How should the Kerry camp Make Hay out of Bush wimping out of the debate?

[Sandpiper]

For starters, I think they should relentlessly attack the perception of Bush as a "strong leader" with the following meme:

"If Bush is such a strong leader, why is he afraid to face his own people?"

And secondly, Kerry should still show up for the town hall meeting with an empty podium set up of for Bush.

[Cocoa]

1. Bush prefers questions from elite journalists

but can't face ordinary citizens?

[cthrumatrix]

16. they say it's the most important election ...and then back out of debates

this is more than enough..people are starving to see the puppet take responsibility for his actions

[Kierkegaard]

30. Oh wait, it's not FEAR...

"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."

They only want to debate on topics that they benefit from. I see. We have no right to have all of our questions answered, only those that are filtered to suit the needs of a fascist administration.

[cheshire]

2. Oh hell yes, What are you afraid of. Demand fairness

[truthspeaker]

3. "Afraid to face everyday Americans"

Loyalty oaths at campaign events (even after they said they would stop).

Fewest press conferences of any modern president.

Afraid to take unscripted questions.

Afraid to to TV interviews.

[soupkitchen]

5. Right on: Afraid to face the American People

[Rosco T.]

4. Can't think on his feet with unscripted questions...

[legally blonde]

35. agreed

Bush looks like a babbling idoit every time he gets in front of a microphone. He ends up using words that he doesn't know the meaning to (like catastrophic success).

[newyawker99]

41. Hi legally blonde!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Search Party]

6. AWOL TANG . AWOL DEBATES . AWOL AMERICA

[wolfgirl]

10. love it!! n/t

[IdaBriggs]

7. If Bush isn't there, Kerry does all the talking.

Free national television time. Works for me. :evilgrin:

[stellanoir]

11. I agree totally

if *'s a no show. Too bad for him. Kerry should get free air time responding to independant voters. Would be fantastic.

[CarolynEC]

15. Absolutely. JK should drive home the point...

... that he's ready and willing (and able!) to answer voters' questions, whether or not their president is willing to do the same.

[Kierkegaard]

21. Exactly

I think Kerry should plan to attend with or without Borscht. Not only free air time, but a powerful statement on the cowardice of the pResident to face his REAL constituency; the American people. I would also play up the pledge required to attend a Borscht event. He is afraid of the citizens in his own country, how can he be brave enough to win the war on terra?

[agingdem]

8. I think...

Kerry and Edwards should show p and take questions from the audience...kind of a give and take.

[TomClash]

9. Hold the Debate against . . . .

. . . a blow up doll version of Bush to mock his failure to attend

[beyurslf]

12. I love the idea of an empty podium with his name on it.

[Cha]

20. Kerry should go anyway and talk to the Undeciders!

Missouri is it?

[legally blonde]

36. It was supposed to be in St. Louis

at the Washington University.

[DebinTx]

13. Kerry should just keep repeating

"Bring it on, Mr. Bush!" over and over.

[DemNoir]

14. Ignore it, it's a trap!

This is another Bush campaign tactic to change the subject. They are hoping for a debate about the debates to go on for a couple of weeks overshadowing any discussion about their record of miserable failure.

Don't fall for it Kerry Campaign!

[Beetwasher]

17. Kerry Absolutely MUST IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS Question Bush's Manhood

over his backing out of the debates.

Call him a wimp or say "A real man would welcome the opportunity to debate the issues as much as possible. Why is he hiding? What is he afraid of?"

Remember how poppy blew a gasket when he was called a wimp? Chimpy would go ballistic and that's could only be good.

[Cha]

18. bush wants to lead our Country but can't

face Americans who might disagree with him. And this isn't the first time, either! People who aren't willing to sign pledges are escorted out of his rallies by the Secret Service..just ask those Americans who were lead out of a bush rally who wanted to hear what he had to say.

[AzDar]

19. Kerry should exploit Bush's cowardice mercilessly...

....and not back down an inch on the agreed-upon number of debates.
Continue on with an empty podium if necessary; that would only be free air time for the campaign, and would underscores Bush's lack of courage, integrity, and leadership abilities.

[okieinpain]

22. kerry should say that this is how bush defends america, by

backing out of the debate. then if bush says that he will do the debate we should call bush a flip/flopper. kerry has to use this to his advantage. I don't care what he comes up with, but he should not let bush off the hook on this one.

[Eagle_Eye]

23. No Hay Makining needed

Bush is going to loose, so what difference does one debate make.

[zaj]

24. Exactly... trash him for it and show up anyway.

[Kahuna]

25. He's afraid to take unscripted questions like in his, "Ask the President"

"town meetings" <wink wink>.

[OneBlueSky]

26. simple . . . "I'll be there, and I hope the president decides to join us

if not, I'll be happy to answer questions from the voters for the entire time" . . .

[Feanorcurufinwe]

27. They should do an ad: Why is Bush afraid to answer voter's questions?

[LTR]

28. Show up for the debate anyway

If it's a town hall, even the better!

[opihimoimoi]

31. Yup, show up and answer the questions from the people as best as can.

The people out there will the coward for what he is, Bush lacking the courage to come forward to face the issues and questions.

Bush is banking on the Neg campaign from swift boat shit to sway people. How is it possible that America would choose an AWOL over a vet, a loser over a winner, a fraud over a thinker, is beyond me and billions across the planet.

[AndyTiedye]

29. Debate? What Debate?

> Kerry should still show up for the town hall meeting with an empty podium set up of for Bush.

If Bush* doesn't show up for a debate, neither will the media.
It will become a non-event.

[MsConduct]

32. Coward...

seems like a great word to repeat over and over and over again.


Peace

[radfringe]

33. send bush* some chicken feathers

or the Order of the Chicken t-shirt

http://www.cafepress.com/radicalfringe

[Sandpiper]

34. Or get a guy in a chicken suit

To follow the Bush campaign.

Or get protesters to bring rubber chickens to every Bush campaign stop.

[bushwakker]

37. Call it an insult to the great people of the great state of Missouri

because it is. Mr. Bush has utter contempt for the very people he governs.

[DinahMoeHum]

42. . . .also known as the "Show-Me State". . .

B*sh has just shown that he's a candy-assed pussy and a girlie-boy.

:evilgrin:

[Az_lefty]

38. That empty podium should have one of these on it...

[opihimoimoi]

39. GIRLY MON BUSH Gonna Chicken out??? ROTFLMAO,

That sez it ALL.

[John_H]

40. Easy as the Bush twins at the secret service Christmas party

1) Why would Bush* be so afraid? After all, he's undefeated in debates. Is our tough war president that afraid to take questions from regular voters?

2)The reason he's so petrified of answering questions from regular voters must be that he knows hs record can't be defended.

3)If it makes him feel better, the war president can bring Dick Cheney to the debates with him.

[Bad Thoughts]

43. Let Kerry debate an empty lectern

It would be more intellectually stimulating than a debate with *.

[ItsMyParty]

44. Kerry should remind people of the reason they gave for it which was

that they are afraid someone wouldn't be "indpendent" in the audience and really be a partisan, etc. and remind people that every day he speaks he deals with hecklers because they don't have a screening/ticket process but Bush has to have every crowd screened because afraid of dissent. Then just simply ask: Why is he afraid of someone with a differing opinion--can't he handle it???

[Hubert Flottz]

45. Bush has flip flopped on the debate!

Both sides promised three now Bush flip flops! Will he show up for the other two?