Gingrich's '08 Debate Challenge

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Gingrich's '08 Debate Challenge

August 07, 2007 5:59 PM

ABC News' Michael Skocay reports: Once known for his partisan success in Washington, D.C., where he led Republicans to a majority in congress in the 1990s, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is now encouraging bipartisan dialogue in the 2008 presidential race.

Gingrich and Marvin Kalb, a former journalist, argue the current debate format doesn't allow for an in-depth policy discussion.

"These aren't debates … they are a cross between The Bachelor, American Idol, and Who's Smarter Than a 5th Grader," said Gingrich Tuesday, challenging the candidates to pledge to participate in a series of nine 90-minute debates in the nine weeks leading up to the 2008 election if win their party's nomination.

"Missing from the debate are substance and solutions," read a letter Gingrich and Kalb sent to each of the presidential candidates Tuesday. "The 34-pages of rules that dictated the 2004 presidential debates … have reduced the presidential debate process to 30-second sound bites and rehearsed, consultant-crafted talking points."

They argued their forum would give candidates more time to delve into their policy platforms without "degenerating into political point-scoring and sloganeering."

Gingrich said Republican presidential candidate former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, R-N.Y., has "informally" agreed to participate in his debate -- the only candidate to have responded so far.

The former speaker said their forum would be styled after the Lincoln-Douglas debates, a series of seven senatorial debates in 1858 between former President Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas exploring the candidates' positions on slavery.

Gingrich, who is himself mulling an '08 presidential bid, said Tuesday that he, "would never run unless there was a large enough demand."

August 7, 2007 in Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (6)

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Gotta say Gingrich is a scumbag of some repute.

Posted by: amdar4 | Aug 7, 2007 7:52:02 PM

All depending on what side you are coming from, this recent national poll conducted by Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates shows that the GOP party certainly doesn't agree fully with your statement...
http://www.fabmac.com/7-07%20National%20GOP%20--%20Presidential%20Results.pdf

Posted by: RUTH | Aug 8, 2007 9:50:16 AM

Newt,

None of the candidates running for office have your intelligence, nor have any spent as much time thinking on issues and policies as have you.

Rudy Giuliani comes the closest intellectually and in thought spent on the issues, but it is a poor second.

Fred Thompson has the values and integrity, but lacks foresight and organization.

I truly hope you decide to run for President, if only to show what a Presidential campaign should be.

jrs777777

Posted by: James Robert Stewart | Aug 8, 2007 3:36:24 PM

Newt,
You seem to be right again, by waiting to run you have kept yourself out of and above the sound bite debates. I cannot imagine any other candidate with all of your experience and intelligence, please run.

Posted by: Dave Dimick | Aug 12, 2007 8:53:16 AM

We are desparate for a leader. please run. We need your knowledge and skills

Posted by: Lois Ruby | Sep 5, 2007 12:45:57 PM

Newt,

You say that you "would never run unless there was a large enough demand."

In that case, please get yourself all over television FAST so that people can hear you and the large "demand" may follow.
I believe the demand is there for the taking but you'll have to make some real noise first. Love ya! Go get em!

Posted by: bc | Sep 8, 2007 2:41:40 PM

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