Thu 25 Feb 2010
Hayworth Challenges McCain to Series of Debates!
Posted by Press Release under Campaigns & Elections , Press Release[40] Comments
For Immediate Release: February 25, 2010
Hayworth Asks For As Many McCain Debates As McCain Asked Of Obama, Conservative Challenger Wants At Least Ten Debates with 24-Year Incumbent
PHOENIX, Ariz. February 25, 2010. Senator John McCain asked for ten debates when he faced Barack Obama in 2008. And conservative U.S. Senate challenger JD Hayworth doesn’t think the people of Arizona deserve less.
At McCain Campaign headquarters in Phoenix on Thursday morning, Hayworth presented an official letter to McCain staff requesting the public debates for Arizona voters. The letter specifies that he wants – at minimum – the amount of debates that McCain asked for in the 2008 campaign.
“Senator McCain has always demonstrated himself to be willing to face off with his opponents in political campaigns. I look forward to a vigorous and respectful series of joint appearances where we can discuss how we view the future of the Republican Party and our country,” said Hayworth.
Hayworth feels that, given the years Senator McCain spent away from Arizona to run for President, he can certainly spend a few days away from Washington to better inform the people of Arizona he represents
“It should not be acceptable to any Republican, indeed any Arizonan, that Senator McCain would debate more in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina than he would before his constituents,” Hayworth said.
“What a welcome change it would be were presidential candidates in our time to treat each other and the people they seek to lead with respect and courtesy as they discussed the great issues of the day, without the empty sound bites and media-filtered exchanges that dominate our elections,” McCain said in a letter to Obama released by McCain’s campaign in June of 2008.
That public letter to Obama asked for the candidates to travel by plane together to the first of ten debates in the spirit of the Goldwater-Kennedy race that never came to fruition.
“The Hayworth campaign encouraged all Arizona and national media to immediately schedule debates with the McCain campaign. They should begin in March,” Hayworth officials said.
Hayworth agrees and is encouraged that McCain has shown a propensity to engage in public discourse with those who disagree with him on key issues. Hayworth and McCain disagree on tax cuts, fighting illegal immigration, pro-life and pro-family issues as well as other key conservative concerns. McCain has also urged such ideas as “Question Time” for the American President.
“My campaign is open to all ideas regarding the format of these important debates including town hall formats,” said Hayworth. “But we won’t settle for anything less for Arizona than Senator McCain asked for America in 2008.”
February 25th, 2010 at 1:53 pm
After watching J.D. talk at the ARA the other night, I so wanted to see J.D. debate McLame because J.D. is just going to D-E-S-T-R-O-Y No McWay. Days later, I get my wish. WAY too cool. I hope I can attend all 10 debates. I was almost hoping that Johnny would cower in the corner and refuse to debate Hayworth, but then we’d blast McCain for being the coward Barney Frank characterized him as. This is gonna be good!
February 25th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
If McCain is smart he would stay as far away as possible from these debates… However with all the mistakes his campaign had made they will probably schedule a debate for next week…
February 25th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Oh, this is going to get good. Johnny Mac doesn’t do well in non-highly controlled environments where he’s not given the upper hand.
February 25th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Since when does a politician run from legitimate debates?
Only those who believe they will fare badly. Not a strategy that projects confidence.
February 25th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
Wanumba,
Sometimes the CW is that a frontrunner doesn’t debate his opponent for fear of fouling up in a debate and losing support. That’s what I was referencing. I was almost hoping that McCain would be of that mindset.
February 25th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
wanumba,
Are you talking about a real debate? A debate tightly orchestrated by, say a University debating team coach? With real debating rules? What I have seen so far could not be called a debate with a straight face.They are just a Q&A. A total waste of time.
February 25th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Wanumba,
if McCain is smart he doesnt have a debate till June and he does it on a Friday. That way lots of people are out of the stater for summer and vacations.
Jd needs to have the first debates in march or april so he gets a higher audience and everyone can see the screw ups on tv
February 25th, 2010 at 4:48 pm
McThis McWay McOf McInsulting McMcCain McIs McGetting McOld.
McJust McA McThought.
