Giuliani: CNN Messed Up
by Patrick Ruffini :: July 27th, 2007 1:40 pmRudy Giuliani said on Florida radio today that he has “no problem” with the debate format, and said it was purely a scheduling issue:
“I have no problem at all with the format. My campaign informed me yesterday that CNN just went ahead and picked a date, didn’t bother to ask us, and we have six events on that date that are already scheduled, I think,” Giuliani said.
“There was a little annoyance on the part of my campaign. They just select a date and they don’t think we have anything else to do.”
That may well be, though fundraisers and political travel can be rescheduled. The historic significance of this as the first Internet-driven, user-generated debate is being lost. Republicans are begging off, saying they have seven debate invites in an eleven day span in September. You would think this is the one they would want to accept, given its hugely symbolic nature. Nobody will remember if they beg off the other bobblehead fests. But this looks like a gigantic snub of a powerful new medium, at a time when we cannot afford to lose any more ground, lest we get killed in the general. The fact that the campaigns are treating this like any other debate says just as much about their priorities as their phobia of the questioners.
Assuming CNN did screw up, I have a compromise in mind. There’s another RPOF debate slated for a month later at Presidency 4 in Orlando, sponsored by Fox News. Why not just make that the YouTube debate?
Tagged: debate 
florida rudy giuliani youtube
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Ok Rudy, Cnn should schedule its debate around YOU, because none of the other candidates have anything better to do either. Its in SEPTEMBER. Plenty of time to shuffle things around. This tells me hes not going to be a flexible leader, not willing to adapt to a fast changing landscape, and not willing to talk directly to the people.
If it fits in the format for the blog website, maybe try something new…add the day of the week to the date on the blogs…Example Saturday, July 27, 2007. I hope I am not the only one wondering if the particular date at first glance coincides with the day of the week on hand.
Those not in attendance should be grateful, since in my opinion, the YouTube Debate appeared to be more of a novel spectical than a discussion with any substance. The candidates really should be taking care of their real life jobs for the time being, instead of acting so territorial, though the “show” is all very amusing at this point but we may all grow tired of it too soon.
[…] Reports this morning suggest the Republican YouTube debate is falling apart. The Giuliani campaign says Rudy won’t come. They’re blaming CNN, claiming that the cable network failed to consult with them before picking a date. […]
[…] Patrick Ruffini reported earlier that Rudy Giuliani is not opposed to the format, but has a scheduling conflict. I was also told earlier in the day that Mitt Romney is still wavering because of a busy schedule. […]