If George Bush* refuses to debate the Democratic candidate this year

[Samantha]

we should dig out those videos of the Bush-Gore debates in 2000 and threaten to rerun them in lieu of a current debate. We should petition Move-On to publish strategic remarks Bush* made at that time and sub-caption the previous debates clips with this remark: This is the national security/economic expert who has been running this Country (into the ground) for the last three years. Is it surprising the United States of America is in the condition we find it today?

Any potential in this idea?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. He'll "debate" in some safe format.

But we can still run those ads.

[WiseMen]

2. By debate time Bush should be BEGGING for a debate if we Dems rally behind

a nominee and march coast to coast with determination and passion. Dem candidate will be 10 points ahead of Bush.

Of course, we could spend all the time carping and back-stabbing one another and let Bush win.

[TolstoyAndy]

3. I like the idea Samantha

but I don't think he will try to duck out.

He has been coached over the years, makes fewer mistakes (if we pretend we know what "nucular" means )

The media will proclaim him the winner as long as he's not shitfaced on his ass.

Seems like he's got nothing to fear.

But on the off-chance he tries to avoid it,
I say run the Daily Show "Bush vs. Bush" debate
all day and all night.

Plus a few more to go with it. Damn good idea.

[Samantha]

4. I tossed this idea out as leverage

in the event Bush* refuses to debate. Some at this site have speculated he would refuse to do so on the excuse he's too busy. Some of his answers to questions in those debates were beyond lame; yet the spinmisters declared him the winner. We could really put to good use some clips of his answers from those debates -- and, of course, he and Rove know this.

The threat to reair them would draw him out if he's "too busy" to debate....

We have to go on the offense here and quit playing so much defense.

[Davis_X_Machina]

5. The Froth Estate...

...will roll over and let George tickle its tummy, and then procede like a puppy to pee all over itself

[zbdent]

6. Maybe all debates should be started with taking a public breathalyzer

and drug test, at the beginning of each debate. Results to be displayed at the end of the debate.

Just for the look of fear on W's face.

[AndyTiedye]

11. He'll Debate if Rove gets to Pick the Questions and the Moderator

[flaminbats]

7. I don't think this will happen again...

The last candidate to get away with this was Richard Nixon, and that was when debates were the exception...not the norm. Between 1960 and 1972 there was only one televised debate agreed to by both candidates. In 64 LBJ refused to having debates with Goldwater. The same was true of Nixon after 1960.

But Watergate changed all this...and any candidate who skips out on the debates would get nothing but negative publicity for making such a decision, even by Faux! I think it is more likely that Rove will cut a deal with his corporate friends on the debate commission to stonewall the negotiations on what the debates will be over..and ultimately make it hell for any Democrat who does or doesn't agree to debate the neo-con issue.

[Samantha]

9. I would pay money to see a Bush* / Sharpton debate!

You post was very interesting -- it made me actually start visualizing Bush* debating some of our candidates. I know Kerry has a reputation for being an accomplished debater, but I am not a fan of his style. I would relish a Bush / Dean blowout; can't quite picture a Bush / Clark debate but assume it would be pretty heated; probably wouldn't enjoy a Bush / Lieberman debate and for some reason think a Bush / Edwards debate would be a little on the tame side .... (neither would want to run their nice guy image ???

Which Dem candidate would you most want to see Bush* debate?

[elperromagico]

10. Any of our candidates could out-debate Bush.

The trick is not coming off smug (like Gore) or distant (like Dukakis).

In the end, though, the devil's in the format. Bush will fight to have a format that plays to his strong suit: his ability to regurgitate 30-second, jingoistic sound bytes.

[Kazak]

12. Any of them...

would take him to task. I wish Bush had to debate each of them one-on-one. :slobber:

[elperromagico]

8. It's funny. For all Shrub has allegedly achieved,

people still don't expect much of him. As someone said up above, as long as he isn't completely shitfaced, pundits will praise him for a "remarkable performance."

[FreeperSlayer]

13. he'll set the rules