Trend: Republicans afraid to debate

[ProSense]

MO-Sen: Blunt backing away from debates

Joining A Growing Number Of Incumbents, Rep. Issa Refuses To Debate His Opponent This Year

[Wednesdays]

1. Ain't nothin' new.

Ducking debates has been the Repugs' SOP since Nixon.

[Andy823]

2. Use it against them

The democrat candidate should make this a priority in their TV ads. Ask "why" the republican won't debate them, and then show their votes on all the bills that cam up to help those in need that they voted NO on, and then make a point to say that while they voted NO on all the things to help the middle class, the poor, those on unemployment, etc., they want to give huge tax cuts to the rich!

Democrats need to go on the offense, not let republicans put them on the defense. Make republicans defend not wanting to debate!

[grilled onions]

3. Perhaps They Need A New Symbol For Their Party

They could have a duck by the name of Hyde. In short "duck n hide". WOuld love to see someone make a small video of this with music and have clips of those recently who sprint away from cameras,actual questions--everything but those who tend to give them a rehearsed question with answer attached.

[flakey_foont]

4. how about just a chicken?

because that's what they are

[Bluenorthwest]

5. Republican Coward Candidate for Oregon Gov Chris Dudley

is avoiding debates with Democratic former governor John Kitzhaber as well. Apparently this Dudley is some kind of former sports celebrity and he thinks that alone should grant him the Governor's office. No one in this house has ever heard of him, we have not seen him give a speech or answer a single question. I know many basketball stars, never heard of Dudley at all. What I have learned so far is that he will not debate or take questions, and that when he played for some Portland team he lived across the river in WA to avoid paying Oregon income tax. That's it.
Peter DeFazio's Republican 'rival' also will not debate him, a really negative Tea Type name of Art Robinson, again, takes no questions, will not debate, sends mailers so angry and mendacious that we take them directly to the outside recycling bin, that sort of poison should not come in the house!
They are all very afraid not just of their Democratic rivals, but of the voters.

[tritsofme]

6. There is not a lot of upside for a "safe" incumbent to agree to debates.

But it is always in a (especially longshot) challenger's interest to demand debates at every turn.

Andrew Cuomo for instance in NY doesn't seem to be interested in debating Paladino.

When a campaign makes a big issue about the lack of debates, it is usually a good sign they are quite the underdog of the race.

[Bluenorthwest]

8. The Republican Coward Candidates here are not incumbents

and have never even held public office. They are not just refusing debates, but they are not taking questions. They trail the Democrats, and cower in fear of the people. So your framing sure does not fit here in Oregon.

[tritsofme]

9. I was just speaking generally

The Cuomo\Paladino race is a good example of the political phenomenon. The campaign seeking debates is generally the weaker one.

[uponit7771]

7. Perry wouldn't debate White either, someones gottah come up with some meme against republicans

[theothersnippywshrub]

13. "We Don't Need More Cowards in Our Government."

[27inCali]

10. We need to punk them on this

We need to take it national, and punk the Republicans with commercials mocking them for their cowardice.

cowards.

also, the sword of the Obama middle-class tax cut will hang over their head -Pelosi saying we may take the vote at any time.
let's vote on it in a special session on 10/30!

We will make them cower!

[ladywnch]

11. of course they're afraid to debate.

they know they'll be eviscerated on any one of these points:

- they're incompetent/stoooopid
- they have no real ideas/details to their empty platitudes/sound bites
- they are on board with tea baggers
- they're opposed to the tea baggers

any one of these will get them in deep doo-doo and could cost them the election. They know they can't publicly debate - it will be their undoing.

If we can keep rethugs to only broadcasting on Faux (because the mean ol' msm will treat us unfairly) then the only people who will hear/see them will be the 20% (+-) who already are in their camp will ever hear them or vote for them.

I see this whole thing as a win/win for us.

[elleng]

12. Not only afraid to 'debate,' they REFUSE to discuss,

in particular specifically how their 'pledge' would work/what they would do.

IF the PEOPLE can recognize this, repugs lose, slam dunk.

[opihimoimoi]

14. Cowardly Nekkid Chickens running away from wabbits...LOL

[ZombieHorde]

15. Links without descriptions and comments tend to turn many DUers off.

Too bad since the links are pretty interesting.

[old mark]

16. How can they debate if they have nothing to say? No plan, no morality, no brains = no debate.nt

[COLGATE4]

17. The real problem is that they know that they won't pay any

price for doing it. The same with not talking with reporters (unless from Fux) and generally making their communications a one-way street via Facebook or Twitter (Palin, O'Donnell, etc.). Unless the MSM (fat damn chance!) toughens up and starts making them pay a P.R. price for it look for this to continue until there will be no meaningful challenge to snything they say. Kind of like having one channel stuck 24/7 on Fux 'News'.

[Exilednight]

18. When you're in the lead, opening your mouth can only bring you down .................

The person who is behind is always the one who wants to debate.

Here in NY, it is Cuomo who doesn't want to debate because he has an astronomical lead over the tea-bagger.