April 1, 2008
Posted: April 1st, 2008 07:00 PM ET
A new debate has been proposed in Indiana.
A new debate has been proposed in Indiana.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – A consortium of Indiana television stations and newspapers has invited Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to appear at a debate in their state ahead of the May 6 primary.

The Indiana Debate Commission (http://www.indianadebatecommission.com/) offered April 24 as the date for the event – two days after the Pennsylvania primary – but noted in the invitations sent this week that “we can work with you on the dates.”

The debate would air live nationally on CNN and PBS and on public television stations statewide, and made available to every commercial broadcast station in Indiana.

“It is precisely for opportunities such as this that the Indiana Debate Commission was formed,” Kevin Finch, president of the commission and news director of CBS affiliate WISH-TV in Indianapolis, said in a statement. “We want to give Hoosiers the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates in an open debate before the historic May 6th Primary.”

In addition to the media organizations, the commission is comprised of citizen groups, including the League of Women Voters of Indiana and the Indiana Coalition for Open Government. Finch and Vice President Dennis Ryerson penned the invitation. Ryerson is the editor of the Indianapolis Star.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the commission had not yet heard from the campaigns.

Filed under: Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton


xddy4u   April 2nd, 2008 12:02 am ET

Enough already of these stupid debates. What purpose will this debate serve? Hillary trying to look more presidential? Or a rehash of the Rev. Wright's debacle? CNN is just trying to get some fodder. If you haven't made up your mind at this hour, you never will. Obama '08

Bob   April 2nd, 2008 12:01 am ET

Lou Dobbs has finally said what is on many of our mind. CNN and the media in general is bias towards O'Bama. We have no idea what he has done other than speak well and is against the war. Who is he ? How will he fix the economy ? A good debate would ask those questions

Brandon   April 1st, 2008 11:55 pm ET

Its time for people to wake-up and see that our Nation is dying! Stop fighting and do what's right , Mrs. Clinton is the right person to Nurse our Nation back on its feet!

dray   April 1st, 2008 11:48 pm ET

Why bother to debate?... Clinton is a non-issue at this point. Let's just hold the primaries and see what happens. We already know where each stands with regards to the issues. We should be scheduling debates with McWar...not Rocky Balboa.

Phyllis   April 1st, 2008 11:41 pm ET

Please somebody tell me why another debate is needed? Were the Hoosiers not listening to the first 20 open debates? Do they need another explanation about Rev. Wright and dogging bullets in Bosnia? Please just go vote your conscious.

Obama '08

An American in Canada   April 1st, 2008 11:40 pm ET

It is time for Hillary to get rid of these "so called black supporters" they are nothing but turncoats.

If I were her I would not trust any African-American supporter they seem to be deceptive and unscrupulous.

The mantra among blacks is;

If you black your're for Barack

Do Not Trust Them!!!

Andy Duo   April 1st, 2008 11:33 pm ET

I think there is no need for more dabate , kind of waste time now, I think Clinto should quit, period. To save time and focus for general election. We had Bill Clinton for 8 years in white house , NO NEED another Clinton, BE SAMART, NO FAMILY DICTATOR.

WILL Even Vote for BUSH but Never Obama   April 1st, 2008 11:21 pm ET

Let's see what excuse Obama comes up with......

HILLARY '08

Brad   April 1st, 2008 11:05 pm ET

finally we will get too hear Obama speak or stammer his own policies. Hopefully they won't be answers written down on cheat sheets that someone else did for him, just like his survey sheets. Come on Hillary , its time too kick this bum to the curb. You've got him beat on the issues. Now stick it to him. Now CNN lets don't post this either. Hillary 08

Asian Woman Democrat   April 1st, 2008 10:37 pm ET

Another debate will surely showcase the difference between the two candidates: Obama – young and wise, presidentially smart, and articulately sane. Clinton – spiritedly confrontational, truth twister, and shamefully doing-anything to be anything to get voters but presidential.

HILLARY ALL THE WAY!!!   April 1st, 2008 10:31 pm ET

Don't count on Obama he won't go for this after his butt is landslided in PA. GO HILLARY 08

jfh   April 1st, 2008 10:30 pm ET

Michelle Obama said that any blacks that do not vote for her husband has inferiority complex!

Let's talk about this CNN.

or Kennedy-gate

HILLARY 08

marty from Indiana   April 1st, 2008 10:22 pm ET

I find it hard to believe that people no longer care about the character of its leader. Let's imagine Hillary becomes President. She will spin and tell lies about everything. She did that when she and hubby were in the White House. Is that what we want, America? Come on Indiana.... think! We are supposed to be in the Bible belt. Values are supposed to matter in Indiana. Do we want someone in leadership whose whole life has been based on lying? She will teach our children that tell a lie is ok.

