WHY should Obama meet Clinton for a debate this week???

[polichick]

He graciously agreed to the Texas and Ohio debates at Senator Clinton's request even though his time was better spent on the ground ~ why should he bother now that Clinton and her campaign have stooped to such ugliness??

Would it be a good move for Barack to release a statement saying that, in light of recent events (maybe include references to her angry outburst, mocking performance and photo release), he doesn't think the climate is right for a debate? Or do you think it's best to show up and subject himself to whatever she has in mind, hopefully remaining cool, calm and collected?

[rox63]

1. No - That would be going back on his word

He agreed to the debate, so he should debate her in OH.

[IndianaGreen]

5. Hillary went back on her word regarding TX and MI

If she were a man, she would have been asked to drop out by now.

[Yael]

17. I think you mean FL and MI

[rox63]

24. Yeah, but Obama should keep to a higher standard than HRC n/t

[onehandle]

2. Have either of them won enough delegates to win the nomination?

No. I would hope that Obama wouldn't be a baby and resist a challenge.

[ellacott]

3. He has to debate her

They would then claim that he's afraid to debate her and will run ads like they did in Wisconsin.

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. HE SHOULDN'T

Nearly everyone of the talking heads has joked about the number of debates so far...I mean what's the point? We know the candidates now, and pretty much everyone has made their choice. I think it's ridiculous.

I confess, I've only watched a couple of them. I usually catch the endless after-debate analysis. I'd like to know what the average ratings are for these things.

Thom Hartmann just made the point that he's glad Obama's being tested by the Clinton camp, because it could be a good barometer of how he'll withstand the inevitable assault from the right. Right now, I think the Clinton and McCain camps have joined forces to take him out, I just don't think they'll be successful.

[flor de jasmim]

6. No, it will give voters a good visual contrast, and now that she's blown her "cover"...

He has gotten better at each debate, while she has revealed deep weaknesses. It will also be good practice for later debates with McCain.

[Kaylee]

7. No...he has to go.

[Johnny__Motown]

8. Confront her, I assume the moderators will ask her about these incidents

[suston96]

9. Obama should avoid debates. He is the presumptive nominee....doesn't need them.....

[SoFlaJet]

10. I wouldn't put up with any more of her phony "heartfelt"

speeches-I'd call her on her IWR vote again and again and the way she and her surrogates have continuously been the side to go negative-don't be so nice this time Barack, be respectful but don't be looking at her very much and stay focused AND NAIL HER GOOD on her Rovian tactics

[AtomicKitten]

11. He should go, remain cool as a cucumber, and allow her to implode.

[Window]

22. Yep

[anigbrowl]

37. Me three.

[Avalux]

12. He can't cancel - but he can be ready.

He knows she's either going to attack him and should be prepared for the worst or she'll be nice. Hard to say which Hillary is going to show up tomorrow night.

[LTR]

13. Obama should debate her

Since, as of late, every time she opens her mouth she digs herself a deeper political grave, further debates will only benefit Obama.

[Big Blue Marble]

14. It will provide opportunities

for him to rise above this garbage and to restate why he is in the race to overcome
this style of campaigning. He can close the sale with Ohio and Texas this time.

She cannot come out and play all nice and sweet again and get away with it.

This may be his best debate yet. Let us wait and see.

[polichick]

15. I know it'll be a closely watched popcorn event at my house...

But if I were Barack, I might feel compelled to tuck a can of pepper spray in my pocket ~ or maybe a taser, depending on what happens between now and then.

[samdogmom]

16. He has to debate her! He agreed to this. It would be a huge PR nightmare if he canceled!

These two debates were held up as proof that Barack is willing to debate Hillary during the Wisconsin campaign. (Remember--she started a bogus debate crisis and then never showed up in the state until the Saturday before the election--while Barack was there talking to the people from Tuesday on!)

If he cancels he will get a lot of negative press and this will work in Hillary's favor.

Something tells me, Hillary likes to "confront" people behind their backs--but face-to-face--she's not so brave. He needs to be right next to her, starring her down. Let's see what she does under these conditions!

She'll probably go back to her other persona of "nice guy"--what a two-faced,b----- (fill-in the word)!

(I think you have to be a Hillary supporter to use this word. I know it was A-OKAY when "Saturday Night Live" did, but I doubt I can get away with it right now!)

[Zachstar]

18. He needs to say no more debates!

If Clinton is acting like a kid then she needs to be ignored.

