"Top Tiers" skipping debates. Your thoughts?

[max]

The CFR media-annointed frontrunners skipped the equal time Value Voters debate, and will also be skipping the equal time PBS debate.

This is clearly aimed at avoiding Ron Paul. If he beats the pants off of them when he's not allowed to speak, and is harassed by the likes of Blitzer and Wallace....imagine what RP would do in an equal time debate?

I'm not sure if this helps or hurts RP. What do u guys think about these ass-clown boycotting any equal time debate?

[rajibo]

The CFR media-annointed frontrunners skipped the equal time Value Voters debate, and will also be skipping the equal time PBS debate.

This is clearly aimed at avoiding Ron Paul. If he beats the pants off of them when he's not allowed to speak, and is harassed by the likes of Blitzer and Wallace....imagine what RP would do in an equal time debate?

I'm not sure if this helps or hurts RP. What do u guys think about these ass-clown boycotting any equal time debate?

I'd say it's more about avoiding the tough questions than it is about avoiding Ron Paul. They may have to actually answer something.

[born2drv]

unfortunately they have nothing to gain by showing up, they're the front runners... and so they can call the shots.

i think it's pretty funny how mccain thinks he's a frontrunner, and how thompson continues to duck every event and hope his fame will win the election.

ah well :)

[kalami]

ya nothing to gain, but they can potentially lose a lot. Guiliani and Romney would have been roasted in the value voters debate for their abortion stances.

[Geronimo]

I think RP ought to tactfully call them out on their absence.

He should also challenge each one to a one on one debate.
(with one arm tied behind his back, of course)

[JosephTheLibertarian]

its funny that MSM always picks the worst guys for America, then they pretend to be all patriotic. I think we have too many stupid voters though.

[jj111]

Any debate Ron Paul can have with the "front runners" is a win for Ron Paul.

How the Republican Party can possibly believe that any of their candidates other than Ron Paul can beat Hillary is beyond me.

[jj111]

I think the average voter does not know squat about these candidates.

[JosephTheLibertarian]

well.. how many people watch PBS?

[Qiu]

There's not too much to gain- it's a PBS debate... not that many people watch PBS to begin with and even fewer who watch PBS are Republicans.

[Cowlesy]

I'm sorry, I know I'll catch flack for this.

But I don't give a shit. Let them skip. Pussies.

[BarryDonegan]

choosing to skip debates hurts you, not the debate. values voters has a core audience, that audience is involved in handing down the official edict to church bulletins and what gets discussed at church functions.

the PBS debate also has an audience, each audience adds up to a win. skipping opportunities to campaign does not increase your visibility.

these people all have budgets to promote their events, and will be spending them regardless.

[JosephTheLibertarian]

"ohhh my goodness pa... he is from law & order... he has integrity... he is new Reagan... yay" they know completely NOTHING about him, yet they actively support him.. its incredible. This is the stuff that makes me want to ban every political party, and just have the libertarian party. But, that wouldn't be very libertarian of me lol

[freedomsoundmoney]

are they against participating in equal time debates at all or just these particular ones?

[max]

I'm sorry, I know I'll catch flack for this.

But I don't give a shit. Let them skip. Pussies.

i'm kinda thinking the same thing. I'm thinking that the few who do watch will take it as that the others are afraid...

although some may take it as this debate is for the second stringers..

not sure what the net effect for RP is ammong viewers, though i hope its the former

[max]

are they against participating in equal time debates at all or just these particular ones?

It has to be the equal time format and the relative fairness of PBS (at least compared to FOX, ABC etc) thats scaring them.

PBS debates have always been attended by the major candidadtes...Hillary and barack will both be there on the Dem side..

I really believe that the format and the RP juggernaught is scaring them away

[freedomsoundmoney]

choosing to skip debates hurts you, not the debate. values voters has a core audience, that audience is involved in handing down the official edict to church bulletins and what gets discussed at church functions.

the PBS debate also has an audience, each audience adds up to a win. skipping opportunities to campaign does not increase your visibility.

these people all have budgets to promote their events, and will be spending them regardless.

very true but they obviously calculated the potential loss of participating much higher then if they dodge them.

[Corydoras]

I think there may be a sea change going on where the press is deciding that debates and straw polls don't matter.

One more step in cementing the oligarchy.

[freedomsoundmoney]

It has to be the equal time format and the relative fairness of PBS (at least compared to FOX, ABC etc) thats scaring them.

PBS debates have always been attended by the major candidadtes...Hillary and barack will both be there on the Dem side..

I really believe that the format and the RP juggernaught is scaring them away

well considering how poorly they did in past debates with Paul I don't blame them for being scared but Presidential candidates are supposed to handle pressure well. if they can't handle a few equal time debates what else might they not be able to handle? you don't want to wait till their president to find out.

[max]

I think there may be a sea change going on where the press is deciding that debates and straw polls don't matter.

One more step in cementing the oligarchy.

RP's TV commercials are going to be the key to this......I hope he raises tons of money and puts together some powerful ads

[RJB]

At first I thought it was lame at the Values Voters debate when they asked empty podiums question (directed to a candidate who wouldn't show), but its grown on me. I wish all debates would do that.

[The Only Woj]

the guys at the top can only go down. if they don't show up, the debate is seen as not being worthwhile. that way the second tier can't break into the top.

[Eli]

pbs draws a lot of older voters which is good for raising ron paul up in the polls. So while it may not attract large audiences like fox news debates it pulls the right people to raise ron paul up in the polls.