John   April 1st, 2008 10:12 pm ET

Time allowing,I am sure that will be a very interesting debate. People pay more attention as events gear towards the conventions.Listening to Hillary and Obama debate will be rivetting.People will form educated and clarified decissions and opinions. We are all for it.I cannot wait.Hillary and Obama should go for it!!!!!!!!!!

D.L.   April 1st, 2008 10:09 pm ET

Hillary will do fine!!

obama 08   April 1st, 2008 9:55 pm ET

i doubt clinton will say yes. she wouldnt come to the proposed north carolina primary unlike obama

Sara from Arizona   April 1st, 2008 9:40 pm ET

The Bosnia lie should disqualify this woman as a candidate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No debate needed. Obama 08'

FrankSmith   April 1st, 2008 9:31 pm ET

No more debates; these candidates are tired, so are the people..

allxdreamer   April 1st, 2008 9:24 pm ET

Hillary and Obama should have a debate, since that is what they are doing is running in the Primary, duh!

OBAMA 08   April 1st, 2008 9:22 pm ET

I HOPE THEY CAN BOTH ACCEPT. IT WILL BE MOST ENTERTAINING.

mimi de la cruz   April 1st, 2008 9:20 pm ET

ANOTHER CHANCE FOR HILLARY TO TELL US, SHE HAS

EXPERIENCE AND ANOTHER CHANCE FOR HER NOT TO BE ABLE TO

TELL US EXACTLY , WHAT THAT IS. SHE HAS GOT TO HAVE THE

MOST PADDED CHARACTER AND RESUME I HAVE EVER HEARD OF.

Herman LA, CA   April 1st, 2008 9:09 pm ET

NO MORE DEBATES PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!! STOP IT ALREADY...

Lauren   April 1st, 2008 9:07 pm ET

good idea like thy havent had enough debates already

Dave   April 1st, 2008 8:22 pm ET

.Enough with the debates. There have been 20 of them. This sounds like something Hillary Clinton is pushing. The losing campaign is always wanting more debates.

Al   April 1st, 2008 8:21 pm ET

Please not another debate!!!

nnachi   April 1st, 2008 8:10 pm ET

lets stop this rubish

citizenwells   April 1st, 2008 8:02 pm ET

Obama was absent from the Illinois Senate
on November 4, 1999. His name was on 2 bills
mentioned during that session.
Does anyone know where Obama was on November 4?

Bizarro Election Cycle   April 1st, 2008 7:59 pm ET

Why Wolf Blitzer, a soft-ball CNN anchor (and centerist secretly enamored with the Clintons), beholden to producers and candidates for his bread and butter was EVER a debate moderator is beyond me. He IS NOT The League of Woman Voters, who I always remember in my youth as running very fair and informative debates. I would welcome this change in moderators as a possibility to actually providing a 'fair and balanced' content to the event. More opportunity for Obama to get his messages out and an opportunity to see Hillary backpeddle on her hypocritical claims of voting disenfranchisement in a national venue, face to face with her Party's presumptive nominee (or for the public to view her most desperate act of selfish arrogance, yet).

Seth   April 1st, 2008 7:54 pm ET

Even Clinton's own people say she has to win Pennsylvania convincingly in order to even stay in this race. Things aren't looking good...

"The latest...telephone survey in Pennsylvania shows Clinton leading Barack Obama by just five percentage points, 47% to 42%. For Clinton, that five-point edge is down from a ten-point lead a week ago, a thirteen-point lead in mid-March and a fifteen-point advantage in early March." – from Rasmussen Reports.

There are still more than 2 weeks before that primary. If that trends continues, Hillary might not only miss her "convincing" win, she may lose. Either way, you may not see her in Indiana.

Tim in Arkansas   April 1st, 2008 7:54 pm ET

I would love to see Obama outdue Hillary in another debate!! Maybe she'll cry again for not winning. Maybe she'll blame the media again for not winning. Maybe she'll blame Florida and Michigan for voting too earlier and loosing their delegates. Maybe she'll blame Pastor Wright. There's just no telling who Hillary will blame for her not winning the race. But she'll never blame Bill, Monica Lewinsky, or herself.

Obama 08

Richard in Texas   April 1st, 2008 7:53 pm ET

They have different personalities, but there policies are almost identical. If you don't know who you are going to vote for by now, how much will this help.