And to the Clinton supporters you ought to support the cancel of a debate because with her current acts of desperation there is a HIGH likelyhood that she will continue to trash her future at the debate. It is HER debate to lose NOT Obama's.

[Ino]

19. He should show up.

To bow out would look like he was afraid of her.

[K Gardner]

20. He only has to hit one button for her to unravel. Remember the

debate where she went totally off and started shrieking and gesticulating about Change.. I'm the Change Agent.. We Need a Reality Check.. False Hope.. (Edwards, Obama and Richardson were in that one, I believe). She doesn't come off well unglued, and she is definitely unglued right now. Let the world see Hillary Go Ballistic.. Live. On a visceral level, it will be something they'll know they don't want to watch for the next four years.. if ever again.

[Faygo Kid]

21. Yes, he must be there. She will either hang herself, or end with a whimper.

She has boxed herself in a corner. If she throws the kitchen sink at Obama - he hates Israel, is a plagiarist, Muslim background, "shame on you" etc. - she will go out as a flamethrower. If she takes the high road, she won't stop his momentum. Either way, she is in an untenable position. Her only successful strategy might be to ignore him and turn on Bush with everything she has. Economic populism, the war, etc. The real enemy is W. She needs to present herself as the starkest alternative.

But she likely won't, and maybe it doesn't matter anyway.

He just needs to be there and speak to the optimism he has created. Take the high road. The contrast will speak for itself.

[RethugAssKicker]

23. Yes !...Give her more rope to hang herself

[TexasObserver]

25. No. This debate will be about Hillary's schizo behaviors lately. Her coffin needs the last nail.

[polichick]

26. msnbc just asked: "Which Hillary will show up tomorrow night?"

I guess everyone is bracing for this one.

[Vinca]

27. He should pull out, go on about his campaigning and pretend

she doesn't exist. She doesn't deserve 2 seconds of his time, let alone 2 hours. Let's face it - she needs to get herself on television for free because the money's running out. He doesn't.

[intaglio]

28. Because he is a "good" politician

Because he knows that the Clinton campaign need him to become upset enough to play the indignant revenge game. If he fall into that trap he instantly lowers himself to her level.

The Clinton supporters have for weeks been posting about Obama's "slurs" on Senator Clinton. Most of these so called slurs and slime are largely the result of their own overheated imaginations working on words taken out of context.

For example they talk about Senator Obama referring to Hillary supporting NAFTA - which she did - and that she said it was a "boon". They say that this is a slur because she never said that word "boon". It seems they have never heard of the word precis and boon is a perfectly good precis of her opinion that NAFTA would be good for jobs and business in the US. Or they have used the ridiculous argument that "periodically" was used in a sexist content; my choice of the word "ridiculous" is because my partner used that word - and she has been a feminist for longer than some posters have been alive.

Obama should never stoop to her level of vitriol

[backscatter712]

29. What's wrong with Obama debating?

After all, the last debate went sooo well for "Change you can Xerox" Clinton...

If she wants to hand Obama more ammunition, who is he to refuse?

[jmg257]

30. Because it is not enough he gives better speeches and has bigger rallies - needs to kick her butt in

another debate too.

There is nothing to fear but fear itself, and she ain't THAT scary!

[tammywammy]

31. Because he already agreed to do it

[bigtree]

32. Because, he agreed to.

It's that simple.

[Independent-Voter]

33. To hand her her ass again before the elections next week. HRC will throw another hissy fit

and he'll just ignore it again.

[dana_b]

34. Just keep to the schedule

and don't give in to her taunts. Let her do herself in.

[polichick]

35. They're going to be seated again...

Perhaps not as comfortable for launching attacks as when they're standing behind podiums.

[dailykoff]

36. She's still ahead in Ohio, so it's to his advantage.

It's Hillary who would benefit from canceling, but it's too late for that now.

[K Gardner]

38. CNN is hitting her hard today.. Cafferty is quoting Tapper and Novak and asking if

she needs to get out of the race.. even Wolf is working the Time to Quit angle. All eyes will be on the debate.

She will finish herself off. The media and the Democratic Party will be ready for her to go.

[dailykoff]

39. Or they could be cooking up another big stunt.

I imagine it will flop like all the rest, but I'll breathe easier once Hilly's interminable last act is finally over. Talk about a ham!

[K Gardner]

40. I'm with ya. I feel like I haven't been able to breathe or sleep right for weeks. I don't

remember being this out of sorts since the 2000 Recount.