan Keyes, Orin Hatch, Pat Robertson, Gary Bauer, maybe a tickle-me-elmo or a furby, Rick Santorum perhaps, get someone good and crazy

[RevCheesehead]

36. Zell Miller? I'd love to see him!

[liberal N proud]

12. They are afraid of the participants...

<snip>
The audience for the second debate, to be at Washington University in St. Louis, was to be picked by the Gallup Organization. The commission said participants should be undecided voters from the St. Louis area.

A presidential adviser said campaign officials were concerned that people could pose as undecided when they actually are partisans.
<sip>
Why are they worried?
This means they have not managed to get control of the selection process
Their problem is uncle Carl can't get the questions to these undecided voters so shrub will know the answers.

[rocktivity]

13. "It's not a fear of the format," said the adviser,

who refused to be identified to avoid annoying Bush. "They want two debates that are focused on clear differences on foreign and domestic policy. We benefit from the differences."

If you're worried about annoying Bush, why speak to the press at all? And shouldn't you be working toward something that is MUTUALLY beneficial?

:headbang:
rocknation

[tandot]

14. I knew it...W stands for wuss, wimp, weasel...

He is afraid of the debate. Is he afraid that he might mis-speak?

Bush: "Too many good terrorists are getting out of the business...Too many terrorists aren't able to practice their love with Americans all across the country." ... "and this is all the fault of John Kerry and all the trial lawyers"

[maine_raptor]

15. Let me get this straight.....

Bush might back out of a debate that would expose him on National TV to VETTED question as spoken by "undecided" voters.


Is that right?

(The following is a Dem Talking point for all Kerry surrogates when asked to comment on this development)

Well, why should we expect anything different from a candidate that also would not fulfill his military commitment?

[Philostopher]

16. Concerned that they could pose as undecided ...

when they're really partisan -- like all those hecklers Kerry lets in to his rallies, you mean? The ones who pretend they're coming to listen to what he has to say, only to chant 'flip-flop' and disrupt?

Oh, yeah, I forgot -- they filter people out who aren't Republicans at the Dim Son's appearances.

Y'know, I think he probably would be better off with an audience of partisan Democrats than an audience of undecided voters, anyway. After all, they already know what a Democrat would ask him -- I think they're actually afraid of dealing with undecided voters because they don't know what undecided voters are using as a criterion for selection, and they might not have a talking point to beat them down!

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

18. It's like that famous question at one of Bush's recent appearances

Bush: Yes, you have a question?

Man: Well, it's not really, a question, I just want to THANK YOU...

:puke:

[dennis4868]

19. I would bet my first born son.....

that is Kerry was doing this very same thing and not Bush the fucking media whores along with their repub friends would be saying.....IF HE CANNOT DEFEND HIMSELF IN FRONT OF REGULAR EVERY DAY PEOPLE AT A DEBATE THEN HOW CAN HE DEFEND US FROM ALL THE BAD PEOPLE IN THE WORLD?

[Plaid Adder]

20. That headline's not nearly snappy enough. Let's tighten that baby up a bit

How about...

"Bush Likely to Flee Screaming From One Debate"

"Bush Likely to Collapse Into A Gibbering Mess If Ever Faced With A Hard Question On Live TV"

"Bush Likely to Bow Out of One Debate, Wishes He Could Bow Out of All Three"

"Bush Likely to Take Cheney Along With Him To All Debates"

This is just too funny.

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

[Feanorcurufinwe]

22. Bush is afraid to answer questions from real people

[russian33]

23. 'Bow Out', oh, that's just so precious!

Bow Out my ass!

[DinahMoeHum]

24. OK, repeat after me (in singsong): Chic-ken! Pus-sy! Lo-ser!

Fuckhead! Dildo! Douchebag!

Etc.

:evilgrin:

[HootieMcBoob]

25. Kerry needs to offer to allow him to bring Cheney

If Kerry said something like:

"if it would make him feel more comfortable he can bring Dick Cheney along with him to help him answer the questions. That would be OK with me. In fact, if he thinks it might help him he can have Dick Cheney help him out at all of the debates. It doesn't matter to me."

