# Brave Scott Brown Bravely Ran Away (from debate with Elizabeth Warren) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 19, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677 "2012-06-19T20:28:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/21 "2012-06-19T22:28:12Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Why should he debate in a venue that screams DEMOCRAT and is run by the wife of the late Democratic Senator whose “seat” he won? I would’t expect Obama to agree to debate Romney at the Reagan Library. Why shouldn’t he? What advantage or disadvantage is granted by the name on the building? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/22 "2012-06-19T22:34:26Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Why shouldn’t he? What advantage or disadvantage is granted by the name on the building? Democrats in a building named after a Democrat gain +2 to all rolls, and any Republicans suffer 1 negative level as long as they are within the building. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/23 "2012-06-19T22:48:47Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It would be really stupid for him to agree to debate at that venue under almost any circumstances. You’re quite right. Unemplyment, health care, banking regulations, taxation, deficits? No, this race will be decided by the name on the building they debate in. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/24 "2012-06-20T00:24:45Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > The Widow Reagan is in fact, at age 90, still alive. I’m glad to hear that. She’s in my Celebrity Death Pool list - I’d have felt like a right tool if she was already deceased. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/25 "2012-06-20T00:42:06Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Can’t blame him. MSNBC is (mostly) a left leaning, Democratic advocating network. Their prime-time talking heads are all left or left leaning. They were willing to agree to his local media request and had lined up Tom Brokaw as the moderator. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/26 "2012-06-20T00:47:09Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > The Widow Reagan is in fact, at age 90, still alive. I wonder if she knows how much her husband’s incompetence screwed up the country. ---
**Author:** ![Khym\_Chanur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Khym\_Chanur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khym_Chanur)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/27 "2012-06-20T00:48:59Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I know that Nancy isn’t alive today, but if she were, and if she were running the place, I would not advise Obama to debate there. What would he have to gain? Obama is in a similar position to Brown-- the incumbent fighting against a challenger. Unless he’s really lagging in the polls, the debates are more risk than reward for him. I really don’t get it. Compare the two situations: [ol] [li]Obama debates Romney at a place besides the Reagan library, the next day Nancy Reagan endorses Romney.[/li][li]Obama debates Romney at the Reagan library, the next day Nancy Reagan endorses Romney.[/li][/ol] I really don’t see how #2 is going to negatively impact Obama more than #1. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/28 "2012-06-20T00:57:56Z")
Well, then, he will undoubtedly suffer at the hands of the voters. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/29 "2012-06-20T01:01:33Z")
Did Brown offer to debate somewhere else? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/30 "2012-06-20T01:17:10Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > The Widow Reagan is in fact, at age 90, still alive. As much as she ever was. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/31 "2012-06-20T01:52:38Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Here’s how debates work: The guy who is behind in the polls wants as many debates as possible and the guy who is ahead wants as few as possible. The rest is theater. Warren and Brown are currently tied in the polls. [http://polltracker.talkingpointsmemo.com/contests/ma-senator-12](http://polltracker.talkingpointsmemo.com/contests/ma-senator-12) I think cowardice is the simplest explanation for Scott Brown’s behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/32 "2012-06-20T01:56:27Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Can’t blame him. MSNBC is (mostly) a left leaning, Democratic advocating network. Their prime-time talking heads are all left or left leaning. I’m not sure if’ he’s ahead in the polls, but as the incumbent, maybe he feels he doesn’t need the debates to get his name out there as much as Warren does. Debates are part of the overall political strategy for most politicians. Rachel Maddow - who he once accused as being set up by the Massachusetts Democratic Party to run against him - literally just stated on her TV show that MSNBC was **never** the broadcast host, so his insisting they be removed as hosts was a little… odd. [Here’s her Tweet on both subjects.](https://twitter.com/maddow/statuses/214854802264424448) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/33 "2012-06-20T02:07:31Z")
There is no percentage in being an adoring Rachel M fan. All it gets you is restraining orders. Trust me on this. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/34 "2012-06-20T02:12:01Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > I wonder if she knows how much her husband’s incompetence screwed up the country. On second thought this was a really ugly thing to think. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/35 "2012-06-20T03:23:36Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > As much as she ever was. Oddly enough, I originally wrote “more or less” before “alive” in my original draft but deleted it as too snippily juvenile nasty. But yes, I did think it. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/36 "2012-06-20T03:28:45Z")
Don’t stifle your snark side, let the darkness flow through you, and out the keyboard… ---
**Author:** ![Linguini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ab097/32.png) [@Linguini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linguini)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/37 "2012-06-20T07:35:10Z")
Why on earth would anyone want to debate that lying sack of shit? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/38 "2012-06-20T14:17:50Z")
> [@Linguini](#): > > Why on earth would anyone want to debate that lying sack of shit? To demonstrate to Massachusetts voters what a total bozo and empty suit he is? It’s gonna be a bit harder for him to play the moderate Republican, now that he’s got a voting record. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/39 "2012-06-20T14:21:25Z")
And it’s already been said, but Brown could have easily suggested a more neutral forum, if that was the big hangup. And no, it’s not going to be earthshaking news that Vicki Kennedy supports the Democrat in the race. Even if she makes her endorsement 5 minutes after the debate ends, it’s not going to exactly dominate the news cycle on Boston TV stations. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677/40 "2012-06-20T16:56:59Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Warren and Brown are currently tied in the polls. [http://polltracker.talkingpointsmemo.com/contests/ma-senator-12](http://polltracker.talkingpointsmemo.com/contests/ma-senator-12) > > I think cowardice is the simplest explanation for Scott Brown’s behavior. If he thinks it’s to his advantage not to debate her there, then knowledge or intelligence are just as simple explanations, if not more so. Why do something that is likely to help the other side more than it helps you? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-scott-brown-bravely-ran-away-from-debate-with-elizabeth-warren/625677.md?page=3)