New Website Claims Bush Will Back Out of Third Debate

[Mortos]

A new website claiming Geoge W. Bush will not only back out of the third debate but that it has been the pre-meditated strategy of the Bush campaign and Karl Rove from the very beginning, premiered a few minutes ago.

The website www.debatedodger.blogspot.com is espousing a theory that Rove knew that Bush could do poorly in the debates so devised a system in which he could control the outcome and come out with a spinnable win by only participating in two.

The administrators of the site are asking for petition-like comments to verify the existence of the site on this date and also to get the theory out to as many media outlets and individual sites and blogs as possible to prevent this swindle from taking place.

I don't know if it is conspiracy theory or preemptive reporting but it is a fascinating charge.

Check it out right now and pay this forward.

[ncbiker]

1. The guy's

a fascist moron. Not really a surprise with him backing out. That should give our guy at least 2 points if he does back out

[bluestateguy]

2. I'm sorry but I don't buy it

That would just be handing the Kerry campaign a silver platter, and it would monopolize the news coverage for the rest of the month. I don't see how they could pull it off.

[Carla in Ca]

26. I sadly agree...too good to be true

n/t

[onehandle]

3. No he won't. He would immediately lose the election.

So I hope he does, but he won't.

[warrens]

4. haha, let him try

no way that happens. He would be laughed out of town.

[CrowNotAngelGRL]

27. Is there any way

he could back out? Or do they have to agree and sign something? :shrug:

[rob-ok-vin]

33. The 32 page agreement calls for 3 debates

but, I am assuming here, if any violations of the rules were committed, either party could back out. The site also theorizes that there could be a "national emergency" or "security breech" that could cause Bush to back out and still save face.

[NMDemDist2]

5. i thought only the moderator saw the questions and he chose them

and that the campaigns didn't hear them til the night of the debate

i could be wrong, it's happened before :shrug:

[SidDithers]

34. Yup, that's how it's written up in the agreement...nt

Sid

[Dickie Flatt]

6. If Bush backed out

Kerry should still show up, or try to.

[Mortos]

10. No Bush, No Debate

Simple as that.

[cardlaw]

7. One problem

Section 7(e) says that "no third party, including ... the campaigns, shall be permitted to see the questions." His or her analysis of the second debate is flawed.

[LoZoccolo]

8. That whole thing looks like pure speculation.

If he had intercepted an email or a memo or something, that would be one thing, but he didn't.

Matter fact, it may be there just to lower expectations of Bush* so he looks better when he does show up. We tried to raise expectations for a long time here so that he'd look bad.

[Mortos]

13. It is pure speculation

It says it right on the site. But if it is true then it can be prevented by getting the message out. If it is not true-nothing ventured nothing gained.

It is an interesting theory.

[LoZoccolo]

18. No, because it lowers expectations for Bush*.

And he benefits from lower expectations.

[gadem04]

9. I have heard this

theory. It makes me laugh, it makes me cry, but it makes me sad and there is a pain inside. It does scare me. They may have something up their sleeve.

[54anickel]

11. Someone in the Election GD posted this exact theory earlier today. Not

sure if this site is where the poster got it or this blog got it from here, or maybe it's just a case of "great minds think alike".

Weird.

[Smacker]

12. If security threats can be used to dodge the debate

they can be made severe enough to dodge Nov 2

[olddad56]

14. I thought he backed out of the first one.

[Josh]

25. Nice.

[zoeybug]

15. I wouldn't be surprised

A urgent "national security" matter could come up, and Bush would have to cancel & go be presidential.

Why should he continue to debate? His domestic record is awful. He does better when no one knows what his policies are - then those that support him can imagine that he's doing whatever they like.

[Demoiselle]

16. I think this is Rove stagecraft, folks.

The Kerry campaign did a last minute objection to the timing lights to solidify the notion that their guy is hopelessly long winded. Even though at the same time they were complaining, they knew from extensive Kerry debate prep sessions that he had no problems at all with time limits.
The Bushistas are lowering expectations here, in the hopes that even if their boy can't make a roaring comeback in this second debate (and I, frankly, don't think he's capable of it, Kerry will get to him again) at least we'll all be so convinced they're terrified that any improvement will look like a triumph.

