Obama Agrees to Three Debates, No Town-Halls

[my2sense]

Source: WSJ

Barack Obama won’t be holding any town-hall style debates with John McCain, his campaign manager said on Saturday.

In a letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said “Due to the late date of the two parties’ nominating conventions, and the relatively short period between the end of the conventions and the first proposed debate, it is likely that the four Commission debates will be the sole series of debates in the fall campaign.”

Since the beginning of the general election campaign, the McCain campaign has called on Obama to hold interactive town-hall style events around the country. McCain has criticized his opponent for not agreeing to the events.

Read more: http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/08/02/obama-agrees-to-three-debates-no-town-halls/

[Barack_America]

1. Three or four?

:shrug:

[gblady]

2. my question as well....

the article was confusing on that point.

[truthisfreedom]

3. "three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate" (From link)

[Turbineguy]

4. I still remember when Nixon was running

somebody offered to debate him "... and just to make it fair, I won't shave!"

[Phoonzang]

5. The headline on yahoo is...

"Obama backs away from McCain's debate challenge". Great.

[DarthDem]

14. Saw That Too

It was from the AP. Probably written by Ron Fournier. Ah, the liberal media in action.

[Myrina]

34. Yeah what was that about the MSM-Obama "lovefest" ...

... that we hear about on CNN etc all the time? :spank:

Apparently notreally-somuch.

[my2sense]

6. I can't wait for these debates

I doubt McCain will be able to maintain his composure and we can see the "real" John McCain.

[bigworld]

7. Obama should do a town hall style debate

He's not that bad at it. And McCain doesn't exactly excel at the format.

[Virginia Dare]

9. McCain thinks that's his strength..

so I agree with Obama for sandbagging him on it, why give him the forum he wants?

[NorthCarolina]

23. I have to say I don't get how McCain would excel at a Town Hall style debate

I think Obama would eat him alive no matter what style of debate it is. Is there something about Town Halls that I'm not getting? Like, are they some sort of venue where the audience can be "stacked" against one party or the other?

[Virginia Dare]

28. I agree, I think he will probably suck at both next to Obama..

he doesn't have the ability to connect to an audience the way Obama does, but for some reason he seems to think this is a better format for him. Maybe it's just the lesser of two evils thing.

[JerseygirlCT]

31. Is it really a strength though?

From what I've heard, he comes off looking like a dope in those, too.

Next to obama, who would have his facts straight and IS allowed to speak for Obama, wouldn't he look even more doddering?

I'm not sure I get why Obama doesn't go ahead and do this.

[Virginia Dare]

32. Of course not, but he obviously feels more comfortable..

in that format, as opposed to a formal debate. McCain still thinks that he can connect to an audience when he can talk off the cuff. My guess is, he's never faced even half of a hostile audience before, which it would certainly be. McCain still believes his "straight talk" horseshit.

Of course Obama shines next to him in either format, but if it's the town hall that McCain prefers, Obama is right to take a pass. He's not in a position to be giving in to their demands.

[IndependentDem]

10. I agree... I don't understand why he wouldn't want to do them. n/t

[LeftyMom]

11. Because it's too easy to stack the audience or skew the questions

and while people can tell pretty easily when the debate moderator is a biased douche, they tend to assume the "town hall" format represents a cross-section of the community when it generally does not.

Also, town hall questions tend to be insipid.

[Virginia Dare]

30. Plus, McCain is more comfortable in that situation.

so why make him more comfortable unless you have to?

[Virginia Dare]

29. Because that's what McCain WANTS..

Obama knows he has the upper hand and if McCain feels uncomfortable in a formal situation, then make him squirm.

[IndependentDem]

37. I think that Obama would make McCain squirm in either format. nt

[HiddenCSLib]

18. Exactly

or does Obama not really shine at these events? I say that the town hall debates be held to demonstrate the type of leader that they need to elect.

[butterfly77]

36. Obama will shine in any of these formats..

no matter what dirty tricks they will try to use and they will try...

[MilesColtrane]

43. The town hall format could easily work towards McCain's advantage.

It all depends on who the moderator would be.

In a town hall debate, unlike the standard format, the moderator is the sole selector of which audience questions get asked of the candidates.

Would you really like Fox's Shepard Smith deciding what is asked of Obama? (Don't automatically dismiss this scenario. Fox was the number 1 rated cable news network last year.)

Another problem for Obama is that when he is speaking from prepared material he is SO good that his off the cuff responses can seem weak in comparison.

Sure McCain's never going to come across as Cicero regardless of what type of debates happen. But, why should Obama give him any tactical advantage at all?

[tidy_bowl]

47. I agree...

...by not agreeing to do a town hall style debate he leaves himself open to the elitism charge right or wrong. Best to hit it head on and show his mettle.

[still_one]

8. There is no abiguity of the differences between the candidates, only the stupidity

of the American public and the media's distortion of ignoring the issues

[Politicalboi]

12. Why should Obama

Let McCain know what it's like to talk to a crowd of over 100 people. And don't be too sure about Obama kicking his ass. We here at DU will see that Obama kicked his ass but the media will spin it like they did for Bush in 00 and 04. I mean the fool had a box under his suit coat and the media just let it slide. Just like they let ALL of McCains gaffes go they will make him out to have gone toe to toe with Obama at the debates. My guess 4 debates will end up being a tie 2 to 2 just like the polls.

[Danieljay]

13. I remember when Bush and Gore debated. The bar was so lowered for Bush that anything other than a

total ass kicking was considered a victory for Bush. Will this happen again?

