I wonder why BushCo is so afraid to debate Kerry?
Also:

Bad strategic move.

The Repubs have spent most of their campaign money and energy smearing Kerry,
and with no small amount of success. Most of the people in the country
have a badly distorted image of Bush's opponent.

A debate would undo a lot of what the right wing has "accomplished" so far. If
Kerry loses this deal, it will be because the right wing spent more money and
energy telling the American public who John Satan Kerry is than Kerry was able
to. Kerry has been defined by the opposition- often a losing position in any
game.

Bush is not a good speaker, (to put it kindly). He would look like the daily
dufous
trying to find and correctly pronounce the words he would need to answer
questions from a panel.

If you were Bush, why would you submit to a direct, head to head comparison to
Kerry? Kerry would have nothing to lose, Bush would have nothing to gain.

As long as hate, fear, distrust, and stupidity are more common human currencies
than enlightened discourse and issues oriented discussions, Bush and his ilk
will continue to communicate through propaganda- not a civil debate.