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Hotline has the story. Apparently Fred Thompson turned down Mike Huckabee’s invitation to debate. While I understand why Thompson wouldn’t want to do this, doesn’t this play into the narrative that he isn’t engaging in real campaigning? Especially with New Hampshire groups offering to host the debate?

I love this. The release: “I am aware of your comments on Fox News that you would like to participate in a series of Lincoln Douglas-styled debates. I would like to officially accept your offer,” wrote Huckabee in a September 7, 2007 letter to Senator Thompson" With would be a lot of fun. Huckabee invoked [...]

Governor Huckabee answered some questions about health care after the debate. This came out of a discussion in which he expressed some frustration that health care, education, trade, and jobs were not being discussed:

One of the more interesting parts of the debate was the exchange between Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul. After the debate, Governor Huckabee offered some reflections on that exchange.

I would be much more comfortable if Rudy had not used the word "Islamic"

They open with a question about Fred Thompson. Mike Huckabee makes a reference to "no show George". John McCain mentions that the debate might be up past Thompson’s bed time. He also also says that people in New Hampshire want face time. Rudy Giuliani: "He’s done a pretty good a job playing my part on [...]

I’m at the debate media room at the GOP debate. A Romney representative says that Mitt Romney’s position on Iraq is nothing new and that no candidate believes that they will keep troops for a long time. I am not sure that that is true. After all, both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama advisers recognize, [...]

Eric Pfieffer from the Washington Times says, basically, that the Save the Debate coalition has won: The majority of Republican presidential candidates are backing off their objections to participating in the unconventional YouTube debate. Candidates’ reservations about the seriousness of the format, which features videotaped questions from voters, and the original September date are being [...]

Now, I was not a big fan of the CNN/YouTube debate. I largely agree with the criticism that CNN used their editorial ability to pick questions that they couldn’t ask as reporters. That said, I was struck by something this morning. Somehow this seemingly trivial debate managed to get Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to [...]