Obama looks to regain momentum in debate series

[True_Blue]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — For Democrat Barack Obama, the three presidential debates that begin Friday are a chance to halt John McCain's momentum, re-establish his image as a refreshing political force and make his case against a third straight Republican presidential term.

For McCain, they provide an opportunity to reinforce voters' doubts about Obama's experience and readiness, and to demonstrate that he's still on top of his game at age 72.

With polls showing the race tight, and the debates expected to draw millions of TV viewers, they could tip the balance on Nov. 4.

The pressure probably is greater on Obama, who built his meteoric career largely on charisma and a gift for words.

Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h8juddeKQlPY-6KakIsf1iAKiMWwD93AK0G80

[Drunken Irishman]

1. Halt McCain's momentum? WHAT MOMENTUM?

He's tanking in most polls!

[mrJJ]

25. 527 Needed

Dems Need a 527 To air this ad! Damn Shame O couldn't air it

FROM CONCERNED CITIZEN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJThPjvscFs

[ejbr]

33. Excellent Vid. You're right. n/t

[Supply Side Jesus]

2. Looking to Regain Momentum??

Obama achieved it this week!

Stupid AP

[livelongandprosper]

3. Err...what momentum?

The one that used to be a momentum?

[LiberalAndProud]

4. McCain's momentum ... WHAT?

[msongs]

5. lets hope he learns to speak american and drops the "gift for words" some

he speaks in a passive voice and oughta take some lessons from joe biden about visual imagery and getting to the point. lovely speeches an all though.


Msongs

[Drunken Irishman]

6. Oh, it makes sense. Charles Babington wrote this.

He's the one who didn't like Obama's DNC speech.

:eyes:

[curiousdemo]

32. I plan on emailing this ass jerk and let...

him know everyone is on to his silly article. :spank:

[Newsjock]

7. AP hack Charles Babington strikes again

This isn't the first time. He's one of Ron Fournier's boys. Someday we'll find out how much he's getting on the side.

[Greg K]

8. momentum? did they write this last week? nt

[TahitiNut]

9. Gotta love how AP has become the Pravda of the National Socialists.

Pretending that McCain/Palin is anything other than a cruel, corrupt joke is the epitome of lipstick on a pig.

[ixion]

10. I can't believe that's what passes for news at AP these days

it's really pathetic.

[CoffeeCat]

11. What in the hell is this???

"the pressure probably is greater on Obama, who built his meteoric career largely on charisma and a gift for words ."

Gee. Biased against Obama?

[livelongandprosper]

12. "who built his meteoric career largely on charisma and a gift for words."

As opposed to McCain who built his career largely on a bunch of lies and a severe identity crisis.

[crossroads]

24. Welcome to Du livelongandprosper! nt

[samsingh]

28. welcome to DU

[treestar]

13. Is this on the editorial page where it belongs?

It isn't fact based news!

[samsingh]

14. more bias showing - The pressure probably is greater on Obama, who built his meteoric career largely

AP the republican news source

[Ichingcarpenter]

15. Charles Babington, Coverup Artist

I first became aware of Charles Babington when I read a Washington Post article, soon after George W. Bush took the White House, that quoted Richard Perle saying encouraging things about Bush’s foreign policy skills (Charles Babington, “Leaders Urge Bush to Face Foreign Policy Issues.” Washington Post, 20 March 2001, no longer online). Babington portrayed Perle as a conservative (but nonpartisan) objective observer of the new Bush Administration — in reality, he’d been an adviser to the Bush campaign. When I wrote Babington to ask him why he’d chosen a Bush partisan to cite in the article, he claimed complete ignorance of Perle’s role.

Babington has not learned to choose his sources more carefully or fact-check himself. Which is another way of saying he’s still shilling for the Republicans as a reporter for the Associated Press:

John McCain was in his favorite campaign setting, a town hall meeting, when he spotted a promising target. “I’d love to recognize you first, sir,” the Republican presidential candidate said to a man in a Vietnam War veteran’s hat.

Instead of a softball opening question from a fellow vet, however, McCain got a lengthy harangue, as the man insisted the senator had opposed better medical benefits for veterans.

