Tag: North Carolina
Debate-About-Debates - NC has a Twist
The North Carolina gubernatorial campaign (McCrory-R vs. Purdue-D) has had some sparks but remains largely below the radar. Advertising is carrying the load for framing opponent's narratives. One debate has taken place, with four more scheduled but it to was outside of awareness, probably even for most political junkies.
One way to get some media attention is to "create news" with statements calling for, rejecting, showing great indignation, out-foxing, and other moves in a "debate-about-debates." A potentially interesting twist is happening in NC at the moment.
according to the Raleigh News and Observer, Republican Pat McCrory has called for a debate to be held, at a location specific, to discuss Purdue's political ads/charges.
In many candidate debates questions are posed regarding ads running at the time, and increasingly actual ads are shown in debates asking for response using a Meet-the-Press motif. The marriage of debates and advertising is, in the end, a minor aside.
Democrat Bev Purdue has not responded yet. The expected answer is some version of "you got to be kidding." But who knows.
Stay tuned, as this unique instance of debate-about-debates unfolds.
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: Debating the debates, North Carolina, Governor, McCrory, Purdue
NC Debate-About-Debate Intensifies
Friday morning Hillary Clinton stepped up her call for a televised debate in North Carolina. Speaking at a firehouse in Jacksonville NC (MSNBC's FirstRead):
She made a pitch for her campaign's interactive "NC Ask Me" feature, in which people can submit questions online and get an answer -- some of which have been used in television ads.
"It has been great, and we've gotten over 14,000 questions," she said. "We have answered every one of those questions. But the only question I can't answer is why Sen. Obama won't debate me in North Carolina. And I'd sure like to give an answer."
She said that each upcoming state deserves their own debate, because "the issues in Pennsylvania are not the same as the issues in North Carolina," and "the issues in North Carolina aren't the same as the issues in Indiana."
"There's all kinds of issues that we should be debating about right here in North Carolina," she said. "So again I offer that I'll go anywhere at any time. And we'll have that debate as long as Sen. Obama would agree to actually meet me. I think that would be good for the voters and it would be good for this important campaign."
Does a debate in NC make sense? The Obama campaign has been trying to deflect the calls invoking "debate fatigue," citing 21 previous debates. More likely they find more comfort in filling
UNC's Dean Dome next Monday than taking the time out to prepare for anther debate. The recent history of debates indicates the Clinton campaign would use a debate to press attacks and find openings for positioning following the debate.
Below fold: "So What" and Obama response
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: debate about debates, North Carolina, media narrative, Clinton, Obama
"Commander-in-Chief" Clinton still wants NC Debate
Playing the Commander-in-chief strategy in Fayetteville, NC, a part of the state surrounded by multiple military bases, Hillary Clinton also continued to call for a NC debate. She said earlier Thursday:
"I hope we can have a really vigorous discussion about the issues here in North Carolina, and I'm hoping we can have a debate right here," she told a crowd here on her third trip to the state. "I think the voters of North Carolina deserve a debate. I have said I'll debate anytime, anywhere. Look, I'm so sleep deprived, it doesn't matter."
The debate about debates is a fairly safe way to keep the pressure on an opponent. The move is inherently controversial drawing headlines and localizing the demand to have a debate "in-our-state-too."
Both Obama and Clinton have previously accepted and failed to respond to debates in North Carolina. Chances for a debate are nil, with the State and National party pulling the plug on an event scheduled for Raleigh on the 27th.
Clinton is using the same strategy, calling for more debates in Indiana and Oregon.
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: primary debates, North Carolina, debate-about-debates, media strategy
Low Level Sparring on NC Primary Debate
The New York Times political blog, The Caucus, Sunday morning nudged the topic of an Obama/Clinton North Carolina Debate .
Previously the Obama campaign accepted an invitation for a CBS debate in NC with the Clinton campaign remaining silent. Spokespersons for the campaigns commented on the potential debate but did not advance the topic.
In Friday conference calls Phil Singer, according the NYT, blamed "scheduling conflict" and promising an answer in "a couple of weeks." Obama spokesperson Bill Burton
. . . declined to speculate on why Mrs. Clinton had not agreed to the North Carolina debate, saying only, "Maybe she likes the Jersey Shore more than the Outer Banks."
Singer's comment sounds like a dodge, and Burton's partisan speculation despite his statement to contrary. The campaigns seem occupied with larger issues than nailing down another debate.
Who can predict which campaign will want another debate in early May. If either campaign decides they need a debate, likely the other will be forced to join in. Obama is already on record and Clinton can be reminded of her political advertising in Wisconsin.
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: primary debate, north carolina, CBS
North Carolina GOP holds First Gubernatorial Primary Debate
[editor's note, by Allan Louden] Guest Commentary: Dr. Linda Petrou, Wake Forest University
The first NC gubernatorial debate of the 2008 election season was held yesterday, October 20, 2007, at High Point University, High Point, NC, The three major Republican candidates were in attendance; Bill Graham, Bob Orr and Fred Smith. Or as one person referred to them: pretty boy, the nerd and the jock. John Hood of the John Lock Foundation was the moderator. The three candidates agree on most of the issues (surprise) with minor disagreement on the subject of affirmative action. Smith saying it is not needed we should have a level playing field; Graham saying it was needed; and Orr splitting the difference, there should be no quotas for any group (including legacies).
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: primary debate, GOP, Governor, North Carolina, Bill Graham, Bob Orr, Fred Smith
