Kerry camp challenges Bush to six debates

[Ben.]

Bad move for Kerry. If he want's to win, he shouldn't debate Bush this early on, because that's where Bush shines through. He is much more likeable when he's unscripted, especially when there's something at stake. I will point to his second debate with Al Gore. If Kerry can't get his campaign going, the last thing he needs is to lose these debates. He first needs to gain momentum and establish himself.

Kerry is a good debater and shouldn't be underestimated.
Just ask Bill Weld...

Exactly!  Kerry was seen as dull and patrician and Weld was seen as folksy and likable… but in the end Kerry was able through the debates to beat Weld by 7 points!  Kerry is a good debater so long as he is fighting and knows that his situation is serious (like in 1996) … thing is Kerry can get complacent… we need a poll with Bush with a lead of say six or seven even that would make him work a little harder… where’s the “Come Back Kerry” when you need him…. He’s having an operation he should be giving interviews,  making speeches, making the press take notice and with Clark and Condie taking up a lot of the oxygen he should use ads as Bush is doing and surrogates to, again as Bush is doing….      

[Ben.]

Bush will debate Kerry, just not 6 times.

Bush doesn’t need to take the risk... come October He'll agree to debate Kerry as little as possible...  

[Ben.]

I think they will have to debate more than twice IMHO...

I would say about three times, possibly four, the pressure on them to debate more than twice would be enormous and creating an issue out of not debating is something Bush does not want... while in a debate Kerry has the advantage, Bush has improved over the last four years and the impression it would be a walkover for Kerry is flawed... however the Weld precedent  is a very important thing to remember... if Kerry is behind at the time of the debates then he will probably put in a better performance... than where he leading...