Why, other than desperation, would Hillary want more debates:

[ProSense]

Obama tripped her up and caused her to ramble incessantly on Iraq in the last debate and delivered a smack down in a previous debate.

Hillary must really need the free exposure tho help alleviate the problem with her campaign finances.

[TwilightGardener]

1. She feels it's her best area, obviously. Most of the trouble Obama

has gotten into has been from debates, so her strategy now is to hope he stumbles. She also wants to have a chance to whack his kneecaps in person. It's time to take Junior down.

[CoffeeCat]

2. The only reason that she wants more debates...

...is because she has no money for expensive media-ad buys.

Debates are fabulous publicity machines. You get two hours in the debate, plus
hours and hours of spin for a few days after the debate.

If you're able to sling a few nasty one liners during the debate--the spotlight
could be yours for several days.

Obama--I'm so proud of that man. He gently rebuffed her debate suggestions, and
said that this time would be best spent with the voters.

Obama clearly knows what she's doing.

The most telling aspect of this entire story---is not the tiresome, "Should we debate?"
question, it's the fact that Obama stood up to a powerful, establishment candidate and
told her, "No" and then went on with his campaign.

Hillary may wear the pantsuit, but Obama definitely wears the pants now.

[SoFlaJet]

7. mornin' TS

manning up for daily fight against the Flying Monkeys I see

[TwilightGardener]

8. LOL! You are correct on all counts.

[SoFlaJet]

3. The common wisdom

is it's a play for free publicity-her campign is getting short on bread

[soundguy]

4. Can I get you on record now?

The general consensus is Hillary destroys Barry in the debate format. Take away the IWR ramble and it would have been devastating. But what I would like to know from you and those like you is... if she clearly answers the question to your satisfaction will you and those like you STFU? or will you just find some other flame bate reason to keep hating her? Call her a flip flopper? You and the freepers like you have cast her into a roll that you have crafted in your locked minds and no matter what she says you will spin it into a negative.

And besides, practice makes perfiect. While they are both getting better they ain't good enough yet!

[TwilightGardener]

14. She didn't "destroy" him in any debate. Sorry. And ProSense isn't a Freeper.

Go wipe the rabies foam off your mouth, nutcase.

[polpilot]

5. So she can't point out her working to bring healthcare since 1992...

or that Chimpboy tricked her on Iraq...or how a 35 year politico is a 'change agent' or how she'll take your paycheck, give it to an insurance company and then you'll have health care.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

6. so that people see the real differences in them and dont get duped by his charm

[mondo joe]

9. Why did we Dems want more debates in the last General Election?

[Occam Bandage]

19. Because we were losing and being outspent?

[mondo joe]

22. That's part of it.

I can see why Clinton would seek more debates.

I can see why Obama wouldn't.

But I am reluctant to ascribe more... insulting intent to either.

[1awake]

10. I'm all for Obama,

but lets be fair. Hillary is very skilled at debating... there's absolutely no arguing this point. She is highly intelligent and has valid reasons for wanting debates. It's a win / win situation for her. If Obama agrees, she gets free airtime and many more chances to take swipes at him. If he says no, she can make it seem like he's afraid. It's simple really.

[samrock]

11. more debates

. Uhhhhhhhh maybe to give voters a real chance to hear the differences between the candidates.... Ya know it is kind of telling .. When Hillary had a HUGE lead in the polls she did not duck ANY chance to debate.. and now that Obama seems to be in the lead he can't WAIT to duck the 1st chance he has.. Yes.. this is VERY telling..

[bigtree]

12. I want debates. I want Hillary to beat the pants off of him again for voters to see

[QC]

13. She hopes to reveal Obama's essential emptiness..

Slogans and Oprah don't do much good in a formal debate setting.

[bigtree]

15. wrong post

[crawfish]

16. Debates...

focus on presentation of issues. I admit that Clinton is the smarter of the two, and the better debator. And the better micromanager. But not the better leader.

She has everything to gain through debates, and more to lose when the focus is on connecting with voters.

[Lerkfish]

17. dunno, but conventional wisdom is the one most worried is the one

who requests additional debates.

[BenDavid]

18. Just the opposite there, because after the debate and one to two

days afterwards it became obvious that HRC won the debate and stopped the mo obama had in california. The rambling you write about is not your understanding but being told my a mediawhore what to think and you fall in lock step repeating just about word for word the mediawhores say.

The only debate HRC had trouble was the debate in Philly when the drivers license question was asked and I agree she did not do herself any good. Over-all in those debates and especially in the 3 person debate and the one on one most people came to the conclusion that obama was not as knowledgeable in many areas and he came across as searching for an answer or some cute jab to be directed at hrc.

oh and if you wanna use wrestling words to describe the debates then maybe the reason obama will not agree to debate hrc further is because hrc has but the FU on obama, especially in the last debate.

[reality based]

20. There have been very few (1?) debates featuring only the two of them.

I think we voters are entitled to that- especially in the states that have yet to vote.

[Tom Rinaldo]

21. Now that the competitive primary season has been extended

the debate schedule should be extended also. Originally the final debate was scheduled to take place right before Super Tuesday. Many months ago, when that was arranged, almost no political observers, let alone the candidates themselves, believed that there could still be a hotly contested Democratic race going on after Super Tuesday. Guess what? Everyone was wrong. There are still important decisions to be made.

Why would anyone sneer at the prospect of further debates? Sometimes debates favor one candidate, sometimes debates favor another candidate, but Democrats have always agreed that candidate debates during an important contested race serve the public interest.

I know the political dance, you know the political dance also. The candidate who feels they have the most to gain from them favors the maximum number of debates. The candidate who feels they have the most to lose from them favors the minimum number of debates. That is politics and I can't fault any politician from playing politics in the middle of a political race, from either side. But the public interest is served by having the candidates debate the issues in public. Especially when a race is hotly contested. Does anyone disagree with that point?

I would not fault Barack Obama for not agreeing to the amount of debates that Hillary Clinton wants to have. Her opening position is wanting a debate every week. His opening position is that there is no need for further debates. Her position is unrealistic and his position is wrong. I accept that both right now are negotiating stances. I expect both candidates to agree to a couple of additional debates. The public is closely divided and a lot is at stake in this election. This is no time not to face the voters, and there is no substitute for reaching ten million voters than public debates between the two people who seek to represent the Democratic party in an election for President.

This race isn't over. The debates shouldn't be either.

P.S. I used this post to start a seperate thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4456046&mesg_id=4456046

[Frances]

23. I would like to see more debates

I think Hillary is a better debater than Obama, but if Obama wins the nomination, these debates would be good practice for him for the general election.

Plus, everyone is so interested in the contest, that there is free publicity not just for Hillary but also for Obama.

I remember that when the Dems were debating each other in the 2004 primaries, the numbers for a Dem vs a Republican were very good.

It was after the primary debates were over that the Repubs pounced on Kerry.

So, maybe it's good to keep the Repubs guessing as to who their opponent will actually be.