BUSH's debate excuse is WEAK

They're afraid that participants may pose as non-partisan when they really aren't? Does Kerry not run the same risk??

We should be all over this. It's cowardice.

and I agree it's weak. Link forthcoming....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5926845

Geez! It would have been better if they had just said "we don't think three debates are necessary". They could have even pointed out what the MSNBC article does (that Clinton, leading in polls in 1996, only accepted 2 debates). Or at least tell a lie about being afraid of a terrorist threat.

But to turn down the debate on the premise that some of the real voters might be partisan? How wimpy is THAT?!

Kerry should run, and I mean RUN, with this. point out that Bush won't even make campaign appearances in front of real people, and how his "Ask President Bush" events are more often filled with "questions" such as "Thank you President Bush for protecting America! Our prayers go out to you!"

Then point out how he won't even take questions from real people, undecided voters, in a debate! He's afraid that American citizens might actually be... gasp!... partisan!!

THIS is the man who would defend America? He's afraid to speak to Americans!!

This is the kernel of Bush's character: a chicken who lets other people fight his battles and one who can't face a challenge without teleprompters.

If the Kerry campaign can't make hay of this, then they've got a lot to learn.

That's dubya for ya

"I'm not going to play the game if I can't set the rules...waaaah, waaaah!" "But...but...some of them might not like me -- do something, Uncle Karl!"

Why would anyone NOT want to debate? That's the basis of our political system!! We need to keep the heat on!

-- but what about all of the previous townhall-style debates? Why wasn't he "afraid" of the same thing in 2000?

And furthermore, so what if the participants are partisan? They only ask questions, it's up to you to answer them. If their questions have incorrect premises, then you point that out.

This is the lamest excuse I've heard in a long time. But that's the thing: I think that BushCo has given up on any pretense of reason. A reasonable person could not support Bush at this point, and Rove knows that. That's why their arguments are further and further from even pretending to be reasonable -- they are just religiously assertive.

... that are LOADED with partisans all the time!

May be responsible for Bush's drop in a number of state polls in the last two days, as well as several electoral polls projections giving Kerry a very large lead over Bush again. For the last two weeks, DC"s political report had the total number ot electoral votes giiving BUsh the election by between ten to twenty electoral votes, but the latest calculation now have Kerry way ahead in the electoral college with well over 300 electoral votes being projected again. Electoral Vote.com has Kerry currently holding 264 electoral votes and Bush only having 222. Last week at this time, both these polls had BUsh winning both the popular vote and the electoral college.

If Bush avoids the debates, this will have a very negative effect on his polling, as it will definitely reinforce Kerry's claims that the Bush campaign has nothing good in its record to run on. The recent re-surfacing of Bush's military service records, as well as the recent relatively weak economic data, and crossing the 1000 death threshhold in Iraq, just days before the anniversary of 9/11 brings us a reminder that Osama bin Laden, Ayman al Zawahari, and all the other leaders of Al-Qaeda who actively planned, trained, and financed the perpetrators of 9/11 and other terrorist events in Bali, Madrid, adn other places are still not only free, but free and planning, while Bushco tries to insist that being in Iraq is what will keep us safe from another attack.

Bush got his bump from his convention, but eventually, cold hard reality slaps the public in the face, and only the most die hard of the Bush base will hang onto the myth that Bush and only Bush can keep America safe from terrorism by attacking it where it is not.

Kerry should announce he is going to the debate and just show up with an empty chair beside him.