Clinton Accepts Fox News Debate

Risking the ire of progressive activists, Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign announced that it has accepted a debate to air on Fox News on February 11, according to her chief strategist Mark Penn.

"There is an enormous interest in these debates an clamoring on the part of the Democratic Party for them," said Clinton's spokesperson Howard Wolfson. "We have not had a large number in which two people have participated. We've had multi-candidate debates... the fact is Senator Clinton has enjoyed the opportunity to debate and get her message out. Certainly as we move to the next exciting day of this nomination calendar, voters want the opportunity to see these two candidates compete against each other."

Though Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama have frequently appeared on Fox News for interviews, Clinton may be debating alone. Bill Burton, a spokesman for Obama, said that no plans existed as of now for his boss to participate in upcoming forums.

"As of right now, there are no debates on our schedule at all," Burton told the Huffington Post. "We'll figure out our schedule, including any debates, soon."

When the Democratic candidates declined to participate in a FOX-sponsored debate last April, their choice was readily greeted by Democratic bloggers and party activists, who did not wish to legitimize the station as a neutral political forum. Officials at Fox News were apoplectic.

"The candidates that can't face Fox, can't face Al Qaeda," said Roger Ailes, the Fox News CEO.

During a campaign conference call on Tuesday, Wolfson defended the campaign's decision to accept the Fox News debate, citing the reach the network had in the Chesapeake area (the debate will be held in Washington D.C.) and prior appearances by both Clinton and Obama on station.

"Given that Senator Obama had been on the network, we've been on the network, and that the offer is a good one for this debate in terms of this upcoming primary, it made sense to accept it," he said.

The announcement by the Clinton campaign comes as both candidates are acknowledging that the Democratic primary fight will likely continue well after the results of Tuesday's voting is known. Earlier in the day, Clinton aides let it be known that the Senator would participate in two other February debates, one on ABC, the other on CNN.

"In a one-one race it is important for voters to see the [candidates] side by side and see the differences as opposed to seeing them at rallies and big events," said Penn. "We feel very good about making sure that there is a side by side comparison."

Comments

[bluesky49876]

After being exposed to HuffPost and its juvenile bloggers, FOX doesn't sound too bad after all. Ariana and her crowd are not much different from Murdoch in their tactics.

[JohnCitizen]

SWIFT BOATING 2008

Since 1972, Democrats have been very good at nominating their worst candidate and surest loser for the general election! The list is memorable: George McGovern in 1972 with Republican dirty tricks on Ed Muskie helping, Michael Dukakis in 1988, John Kerry in 2004. Well, it’s time for another debacle and general election that only the Democrats could lose!

The Republicans have already smeared and slimed Hillary Clinton for 16 years. She is “swift boat” proof! However, NOT SO for Barack Hussein Obama; it’s clear that the Republicans can smear him with their standard weapon of fear so bad that lofty words and debate will be meaningless. Osama will be lucky to get 35% of the vote in the general election.

[kennedy]

Obama is swiftboating Senator Clinton. And I wouldn't vote for him if he was the last person on earth. Because he is another Bush and I have had my fill of that liar.

[GJP2006]

And folks wonder why many of us have a hard time with Clinton. I thought Clinton had stopped antagonizing folks and then her campaign comes out with this hummer about the FOX debate. They sure must want to lose the general if she is the nominee. By the time she gets done she will have alienated a core group of voters who will simply stay home or vote third party. Dumb, dumb move on her campaign's part...

[kennedy]

Obama is the one who lies and gives the impression that he voted against the war. When in fact he was not even in the senate to cast a vote for the war in the first place. Liar. Then why in the he!! is he voting to fund the war? Obama needs to get off the fence.

Senator Clinton is voting to give our troops what they need so they will arrive home alive. She is not the one who runs her mouth the other way.

[kennedy]

Obama is a dirty politician who is tearing our party apart. By being a con man and lying about issues like Iraq. Obama was not even in the senate to cast a vote on Iraq. What a liar. Everyone vote for me Depp I didn't want to go into Iraq either, but I didn't have a vote either. So my words are just that, words.

Notice a pattern with Obama? Con men use words and they never have any action behind them.

[Cunningham]

Hillary Clinton Shuns Fox Debates, But Pockets Murdochs' Money
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/07/16/hillary-clinton-shuns-fox_n_56495.html

[kennedy]

Why in the world would you want to listen to someone that goes on and on and on and in the end says nothing. I have never heard Obama say anything that would put food on the table for my family, get me a better paying job, end the recession, jump start the economy, bring our troops home safely, cover everyone with health care ( not just the people he chooses), have a plan to stop global warming ( and meet with the leaders of all countries on global warming), bring down our deficit, and on and on and on. Senator Clinton has a plan on all these issues and so many more. Hillary talks about them and so many more at every campaign stop and debate. Obama does not. Most is his sermon is just that, a sermon. And God does it get old.

Senator Clinton has a strong plan to start pulling out troops in 60 days and bring all our troops home in one year after she takes office. She does not just throw words around. She has a plan to safely bring our troops home. Several military officials have said her plan is the strongest, well thought out and solid plan to bring our troops home safely ASAP. Obamas is not.

[satyriasis]

Legitimizing a circus side show like Fox News is beneath both of them. Yet some Bob Schrum like retard from DC is telling them both to "branch out".

[Cunningham]

Ask Hillary About This Tonight. I Dare You.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1/31/21045/9822/688/446786

[HighBeam]

I think it is funny that Sen. Obama will talk to Iran, N. Korea, and Cuba, but he won't go on Fox to talk to Sen. Clinton.

[teacake]

Whoever thinks of Fox News as a "news source" deserves to eat dog excrement, because that's all Fox News has to offer.

LIES, DECEPTION, POISONS, PROPAGANDA are among what Fox News offers best. Only idiots would buy any thing coming out of this Neo-cons' propaganda machine.

FOX NEWS + HISPANICS (Mexico's rejects) + UTTER STUPIDITY = HILLARY CLINTON'S VICTORY.

With the abysmal failure Bush has been identified with, America cannot afford to place another disaster in the White House. The nation is CRIPPLED as it is. If we let someone to cry herself into the White House, then America can might as well give in to the so-called 'terrorists'. By the way, the word "terrorists" only means "Bush and the Neo-cons" to me - not those who Bush has labeled as terrorists as a cover-up to loot our national treasure.

America is on the path of total self-annihilation. And it all began when Bush hijacked the White House and turned it into a House of Shame and Disgrace.

Bush and Cheney must be put on trial, then stuffed with "yellow cakes", choked with 'aluminum tubes', and handed over to the 'insurgents' for further prosecution (and execution). While we're at it, let's throw in Murdoch as a bonus for the 'insurgents' in Iraq and the al Qaeda to 'have fun' with.

[kennedy]

Obama knows nothing about foreign policy. He runs his mouth on and on and on about nothing. He has no idea what he is saying.

And if he is so against the war then WHY IN THE HE!! DOES HE FUND IT TIME AFTER TIME AFTER TIME. AND THEN THE OTHER TIMES HE DOESN'T EVEN BOTHER TO SHOW UP AND VOTE.

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN A CON MANS WORDS. OBAMA IS A PHONEY.

[kennedy]

GO HILLARY GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GO HILLARY GO!!!!!!!!!!!

[kennedy]

Amen to that! Obama is preacher who tells everyone how to live their lives. And his followers think he is God.

I go to a real church where a real minister inspires me and there is only one God. Do not believe in false Gods Obama people.