Various Releases on Newt Gingrich's Lincoln-Douglas Style Debates

Manchester, NH – Governor Buddy Roemer issued the following statement challenging Newt Gingrich to a one-on-one debate in New Hampshire.
 
"Over the last several weeks Newt Gingrich has challenged anyone and everyone (almost) in the Presidential field to a series of Lincoln-Douglas style debates. Well Mr. Gingrich, you are no Lincoln. And for that matter, you’re no Douglas.
 
"The concept of a Lincoln-Douglas debate goes back to 1858 when Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas debated one of the most important issues of their time, the issue of slavery. What weighty issues are addressed in these debates? They’re a circus.
 
"I challenge Speaker Gingrich to a one-on-one debate to address the issue – the only one not being discussed – money in politics. Let’s hold it here in New Hampshire, where the First in the Nation primary has been overshadowed by pandering to national media outlets, where retail politics has been disregarded for carefully staged book tours.
 
"If Gingrich won’t debate me, I won’t be sad. There are obviously topics he prefers to discuss, candidates he prefers to debate, and those he wishes to avoid. I won’t suggest he’s picking contests he knows he can win because he’s afraid of losing. But if he won’t explain to the American people where he gets his money and what favors he owes to special interests, then he certainly isn’t qualified to be President. A president should be free to lead."

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PRESS RELEASES from Jon Huntsman for President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Contact: Contact Name
December 5, 2011

Huntsman/Gingrich Release Details of Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Manchester - Newt 2012 and Jon Huntsman for President have agreed to a Lincoln-Douglas style debate focused on foreign policy and national security. We have invited the Southern New Hampshire 9-12 Project and St. Anselm's College Republicans to co-sponsor the event. The debate will take place Monday, December 12th at the Institute of Politics in Manchester, New Hampshire. The campaigns issued the following statement:

"Governor Huntsman and Speaker Gingrich look forward to debating in a substantive format that will allow both candidates to highlight their experience and view for the country," Huntsman campaign manager Matt David and Gingrich campaign director Michael Krull said in a joint statement.

Debate Logistics

Sponsors: Southern New Hampshire 9.12 Project and St. Anselm's College Republicans
Date: Monday, December 12th, 2011
Time: TBD (Either 4PM or 5PM ET) 
Location: New Hampshire Institute of Politics, Manchester N.H.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Contact: Contact Name
December 2, 2011

Huntsman Campaign Accepts Lincoln-Douglas Debate With Gingrich; Turns Down The Donald

Manchester- Jon Huntsman for President today announced that Governor Huntsman will be participating in a Lincoln-Douglas style debate with Newt Gingrich in New Hampshire this month. Details pending negotiations with the Gingrich campaign.  

In addition, our campaign is declining the invitation to participate in the Donald Trump Apprentice Debate on December 27th.

Campaign spokesman Tim Miller issued the following statement:

"We look forward to discussing the issues that matter to the American people in a serious, substantive debate with Speaker Gingrich later this month.  It is telling that Governor Romney has declined to participate because this substantive format makes it hard for him to hide from his record.

In addition, we have declined to participate in the 'Presidential Apprentice' Debate with The Donald.  The Republican Party deserves a serious discussion of the issues so voters can choose a leader they trust to defeat President Obama and turn our economy around. We are confident that leader will be Jon Huntsman."

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PRESS RELEASE from Rick Santorum for President
December 3, 2011
For Immediate Release 
Contact: Matt Beynon

SANTORUM ACCEPTS OFFER TO PARTICIPATE IN "LINCOLN-DOUGLAS" STYLE DEBATE
DURING FOX NEWS CHANNEL'S "ON THE RECORD" WITH GRETA VAN SUSTEREN

To learn more about former Senator Rick Santorum, please visit www.RickSantorum.com.

