Posted on 04/19/2008 6:06:02 AM PDT by southlake_hoosier
INDIANAPOLIS | Hillary Clinton's campaign on Friday accepted Gary Mayor Rudy Clay's invitation to debate Barack Obama on urban issues in the struggling Steel City -- only to have the mayor promptly rescind the offer he had extended a day earlier.
The Democratic presidential contenders squared off for two hours Wednesday night in Philadelphia. But the first half of the ABC News debate was dominated by what Obama decried as "gotcha" issues, including Obama's characterization of "bitter" small town voters and Clinton's faulty recollection of coming under sniper fire during a 1996 visit to Bosnia.
Clay, an Obama supporter, said he worked late Wednesday night and didn't get a chance to watch the entire Philadelphia debate until Friday morning. Upon further review, Clay scratched his debate invite and asked each candidate to instead spend an hour at the Genesis Center separately fielding questions about crime, education, health care and job creation.
"After analyzing the last debate, we've come up with a decision here that it's best to have a forum on urban issues," Clay said. "I'm sure both candidates would accept the debate, but we don't want the debate to get to other issues, other than urban issues."
The reversal came just hours after the Clinton campaign told reporters the New York senator had accepted Clay's invitation, as well as an earlier debate offer made by the Indiana Debate Commission.
Howard Wolfson, Clinton's communications director, challenged Obama to shake off his "bad debate" in Philadelphia and give Hoosiers a chance to hear the Democrats parse the issues.
"There have been 21 Democratic debates and four one-on-one debates with Senator Clinton, all televised nationally," responded Obama campaign spokesman Kevin Griffis. "Our focus will be on meeting with voters in Indiana and hearing directly from them. We will make a decision about debates shortly."
Griffis said Obama, the junior senator from Illinois, did not ask Clay to change his invitation and the campaign had not been in contact with the mayor's office since the debate invitation was made Thursday morning.
Clinton campaign spokesman Jonathan Swain said Clinton is eager to discuss urban issues but needs some time to consider the revised offer of a televised forum Clay presented late Friday.
"Senator Clinton accepted the debate invitation. Unfortunately, in just a couple hours Mayor Clay changed his invitation." Swain said. "We'll take a look at this new proposal."
Debates debate takes a turn for the weird (Obama backs out again)...
if b. HUSSEIN cannot whip the piaps in a debate...how is he going to neogtiate with terrorists or enemies of the US???
LOL
“urban issues” is code for “Get Whitey.”
Translation: "Obama got his ass handed to him at the last debate and we can't risk having him look bad again."
whatabunchalyinmarxistpussies
I don’t blame him for not debating “the-one who-will-not-be-named-in-my-home”.
I was able to stomach about 20 minutes of the “debate” the other night and for all intent and purposes it seemed to me like a total hit job by Hil…….oops and her minions in the alphabet media.
She has nothing to lose and everything to win (even typing that makes me shiver).
What I gleaned from Obewan the other night was that he does not know how to finish off an enemy or is to stupid to understand what he is up against.
Either way, not what I would call presidential.
I guess he didn't take his Midol© when he bowled a 37 as well. ;)
Makes me think of Snow White. Which dwarf is he?
DOPEY of course... 8^)
Exactly the thought that went through my mind...and then the realization of how, to the Dems, character is so irrelevant that they see these as unimportant.
Hoping for a Dem win in November, eh?
Your entire post...right on!
Obama Crowd at Independence Hall Rally in Philadelphia
Philadelphia: Obama Greeted by Largest Crowd of His Campaign
Clinton Forced to Cut Speech to 5 Minutes in Philadelphia: Crowd Kept Chatting
How many people showed up to see Obama? Over 200,000 _____________ ?
The Witch is toast . . . Play clicky on the photo.
The comments scare me about how stupid we have become as a nation.
Translation: our candidates are so cr*ppy we don't want any questions that go to their character or principles. Just promise us federal funding; that's all we want to hear.
Great work, Jeff.
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