If Edwards really wants more serious, more substantial debates....

....why did he pass up the opportunity to participate in the all-Iraq debate last month?

Was it because none of the "serious" candidates were attending? Or because he feared his lack of foreign policy experience and credentials would be highlighted if he went up against someone like Biden in a debate like that? Or because he doesn't feel Iraq is serious enough to warrant a whole debate devoted only to that issue? Did he not think he had enough stuff to say about Iraq to fill the time he'd be given in a one issue debate? Or what? And, not related to Edwards' quest for more serious debates, but why did no one else but Dennis and Gravel feel it was important enough to attend, for that matter?!?

If someone really wants a more substantial discussion on the issues without trying to exclude or marginalize any of the candidates, I would think Biden's idea of one-issue debates would be a much better attempted solution than this splitting the candidates into groups thing Edwards' trying to sell now....If he wants more serious debates, why didn't he back Biden up on the one-issue thing? Why didn't anyone else for that matter? Of course the rest of them aren't out there saying they are trying to change the current debate format (which I agree pretty much sucks as it is now) as Edwards is.

I'm not sure how I feel about Biden as a candidate but I certainly agree with him that we'd all be better served if the candidates could spend a couple of hours discussing just one issue, even if 8 of them were on stage doing it.

interests by making smaller countries that are easier to push around.

He has been on several of the political shows, being grilled about his vote and what his thoughts are on the issue.

Perhaps he just feels that there's not much more to be said.

I see the advantage to single issue debates, but the drawbacks too. Are the networks willing to give that much time? What about "fair time" by issue? How do you choose the issues? Iraq is probably not one of Senator Edwards's stronger issues, but he's better on the environment and poverty. If the Iraq debate is the only one broadcast (or shown in a more popular time slot) is that fair to candidates who want to focus on domestic issues.

The same problem would happen with smaller debates or groups. You know, Hillary and Obama would get the most watched time slot, while Gravel and Dodd would be stuck in an obscure time.

I'm not sure how to make it completely fair. Bbut certainly with 8 candidates on stage, I don't feel that any one of them really have much opportunity to distinguish themselves

Iraq is not important enough to warrant a full debate by the candidates or he doesn't have enough stuff to say to fill the debating time category? :shrug:

I would hope if they did have one-issue debates that all of the major issues would get a hearing and all of them would be televised.....Maybe it's a route they can go for the next primaries?

:shrug:

you did. I'm just wondering why he chose NOT to have the serious discussion on Iraq. I'm perfectly willing to believe he wants serious discussions on some of the other issues and maybe even wants one on Iraq, just not with Biden and Kucinich or something like that.

You think this thing makes him look like a hypocrite? If so, I'd say that's not too good for Edwards....Kind of feeds into the meme they keep throwing out there about him, doesn't it?

For which he was praised by the Democratic icon...but I am sure you, a New Yorker, knew that...Edwards has proven that he is willing to appear under more substantive formats (HRC and BO declined the invitation, although Ghouliani has signed onto this idea.) What is the Cooper Union dialogue series? It is a proposal by former three term New York governor Mario Cuomo (D) and Newt Gingrich for a series of discussions that move beyond 30 second sound-bites and truly discuss the issues. The first such event was a debate between Cuomo and Gingrich at the end of February.


With respect to the Biden debate, he did not attend for the same reason HRC and Obama did not...As to Kucinich and Gravel, they will show up wherever they can get publicity, given their position in the polls. This is why they, along with Biden, are still slated to appear in the Faux Noise debate. Regarding Biden, he proposed it because foreign policy is his strong suit and he does well on foreign policy issues during debates.

Of course I know Edwards attended that and I applauded him at the time it happened for agreeing to appear when others didn't...but that has nothing to do with the Iraq debate and doesn't answer why he doesn't back one-issue debates either.

What, pray tell, is the same reason that HRC and Obama didn't participate in the Biden debate? Was it because none of the "serious" candidates were attending? Or because they feared their lack of foreign policy experience and credentials would be highlighted if they went up against someone like Biden in a debate like that? Or because they don't feel Iraq is serious enough to warrant a whole debate devoted only to that issue? Did they not think they had enough stuff to say about Iraq to fill the time they'd be given in a one issue debate? Or what? I have the same questions about them as Edwards but, as far as I know, they are not out there clamouring for more substantial debates. Hillary said she's fine with things the way they are, didn't she? I guess she was just humoring Edwards in the conversation the other night, promising their guys would talk and all. And I have no idea what Obama thinks about them because I've not seen anything that he's said about the debates needing to be changed.

So you don't think that Iraq is important enough an issue to seriously debate? I'd guess there are many who disagree with you on that.

Why doesn't Edwards get someone to hold a debate on poverty? I imagine Biden would show up, even though that's Edwards strong suit...

Thanks for the response.

Oh, and I'm glad to see Mario and Newt proposing one issue debates leading up to the general election. I hope, if Edwards is the nomiee and the Republican nominee agrees to attend the series, Edwards will as well.

as sponsors and Biden participating all spelled a neoliberal hit and run.

In fact, that's what it turned out to be, it seems.

Gravel proposed withdrawl. The host's response:

"Guttman outright laughs at the presidential candidate. “If the president doesn’t obey this, he can be fined?” Guttman mocks, eyes rolling."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0607/4394.html