Now that the man who may be the nation’s second first black president has bowed out, la Clinton has followed suit, cleverly saying she’ll only appear in debates sanctioned by the DNC:
Both Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama said they would not participate in a presidential debate sponsored by Fox News Channel, throwing the event in jeopardy.
The two senators joined former Sen. John Edwards, who announced on Friday he would not participate in the debate, one of four being held by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute.
The Congressional Black Caucus contracted with Fox to co-sponsor two of its debates — one Democratic and one Republican — and gave the two others to CNN.
But now the top three Democrats in the race have said they will not participate in the Democratic debate co-sponsored by Fox, which was scheduled for Sept. 23 at the Fox Theater in Detroit.
A spokesman for Obama, who is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, told ABC News he would decline, saying “CNN seems to be a more appropriate host.”
A spokesman for Clinton told Daily Variety that she was only committing to debates sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee, which the Fox debate with the CBC is not.
The Democratic party is attempting to make an issue of the perceived close ties between Fox News Channel and the Republican Party. Edwards pulled out of a Democratic debate that Fox was co-sponsoring with the Nevada Democrats, which was later cancelled.
Not mentioned by Hillary and Co. are the supposed Fox News ‘issues’ the Dems who have dropped out of the debate are citing as their primary reason for dropping out of the debate. Also not mentioned: the fact that Moron.org who, along with other Nutroots groups, launched a campaign to get Dems to drop out of Fox hosted debates, now officially wears the pants in the Democratic party.
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The dems have gone down a slippery slope. I think it’s only fair that the republicans boycott any CNN debate.
Comment by G-Monster @ 4/10/2007 - 11:35 am
Also, I want Fox News on at the airport when I go. Not that stupid CNN.
Comment by G-Monster @ 4/10/2007 - 11:36 am
Maybe fear on the part of the candidates — but I can’t imagine it’s fear of probing Fox questioners. After all, when is the last time you saw a politician that wouldn’t do ANYTHING to get his/her mug in front of the public? Maybe, just maybe, this reflects their assessment that the loss of wingnut support if they do appear on Fox, is worse for them than the potential people they might be able to sway to their side via the Fox debate….
Comment by Mike Gallagher @ 4/10/2007 - 11:43 am
I think that Reps should go on CNN and make a statement that we understand that we represent all the people of the United States, not just the people who voted for us. Their issues with Fox News is they want to get to the truth and ask the tough questions, and not just play softball with them. This cry baby attitude of theirs should actually hurt them with the undecided. Or at least I hope so. - Lorica
Comment by Lorica @ 4/10/2007 - 12:46 pm
I think Republicans need to stand above the fray and not boycott.
Dems are aligning themselves as bookburners, boycotters, control freaks, non-tolerant, fascist, close minded, finger in their ears, non diplomatic, freaky deaky, geeky, in my wallet, weird, can’t have a conversation with, crisis mongering, anti-US, pro-terrorist, illegal alien supporting, pot smoking, killing in the 3rd trimester in the name of choice, vote fraud, pro racism,… I could go on…. people who know that they if they were to be seen on Fox News they’d have more people laughing than cheering.
Comment by Baklava @ 4/10/2007 - 12:49 pm
ok…I see you guy’s point. The repubs should be the grown ups they have always been and not boycott CNN.
It is funny how only recently there has been a fair and balanced news channel out there.
Then all of a sudden, Fox appears, and the dems run like the wind. I was gonna say the dems run like children, but I don’t think that’s fair to children.
Comment by G-Monster @ 4/10/2007 - 1:36 pm
Republicans should go on all networks, and say in each one, we are not afraid of talking about our message on different places where view points may differ.
It needs to be hammered out in the media - that if democrats are too scared to discuss and debate their view points and message in ALL forums, then they will not make good candidates for president.
This shows me alot when I think of how they will deal with desenting opinions….they boycott now - shut them down when they get in power.
This can be a major thorn in the Democrats side that can be played by the Republicans - I hope they see this.
Comment by sanity @ 4/10/2007 - 1:49 pm
It’s a show of their diplomatic abilities that they think they have….
non-existent.
Comment by Baklava @ 4/10/2007 - 2:32 pm
Can you imagine the media firestorm if the Republicans had done this? More reasons why I will never vote for a democrat.
Comment by NC Cop @ 4/10/2007 - 3:14 pm
So, basically, by dodging the Fox News debate, the dem candidates are wusses, because:
a) they are afraid of tough questions from the fox staff?
b) they afraid of thier base, the nutroots?
c) they are afraid middle america will see them for what they are?
d) all of the above?
Comment by G-Monster @ 4/10/2007 - 3:56 pm
D with special emphasis on C. Dems don’t ever want the American people to see thru their lies. It would mean that the extreme leftist agenda would be set back to before it existed. - Lorica
Comment by Lorica @ 4/10/2007 - 6:16 pm
I would go with…
b). Definitely! Fear of a funding shortfall puts them in the house of pain.
DemocRATs owned by special interest groups? Who knew?
Comment by CZ @ 4/10/2007 - 11:16 pm
I’m with CZ on this one. The answer’s B.
The questions, even if they are tough, wouldn’t put any one candidate at an advantage over the others - they’re all so far left it’s hard to tell them apart. And if they were afraid middle America could see through them, they wouldn’t be pushing some of the foolhardy bills they’ve been passing in DC lately.
No, the one thing they fear are the nutroots…both their money and their ability to make trouble. Each candidate fears that failing to kowtow enough to the Kossacks and DUmmies will mark him as the next Joe Lieberman - the target of an all-out assault that would doom their chances of getting the nomination.
Comment by Great White Rat @ 4/11/2007 - 12:22 am
I think Republicans need to stand above the fray and not boycott.
I think Bak’s right here. The one thing I’d add, while making those appearances on the likes of CNN, is that any GOP candidate should waste no opportunity to point out that they’re happy to be there even though they know the network is in the tank for the Dems. Rub it in at every chance.
Comment by Great White Rat @ 4/11/2007 - 12:39 am