Fergasun Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 On May 2, 2011 there will be a debate at the Reagan Library sponsored by NBC and Politico. There was a similar debate held during the 2008 campaign as well (that was held May 3, 2007). That debate featured among others, McCain, Huckabee, Giuliani, and Romney. For 2012 the field looks like Palin, Giuliani, Romney, Huckabee, and Gingrich, at least. Huckabee has announced he won't participate and is even hesitant over running. The GOP blogosphere appears to back the idea that the GOP should not participate in this debate: This is astounding. We have already ceded over the general election debates to be controlled and orchestrated by the Democrat media. Do we need to have them moderate our own primary debates as well? Keep in mind that these media types live in a very different world than we do, and their policy premises and understanding of the political dynamic makes them unqualified to moderate a debate among conservatives. [A]nother [good reason for missing debate] is that candidates need to spend more time with voters in the various battleground areas than on television. Republicans should all eschew these early debates, and wait until at least Labor Day to have any policy discussions. When they do, they should seriously rethink the debate format and find one that communicates seriously with the public, rather than reward the best at stand-up comedy.While there may be a little substance to the arguments, I think that if the GOP is serious about winning the 2012 election the embrace this debate as a time for them to get their message out. If they aren't even able to provide a narrative for why voters should start to think about GOP President in 2012, because they are too afraid of generating ad material (has that ever stopped any debate)? I can't figure out what they are afraid of! It's really more important to "spend time with grassroot voters" than to raise your profile for all voters? "Debate formats" are "stand-up comedy" (I guess if Christine O'Donnell is a part of one, it might be)? Debates, while they may not be the wonky discussions some like provide a national profile to candidates, and will keep the GOP and discussion of GOP ideas in the news for at least 1 or 2 news-cycles. If anyone really wants to run for President, they would be able to articulate why voters should vote for them. I wouldn't be willing to vote for Huckabee, but I'm less likely to since he has ran away from the discussion and may not be serious about winning an election. Furthermore, one would say that Obama-Clinton campaign produced tons of ads for the GOP in 2008, right? I don't think that hurt the Dem's too much in the primary. If the GOP decides to only send the minor league players to the debate, it would be a signal they are either out of innovative ideas for the country and don't want to roll those ideas out early, or they are afraid of coming under scrutiny for their ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I'm in no hurry for the circus to begin.....but I'm not a fan of clowns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjah Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I'd say this about any political blogosphere, but in this case I'll say it about the GOP blogosphere: why does it matter what they think on the issue of who attends early debates? Judging by those sample posts (are they representative?), I'd say the politicians probably have a more secure handle on the emerging realities of a 2012 candidacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 The GOP has been working this horse for several years now. The idea that they don't have to go on shows that they consider unfriendly or where someone might actually dare to question them or ask a follow up about their opinion. The idea that they are shying away from a debate because they might face tough questions is ludicrous to me. Do they think being President is unchallenging and that they'll only be faced with easy problems. If they can't stand up to the media how are they going to stand up against anything? It's really a dangerous precedent, but the people who should be most upset about it should be the GOP itself and people likely to vote Republican. Don't they want their candidates vetted? Don't they want the best guy with the best plan and most agile mind to emerge? The idea that a democrat should shy away from an interview on FOX or a republican should shy away from an interview with NBC is horrible and worse, it is cowardly. The last thing I want is a President who is a coward. The second to last thing I want is a President who only represents and will only speak with those who are registered with their party. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRSmith Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Kind of tough situation to be in, do I go on tv and sound reasonable and mature and get the moderates, the independants in the party to support me in a general but have the extreme base and talk radio spend all their time attacking me so I do not make it the big race. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckus Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Well, to be honest - are they necessary? Seems to me GOP debates are simply a competition in which each participant attempts to find new and creative ways to insert the name Ronald Reagan into an answer. Did anyone watch the RNC Chair debate? The made the questions "hard" by asking them such changeling questions as "Aside for Ronald Reagan, who is your personal hero." No default Reagan option - oh snap! http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-january-4-2011/top-of-the-gops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubbs Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Politico is "the Democrat media" now? Seriously? I don't really understand the other arguments. How does one day make a significant difference in how many voters the candidates interact with? And why should Republicans avoid debates before Labor Day? Do they not want to wear white? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bliz Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 The GOP has been working this horse for several years now. The idea that they don't have to go on shows that they consider unfriendly or where someone might actually dare to question them or ask a follow up about their opinion. The idea that they are shying away from a debate because they might face tough questions is ludicrous to me. Do they think being President is unchallenging and that they'll only be faced with easy problems. If they can't stand up to the media how are they going to stand up against anything?It's really a dangerous precedent, but the people who should be most upset about it should be the GOP itself and people likely to vote Republican. Don't they want their candidates vetted? Don't they want the best guy with the best plan and most agile mind to emerge? The idea that a democrat should shy away from an interview on FOX or a republican should shy away from an interview with NBC is horrible and worse, it is cowardly. The last thing I want is a President who is a coward. The second to last thing I want is a President who only represents and will only speak with those who are registered with their party. :applause::applause::applause: Also, since when is Politico "democrat media"? If anything, it's slightly tilted to the right, but overall it's pretty balanced. I hate that "what bloggers think" has become a source for news stories these days. It's insane. I was lulled onto a headline about Olbermann considering a senate run. He's not. Some idiot blogger at Kos or something is pushing for it. That's it. That's not news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Did anyone watch the RNC Chair debate? The made the questions "hard" by asking them such changeling questions as "Aside for Ronald Reagan, who is your personal hero." No default Reagan option - oh snap! Or how about this moment: pU9SRtucGyU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88Comrade2000 Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 They are insulting the memory of their beloved Reagan if they don't go. Also, they want to be considered a national candidate; then whoever has announced by then should go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMS Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Only if they want to loose. The first republicans to declair are going to be the fringe candidates not your Mitt Romneys or Hucklebees who are currently the front runners. The early front runner will get smoked in the press for months and ultimately not place in the primary. Look at Thompson and Guliani in 2008. Both were early front runners both burned out shortly after declairing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 The second to last thing I want is a President who only represents and will only speak with those who are registered with their party. open your eyes my man. or keep them closed for comfort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Only if they want to loose. The first republicans to declair are going to be the fringe candidates not your Mitt Romneys or Hucklebees who are currently the front runners. The early front runner will get smoked in the press for months and ultimately not place in the primary. Look at Thompson and Guliani in 2008. Both were early front runners both burned out shortly after declairing. Hope you are wrong Pence to declare http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/48306.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRSmith Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Where there is you social con ---------- Post added January-27th-2011 at 04:59 PM ---------- Funny I just checked his voting record our on spending bills and late into Bush's term he voted for spending most of the time The after Obama came he was most voting No Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoCalMike Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 It's funny to see Mike Huckabee change from "I'm just your average american" to "OMG the media is out to get us" the minute he thinks there is a voting base out there that he can tune into. He has been a real disappointment to me over the last 18 months. I probably wouldn't ever vote for him in the first place, but he used to actually come on TV, answer tough questions and sound somewhat moderate on certain things, but ever since he thought he had a chance to win, his pandering is just unbearable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Where there is you social con---------- Post added January-27th-2011 at 04:59 PM ---------- Funny I just checked his voting record our on spending bills and late into Bush's term he voted for spending most of the time The after Obama came he was most voting No Oops, he's running for Governor or some **** instead....holster the blades:ols: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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