Bills wants more debates with Klobuchar

Posted at 12:31 PM on August 6, 2012 by Mark Zdechlik (8 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kurt Bills says he wants DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar to debate 20 times between now and Election Day.

So far Klobuchar has agreed to take part in two candidate forums with Bills: one this week at Farmfest in southwestern Minnesota, the other on MPR News at the State Fair. The Klobuchar campaign says it's considering additional debates in the fall.

Bills says he wants 20, but that he would settle for five or 10. He says if Klobuchar does not agree to what he thinks is a sufficient number of debates, he'll hold forums by himself around the state.

"I'll put two chairs up on the stage, put the date out there, inform her campaign and people can show up. And if she doesn't want to come, it will be an empty chair discussion." Bills said. "I'll sit up there, [and] discuss and then I'll take questions from the audience."

The Klobuchar campaign released a short statement questioning Bills' demand under the circumstances.

"Candidates that call for debates usually do it when there aren't any debates." said spokesman Linden Zakula.

There were five debates in Minnesota's last U.S. Senate race between Republican Norm Coleman, Democrat Al Franken and Dean Barkley from the Independence Party.

Comments (8)

I'd think Bills would want fewer debates. The less people know about him, the better he'll do in November, assuming he makes it past the primary. Seriously, the guy actually introduced a bill to have Minnesota print its own money backed by its hoards of gold reserves(HF2502), despite the fact that the Constitution prohibits States from doing so.

Posted by Peter | August 6, 2012 1:50 PM

Peter doesn't want to acknowledge that Amy is avoiding debates because that would require her defending her blind allegiance to Obama's policies and maybe influence him to question something new. And as for HF 2502, it's a measure that's been proposed in many states. While it may not be stated in the constitution, neither was printing paper money by the Federal Reserve, which contradicts Article I Sect 8. However, challenging the constitution in wake of modern changes was considered permissive, something liberals tend to fully embrace. That is unless it runs counter to their agenda. Beware of the hypocrisy.

Posted by Josh | August 6, 2012 2:41 PM

Say Peter, it doesn't strike you that agreeing to debates is a strange way to avoid them? If Bills doesn't like what she's agreed to, he doesn't get to unilaterally decide the number, place, and time. "My opponent is avoiding me" is a trick that works only when the opponent is actually you.

Posted by Eric Ferguson | August 6, 2012 3:53 PM

I'm thinking he'll settle for 2 once he gets boom-roasted twice up on stage.

Posted by Joe | August 6, 2012 4:03 PM

Jewish Lobby is running David Carlson, a political prostitute in the primaries, and Amy Klobuchar has been instructed to avoid debates to fool the gullible people.

The country is getting poorer and less free. Immigrants are waging war on American workers, taking away their jobs and suppressing their wages.

More wars, more immigration, more financial crisis, more taxes for middle class, no taxes for Romney, thats what Washington DC is all about.

Posted by Sanjay | August 6, 2012 6:25 PM

Actually Peter, you're incorrect.

HF2502 seeks to introduce gold and silver coin, not printed money backed by gold. States are perfectly allowed by the constitution to produce their own gold & silver COIN currency.

Individual communities are allowed to print money, provided it is easily distinguishable from federal reserve notes.

So, while you might believe the spin that HF2502 is 'crazy' and 'unconstitutional' you're just plain wrong. Read the bill, and read the constitution.

For perspective, Utah has had its own alternate currency laws in place since March of 2011.

Posted by Will | August 7, 2012 9:39 AM

I just hope, as commenters here, that Bill's supporters keep beating the immigrant Jews drum. And yes, purchasing a pack of gum at Walmart with gold doubloons and pieces of eight is pretty silly, even if it is constitutional.

Posted by Alec | August 7, 2012 11:38 PM

Alec - The difference between buying bubble gum at walmart with paper money and gold/silver legal tender is that gold/silver will always be worth money, and that's not silly.

Posted by marvin | August 8, 2012 12:40 PM

Services

• Hourly Newscast
• HD Radio
• iPhone App / Mobile
• E-mail newsletters
• RSS feeds
• Podcasts
• Submit your photos
• Videos
• Weather
• Most e-mailed stories