Let the Wisconsin debate go on Senator Obama ! We deserve a fair evaluation of all the issues discussed, one on one.

Much of western Wisconsin is within Iowa media markets. I have to wonder how those who heard about how HRC wouldn't take any questions at her events in Iowa through most of the campaign, and then when she finally did (under media pressure/criticism)she either accused the questioner of being a "plant" from another campaign (which turned out to be baseless), or the people she called on were "planted" by her campaign, will view her new TV ad. Given there have been almost 20 debates to date, and countless "forums" that the two Democrats standing have already participated in, if "he won't debate me" is the best she can do, her campaigns in more trouble than people realize.  We in Wisconsin aren't that dumb!

How many debates do we need?  Haven't we suffered through 18 of these already?  They have become progressively more booring and still do not deliver any information we haven't heard already.

It sounds to me like Hillary is desparate.  She's trying to stay relevant in her going-nowhere-slowly campaign.

What was that sound?  Oh just moving goalposts.  The Clinton campaigned asked for 4 debates.  The Obama campaign is trying run a campaign and agreed to 2.  Clinton yesterday said that she would or would not do the NBC debates in OH depending on which affiliate she was talking about.

Meanwhile, MSNBC is running free ads for Clinton on their website, neglecting the other candidates.  Obama's running an ad in WI.  Funny.  I can't seem to find your post on his ad anywhere.

What a hypocrite!  

How can my fellow Democrats not see that Hillary doesn't care about them.  She only cares about winning for her own personal glory.  The voters are just a means to attain that.

Texas and Ohio Democrats, I implore you, please save our party by defeating Hillary by a substantial margin.

Good idea. Freeze foreclosures. Send the lenders into bankruptcy and force thousands out of their jobs. And whose speech has no substance??

In any event, there's a debate this week. Does it matter where it takes place? It will be on tv.

I agree with her! We've only had like 53 debates during this campaign. That can't possibly be enough for Clinton to convice voters to vote for her. We need more debates!

I'm skeptical of the need for another primary debate over whether health care must be compulsory to be considered universal, or whether martial experience (in this case very loosely defined) is key to conducting a more effective foreign policy "from
Day 1."  I'd suspect that the Clinton campaign is simply looking to manufacture another "victim moment" around which to rally supporters, ala New Hampshire. Obama should decline, leaving the Los Angeles debate to stand as the record on these health care and foreign policy questions.  In other words, he should pursue a "no more tears" strategy.

One person somewhat amused by the Clinton campaign's earnest call for a debate a week was her 2006 New York Senate primary challenger,  Jonathan Tasini, who spent months fruitlessly demanding a debate that year.

He was met by promises from the Clinton campaign to "see how the campaign develops," a line Howard Wolfson memorably repeated to me hours before the polls opened. (b smith-politico)

------2006 Daily news article
 Howard Wolfson, a Clinton spokesman, did fire a parting shot yesterday. He was asked again whether Clinton would debate her challenger. And with hours before the polls were to open, he offered the same response he's given for months: "We will see how the campaign develops," he said

Wow, that ad reminded me of a good-ol'-fashioned Romney contrast ad ...which pretty much worked out well for him.


And then listening to the content I heard: government, government, government, government.


Why should Barack Obama "debate?"  The purpose of debates is to get out the candidate's messages, and Obama can do that better by bringing his messages to the people, advertisements like this one, and local news coverage.  Not one debate in the past, except the one Clinton slipped up Oct-Nov. has changed anything.  She's simply using it as a political excuse to explain away her losses (staff and states).  I, personally, doubt she cares about much more than winning.


i.m.r.

I am weary of this old saw.  There have been 18 debates already and Senator Obama has agreed to 2 more.  In addition, Senator Obama does answer questions.  He did so in Maryland yesterday; and, he answered questions all Summer and Fall, when Senator Clinton was hardly answering any.  

I begin to believe that Senator Clinton simply wants to prevent Senator Obama from having direct contact with the voters.  This is unfortunate and perhaps damaging to the Democratic prospects in the Fall.  Each time Senator Obama has direct contact, the movement to change America for the better grows.   Although I admire Senator McCain for his bravery and political courage, I still hope for a Democratic landslide with Senator Obama as the nominee.  

Let Senator Obama speak to the People.  Each person he connects to becomes a part of the effort to make America better.  The more of us who become involved, the better it will be -- not just the vote totals in the Fall, but going forward into the future.

Yes we can!  Obama '08.

It's ALWAYS the LOSER who want more debates !

It's ALWAYS the candidate who's behind who wants more debates

Why didn't Hillary debate, 'John Spencer -- Clinton's 2006 Senate opponent' ?

Obama has to MAXIMIZE his money advantage
MAKE Hillary PAY FOR TV TIME
No FREE TV time for Hillary

Look at the campaign rallies.....
Obama has thousands of people at his rallies
Enthusiastic people

What does Hillary have at her rallies ?
Paid staffers ?
Reant a crowds ?

Sorry Hillary
NO MORE DEBATES
Next time, manage you campaign finances properly !!

OBAMA '08

I don't think debates as they are do not lay out the
truth as we would like to hear it,for this reason.
A debate should be conducted on equal time limits on
the same question without interruption from either side's ,the rebuttals should also have equal time
without interruption,I have not seen that happen on
these debate's ,seems that moderators lose control
and don't penalize those that break these rules.
I would not debate any one unless they would agree
to penalty's up to five minutes for not following
strict guidelines.Would Hillery agree to this?

I am so excited to see all the support for obama!!! I was reading the Huckabee column and saw a republican claiming support for him. What does sadden me is the bitterness form the clinton supporters. The momentum is in Obama's favor and if he wins let's rally and support Obama. After all it is what your precious Clinton's say they would want!!!
A vote 4 Obama is a vote 4change

If it isn't crying, it's debating.  If I wasn't already a Hillary Hater, I would be now.

They have debated 18 times most recently on CNN just before the Democratic primary in California.
They are to debate on Feb. 26 in Texas and one other time. What else could we learn that we don't already know.

I think her ad is disingenious and will backfire.

She wants to set the agenda, this campagin is not about her.

She should come to Wisconsin and campagin among the like Sen. Obama is doing. He has not written off any state nor is he presumptious. He realizes that she is a formibile candidate in her own right.

I am for Obama, that is it and that all!

I watched the first 4 or 5 Democratic debates with great interest and then I stopped watching since they were either repetitive or irrelevant. My number one question is who has the best chance of winning the White House -- no other issue matters to me since the future of our country is in peril. I would rather see Hillary and Barack show how they would win the White House and how they would get Senators and Representative elected than see them debate each other.

As a Hillary supporter I think she should drop this "why won't Barack debate me" tactic, makes her look desperate and weak, even in the eyes of her constituency who may become disinclined to continue supporting her. I like Hillary because of her plan for America not because she is good at making the other guy look bad.  

To all Wisconsin voters asking for the debate:  

Please send Hillary a note asking her to actually make an appearance in your state.  Obama's there.  He's talking to factory workers and making sure people get to know him and his policies.  That's far better than a debate where all the exact same questions and answers are given time after time.

By the way, Hillary's plan doesn't lower costs as much as Obama's.  So not only will it insure everyone, it will drive millions into bankruptcy and/or poverty.

Obama is a fraud with no rel answers to the problems. A great speaker for sure, but to those people leaving comments on here, take a look at his record and what his plan for the mortgage crisis is......or do you even know? Blaming the the people who got ripped off for not knowing better. Ask Obabma why he does not want to restrict forclosures for 90 days or impose regulations on he mortgage companies......you will find its because he is backed by them....for somebody who says he wants change, it looks like more of the same to me. Black white or blue a fraud is a fraud.

Why does MSMBC give her free airtime with her ads???  I have never seen an Obama ad here.