[Guaranteed]

26. Two words:

GIRLIE...MAN!!!

[Not Me]

27. So let JK have the (free) 90 minutes to debate himself then.

n/t

[MallRat]

28. Be careful- Gallup picks the voters in the town hall forum debate?

With Gallup organizing the participants in the second debate, I have absolutely no faith that the "undecided voters" in a town hall format are going to be non-partisan. Kerry should be careful about insisting on this.

Here's what I'd like to see:

Kerry should grudgingly, reluctantly agree to forgo the town hall format in the second debate. In return, Kerry should ask for a third debate with a standard journalist panel. But Most importantly, Kerry should INSIST on a LINCOLN-DOUGLAS round in every debate.

-MR

[GiovanniC]

35. Kerry Can Handle Republican Partisans

Bush cannot handle Democratic partisans.

That's the difference between them.

[GiovanniC]

39. George W. Bush: Putting the "Chicken" in "Chickenhawk"

This is such a juicy issue for Kerry. The responses nearly write themselves. I really like the idea of one of the posters above who said that Kerry should offer to let George bring Dick with him.

"I know that George W. Bush is not used to having to answer real questions from people who were not forced to sign loyalty oaths to him. It's understandable that George W. Bush would be afraid in a situation he's not familiar with. So I have no problem if he would like to bring Dick Cheney with him to help him answer some of the harder questions."

[PATRICK]

43. Yes, it could be a sucker trap

and in certain things the Dems ALWAYS seem to fall into the obvious ploys. Give them nothing but the idea of a third debate per se is very important so long as it is not crafted for Bush.

[lectrobyte]

29. As ah-nuld would say, what a girlie man!

[Cha]

30. "BOW OUT" !!!!!

Slither out is more Like It! Freakin' Coward! What a guy to lead our Nation ..he can't even face a dissenter much less a terrorist!!

[Cha]

31. "We benefit from the differences."

They benefit from Nothing! Deluded mass murderers!

[niceypoo]

32. This is a huge issue and Kerry better not let them have their way.

The republicans ALWAYS dictate the particulars of presidential debates. Kerry had better hammer away on this one and EMBARASS THEM into debating in this town hall forum. If Bush outright refuses to answer questions from ORDINARY AMERICANS it should become a HUGE CAMPAIGN ISSUE.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

33. On this issue, Kerry needs to step on Junior's NECK.

He needs to call him out, he needs to embarrass him, he needs to hammer home this point to the American people: "President Bush is afraid to speak with you in the absence of a thorough pre-screening."

[neomonkey]

34. How do we respond...

This morning a pundit on MSNBC pointed out that President Clinton refused a 3rd debate in 1996. His point was that incumbents who lead in the polls would tend to avoid debates.

I'm afraid the Whiny Right may use this...I'm not sure of the circumstances between 1996 and this situation.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

38. My only thought on Clinton in 1996

Clinton was elected by a majority of voters and the electoral college - Bush does not have a mandate from his last election - so I don't think he should get a pass on this.

[yellowcanine]

37. That should read "chicken out". Bawk bawk bawk bawk. Bush doesn't

want to answer questions from U.S. citizens who haven't signed a loyalty oath to him. They must be terra-ists if they aren't loyal to Bush.

[gatorboy]

40. What pisses me off about this

is it's obvious he doesn't want to talk abut the issues. I mean seriously, how long is each debate? How can you go into serious detail on what you want to do with the country in two little debates. The Bush people are fixated on the quick sound bytes and not the issues. We will probably hear 'fuzzy math' crap and 'out of the mainstream' that's about it.

[ibegurpard]

41. They're just trying to set him up as "reasonable" and "brave"

when he gives in and agrees to a format he's "uncomfortable" with. They've been playing this game since Texas and we need to stop falling for it. Call them on the low expectations game, tell them to cut the crap and just agree to it like they eventually plan to.

[Clinton Crusader]

42. SURELY!

This would turn some undecideds against him. SURELY! I mean Good LORD, this makes the man look downright pathetic, scared and a chicken shit girlie man.

Dems, NOT KERRY, need to jump all over this.
:kick: