Media is expressing its approval for Bush skipping the debate

[Cocoa]

I've already heard it twice, "It's understandable that Bush would want to protect his lead. It's common for an incumbent to want to limit the number of debates."

Incredible, isn't it? The people whose profession it is to deliver information to us, approving of an attempt to limit it.

[madmax]

1. Of course!!!!

He can do whatever he wants about anything. He's the KING! :mad:

[HughBeaumont]

2. What did anyone expect?

They'd express approval if * ordered a purge of all house Democrats. "They were a brick wall to Fearless Leader's plutocratic agenda, which any idiot knows makes absolute sense."

[Texas_Dem]

3. What they really MEAN, but can't say :

is "It's understandable that Bush would want to avoid talking about his record. It's common for a f*uckup incumbent to want to limit the number of debates."

[nyhuskyfan]

4. Regardless of what you think of the national polls

Bush has yet to show any sort of a "protectable" lead in the electoral college.

[ItsMyParty]

5. Yes, one can understand the "why" of his skipping the debates but

it is not there job to say that therefore it is excusable. There job is to report that Bush is attempting to skip debates and that it is not tolerated in a democracy. Is it, therefore by that thinking, understandable why the Bush boys would disenfranchise voters in Florida, defraud our whole Democracy and have Daddy's friends on the SP appoint him president and thus we should all permit those precious little darlings to do it again. What horseshit.

[DancingBear]

6. Look, I hate the bastard as much as anyone

But that comment is correct. He DOES want to limit his exposure to real human beings, and it is common to try and limit the debates. This is why a challenger who is behind in the polls always wants "debates, debates, debates."

I didn't hear the tone in which this comment was delivered, but I probably will agree that it was "skewed". The comment itself, however, is accurate.

[trotsky]

10. Agree completely.

It's why Clinton only did 2 debates with Dole in '96. He had a commanding lead, so the strategy is to limit the opportunities to screw up. Not that he was scared of Dole's oratorical skills (ha!), just that it was deemed safe to skip. And obviously, considering the result of that election, it was.

[markus]

7. Not approval; just stating facts

They have an awful lot of airtime to fill. And, of course, any incubent not in his death throes is going to avoid debates.

[Cocoa]

8. it was approval

and it should have been outrage, especially since they've decried the lack of substance in the campaign.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

9. Its common for a blithering idiot with an indefensable record and no debat

skils to want to cover his evil ass