Matthews just asked "Will the president dodge the debates?"

on Hardball. He's talking with Ed Gillespie and tried to pin him down on committing to three debates next year.

I know, I know. It's Chris Matthews, but he often lets loose with questions that I really love.

Just sign on as an advisor to President Stupidhead's campaign, why don't you? He's amassed a huge war chest without a primary opponent, so he can probably pay you whatever your current employer overpays you.

whining about how "liberal" groups planned to raise $250,000,000 for the election. I did not know that.

...just look at his feeble address last Sunday.

The Gore campaign's buig mistake was to not attacke Dumbo during the debates. As soon as Dumbo senses pressure, he evolves into the spinless, bitchy little worm he is.

Damn straight he'll dodge the debates--he has a lot to answer for!

All he has to do is read his teleprompter, whether or not he actually answers any of the questions, and the media whores will say he "won" the debate. Just like in 2000.

People here, including myself, have speculated that Junior would try and dodge the debates. The mere fact that the question got asked shows that others are thinking about it. Why would he dodge the debates? There is no teleprompter and he could very well get ripped to shreds.

Where he is spoon-fed answers.

We've GOT to MAKE AN ISSUE to insure that he hides/wears no "hearing aids".

THAT'S what we've got to be on the lookout for.

The only thing I wonder about is, are the masses in the nonpolitical center still stupid enough to accept the media's version??? They did in 2000, or enough of them did, so that Junior could have the election stolen.

and set all of the conditions, approve the moderators, and read his stupid, insipid answers, and later all the commentators will say how he won the debate. Then the networks will get a group of people who live in caves, who have IQs at room temperature, to talk about how impressed they were with his ideas about killing everyone who doesn't agree with him. I guess that's what he meant when he said he was a uniter.

How bad must Matthews think * is doing to ask if he'd "dodge" the debates?

Something will pre-empt the 2004 election.

putting the President in such negative light???

What ever happened to him kissing Bushie's lilly white ass???

Maybe he's having a mood swing.

:eyes:

as was I.

you may recall. he only reluctantly agreed to them after being severely criticized (and seeing gore start to pull ahead after the democratic convention)

with the power of incumbancy and the potential of having to face a tough opponent and critic like clark or dean, i'll actually be more surprised if he does do them in '04

Then when Al Gore declined, the Bush* team tried to say that Gore was afraid to debate, and that he was breaking his promise. Gore had agreed to the three standard debates, not the Larry King show. Junior didn't want to be behind a podium. When they finally did prepare for the first debate, Junior's handlers wanted his podium shortened so that Gore wouldn't appear taller (which he was).

I, too, am surprised the question got asked. It's very telling. We may have entered the snowball phase, where things are really starting to accellerate downhill. There's chum in the water now. The sharks all smell it. The pile-on begins. Things are starting to spiral out of control, and there are so many fires breaking out on so many fronts that it may be more than KKKarl Rove can handle.

I'm also wondering about any further attempts to distract. That's because the jackals have now gotten a taste of blood. They can be shoo'ed away or mollified or distracted for awhile, but it's not like before 9/11 and all the patriotism and l'etat c'est moi stuff. Back then, people just didn't like him, but those who did weren't adamant enough, and others weren't really sure why. NOW, three years later, there's a multi-car accident of stuff he's left behind, and his record isn't something that's easy to talk your way around anymore. There's a lot of proof in the pudding now, it's too far beyond the Clinton era to realistically blame the Big Dog, and there are fewer places to hide. If I had to run on the record he's accumulated, I would NOT rest easy. And there's no getting around the ongoing bad news about Iraq and the economy. The defeats of his favorite measures and nominees on Capitol Hill, as Dems and even some rethugs show more spine, are only adding momentum.

I saw some of Gillespie on CSPAN, I think it was, and he didn't impress me. He did, however, run down a whole list of things his president had to be proud of and accomplishments and such, and at each mention, I found myself saying - "uh, WHA????" He didn't impress me much.

If he was shocked by the question, he's been spending too much time at the Imperial Palace where the lackeys know better than to question His Lordship. The longer he and his are asleep at the wheel, and either so out of touch with how a growing majority of Americans manifestly feel, or so deep in denial, the better for us. Rove doesn't need any helpers.

If Matthews is asking it, it's because he's either wondered it himself or (and/or) heard others asking it. People are starting to question as they didn't before. And at least Matthews is savvy enough to recognize it. We'll see, though...

That war in Iraq really put Chris' panties in a bundle. Same thing with Robert Novak and Pat Buchanan. They're often giving Bush "digs" too ESPECIALLY when it comes to the war.

anymore - if ever!

hee hee hee hee hee!

We need to hammer that one , until we get our Debates .

I personally think he should NOT be allowed to run
if he doesn't debate .