About Tuesday's town hall debate format.

[lamp_shade]

It's supposed to be a town hall format with questions from the audience and from emails. How many I don't know, but this is the format McCain is most comfortable with and with which he reportedly performs most effectively.
But wait... Tuesday's audience will be a mix of dems/repubs/undecideds; no tailor-made softball (and often silly) questions from his devotees. He'll have to answer real questions, something Obama not only handles well, but freaking ENCOURAGES. At every opportunity he says "I'll take 2 or 3 questions". You and I know that usually means "7 or 8". Onward and upward.

[eshfemme]

1. Yes, not enough people see Obama's town halls and how fucking good they are

Seriously, one of the first campaign stops I saw of his was a town hall where he was just taking questions and it kinda ruined any other campaign events for me. I actually preferred him in those unscripted settings in comparison to rallies because even though he gives a good speech, his stump speeches had little variance and I got the details I wanted in his answers to the town hall questions.

And although I understand why the negotiations for the summer town halls with McCain broke down, I do wish Obama had gotten the chance to completely show up McCain on his "home turf" (seriously, McCain's such a whiny bastard for not getting his 10 town halls when Obama simply wanted to reduce the number to make it easier to schedule).

[moriah]

7. I love listening to them on Potus 08.

That's how I get a lot of my news regarding politics -- they were great during the primaries, broadcasting stump speeches from all candidates, including Q&A. And now they do the same with Obama and McCain, and also broadcast a few of Hillary's speeches that she's doing while stumping for Obama.

I did submit a question about taxation of domestic partner health benefits, asking if since there are so many uninsured if they would support rescinding those taxes to encourage more people who work for companies that provide domestic partner benefits to cover their boyfriends/girlfriends and kids that might otherwise be on Medicaid. We'll see.

[lamp_shade]

2. I hate self-aggrandizing boots.

[nc4bo]

3. Obama has done an outstanding job in his townhall settings....10 times better than

McYellaBellySapSucka.

Obama's TH's have had everything from adoring supporters to radical protesters and included all sorts of questions, not just softball set-ups.

Obama will have Mccain creaming crap into his pants.

[Schulzz]

4. I still don't like this format.

I'm sure Obama will do well with any questions on issues. I just hope there won't be any bullshit questions. How will the questions be selected?

[jacksonian]

5. by Brokow

expect loaded questions.

[nc4bo]

8. and Mr. Brokaw's been put on notice, not just by groups like Moveon but also by individuals

like us on DU AND by the Obama campaign itself.

Petitions, letters and a huge call-out by David Plouffe.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7286248

Brokaw has been outed in a big way. He best keep his right-wing political opinions and agenda to himself.

[jacksonian]

10. maybe

but it's their last shot. They got Obama into a rigged town hall over the summer and scored what they thought were points. They need this one, and I don't think any call-outs are going to sway that much.

[lamp_shade]

6. Good question. I'll look into this.

You're right. He'll be selecting the questions (audience and internet).

[Hokie]

9. Right, McGrumpy likes stacked town halls

Let's see if he can avoid snarkiness on tough questions.

[spanone]

11. the debate is on the campus of a christian, highly conservative college

belmont university

http://www.belmont.edu/

[NotThisTime]

14. How on earth will they find Dem. participants in Tenn. on a Conservative campus that won't try to

skewer Obama over his liberal views? I can see a train wreck in the making.

[SoxFan]

15. The school is in Nashville, not Mayberry

And ticket distribution for these things is handled by the campaigns and the debate commission, not the school.

[lamp_shade]

16. Thanks for that info

[stray cat]

12. Raise expectations - this is McCain's choice because its where he shines!

[lamp_shade]

13. I hear ya.

I just hope the questions are tough and bullshit proof.