The campaign HAS to find a way to get this to work. Looks like PBS is willing to make this work even if all candidates don't show up.
And Romney could show up if the other candidates do. Besides...if Romney doesn't show...that leaves more time for Ron and chances to get uncontested shots on him in regards to his support of bailouts and his bank donors.
Plans Moving Forward for Oregon Republican Presidential Debate Moderators, format selected for March 19th Oregon Presidential Debate Portland, OR – Ray Suarez, Senior Correspondent for PBS NewsHour, Ralph Hallow, Chief Political Correspondent from the Washington Times, have been selected to moderate the Oregon Republican Presidential Debate, on March 19, 2012 6:00 PM PST (9 PM EST), Oregon Republican Party Chairman Allen Alley announced today... The leading candidates vying for the Republican Presidential nomination will have an opportunity to discuss the issues in a live, 90-minute broadcast debate. The Oregon Debate will air live on PBS and NPR stations nationwide and can be heard on Voice of America and Armed Forces Radio and Television worldwide. PBS stations are making this program available to Hispanic audiences through closed captioning and live language translation on a secondary audio channel. This debate is a production of Oregon Public Broadcasting with the Washington Times, organized by the Oregon Republican Party, and sanctioned by the Republican National Committee.
The setting for this 90-minute debate is a round table with Suarez and Hallow and the candidates, in front of an audience of approximately 120. The debate format is designed to create an intimate conversation for an in-depth discussion of the issues.
"It doesn't appear it will happen to us," the Paul campaign's Jesse Benton said in an email
from the article about it being canceled the language they ascribe to Benton is a bit odd, which makes me think it might have come up in a sideways context, not asking 'do you plan to attend':
but if no one else is going I don't know that it is worth doing a debate just with Gingrich (who I understand said he would go) In fact, it might make Ron look desperate in that case, and it isn't worth THAT. But if the decision hasn't been made and the other two go, not having Romney isn't enough to cancel imho.
...but if no one else is going I don't know that it is worth doing a debate just with Gingrich (who I understand said he would go) In fact, it might make Ron look desperate in that case, and it isn't worth THAT. But if the decision hasn't been made and the other two go, not having Romney isn't enough to cancel imho.
I disagree. One-on-one with Gingrich would just give Ron even more time to get his contrasting ideas across. Gingrich previously had a one-on-one with Santorum and it didn't appear to have hurt that opposing candidate.
the other candidates wont dare to go into a debate... especially when Ron might destroy them. I wonder what would Ron do? Will Ron start attacking Romney to maybe stop him from looking good and possibly getting 1144 in the future? Will Ron stop attacking Santorum so Santorum can beat Romney and take delegates??
I think it was viewed as a desperation ploy. I know I thought it was one.
But whatever. I think Ron has real problems with Gingrich. (Maybe I'm projecting...)
Have you looked at the donation rates lately? Have you observed how we were being marginalized (if mentioned at all) in yesterday's primary coverage? I hate to say it, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Although I wouldn't look at appearance one-on one as desperate. It would look more like courage to me.
No doubt, apart from ideological issues, bad blood goes way back to one of Ron's early congressional races, when Gingrich as Speaker recruited a less-conservative Democrat to switch parties and run against Ron. Ron prevailed in that race despite the establishment forces arrayed against him. More recently at a debate Gingrich openly and bitterly called Ron a liar. I'd like to see Ron have an opportunity to take Newt down a peg or two. I'd rather see Ron confront him than run away, and i think that would come across to the broad audience as well.
What time is that chat? (so that there's a reference in this threadYes, Paul HAS to do this debate! Time is running out to change the narrative!
Let's pound this into the campaign in the Facebook chat tonight!
What time is that chat? (so that there's a reference in this thread)
ah, see now I have my time tables all offI think the OGOP was expecting a response today....