Posted on 02/06/2008 12:10:08 PM PST by weegee
WASHINGTON — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday challenged Sen. Barack Obama to meet in four separate Democratic debates before the March 4 primaries in Texas and Ohio — including an event scheduled for Feb. 28 in Houston.
But Obama, of Illinois, did not immediately commit to travel to Houston to take on Clinton just five days before what could be a crucial Texas primary.
As voters in 22 states went to polls in the primary avalanche known as Super Tuesday, Clinton, of New York, called on her Democratic rival to agree to several debates.
"Senator Clinton has enjoyed the opportunities to debate and the chance to get her message out," said Mark Penn, Clinton's chief strategist, in a conference call with reporters. "Voters ought to have the opportunity to see these two candidates compete against each other in a one-on-one setting."
Clinton has accepted invitations to appear on ABC's This Week on Sunday; Fox News in Washington on Monday; CNN from Ohio on Feb. 27; and MSNBC from the George R. Brown Convention Center on Feb. 28, her campaign said.
The Greater Houston Partnership, the sponsor of the Houston debate, has been trying for months to lure the candidates to the Bayou City.
NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams and the network's Washington bureau chief, Tim Russert, have agreed to moderate the Houston event.
Debate organizers have not said how tickets for the event would be distributed.
The Greater Houston Partnership and MSNBC also hope to persuade the Republican candidates to participate in their own debate Feb. 28, if the GOP nomination is still undecided.
So far, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, of Lake Jackson, is the only Republican candidate to have accepted an invitation to appear.
Other contenders were too preoccupied Tuesday to worry about the Houston debate.
"A little busy today," Gail Gitcho, a spokeswoman for Republican Mitt Romney, said in an e-mail when asked about the former Massachusetts governor's plans. "Check back another day."
Houston PING
Houston PING
According to Drudge this afternoon - Hillary may start digging into her own pockets to keep going....
And get the best fumigation company in town mobilized following their departure...
How many debates can they have??? Geez.
Hillary will repeat her rehearsed lines. She has 35 years of experience. She thinks that you have to work hard for change, while some candidates only hope for change, or demand change. She has been vetted and tested. She has withstood the Republican attack machine for 15 years and she’s still standing. Heck maybe she will cry at the debate that she doesn’t want to see our country fall backwards.
Clinton will get crushed at this debate. Obama will make her cry and give bill a heart attack. When its over the democratic party will be exploding. They do not want Besmack Obsama to even get near the ticket.
Pictures of Obsama snorting coke are being prepared now.
Don’t be surprised to see Edwards make an unprecedented 180.
and of course watch who comes to the rescue on his global warming steed, ALIOSHISH GORISH.
I wonder how willing the wench would be to debate if her lead was as big as she thought it would be a few months ago.
It is indeed a pleasure to see the Clintons squirming.
“...compete against each other in a one-on-one setting.”
This already happened and it turned into a love fest.
Will she have the Chinese over for coffee?
The fact that she’s pushing for the debate shows that her campaign is in the weaker position. Interesting.....
She won’t get any more Chinese money until she clearly pulls ahead of Obama. It’s going to be a long hard Feb for the witch ,, Bill’s gonna be po’d over her spending the uranium mine money...
Heck maybe she will cry at the debate that she doesn’t want to see our country fall backwards.
&&&
She was not talking about the country going backwards. Old Kankles was just worried about her and Bill falling back. Only thoughts of her own grasp of power could get her emotional.
Lord forgive me for how much I loathe the Clintons and wish them only the worst.
As he reaches for the VP spot, will Obama move on to second base? Frightening Film @ 11.
Sheila Jackson Lee must be beside herself with glee.
Hillary and Obama had better not try to stand between Sheila J. and a tv camera...
Obama needs to differentiate himself more from Hillary and to stop catering to Hispanics who are unlikely to vote for him.
...or “Chucky” Schumer
Hopefully, ABC gets the debate, if there’s only one. All the other ones are on cable, not very kind to the roughly half of Americans with only free, airwave television.
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