March 06, 2007
Rudy Takes Up Newt's Challengeby Jonathan R. at 08:27 AM
Our political discourse is shameful for a nation as great as we are. Newt Gingrich has a solution:
In an interview, Mr. Gingrich, who has said he will decide later this year whether to run himself in 2008, said his goal was to “reinvigorate the idea of policy discussions as part of the political process.”Gingrich is calling on all candidates to pledge to engage in "Nine Nineties in Nine" next year: nine 90-minute debates for nine weeks preceding the general election with no rules and only a timekeeper. In weekly "Winning the Future" email from Gingrich, he tells the story of how he bumped into Rudy Giuliani in New York last month and how Rudy not only asked for Newt's autograph but also took the "Nine Nineties in Nine" pledge. Let's get the rest of the pack, in both parties, to do the same and provide American voters with the substantive debate we deserve.He challenged the presidential candidates to agree in advance to nine weekly 90-minute debates after the nominations, each on a single topic — with a timekeeper but no rules.
“The country gets to watch two adults have a conversation,” he said. “By the end, the candidates would be different people.”
The sorry state of the nation’s political discourse demands it, Mr. Gingrich said.
“The gap between the challenges we face as a country and the trivializing of politics as ‘Entertainment Tonight’ is so stunning,” he said, “there’s a substantial public interest in a dialogue and a bipartisan, solution-oriented approach.”
Comments
Good catch on this. I watched the initial debate between Gingrich and Cuomo, and I think this format would be wonderful for the process and to inform voters of the "real" candidates rather than just the sound bites we see today.
Posted by: Craig T. at March 6, 2007 12:48 PM
Newt will make a fool out of anybody who takes him up on this challenge. He is, by far, the most well versed, thoughtful historian/politician I can recall. I find it telling that Mr. Gingrich is polling from 11%-20% favorite for Pres and he's not even running - Newt in 08!
Posted by: Harry at March 6, 2007 04:29 PM
Newt's idea is terrific and would be very positive for America. Newt in '08!
Good for Rudy to take this challenge!
Posted by: Freedom1 ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.gopbloggers.org/nav-commenters.gif)
at March 6, 2007 10:04 PM
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