Broken: Hillary Clinton Refuses To Debate (from my DD)

RiverStone

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Wed Apr-30-08 03:48 AM
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Broken: Hillary Clinton Refuses To Debate (from my DD)

For anybody critical of Obama for not debating Hillary for the 22nd time...

Cross-posted from mydd
pinche tejano, April 28, 2008

There was a time when Hillary refused to debate, and to debate one of the most important issues facing a nation. Back in 2006, most might not remember she had a challenger in the Democratic race for Senator of the State of New York. Yes, a one Jonathan Tasini decided to take up the cause of the anti-war wing of the Democratic Party and challenge the then hawk Hillary Clinton to a debate. A debate that was sorely needed at the time.

Hillary Clinton refused to debate. She refused to allow a "Lincoln-Douglass" dialogue to occur for her constitutents, snobbing them all and her fellow party members. Clinton held a very elitist view that Tasini was not worthy of a debate, that his voice, the voice of the anti-war Democrats were not worth her time.

Then again, she was busy campaing for Lieberman at the time, so maybe she didn't have time to debate.

Maybe she thought New Yorkers didn't deserve to here about view and policy from another democratic contender. Maybe she thought, why worry her beautiful mind coming to terms with her war votes and cheerleading, which was a major plank in Tasini's platform.

Or worse yet, Tasini might bring to light Hillary's Orwellian ploy during the Working Families Party fiasco. Obscured by being a minor third party, Hillary made sure she was on their ballot as well. Except she ran with the slogan, "As an anti-war vote, vote for Hillary Clinton."

more:

http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/4/28/104541/280

NYT: August 21, 2006

With only a few weeks until New York's Sept. 12 primary elections, many people are probably still unaware that Senator Hillary Clinton is facing a challenge for the Democratic nomination. Her opponent, Jonathan Tasini, is low on almost everything, from funds to name recognition. Mrs. Clinton has successfully ignored Mr. Tasini all summer, and now it seems clear that she has no intention of responding to his demands that she meet him in a debate.

She should change her mind. In a year when New York has very few competitive elections, voters are going to get very little chance to hear serious discussions from the candidates. Since Mr. Tasini is running an antiwar campaign, it would be very useful for New Yorkers to have a chance to hear the two Democratic candidates debate that one issue.

New York voters have been exposed to all the political drama in Connecticut over Senator Joseph Lieberman, who like Mrs. Clinton supported the invasion of Iraq. She has been far more critical of the Bush administration's handling of the war -- a point the Clinton campaign makes pains to point out. But she has not been forced to discuss in great detail exactly what she thinks should be done now that things have gone so far awry in the Middle East.

Presuming she wins the primary, Mrs. Clinton will go up against a weak Republican candidate this fall. Anything can happen in an election, but there is a very good chance she could coast all the way to November without being tested on any important issue. Right now is a good time to make sure that does not happen.

link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/21/opinion/21mon3.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin