I don't blame him for not debating. If I remember right, he was an odds-on favorite to win the election. In a case like that, there is benefit to debating. If had done well, he still would have been the front-runner. If he had a bad night and was perceived as losing the the debate, it would only help his opposition. There was no up side to his campaign, and since he was trying to win the race, he wouldn't want to do anything that might help his opponent. In a football analogy, say your team is ahead with time running out. You could do nothing (take a knee) and go home with a W. Or you could run a play. Why would you run a play when that opens the door to the posibility of a fumble or interception? That would only serve to give the other team an opportunity to make a play and take the lead from you. Same thing when your a strong leader in the polls. You do nothing that gives your opponent a chance to take that lead away.