Kerry to skip Iowa debate for Medicare filibuster; Edwards may too

[pruner]

John Kerry plans to be a no-show at the Democratic presidential debate in Iowa on Monday.

While campaigning in New Hampshire on Saturday, Kerry announced that he'd be returning to Washington to help his Senate colleagues filibuster the Medicare bill.

<snip>

A spokeswoman for Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., said he would be leaving Iowa tomorrow to return to Washington to fight the bill. "We hope we won't have to miss the debate, but we may have to," said spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri.

Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman had decided earlier this month to pull out of debate in Des Moines to spend the day campaigning in New Hampshire instead. Spokesman Jano Cabrera said Lieberman has not yet decided whether to support the Medicare bill or if he'd join the filibuster.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/11/22/national1813EST0634.DTL

[w13rd0]

1. If they fail to attend the debate...

...to carry out important duties or participate in crucial votes, they get a pass. If they are skipping to be assboils (I'm looking at you Joe), they get a kick in the arse.

[Cha]

5. "lieberman hasn't decided yet" .....yeah, his repuke

leanings are calling to him.

[ibegurpard]

28. Two words: insurance companies

A huge constituency in Connecticut and a big contributor to Senator Schmoe.

[Cha]

2. Good! That's much more important!

[chimpymustgo]

3. Go Kerry! Go Edwards! FIGHT!!

Much more important than the debate.

[dsc]

4. Good for them

If possible the debate should be moved to accomodate them.

[Cha]

6. Exactly!

[joanski01]

7. When Senator Harry Reid

was doing some scheduling today, he said Senator Kerry would be the last speaker before the vote (supposedly some time on Monday). I guess it will be the Cloture Vote. That should be an excellent speech by Senator Kerry.

[phirili]

8. Great decision Kerry

[WindRavenX]

9. Good move

This is much more important.
The campaign can continue without him...

[Forkboy]

10. Good decision

It's the right thing to do.

[JohnKleeb]

11. good decisions by those two

[Kanary]

12. Will make calls to their offices, too

To thank them for supporting the fillibuster.

Thanks for the heads up!

Kanary

[wryter2000]

13. Good.

The other candidates should make statements to acknowledge them. Does anyone know how to use Dean's blog to get that message across? I haven't figured out my way around there yet.

[drfemoe]

31. Here ya go

http://blog.deanforamerica.com/archives/002361.html

[LizW]

14. Good for them

This decision is greatly appreciated.

It would be a good thing if the others would agree to re-schedule the debate for this important reason.

[IndianaGreen]

15. We could dispense with the Iowa debate altogether

Much too much time is spent by the candidates on two small and insignificant states such as Iowa and New Hampshire. The primary system is broken, giving far too much weight to mostly rural states, ignoring the fact that the country is largely urbanized and that the family farm is going the way of dinosaurs, thanks to capitalism.

[mb7588a]

19. well.. almost

I'd say the democratic support is almost all urbanized but the family farm and rural states are still an important part of the whole symbiotic nature of the party and society. Dunno about you, bu I like eating.... :)

Anyway. This is the best Kerry campaign decision in weeks. Edwards and Joe outta go too! The debate won't be the same without them, so I hope the moderators and other candidates address that and make sure that voters in Iowa don't hold it against them for doing their duty.

[IndianaGreen]

23. At a minimum, the debate should be re-scheduled to a later date

It isn't fair to have a debate while the office holding candidates have to go to Washington to tend to the people's business.

[madfloridian]

16. That is good.

I am tired of the way our candidates have been treated at the debates. All of them have been insulted.

[Deja Q]

17. For two: Thank you! For one: ...

Go back to sucking Bush's teet. You know who you are, JL...

[Wwagsthedog]

18. Where is Hollings?

He managed to skip the energy vote. Anyone know if he can make this one? Ed. sp.

[Hep]

20. That rocks!

Big kudos to Kerry and Edwards and everyone else who takes this step. I hope that the other candidates recognize the effort publicly at the debate.

[buddhamama]

21. Good for Kerry !

I hope Edwards will join him. Now, that is how you go about representing the People. :toast:

[JNelson6563]

22. Bravo!!

*applause*

[ibegurpard]

24. I applaud this move

Whether it is motivated by politics or not, it is both smart and the right thing to do.

[aquart]

25. Smart.

I want every Democrat in place and what I want for the defectors is biblical in scope.

[salin]

26. Glad they are going to do this - it is more important

:thumbsup: !

I hope that those debate do not take potshots - but instead take the opportunity within the Iowa debate to push the cause these senators are fighting for on the floor and raise more awareness about what is really at stake in ALL of the 2004 elections - not just the presidential elections.

[ibegurpard]

30. Absolutely

This should be completely off-limits to criticism.

[Padraig18]

27. *applause*

Good job, senators! :toast:

[MaineDem]

29. Thank you, Senators!

This is important RIGHT NOW. The campaign can wait a day or two.

This is a good move.

[INTELBYTES]

32. Don't mean to make everything a conspiracy...

But isn't the timing of this medicare package going to the Senate a little fishy. It just appears that the repukes are designing chaos in the party. I think the debate should be rescheduled to show the repukes that we will not be playing by their rules. :mad:

[newyawker99]

39. Hi INTELBYTES!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[drfemoe]

33. What a Relief!

so glad to hear some good news .. This says more than any campaign speech could.

[ibegurpard]

37. "This says more than any campaign speech could. "

Truer words were never spoken.

[phirili]

34. Would be nice to see a debate without the Washington Big-players

To see how effective the others can be when they have more time to speak on the issues.

[IndianaGreen]

38. What for? To see how they pander to the narrow interests in Iowa?

Ethanol program, to name one!

[Egnever]

35. I hope it can wait

I hope they dont try to force a vote tonight.

[elcondor]

36. Good!

I love them both and would support either for the nomination--but they're needed in the Senate right now for this.