Where are those debates?

Email Print posted by publius 07/10/2008 05:10:42 PM EST

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At the very end of the Democratic primary John McCain offered to face off with Obama is a series of townhalls starting immediately.  I seem to remember the Obama camp responding with a series of debates, and then the whole thing fizzled out. 

I think this was the first sign of the Obama campaign's turn toward the standard Democratic, extremely risk averse general election strategy.  Why not put the candidates in the same room and let the chips fall where they may?  With all of McCain's confusion about his own positions does anybody really think Obama would not come out on top?  Perhaps some of those McCain gaffes would actually get attention. 

At the very least both candidates would have to clarify their positions, and the differences between them would become clearer to voters and supporters on both sides without the filter of the media.

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Where are those debates? | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 hidden)
Debates... (none / 0)
Obama won't debate McCain frankly because Obama is TERRIBLE off the teleprompter. His ideas might be better, but he really comes off to me as a bumbler when he is ill prepared - he just fumbles around - as we saw in some of the primary debates... McCain at this point has nothing to lose by debating - we already know he's a bumbling stuttering (and sometimes singing) buffoon!!! :)

by bobo1 on 07/10/2008 07:09:29 PM EST

Keep it up (none / 0)

Spread the word.  Let everyone know.

Obama is a terrible speaker.  McCain will crush him in the debate!

Set that bar low.

It worked for Bush!

by ProfRich on 07/10/2008 07:21:24 PM EST

[ Parent ]
RE: Debates (none / 0)
I agree Obama is better giving a speech.  In debates he speaks slowly and very deliberately.  But the question is whether he is better than McCain. 

by publius on 07/10/2008 09:28:05 PM EST

[ Parent ]
paging dr.lakoff (none / 0)

i never bought into the "framing" theories of lakoff, but the above is a classic example of cartesian thinking.

do you really think that the "american public" and the "american voter" are capable of learning anything from canned, sound-bite debates?

debates do not matter because they presuppose rationality. that requirement immediately rules americans out.

 

any dumfuck voter still waiting for a debate to finally form their opinion about this election cycle is anyway not going to make a good decision.

by neo on 07/10/2008 07:11:01 PM EST

RE: paging dr.lakoff (none / 0)
Even if you think voters won't pay attention directly the media certainly will.  And that means there will at least be a conversation about the candidates' positions on issues. 

by publius on 07/10/2008 09:32:25 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Debates before the conventions? (none / 0)
I have to admit to bad memory and current laziness for not looking it up, but do the presumed nominees do any debating before they become the official nominees at the conventions?  That could be why we haven't seen anything yet.  Just a thought.

by pmdtrans on 07/11/2008 02:56:50 AM EST

Where are those debates? | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 hidden)
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