March 1 Repub debate cancelled.

[Taco John]

Word is that the Paul campaign approached the Romney campaign about pulling out of the debate. The Romney campaign agreed, and Santorum follows suit. The strategy is to keep the air out of the Gingrich balloon going into Super Tuesday...


Republican March 1 debate in Atlanta canceled

Thu Feb 16, 2012 4:50pm EST
(Reuters) - A planned March 1 debate of Republican presidential candidates in Atlanta was canceled on Thursday after Mitt Romney and Ron Paul dropped out of it and the campaign for Rick Santorum expressed doubt he would attend.

The CNN-sponsored debate was scheduled to take place in Newt Gingrich's home state of Georgia. Of the four remaining candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, only Gingrich, who has generally done well in the debates, had definitely been scheduled to attend.

A CNN statement said Romney and Paul had sent word they would not participate, and "without full participation of all four candidates, CNN will not move forward with the Super Tuesday debate."

The Republican state-by-state campaign to seek a challenger to Democratic President Barack Obama in November's election has been heavily reliant on debates. There have already been 20 debates, with one more scheduled for next Tuesday in Mesa, Arizona. It too is sponsored by CNN.

Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul said Romney would be spending a lot of time campaigning in Georgia and Ohio before the March 6 Super Tuesday contests when 10 states vote.

"With eight other states voting on March 6th, we will be campaigning in other parts of the country and unable to schedule the CNN Georgia debate. We have participated in 20 debates, including eight from CNN," she said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...81F1ZA20120216

[Direckshun]

Doesn't make sense.

Romney must be promising a high post in his administration to Paul.

Santorum backing out of the debate makes zero sense. It's his only prayer to keep his profile equal with Romney's.

[Taco John]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Doesn't make sense.

Romney must be promising a high post in his administration to Paul.

Santorum backing out of the debate makes zero sense. It's his only prayer to keep his profile equal with Romney's.

It makes sense for Paul. He's got the most delegates in the game right now, but Newt's supporters are starting to organize. The sooner they can make him irrelevant the better, especially with Santorum surging.

[patteeu]

Good strategy for all three men. Unfortunately for Santorum, Sheldon Adelson is going to contribute another $10 mil to Gingrich's superpac so it can perform a late-term campaign abortion on the former Senator from PA.

[Taco John]

Originally Posted by patteeu

Good strategy for all three men. Unfortunately for Santorum, Sheldon Adelson is going to contribute another $10 mil to Gingrich's superpac so it can perform a late-term campaign abortion on the former Senator from PA.

That's pretty interesting. You wouldn't even know Gingrich was still running if that hadn't have happened today. I'm curious what it buys Gingrich in the next few weeks.

[Iowanian]

Headline should be

Ronpaul: Sell out.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Taco John

That's pretty interesting. You wouldn't even know Gingrich was still running if that hadn't have happened today. I'm curious what it buys Gingrich in the next few weeks.

I'm guessing it will buy him a respectable showing on Super Tuesday, but not much more than that.