Clinton calls for Lincoln-Douglas style debates

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) on Saturday challenged Democratic frontrunner Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) to debate her in a one-on-one setting without moderators, hoping that such an exchange would give her a boost in the remaining primaries and help her convince superdelegates that she is the better candidate.

Clinton said in Indiana that voters in the Hoosier State “deserve” a one-on-one debate.

{mosads}“I’ve said I'll be anywhere anytime in order to debate because I think the people of Indiana after having wandered in the wilderness of American politics for forty years deserve a debate,” the former first lady said.

Clinton has attempted to get Obama to debate her ahead of primaries in North Carolina and Indiana. A strong debate performance could also help the New York senator make the case to superdelegates that she is better prepared to take on presumptive GOP nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.).

The former first lady responded to criticism from the Obama campaign about the last debate, in which the Illinois senator was bombarded with questions which he did not deem relevant to the campaign.

“Here’s my proposal – I’m offering Senator Obama a chance to debate me one-on-one, no moderators,” Clinton said. “Just the two of us going for 90 minutes asking and answering questions. We'll set whatever rules seem fair.”

The offer was repeated in a letter to the Obama campaign.

“This year marks the 150th anniversary of the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates, a series of public debates across Illinois where two candidates put their ideas, their visions, and their values before the American people,” said Clinton campaign manager Maggie Williams. “I have no doubt that Senator Obama, who hails from that great state, understands how valuable and vital these national conversations were to the heart of America.”

The Clinton campaign proposes a 90-minute debate in a public forum.

“Just the two of them — no questioners, no panelists, no video clips,” Williams said. “One candidate would speak for two minutes, then the other, alternating back and forth all the way through the debate.  Their discussion – not any pre-set rules – would determine how long they spend on one subject before moving on to another.”

In response, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs appeared to reject the offer.

“We have participated in 21 nationally televised debates, the most in primary history, including four exclusively with Senator Clinton. Senator Clinton refused an earlier invitation that had been accepted to debate in North Carolina,” Gibbs said. “Over the next 10 days, we believe it's important to talk directly to the voters of Indiana and North Carolina about fixing our economy, cutting the cost of health care and ending a war in Iraq that never should have been authorized in the first place.”