New North Carolina Debate Proposed For April 27th

By: Vaughn Ververs
Topics: Debates

A joint letter from the North Carolina Democratic Party and CBS News to the campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton proposes a 90-minute debate, to be aired live on April 27th from 8:00pm to 9:30pm. The North Carolina debate would follow CBS' "60 Minutes."

"We hope to make this debate weekend a true learning experience for North Carolinians," the letter from the party states. "The audience would be a mix of your invited guests, North Carolina Democrats, students from our host school or schools and a few debate sponsors." The debate would be moderated by CBS News' Katie Couric and Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer.

More: "The North Carolina Democratic Party is excited about hosting you, your family, and your campaign for our debate with CBS. We hope to give as many North Carolina Democratic and unaffiliated voters as possible the chance to meet you and your families while you are in our state for the debate." [emphasis in the original]

The letter, sent by the party, is signed by North Carolina Democratic chair Jerry Meek and CBS News president Sean McManus. An earlier proposal for a North Carolina debate on April 16th was initially accepted by Obama's campaign.

Update: In a statement this afternoon, the Clinton campaign accepted the invitation: "The Clinton campaign today announced that Senator Hillary Clinton has accepted an invitation to participate in a debate in North Carolina on Sunday, April 27, sponsored by CBS."

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by ocalasl April 5, 2008 10:25 PM EDT: The president of a prominent watchdog group said Wednesday that he believes Democratic presidential frontrunner Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) %u201Cintended to leave no paper trail%u201D during his time in the Illinois Senate.

Judicial Watch, which has been seeking access to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton%u2019s (D-N.Y.) records from her time in the White House, argued Wednesday that the Illinois senator, who has criticized the former first lady for a lack of openness, has his own %u201Crecords problem.%u201D

%u201CThe more we learn about the Illinois Senator, the more obvious it becomes that he is anything but the ethically upright outsider he purports to be,%u201D said Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch.; Reply to this comment


by anappleadae April 4, 2008 4:47 PM EDT: The candidates would be well advised to consentrate on Mc Cain rather than each other, because Dems are looking for the best candidate to oppose McCain. Based on Obama''s negative National Security issues Hillary is probably the better choise(less unsightly exposure). With Obama as the nominee it will be more entertaining for Repubilcans.; Reply to this comment


by paulmo43 April 4, 2008 10:16 AM EDT: I think a debate would be a great idea, but change the format just a little. Each candidate will have 5 minutes to discuss a topic like education reform, but they must give concrete details about their plans. A simple answer like ''I would push for higher standards for students'' will not be enough. They have to detail those standards not just name them.

Both candidates need to get more specific. Promises without a plan are just pipe dreams. We have too much of this.

Neither candidate would be given a list of topics and neither can get off topic. Let all of us see who is best at concise answers.

Stump speeches are alright to get acquainted with a candidate, but the devil is in the details.

Obama is great at speeches, but he does not seem to think on his feet very well. He hems and haws and sounds like he is making things up as he goes.; Reply to this comment


by blkpresident April 4, 2008 2:20 AM EDT: DEQ54,

Let''s hope you''re not an Obama supporter, because dismissing someone because you think their Republican isn''t indicative of the change Obama talks so much about. With that said, I''m Democrat and for Obama. Contrary to what you may think, all Obama supporters are not by-products of a cookie-cutter design...some of us support him without the fainting spells, wet-behind the ears adulation, etc. Some of us support him simply because he isn''t in a skirt or subject to napping through intelligence briefings vital to the safety of our country. YOU vote for all the ldealistic reasons you hold Obama in such high-esteem and I''ll vote for him due to a simple deduction: He is clearly in the best interest of enhancing America more than that girl or geritol spokesman.; Reply to this comment


by deq54 April 4, 2008 1:36 AM EDT: Ignore BLKPRES--He''s a republican.; Reply to this comment


by anappleadae April 4, 2008 1:05 AM EDT: Blkpresident gives new meaning to the idea of boredom and has my sympathy for not being able to express itself.; Reply to this comment


by blkpresident April 3, 2008 10:53 PM EDT: clowery123,

It''s your vote. If you want to waste it on a lil'' woman or an OLD man, go ahead. Your loss. Remember that the next president had better have some military acumen and also a sense of sound economics. Missy and Grandpa are out!; Reply to this comment


by blkpresident April 3, 2008 10:48 PM EDT: mnmaid,

Just because lil'' Hillary has been on the political scene doesn''t mean she is to go to person to handle our sagging economy--must less manage two wars. She''s going to be just fine when she gets her apron back in her daily routine. Rather than presiding over an administration-cabinet she can clean and organize the cabinets above her kitchen stove.; Reply to this comment


by anappleadae April 3, 2008 7:53 PM EDT: BLACKSPIRIT

Are you confused? This a thread about a DEBATE!; Reply to this comment


by anappleadae April 3, 2008 7:50 PM EDT: It would be better if it were a General Election debate where all three candidates can illustrate what they will bring to the Presidency.; Reply to this comment