SLUDGE : BUSH/KERRY SET 3 DEBATES

[jefferson_dem]

That's what it says, all i know. GOOD NEWS!

[gospelized]

1. fantastic

[bluestateguy]

2. If Kerry's team let Bush/Baker weasel out of the town hall debate...

I WILL BE PISSED AS HELL.

[rot0r_head]

5. As will I...

and everyone else here at Washington University, where the debate is to be held.

[Poiuyt]

7. Welcome to DU, rot0r_head!

[newyawker99]

17. Hi rot0r_head!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[mbali]

6. Vernon Jordan's as tough as they come . . .

I have no doubt that he came out of there with the absolute best possible deal he could get.

[Newsjock]

3. Wash Post: "Tentative agreement"

off the wire; no link yet
Tentative Agreement for 3 Debates
By Mike Allen and Dan Balz
The Washington Post

WASHINGTON —The campaigns of President Bush and Sen. John Kerry
have tentatively settled on a package of three face-to-face debates
that both sides view as a potentially decisive chance to sway huge
audiences ahead of the Nov. 2 election, Democrats and Republicans said
Sunday.

Bush’s campaign, which opened the week-long negotiations by urging
just two sessions involving Bush and Kerry, yielded to the full slate
of debates that had been proposed by the Commission on Presidential
Debates, according to people in both parties who were briefed on the
negotiations.

No agreement will be final until the two sides agree on details for
the format of a town-meeting-style debate that Bush at first resisted
but now is willing to endorse.

... “The Bush campaign didn’t want to do the town hall because they
really didn’t trust the process identifying uncommitted voters,” said
a Republican source familiar with the talks. “But things are going so
well for them and so poorly for Kerry that they didn’t want to give
Kerry an opportunity to change the subject and say that Bush is afraid
of debates. Bush not doing debates or dragging out the debate on
debates could have been played by the Kerry campaign as arrogance.”

more

[Cha]

8. Then this played well for out side..

"... “The Bush campaign didn’t want to do the town hall because they
really didn’t trust the process identifying uncommitted voters,” said
a Republican source familiar with the talks. “But things are going so
well for them and so poorly for Kerry that they didn’t want to give
Kerry an opportunity to change the subject and say that Bush is afraid
of debates. Bush not doing debates or dragging out the debate on
debates could have been played by the Kerry campaign as arrogance.”

La la la la la la la B-)

[Sparkly]

16. I hope Kerry hits him on nixing the townhall forum DURING a debate

"My opponent is so out of touch with the American people, he won't even face them and answer their questions. He rejected the original debate forum that welcomed them here. We could have had voters here tonight telling us their concerns and asking us what we plan to do about them. I welcome that. He's afraid of that.

As president, I won't tell people things are rosy when they aren't; I'll hold townhall forums and let the people tell ME how it's going. And I'll listen, and act.

But when a president doesn't want to admit problems or mistakes, he won't face voters. He won't listen to the people who are suffering from those mistakes, because he thinks the worse thing he could do is admit a mistake and change policy. I guess that's what he'd call a "flip-flop."

Well, Mr. President, you've flip-flopped on many things, but there are people in America who've been waiting and hoping you'd flip-flop on your failed policies -- on the economy, on the war, on the environment, on gas prices, on veteran's benefits, on healthcare, on jobs... The best thing you could do for them is to flip-flop, change direction, and steer the ship of state toward success instead of keeping the wheel directed toward certain failure.

But it takes listening to the people to calibrate your steering to meet their needs. Why don't you want to listen to the people who've been hurt by your policies? Why do you prefer to steer headlong into one failure after another, letting these people suffer, and refusing to adjust the wheel one iota to help Americans' lives?"

[Chichiri]

18. Another example of being out of touch.

Bush has no record to run on. His is arguably the worst Presidency in American history, and his opposition arguably the most heartfelt and vociferous in American history. Most of the non-biased polls show him desperately clinging to a lead on Kerry within the Margin of Error, whereas historically he should have a 20 point or more lead in order to be re-elected. Never before in the history of any democracy has such a large group of people been so committed to the unseating of this President.

What definition of "things going well" are the America-haters using? I'm just curious.

[The Doctor.]

4. There had best be unscripted questions from undecideds...

Or I will have utterly lost faith in this process.

[kentuck]

9. Probably agreed to the questions in advance....

for agreeing to the third debate?

[whathappened]

10. something smells

they would no way put the ex resadent in a town hall debate , unless it was to there advantage , they got something up there arm pits and idon't trust these fucks , kerry is smart and can shit can jr. if they don't b;ind side him with something

[Mojambo]

11. I'm shocked that we got 3 debates

From what I was hearing it was all but decided that Bush would skip out on the 3rd.

Good news, but let's wait and see if the third debate has been neutered.

[rot0r_head]

12. Despite all the hubbub about the "town hall" format

don't get your hopes up for an open, honest political debate. I'm expecting pertinent questions addressed with tired, windy propagandizing from both sides. At best it's an extra opportunity for Shrubya to make an ass out of himself before the 3rd.

[edbermac]

13. Kerry must DESTROY Bush in all 3 debates!

John you gotta knock this punk on his ass right at the opening bell. This isn't Olympic boxing where you score points to win...this is a street fight...take no prisoners...cut him no slack...like the Borg after Picard...kill, kill, KILL!

[Annette]

14. I hear girlie-man * wants a sit down debate

Since John Kerry is so much taller, what a wimp.

[BeatleBoot]

15. Will Dick Cheney Accompany His Fraudulency?

Will the contents of the debate be made public?

To watch the debates, do you have to sign an oath of allegiance to Bush?