Posted on 07/28/2007 11:56:22 AM PDT by indcons
Four days after the Democratic debate in Charleston, S.C., more than 400 questions directed to the GOP presidential field have been uploaded on YouTube, as Republicans are scheduled to take their turn at video-populism on Sept. 17.
But only Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) and Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.) have agreed to participate in the debate, co-hosted by the Republican Party of Florida in St. Petersburg.
"Aside from those two candidates, we haven't heard from anyone else," said Sam Feist of CNN, which is co-sponsoring the debate with the popular video-sharing site.
Rudolph W. Giuliani and Mitt Romney, both with dozens of videos on their YouTube channels, have not signed up. Neither have the rest of the Republican candidates, including Rep. Tom Tancredo (Colo.), whose "Tancredo Takes" on his YouTube channel draw hundreds of views. Sources familiar with the Giuliani campaign said the former New York mayor is unlikely to participate. Kevin Madden, Romney's spokesman, said the former Massachusetts governor has seven debate invitations over a span of 11 days in September.
"We haven't committed to any of them yet," Madden said.
In an interview Wednesday with the New Hampshire Union Leader, Romney said he's not a fan of the CNN/YouTube format. Referring to the video of a snowman asking the Democratic candidates about global warming, Romney quipped, "I think the presidency ought to be held at a higher level than having to answer questions from a snowman."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Snicker - Romney is extremely scared that a "pesky conservative" questioner will start asking "inappropriate" questions about Mitt's multiple stances on multiple topics. The man is a creature of the GOP establishment.
I hope that the MSM gets on everyone’s case about not talking to snowman and taking serious questions from a snowman. Then we can all laugh some more at the candidates that won’t appear in front of veteran TV newspeople because they happen to work for a particular news organization.
If you want to dress like a snowman and ask “pesky” questions in a squeaky, high-pitched voice, by all means do. Think of the credibility you would gain.
You need to change the title...Guiliani isn’t showing.
I’m sure Romney won’t appear on radio talk shows for the same reason - talk show hosts are mostly snowmen and they are out to “get Mitt.” /sarc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxLza2Lq1-g&search=Pirates%20Who%20Don’t%20Do%20Anything
You’re right. Should be McCain instead. With so many RINOs (Rudy McRomney) in the primaries, it becomes easy to confuse one for another.
AdminMod - please help and change the title to reflect the correction pointed out by dawn53. Thanks.
Your title is completely wrong.
If they did have a debate, with just Paul and McCain no one would watch.
Alan Colmes was harrassing a GOP rep last night about the republicans not doing the Youtube debate.
I thiought “how ironic” taking questions from a puppet is good for credibility for democrats who won’t appear on the network he works for.
Strictly speaking - it is only half wrong. I have pinged Admin Mod and requested for a correction.
Hmm, it is so early in the process that I think that it can only help Republicans reach a different audience.
The idea of random questions could get a little hairy for some of our Candidates, a talking snowman may be silly, but last time I checked Mitt was hovering right around 9%.
And is a talking snowman any worse then watching the candidates trying to flip pancakes in Iowa or visit Townhall meetings in NH?
Frankly, I would rather watch the usually serious, sometimes silly YouTubers than the arrogant pomposity of "professional" reporters any day of the week. Sure, CNN chooses the vids, but they won't be any more biased than the questions Anderson Cooper would cook up in his Fifth Avenue penthouse. How can ANY of the questions be worse than those posed by Spittin' Chris Matthews or Howlin' Wolf Blitzer?
Additionally, any "gotcha" type questions would greatly favor the highly-prepared Rudy and Mitt, but would more likely push out the marginal candidates.
Again, something weird is going on for Romney to be so spooked. If you're afraid of a snowman, you don't deserve to face Al Qaeda.
funny vid. now lets change that to the congress that dont do anything except try to shove an amnesty bill down our throats.
“If they did have a debate, with just Paul and McCain no one would watch.”
I would... it could be some fine entertainment... especially if we had Free Republic questions being asked!!!
LLS
Too bad they can’t all have one on one debates. Maybe 15 or 20 minutes per; all get the same questions. This would make it a real debate. No YouTube stuff. Good, probing questions only.
I thought the characters onstage at the last Democrat ‘debate’ looked more like puppets than the costumed questioners! Actually, that guy from Alaska made the most sense, come to think of it. :)
Oh heck.
You mean we don’t get to debate the sock puppet?
Is that supposed to be a stand-in for Bill Maher, or IS that Bill Maher?
Do it lean far leftward (ist't that star board?) enough to be Bill Moyer? The tower of Pisa is in complete plumb compared to these two.
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