GOP Whines About Debate Format: It Wasn't a REAL Town Hall Format - Unfair To John McCain

[Amerigo Vespucci]

GOP Whines About Debate Format: It Wasn't a REAL Town Hall Format - Unfair To John McCain

http://www.crooksandliars.com/logan-murphy/gop-whine-about-town-hall-debate-form

By Logan Murphy Wednesday Oct 08, 2008 5:30am



During the presidential campaign season, every pundit -- regardless of political affiliation -- has touted the "town hall" format as the strongest and most comfortable debate setting for John McCain. Unfortunately, McCain performed miserably in Tuesday's town hall debate with Barack Obama, once again looking desperate, rambling and uncomfortable. So how is the GOP going spin it?

C&L sources who are on GOP e-mail lists report that at least a half hour before the debate was even finished, they started receiving e-mails spinning and whining about the format and how it wasn't a REAL town hall -- therefore, it's unfair to poor John McCain. Ben Smith at Politico got the ball rolling:

I wrote earlier that this would likely be an empathy contest, but between the odd rules, the candidates, and the visibly displeased moderator, that's not really happening. The questions are basically impersonal, and the questioners then disappear.

Right. It's not the debater who failed....it's the debate format that failed him.

Let's see how many of the right wing water carriers pick up and run with that lame excuse.

[unpossibles]

1. meaning: it wasn't stuffed with supporters. nt

[no_hypocrisy]

2. What is their idea of a "town hall"?

An audience filled with only FOX viewers, screaming at the top of their lungs so Obama is drowned out and cheering every time McCain farts?

[Happyhippychick]

3. Why would anyone with a brain believe that Obama wouldn't excel in townhall formats? The man knows

how to reach people, how to connect with people, how to empathize with people, he has a firm grasp on the issues and he can think on his feet.

McCain is reprehensible at speeches but he is horrible at townhalls - it's just that when you compare the two performances, "horrible" outshines "reprehensible" and therefore they think it translates to "good".

McCain has always been completely awkward in townhalls, he sucks, he always has and he always will.

[fed_up_mother]

4. Ha! The only thing that seemed "unfair" was the height of the chairs

Obama looked comfortable, long, and elegant sitting in his, while McCain looked old, somewhat disabled, and awkard, which is why he chose to stand up so much.

[unhappycamper30]

5. Oh please

What a bunch of whiners. You lost, deal.

:rofl:

[Jennicut]

6. Uh, McCrap agreed to it!

[SurfingAtWork]

7. This excuse brought to you by the party of personal responsibility.

[zulchzulu]

8. That's OK...they only AGREED TO THE FORMAT!!!

Blame McPenguin's shitty performance on what was agreed to... wow.

[patrice]

9. Obama COULD politely and easily have pushed EVERY button Crash has.

Crash was that close to CRASHING again.

Though I'd probably do it if I were in that situation, Obama is to be congratulated on the respect that he shows this man by not pushing him.

[Schulzz]

10. Yes it was unfair, because of Obama's presence the audience

didn't fall asleep after the first questions, like it normally does in McCain town halls. So they where actually listening to his lies. A huge disadvantage for McCain.

:rofl: