Obama supporter Jamal Simmons said "Debates are just not his particular forte"
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on April 22, 2008 - 3:13am.
Rapid Response
Hello Everyone:
I found it very interesting that Jamal Simmons, an Obama supporter who acts as a surrogate for the Obama campaign on cable news programs, outright admitted to Anderson Cooper on Monday night on CNN that Barack Obama "would have never made that great debaters team that Denzel Washington had in that movie" and that "Debates are just not his particular forte:"
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0804/21/acd.01.html
ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES
Countdown to Pennsylvania Showdown; Single Women and the Presidential Campaign
Aired April 21, 2008 - 22:00 ET
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: "Why shouldn't Barack Obama's campaign -- I'm not taking sides here. Barack Obama's campaign has been making a big to-do about this debate that the questions were unfair, that it was -- the issues were minor. Why shouldn't he be able to answer questions about a flag lapel pin or about his preacher or about some guy from the Weather Underground in a general election? Aren't all these things going to be asked?
JAMAL SIMMONS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Of course he should be able to answer those questions. I don't think anybody would say that he shouldn't. And in fact, if you look at his debate performance, you know, I said this the other night, he would have never made that great debaters team that Denzel Washington had in that movie. Debates are just not his particular forte..."
Jamal Simmons is NOT the first Obama supporter to admit to something like this about Obama's weakness in debates!
Roland Martin is an African-American CNN commentator who is very pro-Obama when he gives his analysis. Martin asked about Obama on his blog last year "How can a candidate who speaks so eloquently and passionately on the campaign trial come off as flat and unemotional during debates?" and he then went on to say "that Obama dislikes debates" and "Obama admitted that he is not enamored with debates, saying they provide little time to speak on issues:"
http://www.rolandsmartin.com/blog/?p=80
Obama Blows Another Debate Opportunity
This entry was posted on Friday, June 29th, 2007 at 11:36 am
"So what gives with Obama? How can a candidate who speaks so eloquently and passionately on the campaign trial come off as flat and unemotional during debates? (I thought that was supposed to be Clinton’s role!)
Most of it lies in the fact that Obama dislikes debates. During my interview with him to air on Monday at 10 p.m. EST on TV One Cable Network, Obama admitted that he is not enamored with debates, saying they provide little time to speak on issues. He prefers to use his time to “inform.”
And he really doesn’t like the idea of sound bites driving a campaign. That’s understandable; politicians prefer to expound.
But it’s time for him to wake up to reality.
When he has a campaign rally that attracts 20,000 voters, that’s one heckuva turnout. But when there is a debate and 2 million people are watching, you can influence a lot more people..."
I agree with Roland Martin's comment about Obama that "it’s time for him to wake up to reality" because IF he is the nominee, then he cannot complain about tough debate questions against John McCain and he will be forced to play "Gotcha" politics with the GOP attack machine whether he likes it or not:
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15330
IF nominated, Obama will be forced to play "Gotcha" whether he likes it or not!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on April 21, 2008 - 9:00am.
I am very disappointed that the upcoming Democratic debate between Hillary and Obama in North Carolina on April 27 was cancelled and that "Barack Obama had declined to commit to the event" while "Hillary Rodham Clinton had agreed to the later debate, and the state's Democratic leaders had urged Obama to join her:"
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=6094228
Clinton, Obama N.C. debate cancelled
Monday, April 21, 2008 | 4:43 PM
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- "The democratic presidential debate scheduled for April 27 has been cancelled.
According to the North Carolina Democratic Party, time constraints and logistical issues associated with such a large, national event forced officials to cancel the debate.
Barack Obama had declined to commit to the event, saying he wasn't sure it would work with his schedule. The Illinois senator had previously said he would be able to debate in North Carolina, but on a date before Tuesday's Pennsylvania primary.
Hillary Rodham Clinton had agreed to the later debate, and the state's Democratic leaders had urged Obama to join her. The forum would have been the first moderated by CBS News anchor Katie Couric...