                                               

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Newt and Herman Cain Debate Entitlements and Other Issues in The Woodlands, TX
Saturday, November 5 2011 -- 7pm CT/8pm ET
Hosted by Texas Tea Party Patriots PAC
The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center 
2800 N. Milbend
The Woodlands, Texas 77380

EMAILS from Newt 2012

Nov. 5, 2011

Dear Friend and Supporter,

It’s often said entitlement programs like Social Security are the third rail of American politics because everyone who touches them ends up regretting it. But Speaker Gingrich is different. He has a long track record of tackling difficult problems. When he was Speaker of the House, the American people created over 11 million jobs, and during his tenure, government paid off over $400 billion in debt, balanced a budget that had been in the red for nearly a generation, and used commonsense principles to reform the welfare system.

Not only does Speaker Gingrich's experience reforming welfare make him uniquely qualified to tackle entitlement programs, but he also has the courage to discuss them publicly as part of his campaign for President!

Later today, Newt will sit down for a 90-minute discussion-style debate with Herman Cain specifically on entitlement programs. It’s telling that the rest of the field has no interest in participating in debates like this, but Newt Gingrich is different. He not only has reform plans strong enough to withstand 90 minutes of scrutiny, but he has the courage to address these problems, not in 10-word sound bites, but in a thorough and thoughtful manner!

I hope you'll watch the debate, which will air on C-SPAN tonight at 8pm ET. But there is something else you can do to help Speaker Gingrich continue his rise in the polls: please make a generous donation to the campaign.

This is a campaign built on ideas, and we have an opportunity to take those ideas all the way to the White House! Please, help us get our message out by making a contribution today.

Thank You,

Michael Krull
Newt 2012
Campaign Manager

Nov. 6, 2011

Dear Friend and Supporter,

Something incredible happened over the last two days, and if you rely on the traditional media, you may have missed it. Friday night, I was with the campaign in Iowa for a Ronald Reagan dinner, and after watching four of the other candidates speak, Speaker Gingrich confidently took the stage. What he did next defied the viciousness of the modern political campaign: Newt offered praise for each of the candidates in the room individually. He praised them for their strengths, and then made his case why he is the best candidate to be the next President of the United States, and he did it without tearing others down to make himself look good.
 
He also promised that after he got the nomination that his schedule would become the White House schedule, and he would appear four hours after every Obama appearance until the President agreed to seven, three-hour Lincoln-Douglas style debates. There will be no moderator, just a timekeeper, and as an extra incentive the Speaker would be willing to allow the President to use a teleprompter! It is becoming more common to hear Newt get the loudest applause, but Friday night in Iowa, he brought the house down!
 
Saturday, the campaign traveled to Texas for a unique discussion on entitlements with Herman Cain. The format allowed both of the candidates to go beyond :30 second sound bites and give detailed answers on Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. The media has already tried to portray the event as a “snooze fest,” but I can tell you that the audience was enthralled! The overwhelming feedback from the audience was that they "wish all the debates were like this.”
 
The major media largely tried to ignore this event because it threatens their debates, which tend to focus more on their moderators and perceived personal drama than on policy. They tell us that is the only way they can get ratings, but last night proved that to be hogwash! 

After the event, one reporter asked if fundraising was the only thing left blocking Newt from the Republican nomination. That kind of question clearly shows that even the media is starting to see the momentum of this campaign, but they want to know if we can raise enough money to be competitive.
 
We need to make a statement to the media that this surge is real by making this week the best fundraising week of the campaign! If you have been won over by Speaker Gingrich’s ideas and would pay money to see a Newt-Obama debate, here is your chance. Let’s raise ONE MILLION DOLLARS for Newt 2012 this week! If you are ready for a new kind of campaign, bold changes, and experienced leadership please make a generous contribution right now!
 
I know that many of you have already given to the campaign recently, and we are so grateful for your continued support, but it is important that we put a huge fundraising number up this week. If you can afford another financial contribution, will you please invest in this campaign again today?

Sincerely,

RC Hammond
Press Secretary
Newt 2012