The New Debate Over Debates

The Clinton campaign is publicly 'challenging' Sen. Obama to another debate before the May 6th contests in North Carolina and Indiana. The two candidates have previously met in 21 nationally televised debates including 4 exclusive debates. Clinton is calling for a Lincoln-Douglas style 90-min debate with no moderators.

Speaking from the stump in South Bend, Indiana, Sen. Clinton made her cowboy-esque challenge: “So here’s my proposal: I’m offering Senator Obama the chance to debate me one-on-one, no moderators. Just the two of us, going for 90 minutes, asking and answering questions. We’ll set whatever rules seem fair.”

Sen. Obama indicated on FOX News Sunday that he would not accept a debate before the May 6th primaries. “I’m not ducking. We’ve had 21 (debates), and so what we’ve said is, with two weeks, two big states, we want to make sure we’re talking to as many folks possible on the ground taking questions from voters,” he said, so no debates.

The Clinton campaign formalized the challenge in a letter from campaign manager Maggie Williams to the Obama campaign. Obama strategist David Axelrod responded: “I think if Lincoln-Douglas had debated 21 times, I don’t think there would be much appetite for another Lincoln-Douglas debate.”

The debate challenge is a part of Clinton's most recent strategy; playing the fighting hawk. Despite Sen. Clinton's $10 million day of fundraising immediately following the Pennsylvania primary, her campaign is still facing significant financial woes; a debate is millions of dollars worth of free advertising. As she is getting out spent, but also, out fundraised, in both Indiana and North Carolina, the campaign has turned to desperate measures.

This is not the first time Sen. Clinton has resorted to the aggressive desperado challenge to a debate. After losing 9 straight contests in February, Clinton revved up the tough talk, demanding a debate before the Feb. 19th contests in Wisconsin and Hawaii.