Clinton Undecided on April 19 Debate

WASHINGTON — Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, once so eager to debate she ran two ads questioning why her rival wouldn't, has yet to say whether she'll debate Sen. Barack Obama in North Carolina next month.

Both presidential candidates plan to participate in an ABC News debate on April 16 in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania holds it primary days later, on April 22. Obama also has agreed to a debate April 19 hosted by CBS in North Carolina. North Carolina holds its primary May 6.

Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said Monday that the campaign has not made a decision about the CBS debate and is still working through the details.

"I am quite confident that there will be additional debates and that we will work with networks and the Obama campaign to figure out the appropriate location and venue and media outlet," Wolfson told reporters on a conference call.

Clinton ran a statewide television ad in Wisconsin prior to its Feb. 19 primary challenging Obama to debate there as she struggled to regain momentum after his string of victories in February.

The Clinton ad said, "Barack Obama still won't agree to debate in Wisconsin. ... Why won't Barack Obama debate these differences? Wisconsin deserves better."

The contenders have debated 20 times during the presidential campaign. Their last meetings were in Texas on Feb. 21 and Ohio on Feb. 26 ahead of those states' primaries on March 4. Clinton won both contests.

Comments

[Yasmine]

NO ONE SHOULD ASK HILLARY TO GET OUT OF THE RACE..............she will look like a victim and makes a COME BACK KID surge.

[mickyx65it]

Hillary was for debates before she was against them. And now she is for debates after she was against them. Just like on the war against Iraq, she is unable to have a position. It always depends on the direction of the wind.

[julescator]

Thank goodness people are starting to see the Real Hillary. She will lie at the drop of a hat. She will check the polls before making a comment and changes like the wind and expects us not to notice. Remember the immigrant question they asked her in Philadelphia debate and she danced all around it and when they pinned her down she said she had to say yes - illegal immigrants should be given driver's licenses. The when NY Gov. got slammed in NY he changed to no. She changed to no also.

[indie17]

Or her failing memory, like Bosnia sniper fire, and Macedonian borders, and Joe Wilson in Africa, and the Ireland Peace process, and her 35 years of experience...

[Semper]

It is becoming clear to me that the only hope for he Democratic party to purge itself of a membership that has for many years been disfunctional is to let this contest between Obama and Hillary continue to fight on. I think the results will put the Republicans back in the White house, but it will also cause many to leave the party and realign themselves with a Republican party that is trying to modernize itself for the future. I am hearing many say that if their candidate is not selected for the ticket, they will cross over to the other side and vote against the other candidate. The number is as high as 20%. Well in many ways thats ok. The resuffling should happen. The African American voter should look outside the Democratic party, because they have received nothing for their loyal support. The Republicans have done more for those voters accept for the reversal of affirmative actions, which Bill Cllinton gave away. So, these next few months will be very interesting. I saw Bush ask a question at a conference of the African American attendees, "Why do you continue supporting a party that does nothing for you? At first I thought that was a very honest question, now it has become obvious that Bush was right. Now Republicans generally are pretty discrete about issues of race. But they are making the same case now? Its not that the Democratic party needs to get away from this contentious fight

[UNCLEJOE]

[lilyflower8604]

Can she quit now?? Please...

[rubicon101]

Here's to all of those who support Barack Obama and feel like Hillary should just get the hell out of the process..get real!

[julescator]

I don't this this is true. Whomever becomes the dem nominee will have the full backing of us all. Let's not let Rush Limbaugh and Hannity win! They have their program called OPERATION CHAOS which is designed to cause fighting in the dem party, by using REV wright 24/7 and getting some of you to say I won't vote for OBAMA I will vote for McCain. They also told their voters to vote for Hillary in TEXAS and OHIO so she could stay in the race and they could keep fighting and destroy the party and McCain can win. I can't believe any democrat would fall for this cheap Republican trick AGAIN!!!!! They swiftboated Kerry and no they want to do that to OBAMA because they feel most Whites are racists and they would play that card. Don't be silly. Do not change you positions because of those nuts and don't vote for mcCain and then have to whine for 4 more Bush years.

[pupbayer]

"Whomever becomes the dem nominee will have the full backing of us all." Evidently you haven't read a lot of the posts here. Unfortunately, it is obvious that the majority of Obama backers are ONLY Obama backers...not Democrats. President John McCain. I don't like the sound of it but I lived through Bush so I guess I'll live through McCain.

