Republicans begin to abandon debates, just as they've abandoned moderates (and common sense)
There was a time, not long ago, when I would have argued that much of what ails our politics could be made better by forcing candidates into a lot more debates.
But that was before a new era of Fox News Republicans, soon led by the creeptacular Donald Trump, proved that there are not actually any penalties for standing up on a debate stage and sucking horrifically.
Whether our faith in debates as a democratic tool was misplaced or not, however, Republican candidates are still deciding that they don't want anything to do with them.
In a story on new Republican debate reluctance, Politico names some pretty obvious candidates.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott looks like he'll be ducking debates with Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke, and why the hell wouldn't he?
Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker has been dodging debates, and given Walker's current campaigning there's no mystery there, either.
And then there's "Doctor" Mehmet Oz, the man famous for monetizing the promotion of dodgy cures — so much so that he got himself hauled in front of a Senate health committee to explain himself, and it didn't go very well.
There is a real threat of Oz's campaign going down in humiliating flames if he goes up against any opponent willing to pop a videotape of Oz's Senate grilling into a VCR and invite a statewide television audience to have a watch.
At: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/3/30/2089099/-A-lot-of-Republicans-will-be-skipping-debates-this-time-around-and-for-the-obvious-reasons
Debate deadbeat? Texas Governor Greg Abbott, and presumptive Democratic nominee Beto O'Rourke.
Abbott is one of a growing number of Republicans running for major office or re-election this year, who have threatened to duck upcoming debates.
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