ScienceDebate2008 appears dead

Why? Possibly because, Hillary Clinton’s call for a “Lincoln-Douglas debate” aside, it doesn’t fit the format of carefully scripted debates.

And, while Obama might eventually agree to an open-style debate about things like health care or Middle East foreign policy, neither candidate is going to openly discuss science policy in an unscripted debate. They wouldn’t touch that with a 10-foot pole.

Why, in detail?

Well, it would be hard to pander to corn farmers about ethanol, for example. It would be hard to pander to Illinois or Wyoming coal miners about clean slightly less dirty coal-generated electric power.

And, yes, candidates can file position papers. And they do so safe and secure in the sense that John and Jane Voter will never read them.