[utd]

Most states. Most votes. Most delegates. I fail to see why you expect us to "get real", we're winning, it's a fact, go look it up.

[rubicon101]

Obama is 'leading' not winning..and leading by the slimmest of margins..you look it up

[propeece]

leading- yes. he has not won. should states that have late date primaries not count? why would she withdraw when she has almost half of the democrats' support?

[UNCLEJOE]

Hillary does not know her political/economic recent history or she hopes the American public doesn't know it.

[Kencleanersystem]

Correction : Clinton lost the Texas Caucus and the overall primary-caucus delegate count.

[verlaine]

Hillary is full of crap and she's a lying swine. She's a walking toxic waste dump and a cancer on the Democratic Party

[mix2007]

She was for debates before she was against them.

[nochickenhawk]

And she was in favor of all the rules until things did not work out for her.

[indc]

and she probably does not want to answer more questions about why no tax returns, no donor lists, no list of earmark receipients, not WH papers without a freedom of information act suit... there must be a ton on misstatements in these documents.... by the 19th, people are going to say, where are they already

[Chandidevi]

Clinton causes chaos and confusion wherever she goes. I wish to hell she would just drop out of the race. We Democrats need to unite and form a more perfect union. Perhaps we can start a petition in which we ask Clinton to please get out of the race so we can unite behind Barack Obama. Maybe she is having fun with all these lying and confusion but it is not contributing to a strong Democratic Party. Her tenaciousness is not an indication of her ability to lead America. My terrier dog is tenacious. Please, Hillary, for the love the party, and the love of America, please DROP OUT OF THE RACE. Anyone care to create a petition demanding that she get out of the race???

[vschicago]

Let me know where to sign :-)

[Gmoney1]

Yes - how do you get it started - give us liberty and peace - Hillary is causing people to have indigestion - can you imagine 4 years of her - my goodness -

[timeforachangenow]

hmmm...now THAT is a good idea...

[rubicon101]

sorry but nearly half of the democratic party does not agree with you..they are still 10 more states to go..

[slootinus08]

hahahah, you're a schmuck face. ever taken a statistics course?

[KingGeorgetheTurd]

and that will decide what exactly? That she still is a loser...and then we get Mccain in the WH over it? Please, grow up already.

[ejay579]

Nearly? Is this horse shoes or hand grenades?

[Notapathetic]

The upside of this nutty Bill/Hillary maneuvering and their unbalanced desire for power and willingness to lie without blinking...... is it will feel sooooooooo good to see her with giant bags under her eyes from crying all night when she finally gets the boot.

[Dahveed]

key word, "nearly" = Clinton speak. HC has remained second in every possibe measure.

[txn4hillary]

If Obama supporters are so confident of his victory, why are you wanting her to drop out? Don't you want to beat her?

[Opinionater]

2 questions to ask Clinton at a debate:

[Opinionater]

Obama has pledged to support the DNC nominee wholeheartedly, will you? Where are your tax returns?

[Monrocsol]

I WILL NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA IF HE IS THE NOMINEE.

[KingGeorgetheTurd]

or just ask her if there is there any threat of sniper fire at the debate forum.

[utd]

Rick or roll?

[IkeChicago]

Do you have any idea how much money the TV stations make off these debates. MSNBC had there biggest payday ever from the last Obama/Clinton debate. Is it any wonder the MSM is keeping the Dem race going and propping up Hillary.

[jazzman]

Edward Gramlich, who was Fed governor from 1997 to 2005, said he proposed to Mr. Greenspan in or around 2000, when predatory lending was a growing concern, that the Fed use its discretionary authority to send examiners into the offices of consumer-finance lenders that were units of Fed-regulated bank holding companies.

[Centaur]

So why is Clinton wanting to use Greenspan to help solve the housing crisis? When she named him, my first thought was why would you select someone when this crisis unfolded on his watch?

[getalong]

I think the title, "Clinton Undecided on April 19 Debate is misleading.

[KingGeorgetheTurd]

so she plans on releasing her tax returns on the 16th and there wont be time to dig thru them in the first debate, but by the 19th they will. hmmmm....