BREAKING: Hillary proposing Lincoln-Douglas Debate [updatedx2]

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Saturday April 26, 2008 · 12:03 PM PDT

2008/04/26 · 12:03

I just heard her announce it at her rally in Indiana. It's clear she's broke and desperate for more attention but this might work.

No moderators, she didn't express where the questions would come from. 90 minutes of them engaging each other on the issues. She prefaced the whole thing by discussing how "Obama supporters" whined about the moderators and questions at the last debate.

What do you think? The desperate do get creative.

This is tricky for Obama. Apparently she said her campaign is sending the letter today to the Obama campaign. Obama already went on FNS and said no more debates before May 6th.

http://www.politico.com/...

"We're not going to have debates between now and Indiana," he said.

Update: Here's the letter from Maggie Williams, the Clinton campaign manger. What strikes me first is their completely ludicrous argument:

I understand that Senator Obama has raised the point that there have already been more than 20 debates this election cycle. However, only four of those have been between Senator Obama and Senator Clinton.

Remember after Super Tuesday as Solis-Doyle, now fired campaign manager, desperately asked for a debate? At that time the argument was there had only been one. So after this next debate there will have only been 5, then 6, on an on. It's got to end some time

Senator Clinton and Senator Obama will participate in a 90-minute debate in an open public forum. Just the two of them -- no questioners, no panelists, no video clips. One candidate would speak for two minutes, then the other, alternating back and forth all the way through the debate. Their discussion – not any pre-set rules – would determine how long they spend on one subject before moving on to another. Such a debate would range across all of the challenges, large and small, we face as a nation or it could focus on the most significant issue we face today, -- the economy.

We can readily agree on a host, a place, a date, and a broadcaster or series of broadcasters.

I don't like the format.

The original Lincoln-Douglas worked like this:

Each debate had this format: one candidate spoke for an hour, then the other candidate spoke for an hour and a half, and then the first candidate was allowed a half hour "rejoinder." The candidates alternated speaking first.

She needs free airtime for sure but I'm on the fence as to whether Obama should give it to her.

[Update x2]: Axelrod on CNN Ballot Bowl: No deal.

Poll
632 votes Show Results
Lincoln-Douglas Debate?

Yes

Please No.

Yes, but it has to be on a Saturday night at 3 A.M. to test their CIC credentials

Hell No!

632 votes Vote Now!
Lincoln-Douglas Debate?

Yes

104 votes

Please No.

128 votes

Yes, but it has to be on a Saturday night at 3 A.M. to test their CIC credentials

66 votes

Hell No!

334 votes

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