# McCain vs the NFL
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [September 4, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042 "2008-09-04T20:15:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/1 "2008-09-04T20:15:50Z")
John McCain delivers his acceptance speech tonight, just one week after Barack Obama.
Obama had the nation’s attention and there were no other news stories with the possible exception of the path of Hurricane Gustav.
Tonight, John McCain delivers his acceptance speech on the same night the NFL season opens. I think this is the worst political move the Republicans could have made.
The Olympics dominate coverage throughout August and the party out of power has their convention first. In 2004, the Democrats had their convention right before the Olympics and we had a month of swift boat ads in August.
In 2008, the Democrats had their convention right after the Olympics. The Republicans then had to follow a week later with Hurricane Gustav dominating the news.
Tonight, the NFL season opens with two major East Coast teams playing. Does this hurt McCain? If so, how badly?
I think it is a horrible situation for the McCain group. The Republicans and the NFL draw mainly a male audience. The first NFL game could easily draw attention and viewers away from McCain. People are back from vacation and many of them are likely to get together at a sports bar and watch football, not McCain.
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### Author:  [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/2 "2008-09-04T20:19:27Z")
OTOH, given (as mentioned in another thread) the huge numbers for Palin, they might figure they’ve got their “coattail” attention for now. After all, McCain has been the presumptive nominee for so long that they may figure that he wouldn’t have gotten much attention anyway. Also remember, some are concerned that McCain’s speech couldn’t possibly have compared favorably coming right after Palin’s, so that might be another point in favor.
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### Author:  [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/3 "2008-09-04T20:22:25Z")
Isn’t Obama going to be on Bill O’reilly for the first time ever at the same time also? i’d put money on that getting much higher ratings than McCain any day.
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### Author:  [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/4 "2008-09-04T20:47:08Z")
Hey, it provides a ready-made excuse for bad ratings.
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### Author:  [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/5 "2008-09-04T20:54:02Z")
What else were the Republicans supposed to do? Also, it should be pointed out that Obama spoke the same night that college football had their first games.
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### Author:  [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/6 "2008-09-04T20:56:27Z")
> [@DigitalC](#):
>
> Isn’t Obama going to be on Bill O’reilly for the first time ever at the same time also? i’d put money on that getting much higher ratings than McCain any day.
This seems to be in poor form for both O’reilly and Obama. I realize they won’t be at the same time, but it seems like both should respect that this is McCain’s night.
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### Author:  [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/7 "2008-09-04T21:06:33Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#):
>
> This seems to be in poor form for both O’reilly and Obama. I realize they won’t be at the same time, but it seems like both should respect that this is McCain’s night.
I’m sorry but thats utterly ridiculous, why should Obama give McCain that advantage? You might have a point about O’Reilly though but this is likely the only chance he will ever get to have Obama on the show.
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### Author:  [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/8 "2008-09-04T21:16:40Z")
Yeah it’s a dogfight, not a time to play nice. I’m sure McCain wasn’t thinking about preserving Obama’s moment when he announced his suprise VP pick the morning after Obama’s big speech.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/9 "2008-09-04T21:18:27Z")
> [@Slacker](#):
>
> Yeah it’s a dogfight, not a time to play nice. I’m sure McCain wasn’t thinking about preserving Obama’s moment when he announced his suprise VP pick the morning after Obama’s big speech.
How long do you expect afterglow to last, there?
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### Author:  [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/10 "2008-09-04T21:20:05Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#):
>
> This seems to be in poor form for both O’reilly and Obama. I realize they won’t be at the same time, but it seems like both should respect that this is McCain’s night.
McCain was mugging for cameras for the entire duration of the Democrats’ convention, trying to pull in as much attention for him as possible. Obama has been remarkably restrained, comparatively.
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### Author:  [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/11 "2008-09-04T21:20:22Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#):
>
> How long do you expect afterglow to last, there?
I’m not sure what that means. There would have obviously been a lot of discussion about Obama’s speech the day after. Instead we all put our focus squarely on Palin and her cavalcade of bizarre revelations. It’s politics 101; you gotta steal the spotlight.
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### Author:  [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/12 "2008-09-04T21:22:29Z")
[QUOTE=DigitalC]
I’m sorry but thats utterly ridiculous, why should Obama give McCain that advantage? You might have a point about O’Reilly though but this is likely the only chance he will ever get to have Obama on the show.
[/QUOTE]
It just seems like the courteous thing to do. I don’t think McCain did any big events trying to upstage the democratic convention (I could be wrong).
[QUOTE=Slacker]
Yeah it’s a dogfight, not a time to play nice. I’m sure McCain wasn’t thinking about preserving Obama’s moment when he announced his suprise VP pick the morning after Obama’s big speech.
[/QUOTE]
Before and afterwards are fair game. Wouldn’t you think it would have been a huge asshole move if McCain scheduled the announcement for his VP right before Obama’s speach?
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### Author:  [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/13 "2008-09-04T21:25:50Z")
> [@Punoqllads](#):
>
> McCain was mugging for cameras for the entire duration of the Democrats’ convention, trying to pull in as much attention for him as possible. Obama has been remarkably restrained, comparatively.
I must have missed what he did. The only thing I remember were commercials. I think there specifically was a commercial from McCain congratulating Obama and saying that the night was Obama’s night. What did he do that was comparable to this interview?
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### Author:  [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/14 "2008-09-04T21:29:47Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#):
>
> I must have missed what he did. The only thing I remember were commercials. I think there specifically was a commercial from McCain congratulating Obama and saying that the night was Obama’s night. What did he do that was comparable to this interview?
He dropped in for a photo op with people in Mississippi.
> [@](#):
>
> Before and afterwards are fair game. Wouldn’t you think it would have been a huge asshole move if McCain scheduled the announcement for his VP right before Obama’s speach?
Is Barack holding the interview until exactly the time McCain is taking the stage? I doubt it. And jawing with Falafel O’Reilly for ten minutes isn’t near the same thing as announcing the VP candidate. I bet more people will watch the Daily Show tonight.
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### Author:  [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/15 "2008-09-04T21:31:36Z")
It could have been worse. NBC asked the NFL to move the game from 8:30pm to a 7:00pm start time in hopes that the game will have finished by 10-11:00pm, which is when McCain will give his speech.
Not out of kindness of course, just because they want both ratings boosts, but still, at least this way the man’s speech has a chance of being seen in many more households than if the game went on as originally scheduled.
Now let’s see how the Twins feel about having to play two weeks on the road because of the RNC…
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/16 "2008-09-04T21:33:47Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#):
>
> This seems to be in poor form for both O’reilly and Obama. I realize they won’t be at the same time, but it seems like both should respect that this is McCain’s night.
Pffft. This is politics. Obama has a busy schedule, and he can’t fix it to conform to McCain. O’Reilly is on at 5PM here, and I bet McCain’s speech will be sometime around 6 or 7. I don’t see an issue.
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### Author:  [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/17 "2008-09-04T21:42:11Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#):
>
> The only thing I remember were commercials. I think there specifically was a commercial from McCain congratulating Obama and saying that the night was Obama’s night. What did he do that was comparable to this interview?
The morning of Obama’s speech I see as the lead story on the CNN homepage, “McCain to reveal VP pick”. My recollection is that similar event happened earlier days of the week, though I can’t recall any specifics at the moment. And the commercial itself is one of the events I’m referring to. McCain couldn’t let Obama just have that one day without trying to insert himself into the spotlight.
As far as and Obama interview by O’Rly, the interview has already been done. Faux News made the decision to release the first part of four tonight.
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### Author:  [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/18 "2008-09-04T21:50:43Z")
[QUOTE=Punoqllads]
And the commercial itself is one of the events I’m referring to. McCain couldn’t let Obama just have that one day without trying to insert himself into the spotlight.
[/QUOTE]
But isn’t an interview on a highly rated show more intrusive than a commercial? At the very least, I would think an unbiased person would state that both candidates crashed theother’s party but that Obama is doing it in a bigger way. I may be mistaken, but I thought it was common practice for candidates to have a self imposed “quiet time” during the other’s convention.
[QUOTE=Punoqllads]
As far as and Obama interview by O’Rly, the interview has already been done. Faux News made the decision to release the first part of four tonight.
[/QUOTE]
According to [this](http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=talkbackCommentsFull&talk_back_header_id=6553337&articleid=CA6592745), the timing was dictated by Obama’s campaign.
> [@](#):
>
> O’Reilly said on Wednesday night’s program that the timing of the interview, which will take place Thursday morning, was dictated by the Obama campaign.
I guess O’reilly could have decided to wait a few days before airing it.
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### Author:  [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/19 "2008-09-04T22:31:31Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#):
>
> It just seems like the courteous thing to do. I
After last nights hate-filled event I fail to see why the REpublicans deserve any coutesy at all.
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### Author:  [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-vs-the-nfl/462042/20 "2008-09-05T19:10:40Z")
Well, I guess this question is answered.
[McCain TV Ratings Beat Obama in Preliminary Numbers](http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/09/mccain_tv_ratings_beat_obama_i.php).
So…spin time?
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