If I were Senator Obama I wouldn't want to debate either.  He might be asked (though unlikely since the moderators all throw him slow pitches) why a major facet of his plan for combatting climate change is to build nuclear power plants.  It seems an odd choice considering that there is still no viable way to dispose of the waste.  He must know this since he got on the Richardson and Clinton bandwagon (reluctantly) to come out against Yucca Mountain (at least when he got to Nevada).  So why would someone like Barack Obama advocate nuclear energy?

Let me answer that one for you Barack:  because, according to the LA Times, in 2007 (after you declared you wouldn't take lobbyist and PAC money) you took $160,000 from the Excelon Corp., which just so happens to be the nation's largest operator of nuclear power plants.  You also took $1000 checks from John P. Novack (a representative of Excelon), and James Monk, the president of the Illinois Energy Association; a trade group that represents Commonwealth Edison, an Illinois based utility company which happens to be a wholly owned subsidiary of Excelon Corp.

Or maybe he doesn't want to talk about the California lobbyists for AT&T and United Airlines gave him $2300.  Or maybe he doesn't want to talk about how he took a combined $170,000 from Goldman Sachs and Citigroup who, at the time of their contribution, had numerous issues pending in Washington.  They also happened to spend $4.6 million on lobbying in 2006.

Or maybe he doesn't want to talk about the fact that at an Obama fundraiser in Tallahassee he took money from Florida statehouse lobbyists representing trial attorneys, the insurance industry, fast-food chains, and sugar cane growers.  Now you Obamaphiles will no doubt say that Obama only said he wouldn't take money from FEDERAL lobbyists.  Well, that only goes so far, as noted by the law firm Akerman Senterfitt.  Members of that firm gave Obama $7000.  On its website Akerman notes, as reported in the LA Times, that, "Akerman combines Tallahassee connections with, 'an involved federal political action committee' to provide its clients 'with an enviable level of access.'"

Obama is a liar and a fraud.  His new motto is, "Change you CAN believe in."  But it's obvious that Obama is really change you SHOULDN'T believe in.  

Once again the American electorate is proving that it will believe whatever anyone says as long as they say it enough, and the media tells them it's okay to believe it.  I would think that Americans would be outraged at a candidate who makes promises, but doesn't keep them; who says he's bringing hope and change, but is really just telling new lies and playing the same old games.

Thank you Obamaphiles for proving Ken Kesey's adage true:  "In any given situation there are always going to be more dumb people than smart people."

Does it say something about the Clinton supporters on this page when THEIR CAPS LOCK SEEMS TO BE LOCKED ON? Maybe they should get their computers checked...

People, PLEASE??? Haven't we learned yet that all talk and no action is how we got into this MESS?? Say what you will about Clinto, NO ONE ever thought she could win a Senate seat in her Republican NY district! NO ONE ever thought she could be an effective Legislator in a Republican Congress! NO ONE ever though she could communicate with our 4 Star generals on the Armed Svcs Committe... yet these and more are in HER column under LEADERSHIP. Stop the Obama swoon and get REAL!

Does anyone else see the hypocrisy in HRC launching an attack against Obama for not giving the voters of WI a chance to see them debate, at the same time that her other hand is trying to bag delegates in FL where the voters weren't given a campaign and a chance to hear the candidates and MI where her name was the only one on the ballot?

I was a "Clinton Supporter" until i heard Sen.Clinton said that she is a "Doer" not a person that just goes around hopeing,on the contrary she is a "hoper" by placing her name on the ballots for both Florida and Michigan hopeing to stir up some contraversy when the rules clearly stated that the candidates should not campaign there because the delegates were stripped from the contests. I see Sen.Obama as the "Doer" by doing what the rules stated and that is not campaigning in those contests.Its seems as if everytime Sen. Clinton is in a slump she argues that the media is making her seem like the "not likeable candidate!" I am looking towards giving Sen.Obama my vote!

People, PLEASE??? Haven't we learned yet that all talk and no action is how we got into this MESS?? Say what you will about Clinto, NO ONE ever thought she could win a Senate seat in her Republican NY district! NO ONE ever thought she could be an effective Legislator in a Republican Congress! NO ONE ever though she could communicate with our 4 Star generals on the Armed Svcs Committe... yet these and more are in HER column under LEADERSHIP. Stop the Obama swoon and get REAL... Let's hear both of them on the REAL issues that affect us and how a 2 year Senator expects to garner results from HOPE?