February 25th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Nice of JD to pick the day when MCain was not in his office, but fighting the ugly healthcare battle. What a coward! JD knows he has no substance to stand on, so he has to play the media circus role. Go away JD!
February 25th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
McRINO refused to fight healthcare even when Sen. Gregg gave him the how to book on 12/1/2009. The only people that McRINO hs a spine to fight are conservatives and his constituants. Don Bivens, AZ DEM Chair, doesn’t need to run a candidate when he has McRINO.
February 25th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
I cannot wait to watch JD squirm!! Where are all of you coming from? And who says that Hayworth has the upper hand? If anything, it’s the man with more support and funds (smarts) – wait, McCain’s the ONLY man – JD Hayworth: Former CongressWoman :p (fox) McCain to keep his seat!
February 25th, 2010 at 5:09 pm
I agree, the stilted “debates” of American politics is pathetic. I’m tired of politicians micro-programming their little debating schedules because they can’t stand up and couple two cars to a train of thought together or don’t want to be held accountable in front of an audience for their voting records.
Bring it on. I’m a voter and I want to inspect the goods before I buy. I want a British style have-at-it.
February 25th, 2010 at 5:11 pm
if McCain is smart he doesnt have a debate till June and he does it on a Friday. That way lots of people are out of the stater for summer and vacations.
……….
How smart is it to broadcast, “I’m avoiding the voters?”
The debates are to INFORM US,the PEOPLE, not to preen.
February 25th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
If these debate actually come to pass I will be thrilled. I don’t particularly favor Hayworth or McCain but I do think that face to face debates will bring issues of the day to prime time tv and the front page of the newspapers.
I am curious if Jim Deakin will use the same tactic on JD Hayworth?
February 25th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
JD, debating: “I will do good. I wasted taxpayer money on pork barrel projects when I was in Congress, but i’m better now. My constituents kicked me out of office because I lost touch with my conservative principles, but i’m better now.” McCain: “welp, I win”. These will be a series of fun events.
February 25th, 2010 at 5:39 pm
Wanumba,
All McCain has to say is some BS line like Congress is in session and I really can’t do debates till there is a recess. And act all high and mighty.
Not enough people will be outraged by that for it to matter. You are thinking in a vacuum where people follow politics everyday like us and hang on these press releases and day to day events. Most people are not following it as closely.
February 25th, 2010 at 6:12 pm
[...] of which, Hayworth has challenged McCain to a series of debates. He says he wants at least ten of them, but I don’t know. If McCain wants to keep taking [...]
February 25th, 2010 at 6:13 pm
I believe JD is one of the finest orators the State of Arizona has ever heard. He can hold his own in any setting and is quick on his feet. I really enjoy watching him do his soft shoe. One hundred and fifty years ago he would have made a fortune selling ointments from the back of a covered wagon.
Given his warchest may be modest and that he may have burned a few MSM bridges along his travels, the only way for him to get in front of people (for free) is to debate. If I were him, that is exactly what I would do.
These debates will not help John at all. People who support JD will not be swayed to vote for McCain. If John lies low, sure he will be called out for hiding, but again the people who will be upset about it are already for JD. As Johnny says, no one else cares. I suspect John will ignore this challenge.
February 25th, 2010 at 6:13 pm
Jeff Vath,
Is that you again?
February 25th, 2010 at 6:20 pm
Actually, that’s a fact. JD is one of the finest orators AZ has ever had. However, oration skills does not necessary correlate to intelligence. That’s not to say he’s not intelligent. I wouldn’t call him brillant either. Though I do think he’s smarter than JMcC.
February 25th, 2010 at 6:31 pm
Hmm. Maybe McCain should stay away form debates.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5t1DLvbLgA
February 25th, 2010 at 7:11 pm
If I were McCain I would agree to one debate, Labor Day Weekend abd on Public TV’s Horizon show. Yah! That’s the ticket
February 25th, 2010 at 7:42 pm
Kasey Joe:
What conservative principles does John McCain have to desert??
February 25th, 2010 at 8:49 pm
………………
“As Johnny says, no one else cares. I suspect John will ignore this challenge.”
