Do You Think Mitt Will Refuse to Debate Obama?

[charlyvi]

I wonder about it for a number of reasons. First, he only seems to give interviews in Mitt-friendly environments -- Fox News, for example. He is rarely seen on any Sunday talk show, not that they aren't Mitt-friendly. But any interviewer who tries to pierce his cloud of noncommittal bullshit he avoids like the plague. The Presidential debates aren't Republican primary debates -- people will notice his lack of specificity.

He seems to be making Obamacare a signature issue to crank up the base. Obama will, no doubt, remind folks during the debates that the ACA is a direct descendent of Mitt's Massachusetts health care program. In fact, Romney's advisors for the program were called in by the Administration on consult. I don't think Mitt wants to ride that bus.

So, I wonder, how would he get out of doing the debates? Liberal media, gotcha questions, bypass the "filter"? And if he tried this stunt, would he pay at the ballot box? Interesting.

[liberal N proud]

1. I am sure he knows the President would make a fool of him.

I think the Romney team will try to avoid a debate. They might be pressured into one debate, get beaten badly and then want another to try and make a better show.

[charlyvi]

2. That's why I wonder if he would even risk a first one.

And if he doesn't, would it hurt him. I'm sure the base would love it, but how much would it hurt him with everyone else?

[SoutherDem]

3. I don't think he could get away with no debates

But, I do think he could set so many rules and restrictions they will be worthless.

[charlyvi]

7. I wouldn't think so either.

But so far he's gotten away with no-answer answers, a low, low profile on any news shows, and very few mainstream rebuttals to the bullshit he spews. Skipping the debates seems to be in line with his campaign strategy.

[SoutherDem]

13. I will admit he is the king of the non answer answer

I could see his campaign set up totally unacceptable rules to which Obama would all but be forced to turn down. Then Romney say I offered he didn't want to debate.

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. He'd love to avoid it...

....but he can't.

He's so screwn!?!?!?!!

[Pisces]

5. If he avoids the debates he will be look like a coward, afraid of Pres. Obama. The media already has

the debates scheduled and I believe it is mandatory. Pres. Obama could go on by himself and have the entire time to sell
his platform to the American people.

[Rosanna Lopez]

6. Romney cannot refuse

NO.

He can't avoid the Presidential Debates. That would be conceding the election to Obama. How could that not be fatal? Has there ever been a Presidential nominee in modern times who has done so? I can't think of one.

If you are afraid to debate, it shows you are not competent to govern, and the American people would few it as a sign of weakness, evasion and deception.

[davidpdx]

9. Damn, that's better put then I said

Welcome to DU!

[charlyvi]

10. Exactly

But there is so much he's doing that I thought would have been fatal months ago. I think he'll try his best to make the debates seem liberally biased, flawed, undemocratic events. He'll try to make himself look like a hero by losing them. Very Rovian.

[rurallib]

21. Normally Iwould agree with you, but Romney

is a bullies bully. he has broken all sorts of conventions so far.
So avoiding the debate would be nothing to him
And you know the media will support him.

[davidpdx]

8. I think Romney pretty much has to take the chance in order to win

(I'm not saying he will, but if he wanted to). Not taking on the President Obama head to head would make him look like an A-#1 wussy. That being said, Romney has pretty much had the nomination locked up for awhile so I'd guess he is taking some time to do debate prep already. I would just hope they do a sweep for ear pieces before the debate to make sure Romney isn't wearing one.

[charlyvi]

11. Bwa ha ha

Memories of Shrub.

[avebury]

12. The bar of expectation would be set so low for Romney

that it might not take much for the Republicans to spin a debate as a victory for Romney.

[charlyvi]

14. Like they did with Palin. n/t

[SoutherDem]

16. Good point.

Simply showing up is all would be expected of him. If he managed to not make himself sound like a arrogant rich egotistical jerk then he would exceed expectations.

[charlyvi]

18. My point is, though,

I don't think there is any way possible he can do that. He might think avoiding the whole debate thing the lesser risk.

[Arkana]

37. Not necessarily. Romney's not a moron, so the bar is a bit higher.

Everyone expects the so-called "CEO candidate" to outperform the guy who was "only" a community organizer and has "only" been President of the United States for four years.

[gkhouston]

15. Gawd, I hope not. It'll be the entertainment event of the year.

[RKP5637]

17. Mitt will declare himself president in Nov. and pull out check receipts

to show he was the high bidder.

