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Romney Declines Lincoln-Douglas Debate Against Gingrich - Opening for Paul?

RealClearPolitics reports that Romney is declining to debate Gingrich one on one.

Shouldn't the campaign be all over this? "Throw down the gauntlet" style?

We and RevPAC could certainly help make it happen... but it is up to the campaign to initiate it.

So, how do we get the campaign to throw down that gauntlet?

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challenge the "frontrunners"

this should be good.

Dr.Ron Paul's 2002 Predictions

Dr. Paul needs to challenge Gingrich right now.

This is the time to move, right after the video and before Iowa.

Call Gingrich out. If he refuses Dr. Paul wins, if he agrees Dr. Paul wins. This is what they call a 'win-win situation'.

I think the video will do its

I think the video will do its job and this is not necessary.

Ron Paul shouldn't debate him either...

Romney's campaign probably knows that Gingrich is just the flavor of the week and will fade back to 3rd tier status soon enough. It would be like Dr. Paul calling to debate against Bachman or Santorum. You don't debate someone that is lower on the pole than yourself. Gingrich's campaign is broke and he has way too much baggage. The media can't pump his campaign anymore than they could Cain's.

Gingrich won't debate Ron -- or will he?

Why did Gingrich challenge Romney? Gingrich is leading in many polls now. But he knows his flame could flicker out, while Romney's position at the front of the pack is more secure. A one-on-one with Romney would solidify Gingrich's credibility as a front-runner among the public. It would give the media another excuse to ignore Ron Paul and paint the primary as a "two-man race" (as some already have).

Romney doesn't want to help Gingrich and so turned down the offer. Since both men are flip-floppers, neither has any reason to fear the other attacking his record. Romney knows how to handle these debates -- don't get flustered, stick to talking points -- but he also knows that Gingrich is a better debater than him. Gingrich is better at making his bad ideas sound smart. Romney has nothing to gain by taking up Gingrich on his offer at this point. (If it really does turn into a two-man race later on, he will have no choice.)

Rational political calculation tells us that, just as Romney has nothing to gain by debating Gingrich, Gingrich has nothing to gain by debating Ron Paul. He debated Cain when he had nothing to lose. But now he is ahead in the polls and Paul's ideas, credibility and truthfulness would win out over Newt's bombast.

But then, why is Gingrich debating Huntsman? He probably sees Huntsman as easy prey. Huntsman is even less appealing to the Rush Limbaugh crowd than Ron Paul. He has very little chance of winning the Republican nomination. Gingrich can appear to be acting in the public interest (debating ideas with the other candidates) without much risk. This makes it harder for Romney to continue stonewalling.

It is still possible that Gingrich would accept an offer to debate from Ron Paul. He might even make the offer himself. The reason for this is that Newt has a huge ego. He loves the sound of his own voice. He is already pronouncing himself the nominee. He might not fear Ron, even though he should. Pride goeth before the fall.

Let's hope so.

i'd love to see ron and newt

i'd love to see ron and newt do this... but newt wouldnt agree because he knows ron would tear him a new one. maybe ron should ask newt after we win iowa that way newt wont be able to try and dismiss ron's campaign.

ron is his best

with time and a more relaxed setting. I think this would be a great option. Both parties could split the cost for an online live feed or something...

Although, it really only comes down to foreign policy. That's the biggest thing that folks have a hard time getting around. RP can debate the crap out of him but if people don't believe his foreign policy stance it won't matter.

Definitely should challenge

Mitt and Gingrich. Ron would slaughter anyone in a debate. His record is clean. He is a vet. He has a budget plan. He predicted the bubble. He is obsessed with economics in a time the economy is of utmost importance. He is calm and collected.

A one on one challenge should definitely be used strategically if thats possible. When the time comes that this will happen against Obama, Ron will give the smack down at that point as well.

Absolutely! In such a way

In such a way that Gingrich would be a coward if he declined

I would LOVE to see a real

I would LOVE to see a real debate between Newt and Ron. Newt would be VERY chicken to debate Ron, because Ron knows all about what he did in Congress, and how he thinks. Ron needs to challenge him..he keeps going around challenging people--we really should challenge him. MAN, I would love to see that...


