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The aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress.

A debate has one purpose, one purpose only, and that is to facilitate the exchange of ideas directly between two candidates, and that's it.

Discussion is just a tool. You have to aim; the final goal must be a decision.

But I do think its necessary to have debates.

There's always merit to having a debate.

We need to punch back against the extremes of both the left and the right and define the terms of the debate ourselves.

I'd rather lose an argument than get into a long discussion in order to win it.

If we're going to have debates, let's have real debates.

I come to urge my party to be open to debate and discussion; to move away from a lock-step litmus test which advocates abortion on demand in an effort to reach a broader national consensus.