[Swede Atlanta]

19. He will agree to debates......

But he will take a lesson from Scott "Playgirl" Brown of Massachusetts in setting very strict requirements. I can only imagine what they might be. He will try to find venues and set rules on questions that favor him.

1. 80% of the audience must be card-carrrying fascists and 100% of the questions must be pre-vetted by the RMoney Office of Disinformation at least 60 days in advance.

2. Obama must be in the shadows and Fox News will be the only venue to broadcast. Obama must agree that Fox can put horns and other things on the image of Obama. Further Fox must be allowed to give Obama a devil-like voice while a choir of Republican cherubs sing heavenly music.

I mean seriously. I wouldn't put anything past this stuffed shirt. He is a nothing. He is a man made solely by his father's wealth and his penchant for harming others.

[charlyvi]

20. That could very well be his out.

No self-respecting network would agree. I don't think even Fox would agree. So he could shift the responsibility for no debates onto the networks and the Obama people, who could not agree to his demands either.

[former9thward]

24. The campaigns have already agreed on the debates and the venues.

They are all universities so you can calm down. See post #23.

[Jennicut]

22. No, the debates are like a national tradition and to not do them would make him look weak.

He may not want to debate Obama but if you run for President the debates are a given.

[former9thward]

23. The campaigns have already agreed on the debates.

Oct 3 Denver
Oct 16 Hempstead, NY
Oct 22 Boca Raton, FL
VP debate Oct 11 Danville, Kentucky

[bowens43]

25. no.

[olkaz]

26. Absolutely not.

Come on now.

[kestrel91316]

27. He'll try. He'll have to rethink that.

[WI_DEM]

28. If he wants to guarantee losing the election he will. Debates are now the norm and have been since

1976--even St. Ronnie debated Mondale twice.

[Rhiannon12866]

29. If he's smart... So I guess not. ;)

[Arkana]

30. No. Not in the age of 3 debates/cycle.

He'd be laughed at and even those on the far right are smart enough to know this.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

31. I can't see how he could squirm out of the debates

It's pretty much demanded of Presidential candidates (and rightfully so). I'm not particularly worried about how well President Obama will perform. He's got a 4-year record of positive accomplishments to tout and Romney has stumbled continuously in this campaign so far and given President Obama so much fodder to exploit. The pundits will certainly try to spin it every which way they can in Romney's favor but the public, at least in 2008, always seemed to give the edge to President Obama in every single debate with John McCain despite the pundits trying to spin it in McCain's favor.

[Raven]

32. Yes, I do. No amount of

debate preparation will help him. His handlers will decide that the harm done to his chances by not debating will be less than the harm done to him by his debate performance. He is bad enough "off script" but he'll have a terrible time justifing his position on the issues.

[Sania Haxan]

33. yes i know

Even in the US, in May, this year, the Pentagon has been under orders to cut spending by $487 billion from projected defense over the next decade as the Obama Administration tries to rein in its trillion-dollar deficit.

[Kteachums]

34. I am sure they will only ask questions that Mitt has rehearsed!

Mitt is such a flip flopper can you imagine him in a debate? He is probably having to practice real hard. Who knows what he will say? President Obama will make him look like mashed potatoes no matter what the subject. I wonder if the debate questions will be fair? Money talks and I would be willing to bet the Republicans will try to buy off all the newspeople who are commentators after the debates. I hope money doesn't buy the debates!

[HopeHoops]

35. I'd say go ahead with it anyway - with just Obama. Mitt can chose not to speak.

[onenote]

36. There is zero chance of that happening.

None. Nada. Zilch. Zip.

[littlewolf]

38. actually debates really don't change peoples minds

by time folks get thru the primary system ...
most people know where both
candidates stand ....

[magical thyme]

40. no, but a sufficiently awful performance

could motivate people to stay home...

[magical thyme]

39. if he can't face Obama, how is he going to face Putin? Wen Jiabao? Kim Jong II?

no way he can avoid the debates. Even to try would be to concede.

On the other hand, I hope he pulls a W with an earpiece. And somebody, somewhere in the building has an electronic gadget to interfere. The comedy potential is priceless.

[Lil Missy]

41. He will say he will, but then say he didn't say that. n/t

[Lucy Goosey]

42. I don't think Mitt is self aware enough.

I doubt that Mitt has enough self-awareness to know that President Obama will make him look like an idiot. I don't think Mitt has any idea that he (Mitt) has regularly made himself look like an idiot.