Lorette Phillips   April 1st, 2008 7:52 pm ET

I am sure Hillary Clinton would love to debate Obama in Indiana . I am not so sure Obama would be happy about another debate. Isn't he the one who said enough with the debates and isn't he the one who wanted Hillary to end the race. Well now that he knows that's not happening of course he is saying He wants her to keep going (but we know the truth) Hillary should stay in this race until the very very end no matter what anyone has to say . Also you would think that Obama who claims to be a patriotic American would want the votes to count from Florida and Michigan . Personally I don't think he's much of an American at all if he is not interested in fighting for the voters right to have there vote counted in both Florida and Michigan. How would he like it if we said his vote wont count.

Obama 08   April 1st, 2008 7:46 pm ET

Why CNN keeps deleting any comment in favor of Hillary? Trying to help Obama?

SUE, Michigan   April 1st, 2008 7:46 pm ET

Now this is a good idea...give the moderators a chance to ask about current lies from Obama, and give the candidates a chance to express their ideas. Anyone who calls Hillary a liar better start reading Newsweek, which has the latest lies from Obama all laid out for you...about his commercials saying he doesn't take oil money (he does) and that he takes no money from lobbyists (he does.) Now I ask you, which lies give you pause...lies about a trip 12 years ago, or recent lies about campaign financing? Face it, they all lie about something....it just depends what you feel constitutes an "important" lie. Frankly, I heard enough lies regarding Pastor Wright to convince me that Obama is not electable...the Republicans will have a field day with him.

clara   April 1st, 2008 7:43 pm ET

i hope hillary will except because oboma won't want to

Susan S.   April 1st, 2008 7:43 pm ET

I'm not too interested in hearing another debate, in the formats already done – they've debated 20 times already. It would be interesting to hear them take questions from the public, just call-in like on C-SPAN and compare their answers.

Not that I need any help making up my mind.

Obama 08 & 12!

Public eye   April 1st, 2008 7:33 pm ET

Yes we need to have another debate in Indiana. First question on the agenda should be, "Will you endorse the winning candidate and unite all of your supporters by persuading them to vote for the winning candidate in November, or let them cast spiteful votes by voting for McCain?"

Tom , Flagstaff, AZ   April 1st, 2008 7:33 pm ET

I just hope that the debate moderators will ask her about her BIG LIE: that she arrived in Bosnia under sniper fire. Then, when she responds with "Ho, ho, ho, I was just so tired when I said that" the moderators will remind her that she said it numerous times–and in fact wrote it too, in her so-called memoirs. Memoirs? No, it's "My Life as I Choose to Tell It so that You Will Vote for Me for President." Big lies come from big liars.

Emily   April 1st, 2008 7:31 pm ET

NO MORE DEBATES!!!!! WE'RE SICK OF THEM.....................

Wendy   April 1st, 2008 7:30 pm ET

I think both candidates should attend the debate, but only if the debate is moderated by people who are truly objective. I'm so sick of watching debates that lean heavily in favor of one candidate, while making the other appear stupid or....worse...incompetent.

The media has been so biased in their favoring of one candidate that I can't trust them to put on an objective and fair debate. We can always listen to the slanted and biased opinions of the pundits after the debate.

MenLieWomenLieNumbers Dont   April 1st, 2008 7:29 pm ET

Can we have one and this time let the moderators focus on the Issue I know the Democratic Nominee Barack Obama can use this opportunity to hit the republicans and give us more insight on his policies ... also keep the pressure on the GOP camp

Rene F   April 1st, 2008 7:24 pm ET

Good. Clinton will wipe the floor with him. Obama is an extremely poor debater. He stumbles or simply says "I agree with Hillary". Please debate. Please, please, please debate!

Another fed up woman   April 1st, 2008 7:24 pm ET

Good let's now get back to the issues. The Lou Dobb's show tonight is the only thing on the media circuit focusing on the truth–the media is skewing the race toward Obama and going unchallenged–well, at this point!. Go Lou! I went out and purchased you book. The truth be told.

Festus, Montana   April 1st, 2008 7:23 pm ET

. . . .April 24 is not a good date to hold the debate. Bill and Hillary
will probably be answering fraud charges in California around that time.

California girl   April 1st, 2008 7:21 pm ET

Hillary, say Yes to a debate! You are an amazing woman and always have a quick intelligent answer to all questions asked of you first.

You are our future President!

Hillary 08

Michael   April 1st, 2008 7:20 pm ET

Hopefully Barack can schedule in the time to have the debate.

Sly in Seattle   April 1st, 2008 7:18 pm ET

we dont need anymore debates.. geez!

Djools from the Netherlands   April 1st, 2008 7:17 pm ET

We don't need antoher debate between them. We want them to cooperate. That means Hillary should take the veep job.

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