The guy that is currently 1st in most polls challenges the guy who is 2nd in most polls, but he declines...... so naturally he goes out and challenges the guy who is 8th place.

revpac should host a debate

revpac should host a debate

It was said on CNN that this

It was said on CNN that this debate will be between Newt and Huntsman; just thought you might want to know.


Great suggestion.

This would force major media airtime for (and policy commentary about) Ron Paul, and it would shake up the race.

Somebody get this suggestion directly to the campaign people!

Steal Newts tactic

Maybe Dr Paul should shadow Newt and follow him on the campaign trail, refuting his speeches 4 hours later until Newt agrees to debate him.

I think the spot has already been offered to Huntsman

Huntsman has accepted an offer by Gingrich to debate "Lincoln-Douglas style":

The article doesn't say if the debate with Huntsman will be on the same date he was offering to Romney, but I would guess it is.

The LAST person Gingrich wants to debate is Dr. Paul.
The article states that Gingrich had a similar type debate with Cain last month, and now he is making offers to Romney and Huntman.

If he doesn't make a similar offer to Dr. Paul- which he will not- I think the Paul campaign should make a new ad emphasizing that Gingrich is only AFRAID to debate Dr. Paul, and include in this ad WHY he is afraid- and then list the litany of lies and flip-flops in his miserable record.

Huntsman is still polling around 1% I believe, so the evil "Grinch" can't use Ron's poll numbers as a lame excuse not to debate him.

Simple thinking

and so right on!

get support from others

Perhaps write a letter and have as many people sign it as a petition for this debate proposal.


Blitzer just announced...

that Gingrich and HUNTSMAN have agreed to a one-on-one Lincoln-Douglas style debate. I don't think Newt would dare accept that challenge from Ron Paul, but it sure would be wonderful.

we need to make the

we need to make the challenge.

Give Mitt a little time

and he might change his answer.


Wolf asked Ron if he would take Mitts spot.

... AND ?

did he answer?

One reason to not do it...

One reason to not do it would be because the campaign already has a solid plan to take Gingrich down. I mean, you don't just release an ad like they have and not have a plan for afterwards.

taking newt out leaves romney to beat, which is harder

With all this focus on Gingrich, how about Romney? The only reason he is the frontrunner is because no candidate has exposed or critiqued him. Hence, he will be the last man standing and will receive the nomination.

Newt is a distraction that will allow Romney to win. The more Romney is ignored and Newt is the fixation for attacks, the more likely Romney will win without making much of an effort.


Romney vs. Paul

In the end the last standing will be Romney and Paul. Until the end, it is better to keep the other candidates around in order to prevent Romney from consolidating support.

Newt & Huntsman can gain some attention and take Iowa support away from Romney. This delaying of a shake-out of the candidates is good for Paul.

We still need to get ourselves, our neighbors, and our friends to caucus (or primary, depending on your state).

I disagree.

Ron could take him apart.

Americans like nothing better than a good brawl or a tough football game for high stakes. It would make Ron the one to beat.

If he has the chance, he should take it.

Famous Quote from Justice William O. Douglas

"The Constitution is not neutral.
It was designed to take the government
off the backs of people."

Gingrich/Romney debate: Adultery versus flip-floppin'

..."and the winner is.....?"


Newt is a pathological liar and Ron

would have trouble debating him because Ron would not be able to rationalize to Newts bizarre behavior and verbage... It could seem to some sheeple Ron would be weak to not sucker punch the jerk and send him to hell. Maybe as a last resort but, we are not there nor should we be.

"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is argument of tyrants. It is the creed of slaves." William Pitt in the House of Commons November 18, 1783
"I know major allies who fund them" Gen. Dempsey referring to ISIS

Ron won the Timothy McVeigh exchange.

The media was forced to cut Ron's winning rebuttal, where he said that putting a policeman in every house could prevent all crimes but would not be worth a police state.

Famous Quote from Justice William O. Douglas

"The Constitution is not neutral.
It was designed to take the government
off the backs of people."