In response to the debate cancelation, the Hillary Clinton's campaign accused Obama of brushing off the people of North Carolina. "We are willing to move forward with another time and location for the debate so that he has no excuse for not participating. Unfortunately, it is becoming clear that Senator Obama simply does not believe that North Carolinians deserve the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates about how they will fix our economy, bring our troops home and provide quality health care for every American..."
The bottom line to this in my opinion is that Obama refusing more debates with Hillary probably because he did not like the tough questions from the ABC debate last week is absolutely ridiculous. What in the world is Obama going to do in the general election if he is debating McCain and if he does not like the questions in the first debate? Is he going to refuse to participate in the next two debates because he did not like the questions?
Democratic primary voters and superdelegates have to think very carefully if they want to nominate a candidate like Obama who they know does not feel comfortable in debates. Why would they nominate a candidate like that to go into the lion's den against John McCain and the GOP attack machine? That would definitely be risking political suicide in the general election in my opinion!
Mitch Dworkin
http://www.securingamerica.com/
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/10756
StopIranWar.com: "War is not the answer"
Submitted by Wes Clark on February 21, 2007 - 11:40am.
http://www.securingamerica.com/ccn/node/7191
Listen to Gen. Wes Clark fight for Dems on Sean Hannity's radio program: An excellent example for all of us to follow and what we all need to be doing to help fight back against extreme right wing Neocon smear propaganda!
"Unity" is traditionally a theme that women have swallowed wholesale like a bunch of blind guppies to preserve peace and not impede social progress - at our own expense.
Look no farther than suffrage. All MEN get the right to vote in 1870 (yes, poll taxes and obstructionist tactics were obstructing that - and this was incredibly wrong, but it was still the law of the land), but it was okay for all WOMEN to wait until 1920. Fifty years later.
Women were incredibly instrumental in the Civil Right Movement, but did they receive like support in the Equal Rights Movement? Oh, that must be why we have an Equal Rights Amendment in this country. Except we don't.
God forbid that a Hillary decide she'd make a better president than a Barack. Never mind that she's had decades more political experience or two, rather than one, terms as a senator. Never mind that she has the only two-term Democrat since FDR in her corner. Never mind that she's a brilliant woman, a passionate advocate for the underserved, a talented, well-liked Senator in her own right, or that the delegate lead is hardly as gigantic as everyone would have it seem. She is called to step aside - for "party unity."
I hope she tells them to shove it. Not that I'm bitter or anything.
How can I defend Obama from Rush Limbaugh when I honestly think that Limbaugh is right about him?
Barack Obama does not understand how very weak that he is making himself look right now by refusing to debate Hillary again because he did not like the tough questions that were asked last week!
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_042208/content/01125104.guest.html
Stack of Stuff Quick Hits Page
April 22, 2008
Story #4: Barry Ducks Debate, Concentrates on Eating Waffle
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/04/nc-debate-cance.html
http://weblogs.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/blog/2008/04/obama_why_cant_i_just_eat_my_w.html
RUSH: I mentioned earlier that Barack Obama has canceled -- well, that's not how they're phrasing this -- a debate between himself and Mrs. Clinton in North Carolina. The debate was scheduled for April 27th, five days from today, but it has been "canceled." It was to have been moderated by CBS News' Katie Couric. (By the way, the latest ratings for the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric? They've now reached their lowest viewership in history. They've never had a smaller audience for the CBS Evening News than they have now.)
Hillary had agreed to it, but Obama had not, and state Democrats in North Carolina finally gave up negotiating yesterday. They sent out a letter saying they no longer had time to deal with the logistical issues associated with such a large event, which was pure pap. The real reason for the party's pullout could be found in this statement: "There were also growing concerns about whether another debate would do to party unity." They were concerned about what another debate would do to party unity? That's a pure cover! Obama did dismally in the last debate and didn't want to do another one -- because he knows the same kind of questions are going to be asked since he had so much trouble answering them the last time. He's not even talking to the press anymore!
