In an interesting turn of events, yesterday Hillary Clinton challenged Barack Obama to an old school debate. She challenged Obama to a Lincoln-Douglas debate without a moderator for 90 minutes. Her exact statement:

So here’s my proposal: I’m offering Senator Obama the chance to debate me one on one, no moderators. Just the two of us, going for 90 minutes, asking and answering questions.

A little background on the Lincoln-Douglas style of debate. It was basically a grueling and grinding series of direct Q & A between “Honest Abe” and Stephen Douglas to further their campaign for a U.S. Senate seat. Although Lincoln lost the election, the debates gave Lincoln enough exposure to win the Presidential Election three years later.

What makes Clinton’s challenge even more interesting is that Obama has already replied to the challenge stating “We’re not going to have debates between now and Indiana”. The next two primaries, in Indiana and North Carolina, will give the American people their Democratic nominee. Seeing what Obama is capable of, as a moving and captivating speaker, I am surprised to not see him taking this opportunity to further his campaign. Thus far, he has proven himself to be a composed and articulate candidate, reminding us of Bill Clinton. He has replied that he wants to spend more times going out and talking to the people, which is a nice reason, but ultimately I feel it’s an easy out for Obama to avoid confrontation. I would imagine that you would reach more people via televised debate. I personally think that Obama would crush Clinton, but perhaps he has the foresight to know that she would bait him into doing something stupid. However my respect for Clinton definitely improved a little bit (and I mean a little bit) by her latest proposal.

My proposal: They should hold the campaign on a wooden platform outside near Abe Lincoln’s old home.

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