[DarthDem]

15. That'll Be the Media Narrative

McCain "held his own" and so forth. But I don't think it will play with the voters. Also, I'm mindful of the fact that McClown's negativity is suddenly putting a lot of bloom off the rose for MSM members. So they might not be as willing to excuse him as a bumbling fool, as they were Dumbya in 2000. Also, Obama is a much, much stronger candidate than Kerry, and McSame isn't an incumbent, so I don't think 2004 is a good comparison.

[donco6]

25. Absolutely. n/t

[bow-tie]

16. KO and Rachel

for mods!

[Imagevision]

17. Would anyone be surprised for McCain to say NO to debates?

[leftrightwingnut]

21. It would not surprise me at all.

The "town hall" thing may be McCain's excuse. IMHO, his best chance is if he does not debate Obama at all. If there is even one, single debate, the McCain's supporters will be forced to see them side-by-side. So far, all they know about Obama is what Fox News and John McCain say. A televised debate between the two may be a real eye-opener for McCain supporters.

[stlsaxman]

19. Obama holds the winning cards and McCain knows it.

Excellent that Barack didn't give John the "town hall" debate.

[Vinca]

20. Poor old McBush. If he can't get Barack to show up he'll never see a crowd. nt

[azul]

22. corporate sponsored commission -Obama should refuse these debates and

demand the League of Women Voters moderate any debates, and on PBS only.

From wiki:

The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) was established in 1987 by the Democratic and Republican parties to establish the way that debates between candidates for President of the United States are run. The Commission is a private entity, funded entirely by corporate contributions.

The Commission sponsors and produces debates for the United States presidential and vice presidential candidates and undertakes research and educational activities relating to the debates. The organization, which is a nonprofit, bi-partisan corporation, has sponsored each of the presidential debates held since 1988. The Commission has moderated the 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004 debates. Prior to this, the League of Women Voters moderated the 1976, 1980, 1984 debates.

In 1988, the League of Women Voters withdrew its sponsorship of the presidential debates after the George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis campaigns secretly agreed to a "memorandum of understanding" that would decide which candidates could participate in the debates, which individuals would be panelists (and therefore able to ask questions), and the height of the podiums. The League rejected the demands and released a statement saying that they were withdrawing support for the debates because "the demands of the two campaign organizations would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter".

[beac]

26. I don't know about PBS... I recall Jim Lehrer and Gwen Ifill did

pretty lousy jobs with debates they moderated in the past.

[azul]

38. No, on PBS with LOWV moderators. No corporate sponsors or profits.

[Festivito]

24. Don't like it. Sounds like he insures a loss on a debate he'd win.

We know they'll stack the audience. As well, we know they'll stack the moderators.

So what?

Enough of Americans see through it.

But, ONLY IF YOU LET THEM.

Besides all that, Obama would win anyway.

[bluestateguy]

27. It's always the candidate who is behind who tries to create a debate over debates

And I don't ever remember a time where it worked.

[Ian David]

33. I'm putting $100 on 27 minutes into the second debate...

... as the point when McCain tries to physically assault Obama and needs to be restrained.

I'm also putting $20 on McCain using "The F-Word" and $10 on McCain using "The N-Word" if I get double pay-off for both words being used together in the same sentence.

Who wants a piece of THAT action?

If I win, I'll donate my winnings to MoveOn.org.

[Myrina]

35. Not sure about The physical assault but I do know ...

McLame will be a condescending, snide asshole like he usually is when he thinks he's trying to be 'funny'.

And I hope it backfires on him like a damn A-bomb.

[roamer65]

40. Obama should needle him to get him to violently overreact on teevee.

Bring up Keating Five and suggest he was taking bribes, which we all know he was.:popcorn:

[mitchum]

44. I just want to see the 5'7" McCain walking in the KISS platform boots he will surely...

be sporting for the handshake after the debate

[chapel hill dem]

39. McCain wants as few one-on-one real-time confrontations with Obama as possible.

He wants friendly 527 organizations to pepper the airwaves and youtube with cheapshot video ads like the Moses ad.

McCain wants everything scripted so he is not caught screwing up on live TV.

His request for town hall debates is a red herring.

IMHO

[roamer65]

41. Delete.

[roamer65]

42. Wasn't Eagleton removed from the ticket as VP in'72 for electroshock therapy?

Insane McSame I'm sure had electroshock torture in N Vietnam, so that should disqualify him if it is fact.

[dysfunctional press]

45. i think it's a mistake for barack to back down from doing the townhall debates...

it gives him the appearance of a weak-spot that mccain's campaign can take advantage of.

[ohio2007]

46. If poll #'s don't climb...... people are going to want to hear from him and

explain what he will do to increase voter interest in his candidacy.

The low/mid 40's posted by both candidates ?

imo
People are not impressed enough to push either one over the top.

[jmowreader]

48. I think Obama should agree to one Town Hall debate...

The McSame camp has to agree to the following rules:

Rule Number One. The moderator calling on audience members to ask questions of Senator Obama can be either Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly or Wolf Blitzer. The moderator calling on audience members to ask questions of Senator McCain will be Keith Olbermann.

Rule Number Two. No subject is off-limits for discussion.

Rule Number Three. There will be 200 audience members. One half will be selected by each candidate.

Rule Number Four, The debate will be three hours long.

Rule Number Five. Candidates will answer the question they're asked, and not a different question.

I figure we can put 100 DUers in the audience and keep America glued to their sets watching McSame answer questions about Charles Keating, hot-started A-6 engines, his Reverse Ace award, and the reality of asking anti-alcohol Christofascists to vote for a man who is married to one of the biggest beer distributors in America. It'll be more entertaining than seeing Obama explain that Muslims normally do not go to churches with Christian ministers.

[Kire]

49. What? No YouTube debate?

that's just awful