If Fred does not Debate he will be called:
Lazy
Cowardly
Not serious
...And all of that and more will stick as far as his campaign is concerned. He has to show up to most of the debates, especially the ones where the other major candidates appear.
If memory serves me right, hasn’r he been called those things already?
Naw. Us Tennessee boys don’t like to be told we HAVE to do ANYTHING.
If “the way you have to do it” is stupid, I’ve always had the “You hide and watch me” attitude, and done it the way I thought it ought to be done.
Other than things that are legally required, or that violate the laws of physics, doing it my way has usually worked, and is a lot more satisfying.
I like people who think like that. Fred’s like me.