…………
McCain actually aquitted himself quite well in the question format with that pastor fellow. It wasn’t a proper debate, but it compared the two candidates better than any other “debate” in the campaign. He answered better and knew his stuff compared to Obama who dropped his eyes, looked sideways, “uh-uh-uh” and finally coughed up just gems as “Above my paygrade.”
A lot of people watched that debate. With jobs evaporating and taxes, energy costs and cost of living going up thanks to meddling political policies, a lot more voters are VERY interested.
February 25th, 2010 at 8:59 pm
Self-promoting arrogance will not be lost on the public. JD will not be able to help himself, the internal drive to primp and preen will overcome his better senses. First time he breaks out one of his annoying caricature voices, he is toast!
You betcha Sen. McCain will do just fine, bring it on.
February 25th, 2010 at 9:39 pm
If McCain does as good as he did today with Obama, J.D. will win by a landslide. It bugs me to see that fake smile and wiggling in his seat when he thinks he has said something clever.
February 25th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
No one’s touting Orly Taitz’ support of JD today? I mean, that’s an endorsement worth its weight in gold.
When the Queen of the Birthers speaks, America listens!
February 25th, 2010 at 10:49 pm
McRINO’s campaign said that John “would debate any certified candidate.” The only candidate certified to be on the ballot is Jim Deakin. I think Jim should take him up on his offer.
February 26th, 2010 at 2:37 am
Not sure who Jim Deakin is, but the filing deadline isn’t until April sometime, so how can anyone be “certified” yet? Sounds like McCain is just stalling for time.
February 26th, 2010 at 6:43 am
I read on cnn that mccain agreed to debate JD yesterday. He didn’t agree to 10 but the fact that he responded the same day to JD says a lot about how this campaign is run to me.
His campaign is constantly reacting to what jd is doing instead of being pro-active. This is going to come back to bite him.
February 26th, 2010 at 6:45 am
You have to submit a minimum number of signtures from at least three counties to qualify. Jim is the only candidate that has qualified (AKA certified) to be on the GOP Senate primary ballot. Neither JD or McCain have met the requirements at this time.
February 26th, 2010 at 7:32 am
What I find of some interest is that no one seems to recognize that JD Hayworth was in fact in office from 1994 to 2006, a twelve year record.
That 12 year record suggests he is no different from “GOP Establishment” politicians, in particular McCain.
A debate between these two sounds about as a exciting as a Lawrence Welk plug for Milk of Magnesia.
February 26th, 2010 at 8:11 am
JD is pathetic. At ever turn, this LOSER is looking to get is mug in the press. I just watched this video held in some parking lot with a bunch of the ugliest people I think I’ve ever seen. Look at these WACK jobs, are you kidding me or what? While our Senator is fighting the Dems in Washington, this pathetic LOSER and his team of WACKOS are holding a press event in some parking lot?? Like McCain is going to come out an join them. What the F.
February 26th, 2010 at 9:20 am
Miss Mary,
Keep it up. With McCain supporters like you, J.D. should do very well. IF you are who I think you are, you have no room to talk in the looks department. Keep on topic.
February 26th, 2010 at 10:18 am
Miss Mary,
Seeing your anger only shows me that JD is getting somewhere and worrying McCain and his supporters.
Thanks for the confirmation.
February 26th, 2010 at 10:29 am
I burst out laughing at the photo of McCain signing the STOP GLOBAL WARMING sign – still clinging bitterly to DEBUNKED POLITICALLY SPONSORED PSEUDOSCIENCE and of course McCain in the news for co-sponsoring AGAIN with a DEMOCRAT for MORE BIG NANNY Government to put restrictions on VITAMINS.
All for dumping that RINO label. McCain’s a Democrat.
February 26th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
DeAnn, Please kiss my A$$. You have no idea who I am.
February 26th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
I can’t stoop that low Miss Mary.
February 26th, 2010 at 8:29 pm
But I do and you’re very fortunate that I don’t tell everyone who reads this blog.
February 27th, 2010 at 9:15 pm
Miss Mary:
To have your A$$ kissed, you would first have to remove it from your shoulders!
But I will say you’re the plu-perfect McCain supporter!