My family owns a small business and has always tried to provide health care and decent wages for all of our employees.  We are barely able to cover health insurance premiums despite increased co-pays and deductables. As for pay raises, we risk losing the company if we cut our margins any slimmer.  My sister, a pediatrition, has studied the health plans of each candidate and concluded: Hillary's plan covers 100% of the population at a cost of $2700/per person vs Obama's, that cost $4000/per person and leaves out 15 million people.  As for mandates, Medicare is also deducted as a payroll liability for every American at a rate of .029% of every dollar earned -there are no exemptions.  Hillary's plan would be based on a generous enough sliding scale that low income people would not be impacted in any significant way.  Hillary, in part, plans to pay for her plan by implementing electronic medical records , which would save tax payors 70 billion dollars per year- by the way, all insurance policies have a surcharge for the uninsured; therefore, is a built in tax everyone with insurance is already paying.  ER's are just a more costlier way of delivering services.  Obama has not listed any realistic way to pay for his health care plan. Hope without work amounts to nothing more then empty dreams. I like Obama and I think someday he will be a wonderful president, there is just to much as stake right now for ideas without plans.  

I was a "Clinton Supporter" until i heard Sen.Clinton said that she is a "Doer" not a person that just goes around hopeing,on the contrary she is a "hoper" by placing her name on the ballots for both Florida and Michigan hopeing to stir up some contraversy when the rules clearly stated that the candidates should not campaign there because the delegates were stripped from the contests. I see Sen.Obama as the "Doer" by doing what the rules stated and that is not campaigning in those contests.Its seems as if everytime Sen. Clinton is in a slump she argues that the media is making her seem like the "not likeable candidate!" I am looking towards giving Sen.Obama my vote!

HRC sounds desperate with this latest attach ad demanding a debate in WI.  Obama already agreed to two more, which is more than generous after an endless string of them already.  WI wasn't too important until she lost by huge margins in the last several primaries.  This is a not too subtle bid for media attention and grabing headlines.

I for one am delighted to see the Clinton's squirm and wish Obama good luck!

Hillary Clinton is too emotional and does not have any loyalty,which is why her team is now beginning to jump ship. She is wants to debate Barack because she wants to argue. Barack is a well rounded candidate and he is running a clean race. Hillary's behavior is showing what type of president that she would be if in office. She can not be trusted and she and her husband have too much baggage. I am happy that the govenor of puerto rico endorsed Obama, today. Obama is the truth and everyone should acknowledge that fact. Go Obama!!!!!!

Obama is a fruad, and I am glad HRC is putting in out there.
Aidyn, NY (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 1:06 PM)

-----------------

It just gets sadder and sadder...

MSNBC should get out of the political commentary business altogether... the very thought that debates should be cancelled is THIS network's need for dranma, not news. I'll go to CNN! See ya!

If I were Obama, I would refuse to debate Hillary unless she releases all "the records" and financial statements/tax returns.

Besides, who in their sane mind wants to hear a Democratic Debate?  Go campaign or something!!

WAKE UP YOU CRAZY DEMOCRATS THAT ARE VOTING FOR OBAMA.
He is dangerous for this country.  he absolutely has no substance to his speeches.  just,yes we can. He has
done nothing for this country and never will. this is
america.  we sure don't need a president named "obama"
What does that tell you?   WAKE UP BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.  have you forgotten what a good economy we had when bill clinton was president?  I cannot believe that you american people are so gullable, and would get our country in a mess like you will if you get him
in there.  He is a nothing.  Ok

