There is so much talent on the intertubes. I wish I’d come up with this, but Joejoejoe gets the credit.
FOX: Are you coming to our debate?Edwards: Hell no.
Obama (staff): We’ve chosen not to attend.
FOX: Two ’No’s. Sen. Clinton are you coming to our debate?
Clinton: I am going to the other debates.
FOX: But are you coming to our debate?
Clinton: I’m in it to win it.
FOX: Our debate?
Clinton: I’m having a conversation with America.
FOX: …in our debate?
Clinton: Reply hazy, try again.
FOX: Are you coming to our debate?
Clinton: Ask again later.
FOX: Are you coming to our debate?
Clinton: Concentrate and ask again.
FOX: Are you coming to our debate?
Clinton: Better not tell you now.
In case you’re confused, the Congressional Black Caucus has been negotiating with FOX to host a presidential debate, and folks like Color of Change and this blog have been doing all we can to tell them not to. Here’s what Edwards, the first to say no, had to say:
“We just called the CBC to let them know that we’re looking forward to their January debate with CNN but we’re not going to participate in the proposed debate with Fox. The CBC champions critical issues that matter enormously to the future of our country, and we look forward to discussing them throughout this campaign and at their debate in January. But we believe there’s just no reason for Democrats to give Fox a platform to advance the right-wing agenda while pretending they’re objective. If there was any uncertainty as to Fox’s objectivity, it was put to rest when they attacked Democratic candidates, Democratic constituency groups, and the Nevada Democratic party when their last proposed debate was cancelled for lack of support.”
Perfect. Exactly right, the correct way to say. 10$ for Jonny.
Here’s what Obama had to say:
“CNN seems to be a more appropriate host,” an Obama campaign aide tells ABC News.
Not so great, but I’ll take it.
Hillary? Well, I’ll let Matt explain:
Here’s what I got from a source in the Clinton campaign: “Senator Clinton has previously committed to Tavis Smiley’s PBS debate and the South Carolina debate. In addition to those two, she has only agreed to the six DNC-sanctionced debates.”Make of that what you will.
UPDATE: Ben Smith reports that this means she won’t do the debate. My source was very careful to not say that, and I pressed pretty hard. I don’t think she’ll end up doing the debate, as it’s not going to be much of an event. But this is not a rejection. Too bad, I had $10 with her name on it. Man it’s a busy day.
UPDATE: Ok, a second source is telling me that the statement holds true. Clinton will do the DNC-sanctioned and previously committed-to debates only. That means no Fox News, as Dean has made it clear that the channel won’t make the cut.
UPDATE, AGAIN: The AP is reporting she’s decided not to do the debate. I’ll take that as confirmation; maybe the lack of clarity is because she had it handled at a staff level. Good for her.
I really wish she take the magic 8-ball out of her head and put her brain back in. I liked progressive, tough, “I don’t bake cookies” Hillary and I’m sorry she went away.
Front page
I disagree
Democrats refuse to do Fox News. Republicans counter by dissing CNN. Democrats respond by declining interviews with the Washington Times. Republicans ignore calls from Washington Post reporters. And the balkanization of America goes on.
Alternative perspective: If you are eloquent and confident in your positions, you aren’t threatened by a hostile environment. I respect, and have supported, political candidates with whom I disagreed on loads of issues, because they were intelligent and honest. They knew I wasn’t doing it because they stroked my ideological ego, and we were both left the better for the contact.
Nick Kasoff
The Thug Report
sorry, nick. the problem isn't "he said, she said."
nor is it one of “balance.” CNN is barely more than FOX light. FOX is just blantant and unashamed in their hatred of all things left of hitler. CNN prentends, and gets away with, the nonsense that they aren’t biased in a similar way, albeit with less vitrol.
FOX is blatantly, unabashedly, repeatedly republican propaganda. the former RNC chairman heads up the organization (or did). and many more people read and hear of what is in the Post than the Times, not that i am disagreeing with your assertion that the times is an organ of the republican party. but the post still sucks, bigtime, in its bias.
this isn’t about apples and oranges, it’s about returning to basic, rational standards of deceny. you are invited to offer a link which proves FOX has ever been favorable to democrats, zell and joe lieberman not counting. CNN, on the other hand, regularly fellates republicans and bush. where is the far left counterbalance?
don’t say NPR (rumsfeld’s wife is on the board) or CBS. instead, contrast and compare audience numbers for a real liberal news program, “democracy now” and the FOX and CNN numbers.
I think it's Cheney's wife on the NPR board
rather than Rummy’s. Mrs. Rummy appears to be a most reclusive person, I don’t recall ever ever seeing a picture of her much less hearing of her taking any role in public/political life.
Lynn on the other hand is a fiend almost the equal in loathesomeness to her despicable spouse. Kali to his Yama if you will (I mean the originals, not the Disnified ex-Terrans of Zelazny’s romanticized Lord of Light.)