Will Romney Skip the GOP YouTube Debate?

Thursday, July 26, 2007

MITT ROMNEY

I understand what Mitt is saying in his doubts about the YouTube debate format, but most viewers and other members of the press thought there were some worthwhile questions and moments. The question on gay marriage left Edwards sputtering how he could adamantly oppose that while simultaneously advocating civil unions, and yet how he didn't base that decision on his religion; we found that Hillary does not want to be called "liberal": we found that Joe Biden doubts the sanity of Americans who carry Bushmaster rifles, we found that Barack Obama can rely on an easy joke about hailing a cab when asked if he's "black enough" (with the question repeated by Anderson Cooper, no less).

So I think it would be a mistake if Romney skips it, as he may be hinting:

Republican Mitt Romney isn't sure yet whether he'll participate in the CNN/YouTube.com Republican debate in September, but he's no fan of the format.
"I think the presidency ought to be held at a higher level than having to answer questions from a snowman," he said in an interview yesterday.
He said the debate showed that Democrat Barack Obama "is slowly but surely revealing who he is.
"His commenting about sitting down and visiting in the first year with the world's most awful tyrants is an extraordinarily naive and ill-considered promise," Romney said.

Again, I think the example Romney cites points to the usefulness of at least one YouTube debate. Would any "regular" questioner have asked Obama or any other candidate if they would meet with leaders of North Korea, Iran, Syria, Cuba and Venezuela?

07/26 09:35 AM Share