In fact, have you heard about the incident at the diner, where a couple reporters came up and asked him what he thought of Jimmy Carter's mission to talk to Hamas? He said, "Why can't I just eat my waffle?" -- once again showing an immaturity and a temperament unsuited to the office.
"Senator, you haven't talked to us. You haven't had any press conferences. You're not going to do this debate. We just want to know what you think of Jimmy Carter."
"I've answered that question eight times!"
"Yeah, but you haven't answered it, Senator."
The Clinton campaign was quick to express its disappointment that there wouldn't be a debate. They issued a statement that said, "It is becoming clear Senator Obama simply does not believe that North Carolinians deserve the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates." The bottom line is everybody who's paying attention to this now understands -- or thinks -- that he's just chickening out.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/04/nc-debate-cance.html
http://weblogs.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/blog/2008/04/obama_why_cant_i_just_eat_my_w.html
That's what the media should be asking after he blew off reporters and a planned debate. If Hillary had done these snurlish things, you can bet the drumbeat would be deafening! (They're already squawking that if she doesn't win by ___ points, then she'll have to drop out). Why should the American people accept that BO does only what he wants or what makes him look good? I don't understand how NC voters will just let this slide! But, no doubt, I'll hear people calling in to Washington Journal, pretending to buy the insipid "scheduling conflict" excuse and trying to convince others of it!
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/14641
Obama's campaign "gave the brushoff" to Hillary's challenge to four new debates!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on February 7, 2008 - 2:04am.
LAURA'S POLL
Q: Will Barack Obama agree to another debate with Hillary Clinton?
Answer Percent
No 
76%
Yes 24%
How can I criticize them when I think that they are right about Obama's lack of toughness?
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/04/22/what-does-the-north-carolina-debate-retreat-mean/
What does the North Carolina debate retreat mean? Update: AOL Hot Seat poll added
Posted at 8:39 am on April 22, 2008 By Ed Morrissey
The North Carolina Democratic Party canceled what looked to be the final debate between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton yesterday. Hillary had agreed to another debate, but Obama balked, citing scheduling conflicts:
Clinton had agreed to the debate; Obama did not, and the party said in a statement that the clock had run out to organize a debate. The party also cited worries about “party unity,” after last week’s combative debate in Philadelphia, a focused grilling of Senator Barack Obama on topics he would have preferred to avoid. …
The scrapping of the April 27 debate leaves the prospect for further showdowns between the two candidates unclear.
I’d say that it leaves the prospects very clear — Obama will not debate Hillary any longer. And the reasons are pretty clear after last Wednesday’s debacle in Pennsylvania. Obama simply doesn’t fare well when forced to defend himself extemporaneously. He gets almost incoherent, and not just on the supposed “distraction” questions, but also on policy His answers on capital-gains tax increases had Hillary smiling and the rest of the nation wondering if he had bothered to study the issue at all.
Marc Ambinder believes that Obama just doesn’t want to give Hillary any more oxygen, but even that explanation has its problems in terms of Obama as a candidate. If Obama has to worry about Hillary gaining exposure at this stage, it doesn’t bode well for his ability to beat McCain in a similar fashion. The man who transcended experience to charge to the front of the Democratic race has to be able to go toe-to-toe with both the other candidates and the media on a national stage, and Ambinder’s explanation suggests he can’t do that in a competitive environment.
Even worse, after last Wednesday, it looks like a retreat. Obama got a bloody nose, and suddenly he doesn’t want to appear on national TV, even up against a cupcake like Katie Couric. The strategy may be sound, but only if one has no confidence in Obama’s ability to stand up to tough questioning. In fact, his withdrawal from the debate appears to be an admission of exactly that.
This won’t hurt him much in North Carolina, where he will win by a comfortable margin. It may affect Obama’s standing in other primary races if voters perceive him to be running a little scared. People who cast their vote on electability may wonder whether Obama has what it takes to go against John McCain in a general election, and may reconsider Hillary on that basis.
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Vote in this AOL Hot Seat Poll:
http://news.aol.com/political-machine/2008/04/22/hot-seat-obama-bails-on-nc-debate/