Saturday, July 28, 2007

GOP Front Runners Shun YouTube Debate

Check out the audience next time Bush has a public appearance. It will be made up of pre-screened ideologically compatible people who won't dare ask a real question. Lately Bush has taken to appearing before only military audiences, I guess that way there is no question, he is Commander in Chief.

his should be kept in mind when wondering whether the GOP candidates will appear on a CNN YouTube debate. Fat chance, at least for the front runners! They want only the softball questions that the press will come up with, not real questions and occasional surprises from real Americans. Why does the press play along? Well imagine you are a fashion critic and you get invited to all the big shows in Paris. You job depends on being able to attend those shows, therefore you never give a scathing review of a major fashion designer. You won't get invited back!

The same is true for the press. Criticize the President too much and you will never get another chance to ask a question in a press conference. Or worse, you will loose your White House credentials. No story, no job.

The CNN YouTube debate, though a gimmick, was interesting because real questions got asked. It's hard to bob and weave when a voter is asking the questions and that is what the GOP fears. The American Public is anathema to the GOP. If the real people actually ask questions, the candidates might have to give answers and they have none. All these guys have is talking points that are issued by their think-tank. With the exception of really marginal folks like Ron Paul they are George W. Bush all over again.

So, I am not surprised the front runners won't appear on the debate, they have little to loose by staying away, and everything to gain by sticking to their script.

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