Why I think Obama will not do Townhall with McBush....

[HardWorkingDem]

If anyone has a better reason, please put it forth.

I think the reason why Obama had decided against a Townhall debate is because his campaign people believe the regular debate will make him "look" more presidential and that they feel that is the image they need to put across to the American people. Also that if there were a Townhall debate, McBush's people would only go on to state how that is the best forum for Obama and blah, blah, blah...

What do others think? I'm interested because I think a Townhall would be a huge strength for Obama.

[bluestateguy]

1. This is what we have seen in 2000 and 2004

Democrats win the debates on the intellect and the issues, and then Republicans proceed to win the post-debate spin war in the critical 72 hours of news coverage after the debate.

[writes3000]

2. I think the problem is that it would be too, too easy for Republicans to plant Wright questions.

And if the campaign tried to censor questions, they would get hammered.

[snowbear]

3. Yep. Townhalls are too easy.

And McSame is too sleazy.

Enuf said.

[liberalmuse]

4. In a townhall, you can say any stupid thing and get away with it.

I'm betting that he was advised against it, probably by Kerry. To any person of sound mind, Kerry clearly won the town halls against Bush, but the casual setting favored Bush, even though he completely sucked. What advisors learned from the Kerry/Bush town hall style debates is that you really shouldn't let a Republican goofball run amok in an undisciplined setting. A formal debate lets knowledge of the issues, eloquence and charisma shine, as Clinton did in his '96 debate with Dole, who absolutely bombed in every possible way. McCain is not a good speaker, and he has very little of the knowledge and zero of the wisdom needed to be President. In fact, he's so bad, I believe it's crucial that there not be a gun anywhere in the vicinity when he is speaking.

[DFLforever]

5. One of the three debates is a town hall, isn't it.? The one in TN?

[Life Long Dem]

6. All set.

We'll go with your answer!

[eshfemme]

7. Frankly, without a moderator, the level of discourse in a townhall will be too low.

Because McCain will give stupid answers to the questions and most of the voters will be low information and not catch him when he's BSing. Even though Obama will probably show that he's the better candidate to those with discerning eyes, it's basically a venue where the lowest common denominator will probably win. Look, not to be elitist, but the audience is gonna be packed with people who still have yet to be decided and that usually means people who just don't care as much about doing the extra work to do the research. The townhall works well when it's just 1 candidate but with 2 candidates, it's essentially a backyard wrestling match of words-- everyone's gonna suck.

[lamp_shade]

8. I'm with you Eshfemme

[Indenturedebtor]

13. Yeah townhalls with two people have the intellectual integrity of the Springer show n/t

[PatSeg]

9. Also, I think Obama wants to control the dialog and format

Makes him look like an in charge (presidential) person and it undermines McCain's credibility. McCain wanted to look like the seasoned statesman to Obama's novice status. It is very important that Obama doesn't let McCain set the tone. It puts McCain on the defense and makes him look unsure of his ability to win on merit and experience.

[lamp_shade]

10. Ah yes... so true

Again yesterday (or day before) McCain mentioned Obama's refusal to join him. He was whining of course, but he sounded a tad insincere, as though he KNEW damned well he sounded whiney and just hated the sound of his own voice.

[PatSeg]

14. Exactly

And the whining doesn't sound presidential. He sounds like a little kid who didn't get his way.

[Kahuna]

11. Obama would easily outshine McNasty... But.. McNasty has proven

himself a shameless liar and Obama would basically have to defend against a relentless barrage of lies so why bother.

[aaroh]

12. my theory,

Obama is popular, McCain is not.
Obama on his own can draw a large audience, McCain can not.
Obama and McCain together will draw a large TV audience.
Obama's campaign does not want to help McCain gain extra attention.

[HardWorkingDem]

16. Think you are on to another aspect...

I think the McBush people believe he will also feed off of Obama's personality in a Townhall debate.

[VolcanoJen]

15. I agree, but for a different reason.

I feel strongly that the Obama camp knows that the first images of McCain standing next to Obama will be jarring to people... the visual contrast of age vs. youth, agitated vs. calm, rhetoric vs. thoughtfulness.

Obama knows that in elections past, undecideds made their final decision watching the Presidential debates. They don't want to squander the moment of contrast, they don't want to give undecideds a chance to get used to seeing McCain and Obama side-by-side. They want it to be a BAM! POP! WOW! moment that is the real October surprise.

And that's why they won't surrender that moment, or their enormous crowds, to McCain under his terms in a town hall meeting. And I wholeheartedly agree with that political decision.

[Hippo_Tron]

17. Town halls aren't about the questions, they are about the people asking the questions

For a point of reference, Bill Clinton was the master of town halls.

Here's the famous clip of Clinton's smackdown of Poppy in 1992 during their town hall debate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ffbFvKlWqE

Obviously the woman asking "how the has the national debt affected you" knew nothing about economics and her question was beyond stupid. And truth be told Poppy's answer was probably more honest when he said that it didn't effect him personally. But he came off looking like an elitist ass for saying it and having to have the question explained to him by the moderator.

Clinton, of course, understood people and knew immediately that the woman meant poor economic conditions when she said "national debt". And he knew exactly what she wanted to hear. Frankly his answer was a load of crap that didn't do a single thing to tell America how we were actually going to get out of the economic hard times but that wasn't the point. Clinton was able to relate to the woman and Poppy wasn't and that's all that matters.

Town halls favor McThesulah for two reasons. For one, he's been doing them since before Obama got into politics. Secondly, McThesulah doesn't have to show his lack of intelligence by giving complex answers about policy. All he has to do is relate to the people in the audience. He's no Bill Clinton by any means and his town halls are hardly wonderful but this is the one format where he might be able to stand on equal footing with Obama.

[johnaries]

18. He IS doing a Town Hall, here in Nashville.

http://www.visitmusiccity.com/client_sites/debate/index.html

Only undecideds are allowed to ask questions.

[CreekDog]

19. because they'll ask him if he's Muslim, about flag pins, about birth certificates

:eyes: