A. Not many because he is ahead and it can only hurt him since he’d have to debate his positions and not just read a speech in front of a friendly audience.
B. Lots and lots because he’s about change we can believe in.
C. Other
Are you talking about “debate with McCain style” or solo?
If debate style then I think once or twice a month until October is ample. As we saw with Obama/Clinton and in other elections, the more there are the less people listen as the candidates just get repetitive and the media just keeps recycling the same sound bytes. I also think McCain’s idea of him and Obama traveling together is silly and also a security hazard.
I do hope Obama goes to Iraq and or Afghanistan to talk with troops if only to silence his critics.
He should agree to about 3. As the frontrunner, there is little advantage to him to have lots of debates. But he can’t say he doesn’t want any-- that could very backfire and paint him as being afraid to debate. I think 3 is about the norm, so it minimizes his chance for error but eliminates the charge that he won’t debate.
Forty-two.
It’s a tough call. On the one hand, Obama is leading so why change a winning startegy? Exposure only creates an opportunity for a gaffe.
On the other hand, I think Obama is generally recognized as being a better speaker than McCain, so there’s a good chance he’ll come out ahead in a one-on-one debate.
Twice that. The virile, intelligent young orator on stage with the crotchey old fart shuffling about like Tim Conway in a Carol Burnett skit? Do it every day.
That’s politician-think, isn’t it? What happen to a new way of doing things? Why not expose his views to as many people as possible? If his ideas are better and sounder, why wouldn’t he welcome the opportunity to show that in a debate where the claims are scrutinized? Could it be that he knows that his best shot is to just make pretty speeches, instead of being evaluated on the substance of the ideas? That’s my guess, anyway. So, he’s probably doing what any politician would do in his circumstance. Can’t blame him for that, I guess. I’m in. Bring on the change!!!
Up to half a dozen – but only if the League of Women Voters get to run them as they used to, rather than the networks.
None at all until after the conventions. In fact, how about both candidates agree to a moratorium on all campaign activity until after the conventions? The people are glutted with electoral politics right now. We could all use a break and so could the candidates.
I agree, until the conventions he should stick w/ his high-turnout dem-friendly speeches in friendly territory. Honestly, I think he should take a 1 week vacation or so. There’s nothing going on really politically interesting at the moment, so why not take a break? Send his surrogates out to cover his butt while he soaks up some sun in Hawaii or something.
A 40 something can do quite a bit of recharging from a one week vacation. If McCain keeps up his current pace much longer, he’s going to burn himself out long before November. His bedtime should be like 8pm, he’s 70+ for Og’s sake.
I say Barrack should rest up, and try to look as fit/healthy for the debates coming after the convention. I wasn’t alive during the Kennedy vs. Nixon debate, but if Obama’s refreshed, and McCain’s is tired after sucking up to all the far-right lobbyists/radio hosts/etc., I feel I could watch a modern-day remake of that debate. 
C. Whatever he chooses is wrong because he sucks and he knows it. 
He should also wear womens clothes and walk backwards because hes all about change! He should campaign in Canada and Mexico because that would be different and hes the change candidate! You sound ridiculous.
There’s humor, and there’s what you wrote, kinda like to Bizarro humor. You know, the opposite of humor. You also might want to look up the fallacy of the excluded middle. Also, if you think something sounds ridiculous, it’s usually helpful to point out specifically what tickled your ridiculous bone and to explain why you find it so ridiculous. Of course, that’s only if one wants to be taken seriously. Otherwise, great post!
A few debates would be best for Obama, because the more airtime McCain gets, the worse it is for Obama. McCain is bad enough at thinking on his feet that Obama only has to stand next to him to look like the better candidate, and he can do that with only a few debates.
I like McCain’s idea of the two of them sitting down without moderators and simply debating each other on what is the correct course for the country.
If you guys think Obama is really smart and has the best ideas, you should love that, right? In any event, it would be a refreshing change, and it would be far more illuminating than the typical ‘debate’ in which a question is asked and a 30 second sound bite answer given.
So, what do you think?
Obama offered to do one town hall and three Lincoln-Douglas style (no, not necessarily as many hours) without mods. McCain said no.
I rather thought that was Obama’s counterproposal to the Town Hall request. Talk for half an hour, respond for an hour, rebuttal for half an hour.
It was a counter, but it including a town hall. Just one.
You’ve got it backwards. That was Obama’s proposal (the “Lincoln-Douglas” format). McCain said no.
McCain’s “Townhalls” are kind of a sham by the way. When he does them on the trail, the audience is handpicked, the questions pre-selected and the answers pre-scripted. The debates would be the same way. Townhall debates are just sas scripted and staged as any other debate.
I don’t think Obama should play to McCain’s gameplan. The normal thing to do is three debates – two moderated and one townhall. That’s what Obama should do. It’s not his problem if McCain is afraid of a normal debate.
Obama needs a Teleprompter almost as much as McCain. I have not been impressed or surprised by either one. Here we go again. I still can’t believe we are forced into a choice of these two for president.
Has anyone watched Obama speak without a cue card of some sort? I’m less than impressed.
Most powerful nation in the world? Not for long if all we can come up with is these two clowns.