Clinton Camp Ups Ante -- Why More Debates?
Typically the candidate who is behind wants more debates. They provide opportunity to change the trajectory of campaigns, potentially a quick momentum stopper. Of course campaigns may just want "to educate voters" but a strategy calling for more and more debates is an unusual choice for the "front runner."
The Clinton campaign this afternoon--Super Tuesday--called for a debate a week for the remainder of the primary season. Do they know something about results the rest of the pundits are awaiting to see?
In close races if one candidate accepts a debate their opponent is unable to decline joining in. The press pressure would exact a political price. Also network pressure can force joining in. Curious that the Clinton campaign now wants debate on FOX. [Just in: Netroots criticize Clinton for debating on Fox]
: primary debates, Clinton, Wolfson, number of debates
FirstRead, MSNBC's political site (Andrea Mitchell and Andy Merten) report Clinton Strategist Howard Wolfson's latest.
[H]e announced the Clinton campaign has accepted a FOX debate on Feb 11th in Washington DC that would air on local FOX broadcast TV in DC/Virginia/Maryland suburbs, prior to the voting there on Feb. 12. Wolfson said that Clinton and Obama should debate once a week -- from now on.
In fact, Clinton said this herself in an interview with an affiliate TV station this morning. "I think we should debate once a week, because we're just getting down to the two of us. That's only been the case for the last week. And there are a lot of differences between us that need to be explored, and voters need to have information."
And even more--
TPMElection Central reports:
The Hillary camp, for instance, sent out word today that she's agreed to two more verbal showdowns with Obama: A February 10 debate on ABC with George Stephanopoulos; and a February 27 debate in CNN in Houston.
