It is a bit of an odd move by McCain. True Obama is much better at orating prepared speeches, then he is at pure debating. But McCain hasn’t shown himself to be any particular expert. He does pull off the “earnest and honest” 2 minute response bit pretty well, but with ten debates it’s gonna have to wear through to substance at some time. I would have to place my bet on Obama having an edge.
I see it as a flat out acknowledgement that McCain will not have the money or organization to wage a war of media attrition. So he’s throwing down the first guantlet to have a face-to-face fight between the generals to gain the apperance of moral highground. Not quite a move from desperation yet, but the strategy of a man who knows he has to earn it the hard way.
I think Obama’s weakness in the debates was him having to pull his punches. But we’ll see. It’s just so strange to see him on the stump speaking so powerfully and in debates speaking so timidly. Maybe he can work it out. Yes 10 is a ridiculous number.
Oh and let’s talk about Hillary’s 18 million votes. I think we need to be aware of what a vote really is. I would say, a vote means, “I support candidate X for the nomination of my party”. I would think that vote expires once it is decided. I voted for Barack to fairly compete for the nomination. If the roles were reversed, him using my vote as some kind of bargaining chip would piss me off. I cast my support under those terms. I think you have to understand that the number of 18 million people isn’t something you can carry around with you until Denver. It’s not like those 18 million continue to support you. I think the only people who will support Hillary much into this week are the very small minority. That’s why I wouldn’t be afraid of her if I were Obama.
As with the Bush/Kerry debates (or ANY political debate), ‘winning’ will be in the eye of the Beholder (which, having just come from the geek thread has a high magic resistance and incredible THAC0). I agree with you…I was less than impressed by the one debate I’ve seen Obama in (I actually thought Hillary did much better, though I was unimpressed with the arguments on both sides). However, I don’t think McCain is all that great a debater either (unless you like the gruff, crotchety old man look)…so it will come down really to if they are saying what you want to hear wrt to who wins.
Should still be fun and I’m looking forward to seeing them butt heads…hopefully it will be interesting and informative. I’m still undecided myself…will I vote for Obama or vote 3rd party? The debates hopefully will decide things for me.
Ah, I thought so. That’s not happening. Three seems to be the standard and I can’t imagine most people paying attention to five, let alone 10.
I thought he showed some improvement - he was getting better but looked under the weather and irritated in the last one - and I imagine preparation for a full-fledged Presidential debate is a lot longer and more serious, which could help him think on his feet and iron out some of the verbal tics.
Hillary did very well in the debates. I didn’t see much of McCain.
I often forget that, living in CA, it really doesn’t much matter for whom I cast my vote. McCain will have a slightly better chance here than Bush, but it’s a real long shot for him to get this state. Our demographic suits Obama pretty well, what with all the Hollywood typs in SoCal and all the brainy types in NorCal. We have a lot of Hispanics, though, and if McCain can rally support from them, he might pull off a miracle.
The latest Rasmussen poll (this morning, they actually called me last night and I took it) gave Obama a 9pt national lead among non-African American minorities, namely Hispanics.
I’m so glad to hear the dialog from the pundits and politicians changing today. Last night it was all about Hillary and this retarded “dream ticket” and how Obama HAS to offer it to her, yadda, yadda, yadda. This morning, they’re all coming out and saying she sabotaged her chance to even be considered, by her appalling behavior last night. Even Ed Rendell said you don’t bargain with the presumptive nominee.
Also notice that they formed a VP search team. That means that Hillary will not be considered above any other. It was a subtle way to say, “not going to happen.” Do you really think he would have done so today had Hillary conceded last night?
I know Chris Matthews said that on Hardball last night before the results started coming in. I don’t know if anyone else has said essentially the same thing.
I’m left wondering what kind of Clinton kool-aid you think I’m drinking.
No, that’s not what I’m saying at all. I was wondering if they assumed the situation would be different than it was, and - primarily because they were in denial - misread the situation and didn’t expect to be in a position where they would be expected to concede immediately. The way she’s switched tone two or three times in the last two days doesn’t make any sense: one the one hand, she said she’d run as VP or do whatever is right for the party, then gave last night’s speech, then today seemed to acknowledge he has won, and in a day or two she’ll probably quit. So I am suggesting they may have screwed up one more time and expected that speech to come across differently.
Up until the last few weeks, they might have assumed that Hillary would get the nomination to which she was dynastically entitled before it came down to the last few primaries. By the time they knew (and could admit to themselves) otherwise, it may have been too late to pursue other venues.
That said, I still think it was a ploy to make sure the live audience hadn’t heard the latest news from the real world.
Even granting your above possibility you place deposits (refundable?) on two or three different venuss. No was was this last minute and I wouldn’t doubt the deliberate no cell phone/other device/outside news ploy.