Obamaites are asking why should he debate in Wis.?
They want to know why the Clinton machine doesn't have any thing against Obama.  THE MEDIA HAS PLENTY AND WOULD NOT ASK OBAM ANY OF THE TOUGH QUESTIONS.
HILLARY CLINTON DID BRING UP REZKO IN THE DEBATE AND IT WAS IN RESPONSE TO OBAMA THROWING OUT HIS ATTACK THAT HILLARY WAS AN ATTORNEY FOR WALLMART AT ONE TIME.   OBAMA DID NOT TELL THE TRUTH WHICH WOULD BE THE WHOLE STORY ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH TONY RAZKO AND RITA RAZKO. OBAMA SAID THAT HE ONLY WORKED FOR ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF HOURS WHEREBY HE RESPRSENTED A COMMUNITY CHUCH GROUP INVOLVED IN HOUSING PARTNERSHIP WITH TONY RAZKO. HE WAS VERY SLICK GETTING OUT OF FUTHER QUESTIONS AND OF COURSE NO ONE FOLLOWED UP ON THAT.  TONY REZKO IS BEING INDICTED ON CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION.  SO IF OBAMA IS THE DEM. NOMINEE, WE WILL HAVE THIS TRIAL TO WATCH ON TV FOR NETWORK RATINGS WAR.  DO YOU THINK THE REPUBLICANS ORGANIZED BY KARL ROVE WILL NOT LOVE THIS?  THE OBAMA/REZKO CONNECTION WENT ON FOR OVER A DECADE IN CHICAGO.  REZKO CAMPAIGNED FOR OBAMA'S STATE SENATE BID.  ONE OF OBAMA'S STAFF FOR THIS ELECTION WAS A LOBBIST FOR A DRUG COMPANY.  


HOW MANY PEOPLE ATTENDING THE FRENZY RALLIES LISTENING TO AN INSPIRING OBAMA ARE AWARE OF THESE
ISSUES WHICH WILL BE USED BY KARL ROVE AGAINST HIM.
HE REPUBLICANS HAVE BLASED HILLARY, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT TO RUN AGAIN HER. OF COURSE THEIR SURROGATES ON TV WILL SAY THE OPPOSITE...IT'S ALL PART OF TAKING
HILLARY DOWN AND THEY KNOW HOW THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CAN BE MISLEAD.

SO, MAYBE OBAMA SHOULD DEBATE AND GIVE AN HONEST DISCLOSURE ON HIS INTERVIEW AND RESUME FOR THIS JOB OF PRESIDENT, AND THE VOTER CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED CHOICE BASED ON THE TRUTH.  HILLARY CLINTON WOULD HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTIONS BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE WILL.
SHE IS ACCUSED OF BEING MEAN...I THINK SHE SHOULD BE
REALLY MEAN, SHE HAS BEEN TOO NICE. BIG MISTAKE TO HAVE BILL CLINTON COOL IT,  MICHELE OBAMA IS OUT THERE MAKING NASTY STATEMENTS, YET BECAUSE SHE IS THE LOVELY WIFE NO ONE CAN CRITIZE HER.

I HAVE READ SO MANY REALLY MEAN-SPIRITED, TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE REMARKS ABOUT HILLARY THAT PEOPLE REALLY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEIR SELVES.  NAME-CALLING IS CHILDISH. CALLING THE CLINTONS RACIST, IS BEING RACIST YOURSELF. THE CLINTON'S HAVE WORKED HARD MAKE ALL AMERICAN'S LIVES BETTER AND CREATED OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE.  

Obviously Hillary is yesterdays cheesecake ... People are realizing that John McCain wants her as the nominee for a reason .. Obama is not only SO MUCH more electable, he has the Vision and Clarity to for making the CORRECT decision whether it's the war or bancruptcy legislation.

Besides, do we really want a  3 Decade Dynasty of the same two families ??  I mean who after Hillary... Jeb Bush ?? .. and then it's Chelsea's Turn ???

Stop the insanity >>> vote for change !

Maybe Senator Clinton wants a less biased media event to help voters review the solidity of the candidates and their ability to offer solutions. Clearly this is not Sen Obama's strength because frankly he is junior to her as an accomplished public servant, and a leader. Sen Clinton cares and studies the important issues to whomever she is addressing. This is her strong suit and clearly something we should all want in the White House. Another debate takes the press coverage out of the emotional and into a real discussion of the candidate's positions and their differences.