McCain, who spent more than five years as a prisoner of war, politely said the man was mistaken. He finally broke it off, saying, “I’ll be glad to examine what your version of my record is.”

Babington’s account, using a loaded verb to portray the questioner as aggressive and McCain as forbearing, gives the impression that the man in the Vietnam War veteran’s hat was wrong. Babington’s covering up McCain’s lies about his record on veterans issues and the support he isn’t getting from veterans’ organizations.

Babington even tries to portray McCain’s “town halls” as somehow more democratic and courageous than Obama’s campaign appearances. But I don’t remember any reports of people being barred from entering an Obama event because they don’t agree with him on an issue (as described in Babington’s own article) or arrested for exercising First Amendment rights.

Straight Talk Express? So-called journalists like Babington make McCain’s campaign the Stenography Express.

http://phoenixwoman.wordpress.com/2008/07/19/charles-babington-coverup-artist/

[FVZA_Colonel]

16. McCain floundered around all week.

No matter how "well" he did on Friday (which was little), it was Obama's week, not his. And it looks like the Obama campaign will continue to hammer him on the economy.

[Codeine]

17. Worst. Headline. Ever. nt

[Grateful for Hope]

18. Go Obama!

I am so looking forward to these debates. Obama and Biden will win them hands down.

[TwilightGardener]

19. LOL! Nonexistent McCain momentum and an accusation of Obama's entire

career being based on "charisma" and a "gift" for words--not, you know, brains or hard work. Thanks, Fournier Press!

[dennis4868]

20. WTF?

What is the person who wrote this article talking about. Has this person been asleep the past 2 weeks....hahaha!

[Miss Chybil]

21. What BS. nt

[Puzzler]

22. That's right AP... ignore the latest polls!

.

[melody]

23. Has this guy been asleep for two weeks? n/t

[Newman]

26. Must have been written last week

Someone must have been on vacation this past week.

[Diane R]

27. Charles Babington...didn't Olberman tell him to find a new line of work? Doing the Rove bidding.

[truthisfreedom]

29. McCain has lots of momentum.

It just happens to be in the downward direction. 8^)

[Robbins]

30. Debates

The Momentum changed this week In Obama's favor.Leading 50-44 In Gallup proves this.

In the debates Obama needs to look like he could be President and he Is knowledable.He does this
and he can keep what he gained this week.

If Mccain can't keep his facts straight during the debate like he did this week and when Lieberman
had to remind him on what the factions In Iraq are It will be of help to us.

And the fact Palin Is cancling her apperances after more stuff comes out on her Is more good news.

[vincenzoesq]

31. Barack and Joe will punish McCain and Palin in the debates

unless the old guy and fingernails on a chalkboard stay home with a headache.

[mitchum]

34. AP= American Pravda

[depakid]

35. McCain will have canned answers and speak in simple declarative sentences.

Obama will (hopefully) have good debate coaches who will drill him to appear more direct, to the point, less hesitating and nuanced, and has been his practice in the past.

These are not academic discussions- the audience isn't full of Uni students. It's swing voters in the rust belt. Hopefully, Obama will adapt his style accordingly.

[OakCliffDem]

36. I wasn't aware that Obama had lost any momentum.

The Main Stream Media made a big deal about some Republican on their Presidential ticket, let me see, what was its name, oh Yea, it was Piglet, no Gidget, no it was Palin.

The MSM went 24/7 raving over that failed sports caster from Alaska and there were no news reports about Obama's momentum, but that doesn't mean he lost it.

[madrchsod]

37. ap is our pravda

linking to ap is a waste of bandwidth......

[Raine]

38. "Regain"?? WTF I just hope the debates don't slow

down Obama's momentum.

[Doctor_J]

39. Note to American Pravda: He never lost it.

Fucking right-wing hacks. I despise these people with every fiber of my being.

[Indenturedebtor]

40. AP is a Republican lapdog it would seem

How far we've fallen as a Democracy. That's what I read from this article.

[RBInMaine]

41. Corporate Media CRAP ! OBAMA and NOT McSAME is AHEAD !!

[TomClash]

42. I guess this AP writer doesn't read Gallup polls

if he or she did he or she would discover McCain has gone from 5 points up to 6 down in a little over a week.

That's more like Joe-mentum!