Campaign 2012 October Surprise
It was an election year earthquake from which the political landscape is still shaking. President Obama challenges the leader of the Republican Party to a debate.President Obama announced recently, "...I will debate the republican nominee for president after I debate the real leader of the republican party. I challenge Rush Limbaugh to a conventional debate of the issues."
Limbaugh, a fierce, unrelenting critic of the President has yet to respond
to this historic invitation.
Republican nominee Mitt Romney has remained silent, refusing to comment on the proposed heaveyweight bout. One can only imagine the bind in which Limbaugh and Romney find themselves at such a pivotal point in the campaign.
Across the land, dittoheads and tea party members rejoiced at the prospect of their fearless champion squaring off nose-to-nose with arch enemy Barack Obama. But experts say, not so fast.
Limbaugh rarely leaves the sanctuary of his studio for political commentary,
and never ventures out in front of an unadoring audience. The smart money says
he'll chicken out as soon as a viable excuse is contrived.
The Obama people are proposing a conventional one-and-a-half hour format, with two minute answers and followup discussion. Each participant will be allowed a computer monitor to read the transcript of the proceedings. This is unusual, but remember, since his hearing loss over a decade ago, Limbaugh's cochlear implant hasn't always been a reliable device for understanding spoken words. It does seem to suffice, quite nicely, for communicating during his national talk radio broadcasts.
Some say Limbaugh's unscripted vocalizations will deteriorate into embarressing stammering when challenged, and he will thus seek any excuse to escape an unfriendly stage and worldwide spotlight. Others remind us Limbaugh takes days and weeks to sufficiently hammer home his tedious right-wing talking points. Two minutes here and there won't work for his brand of warfare, and thus he'll be a no-show.
Team Obama says "nonsense," of the right's brash word smith possibly running away from legitimate politcal discourse. "He's a big boy. We'll set a date for some time after the conventions, and before October 3rd."