Please...

HRC started this campaign with way more money, way more name recognition, way more media exposure, and the vaunted Clinton machine behind her.

She has managed to mess this up so badly that she's out of money, behind in every measure, and now begging for help getting free TV time.

Obama has out financed her, out performed her, out organized her, out managed her.

Is there any question who we want running the country?  Do we really want another Katrina level mess up?

Vote hope, not fear.  Vote unity, not divide and conquer.

IT'S NOT DEBATABLE, BOTH SIDES NEED TO DEBATE IN WISCONSIN. COME ON SENATOR OBAMA, YOU SAID YOU WOULD.

It should be quite clear to the Clinton supporters than the majority of us do not believe it is Hilary's "turn" to be president. I think this is what aggravates them the most, that a young upstart has upset their vision of 8 more years of Clinton. The presidency is not a monarchy, Bill was a good president, but Hillary does not have title to the job because of her marriage to him. It's time for some new ideas and a leader that can unite us as one people, not somebody selling divisions of the past.

What??? That's what I say to myself after I hear one of Barack's motivational speeches. I never understand how "I hope we can" and "I think we can" can get everyone so dunbfounded. He uses techniques of persuasion,and smoke and mirrors to get his votes. ITS LIKE HE'S IN CHURCH... WHERE IS THE SUBSTANCE?? I can understand after these PAST 8 years how we are all yearning for change, but as the moderator asked him in one of the debates "with no foreign relations experience and having so many ex Clinton advisors how do you explain this change you keep rambling on about"?? do you people remember that question? Obama's answer was "Hillary I'm looking forward to you advising me as well" WHAT?? THE MEDIA IS GIVING HIM A PASS, YOU MUST ASK YOURSELF WHY??

HILLARY CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT.....   01-20-09  THE END OF AN ERROR- DON'T LET THERE BE ANOTHER ERROR!!  

He couldn't debate her in Wisconsin if he wanted to.  She's abandoned the state for Texas!  Typical Clintonian BS!

Really Can't stand the Clinton's...

I think Obama is the best person for the JOB!!!

However; I'll vote for John McCain...

Before, Hillary... She will do anything to win...

The Carpetbagger & Monica's Ex-boyfriend!!!

Stop Crying Hillary...

Really Can't stand the Clinton's...

I think Obama is the best person for the JOB!!!

However; I'll vote for John McCain...

Before, Hillary... She will do anything to win...

The Carpetbagger & Monica's Ex-boyfriend!!!

Very weak ad, people ought to know her Healthcare plan is mandated and way too expensive compared to Obama's optional plan to cut healthcare costs.  I think the folks in Wisconsin ought to send her a message in the primary since she decided not to show up and campaign there!!

Some of these posts are actually laughable.  Its okay to like one politician over the other, but stick to facts.  Both of them have a similar platform, with different ideas on how to get there.  About this universal healthcare..I need coverage, I need it affordable, currently we pay over $500 bi-weekly and that is ridiculous!  I need the same coverage for less money, but I don't need my wages garnished to MAKE me broker!  It is not factual that Mr. Obama is a muslim and furthermore, exactly why so much murmuring about it!?  When he denies something, you say he's lying.  When she denies something, you say she's lying.  Whichever candidate moves you...vote for them...otherwise shut up!  Debates are boring, their is not enough time for either one to BORE us with the nuts and bolts of their issues.

Go Hillary!
The people in Wisconsin deserve a debate to learn where both candidates stand on the issues.  He is ducking the debate because Hillary is more poised at about the issues and clear about her positions. Obama is an empty bucket.  Inspirational messages are not enough to win the very important presidential nomination.  I hope the people in Wisconsin and around America will wake up and realize that Senator Obama is an empty vessel who is getting a free pass with the press. He should have accepted the debate.

Wow, I have never seen a channel hate a candidate so much.  Not even as much as Fox News hates Democrats.  MSNBC, you disgust me.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):