(PHOTO CREDIT: AP)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Lincoln-Douglas made it famous...a debate with no moderator...but it doesn't look like it's going to happen between Obama and Clinton.
With just over a week to go before the Indiana and North Carolina primaries, and the two candidates running virtually neck and neck in Indiana, Clinton wants to debate Obama in both states, as a means of picking up votes in a race that he currently leads overall.
She says that she will debate him any place at any time, adding that it could even be done on the back of a flat-bed truck. He would probably prefer to run over her with a flat-bed truck at this point. She called over the weekend for this less-restrictive style of debate which got its name from a series of debates that took place during the 1858 U.S. Senate race between Republican Abraham Lincoln and Democrat Stephen Douglas.
She says that voters in Indiana would "love" to see that kind of debate and that it would be quote "good for the Democratic Party, it would be good for our democracy, and it would be great for Indiana." unquote.
Barack Obama has declined–saying that there will not be any more debates between now and the May 6th primaries. There have been 21 debates and Obama says he would spend time quote "talking to as many folks possible on the ground, taking questions from voters." unquote. But that's probably not the real reason. He's ahead...and the front runner traditionally would rather sit on the lead than take the chance of doing something stupid in another debate.
Obama's campaign has said repeatedly that most debates have offered little new information.
And he criticized the line of questioning in the last debate in Philadelphia earlier this month saying that it was more about "gotcha games" and "stirring up controversy" than the issues.
Here’s my question to you: Should Barack Obama have accepted Hillary Clinton's invitation to a Lincoln/Douglas-style debate with no moderator?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Mac from Nova Scotia writes:
Why should he accept another debate? She is running behind, trying to get more free air time and trying to call the shots for both campaigns. That is pretty "elitist" for someone who is in second place.
Andy from Fairfax, Virginia writes:
Of course he should accept the offer to debate. He would have a chance to answer all the questions that revolve around him and his candidacy. With Clinton, we all know what we are getting. Obama is still a major question mark. There is too much unknown about him. I cannot get comfortable with Obama and the countless issues that keep coming to the surface. You want my vote? Explain yourself!
Jan from Knoxville, TN writes:
No, there have been enough debates already. Hillary just wants to catch Obama in some type of gaffe so she will have something new to complain about on the trail. What I'm looking forward to is when Obama debates McCain.
Elena writes:
Uh, yeah he should have. But he didn't because he's frightened after his last pitiful debate performance. The first time the media asked tough questions, he couldn't answer and he was a deer in headlights. He said let’s get back to the issues. That's funny because he's never on the issues. His speeches are rarely about issues and all he does is repeat "hope, change,” and old school politics.
Debbie from New Jersey writes:
Why should he Jack? History shows only the loser wants the debate. Obama is ahead in popular votes, delegates, number of states, and likeability. Why should he waste his time with Hillary? She's the desperate one.