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July 31, 2007BELTWAY BLOGROLL
GOP Campaign Chief Touts YouTube Debate
As chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Tom Cole of Oklahoma makes it his business to elect Republicans to the House, but he also wants to see his party occupying the White House.
It's not surprising, then, that he has some thoughts on whether the GOP presidential candidates should subject themselves to questions from citizens in a debate sponsored by CNN and YouTube where voters. He shared those thoughts yesterday in an interview with CQ Radio.
David All of techRepublican clipped that part of the interview and created a YouTube video around it.
Cole, who this year has embraced blogs and other new media in ways that his predecessor resisted, admonished the GOP candidates to participate in the CNN/YouTube debate despite the risks that come "any time you engage in real dialogue."
"Republicans need to be prepared to [take] those risks," he said, "Why would you sit back fat and happy and be complacent after you got your clock cleaned, and we did in 2006."
He noted that the dominant news story among Democratic candidates over the past week -- whether it is advisable to have diplomatic talks with the leaders of rogue nations -- was sparked by a question from the similar debate they had in Charleston, S.C., on July 23. "Now if you're running for president, don't you think you ought to participate in the kind of debates that actually capture public attention," he said.
Cole also noted that the debate is a great chance for Republicans to show they are not afraid of new media. "This is an arena and a medium in which we have not participated as fully and as forcefully as I think we should. ... You know, this is a medium that is driving the Democratic Party right now. So I think to miss the opportunity to engage is a real mistake for any Republican candidate."
Posted by Danny | 09:11 AM
Comments
You might want to consider the old school campaign maneuvering involved in the front runners not wanting to debate the challengers.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ross-smith/mitt-and-rudys-bad-argum_b_58250.html
Ross Smith | 07.31.07 10:06 AM
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