[Mortos]

30. I don't

this is just a theory but, if it is true, it could potentially alter the outcome of the elections. Something is (W)rong with W. A doctor has even diagnosed him with pre-senile dementia from afar. These people will do anything to hold on to power. I don't see the harm ultimately that can be done other than right wingers calling us crackpots (which they do anyway).

Check it out and pass it on.

[SidDithers]

35. Good point about the lights...

I think the Kerry campaign knew that their guy would have less trouble sticking to 2 minutes, than Bush would have using up all of his time. Idiot boy would look foolish if his answers always finished while he still had lots of time on the clock.

Sid

[sendero]

17. Anybody...

... that has a computer, an internet connection, and the ability to type can say anything they want in cyberspace.

Unfortunately, lots of clueless deludinoids make lots of bogus predictions.

[Renew Deal]

19. A woman called AAR today and said Rove would stage an assasination attempt

I can't imagine they are that crazy.

[mitchum]

20. "The best laid plans of mice and men (and pigs)..."

:)

[GimmeDANEger]

22. Bob Roberts anyone?

[Cooley Hurd]

31. My guess is there'll be an "incident" of some sort...

...which will require the undivided attention of the Chimp.

"Sorry, I'd love t' debate you, Senator, but I gots some serious presidentin' to tend to. It's hard work, y' know..."

[Clinton Crusader]

21. oh pleeeeeeeeeease do it, but he wont

:kick:

[Cronus Protagonist]

23. So all he has to do is SHOW UP and he's won?

Sorry, I think he'll be a very tough debater in the town hall format where he's loved by so many people. And in the last debate, Bush should really shine, having continued his run of being undefeated in any debate all the way through to the last debate.

In fact, I think Mr. Bush wanted four debates, but Mr. Kerry thought it was not a good idea to have four, from a strategic standpoint, given how strong Bush is at debating.

"So I don't worry about, and people shouldn't
worry about a draft. . . I think we're in good
shape, I really do. And, if not, we'll -- I'll address
the nation. But I don't see any need to right now."
- G. W. Bush (Source: The Whitehouse)

Fascism: We Report You Decide
http://cronus.com/fascism

You might be a Republican if...
http://cronus.com/quiz

Commentary by a Republican...
http://cronus.com/republican

The REAL Republican Platform...
http://cronus.com/platform

Bush's Illustrated Resume
http://cronus.com/bushresume

Isn't That Strange?
http://cronus.com/oil

:)

[Goldmund]

24. He contradicts himself...

...on whether or not the candidates will know questions ahead of time in the second debate.

At one place, he says:

"The methodology Gallup uses must be authorized by both campaigns in advance. This means the campaigns will know in advance the age, race, political affiliation etc of the specific questioners. They should be able to predict types of questions based on this information (the same thing jury selection experts do) or, at the very least, ways to answer whatever questions come up that will please the questioner and appeal to the audience."

And at another: "The worst Bush will do, after proper damage control of course, is tie in the second. After all, it's more of a media-op than a debate. Since they will have the questions in advance- they will just have to deliver scripted answers."

[Mortos]

29. Do you think it is out of the realm of possibility

that the Bush team will somehow come into possession of those questions in advance of the debate? After all, it is not just the moderator that will have control over them.

[SidDithers]

37. I don't think it's Bush's answers to the questions that harm him...

It's all the other stuff that was going on.

There's only so many "questions" that can be asked, and any debator worth his salt should be able to find a way to fit one of his scripted answers into his replies.

Where Bush got rattled was hearing the direct criticism coming from Kerry. He immediately had to reply - he got to use his 30 seconds on almost every question where Kerry went second - and his replies left people with their collective jaws hanging open.

As long as Kerry stays on message, and points out Bush's failures, Bush will have to go off-script to reply. And that's where his trouble is.

Sid

[LynneSin]

28. I know how Bush will back out of the debate....

....'October Suprise'

:mad:

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

36. My thoughts too

but it depends on the nature of the surprise. I have always thought that the best (from BushCo's perspective) surprise would be a phoney and bogus assassination attempt. That would not only allow him to dodge any debate, it would allow him to dodge it with impunity and even with broad sympathy. I know that it's a bit paranoid to even think such things but I wouldn't put anything past Rove at this point. The Republicans may think that this is their last shot at having control of all branches of government at the same time.

[Maestro]

32. I doubt he will

He knows he has to do it even if he doesn't want to. That would just hand the election to Kerry.