Hey John Kerry! You Listening? Here's How to Handle Bush not Debating!

Show up anyway.

That's right.

If Bush thinks he can duck being held to the pathetically minimal standard of speaking to his qualifications to hold the highest office in the land for just three short debates, then you can show up for the one that he won't attend, and take the entire evening laying out your plan for America.

Why not? Call this lying poseur's bluff. You know that Tony Blair has to debate with his Parliament on a regular basis. You know that you're a former prosecutor. You know that he's a shallow, mean man who's trying to bank on not having to stand up for himself in unscripted advocacy in front of the world.

Do it, John. You can even volunteer to answer questions from the audience for the entire time. Make it a big deal - tell the public you're going to stand for challenges to your ideas and your policies made by real Americans, since George Bush is apparently taking the same "out" he took forty years ago by choosing to not show up.

Bush won't debate? Show up anyway.

Come on, John. It's time to play hardball with these Iran/Contra criminal leftovers and PNAC thugs. You know they'd do it to you. Do it to them first.

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

It'd be fantastic to show that Kerry can step up and face an audience that was not handpicked by his own people and may involve Repukes who wanna challenge him and well that will be the chance for the whole nation to see that unlike AWOL coward he can handle attacks and knock them down swiftly with the facts.

I have a feeling he will show up anyway and do just that, Kerry and his campaign are fully aware I'm sure of the benefits of what that act would do and the image that people would have of him.

Are they still debating whether they'll be 2 or 3 debates, or has something been finalized?

On the official debate site, it still mentions the three locations for President and one for VP- http://www.debates.org/

Frank Newport (Gallup) should be pissed if Bush refuses the 2nd debate since his organization is in charge of assembling the audience.

we have to think of these questions

Couldn't agree more. This would give Kerry plenty of time to cover it all--war on terror, health care, environment, education, the whole ball of wax. Not to mention show Bush up for what he really is--a colossal LOSER!!

BUSH MUST GO!!!

Cause it's very sound advice. Kerry could just sit, wait for * to arrive with his entourage, and when he doesn't, just sit and talk with the people in the crowd.

This is a great idea and I'm sure that Kerry would score MAJOR points.

That would be so cool.

make sure someone who can actually influence outcomes sees this somehow. it's a brilliant idea! Even have Edwards onhand.


If dubya doesn't show, just turn it into a fully covered and advertised townhall.

Charlie Gibson was recently chosen to be moderator of the townhall style debate. http://www.debates.org/pages/news_040813.html

That would be hilarous if Kerry showed up to face an empty podium next to him.. :D

She is a nasty bitch. She was really bad in the last primary debate.

to see the audience direct a few questions to the empty podium, starting each question with Mr. Bush, can you answer...

Why not?


oh yeah, cuz ya wussed out didn't ya? just like vietnam....."


*lol* that would be hilarious.

They are idiots.

* awol for VietNam; * awol on 9/11, * awol on the debate!

will they allow him to show up if Bush backs out..??? They I mean media? or whatever???

I hope he listens and does this...it will truly be easy to tell who is a stronger leader...

the media just wouldn't cover it. No way, no how. C-SPAN, yes. But I highly doubt anyone esle.

so maybe we could have it syndicated or perhaps pay per view

The idea of Kerry showing up anyway is not a new one. This was discussed a few days ago...

There might be a slight hurdle to overcome. The network news stations may not be interested in covering Kerry if Bush isn't going to show. The event is supposed to be a debate. Without a debate, networks would have to decide if it is a good idea to cover Kerry there alone anyway. If they did, they might be seen as partican...even if the media is biased, they do not want to appear that way for fear of criticism.

I can also see how the Bush people would respond to this...
Using the whole Flip Flop angle, they could say that Kerry is debating himself (once again).

Assuming that the networks would not cover a "one-man debate" because Bush wouldn't be there, Kerry could still make it an "event."

It could be marketed as the debate that George Bush doesn't want to have...it would be more like a town hall meeting where he could get his message out. He should also invite Repubs to debate him...showing that he has no fear when answering to the opposition.

In summary...I don't see that any debate that Bush will not be at continue in any way similar to what it was intended. However, if marketed properly, it could still be quite effective.

-Paige

to participate in three debates?????? Oh, wait - he won't be able to make the audience sign "pro-Bush" oaths. My bad.

So everybody else who thinks it's a good idea, go to the DNC website and the John Kerry website and click the "contact" link and send this suggestion to them both.

Don't wait! Get clicking!

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

P.S. If you have contacts in the campaign, give them a call.

DPB

Sent copies of an email to the DNC and the campaign. Hopefully someone important will see it.

If Bush actually has to defend his record in an adversarial setting he'll fall apart.

couldn't find time to go before the 9/11 commission to answer important questions? That embarrassed him so badly he ended up flip flopping and going. I think that kind of pressure is the best. Kerry is WAY smarter than Bush and Bush is WAY richer and more influential than Kerry, but we'll see who wins in the end.

that he didn't have time? If so, then one of the things pointed out at the one-sided debate should be that he finds time to go on vacation every month but he can't take time for something as important as a presidential debate.

I do like your solution, Dan... BUT, WOULDN'T IT BE A SCREAM TO HAVE A STAND-IN FOR BUSH? ...

AFTER ALL, IF HE DOESN'T SHOW UP... HE'S FAIR GAME FOR BEING "SHOWN UP" ... lol

IMAGINE what I could do with this one... make OBVIOUS BUSHIMS... agree with Kerry on key points such as ... THE EXCUSE PRESIDENCY stuff. ...

end the debate in TEARS? ...

STUFF for Saturday Night Live!!!

"Are you pointing out that I was AWOL from the National Guard service, supported the Vietnam War while letting others die in my place, a dainty-handkerchief-sniffing aristocrat, and someone woefully unqualified to be President? Because you're right, I was just wondering if that's what you're saying."

Nice job, Rob.

Talk about "My HEALTH PLAN PITTANCE" ... my "YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT" jobs program... stuff like that

HAVE "BUSH" RUSH in all out of breath ... discombobbled and saying things like ... " whew... just got here ... what're we talking about? ... DOCTORS? ...sure ... well... what we WANT IS FOR O-B-G-Y-N'S to keep making love to American women ... and . . ."

things to show his policies are stupid and unworkable... etc.

TAX GIVE-AWAYS TO PEOPLE WHO LEAST NEED IT.... ETC.

Carter refused to participate in one debate, and Reagan went ahead and debated with third-party candidate John Anderson. I can't say it helped Reagan, but I don't think it helped Carter either.

Kerry could say "This is the Show-Me State. I showed up.....where's W?"

Missouri, right? Swing state, sort of. Kerry would get good coverage by local media.

Any uproar regarding dropping the third debate is being met with the argument that Clinton dropped the third debate when he was running for his second term.

So the rationale differs from today, where Bush hasn't even had a minimum of press conferences, spends a significant amount of time on "vacation" (funny how all sorts of bad things happen when he's away), and Kerry is either ahead or tied with the incumbent in the polls.

Bush needs to be held accountable, and forced to advocate for himself in public, and if he refuses, then Kerry needs a free pass to sell himself to the public.