PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE 2/21-OBAMA SHOULD STAY COOL

[redstate_democrat]

Everyone knows Hillary will try to go for Obama's jugular Thursday night at the Debate. I am strongly urging Barack to stay cool and not stoop down to that level. It will do him no good. She is the loser so far, so he has no reason to engage her in some petty spat. It gives her control over the mood, tone, and direction of the debate and takes him off message. When she starts in on her pre-paid, pre-scripted attack, he should verbally brush it aside as if it her words are just nagging little fleas tittering around him. He is the front runner, soon to be nominee. He does not have to lower himself to this sort of trash can politicking the "Clinton Machine" has utilized thus far. He should, however, combat her rhetoric with her own record, words, and deeds. When she tries to attack, he should SMILE and present FACTS. He is normally COOL as a CUCUMBER, so we shouldn't worry about that. Let her look desperate and sad. While she flails about throwing mud hoping that it sticks, she won't have TIME to discuss why people should VOTE FOR HER or get out the issues she wants to talk about. While she attacks, he should appear presidential, get out his platform IN DETAIL, and draw a contrast (as if that hasn't already been done) between her and him by allowing the public to really see her for who she is.

DON'T GO NEGATIVE AT THE DEBATE BARACK! STAY ON MESSAGE! BUT SHUT HER DOWN IF NEED BE, BUT IN A GENTLE WAY!

[DUyellow]

1. when she attacks say... "come on, we are better than this"

[redstate_democrat]

5. Exactly

It's a win win situation for him if he STAYS ON MESSAGE. I am praying he doesn't fall for it. They want to engage in silly, petty, irrelevant arguments. It does him no good. People need to find out who Barack is. They already know who Hillary is. People may be tuning in for the FIRST TIME. They don't need to see an angry Barack, they need to see a positive, mature, presidential Barack. If he engages her, he will look like the loser because HE DOESN'T HAVE TO and he will not be able to get out his message IN DETAIL. When she starts her attack script, he should SMILE, denounce it (Not this again, Hillary or Come on, we are better than this) and then redirect the conversation to THE ISSUES and do it IN DETAIL. He should hit hard on his foreign policy stances, REPEATEDLY pointing to the negligence of this Administration and Congres' failure to go after al Quada, Taliban, and Osama bin Laden in North Pakistan while fighting a senseless war in Iraq. He should HIT THAT HARD. Then he should talk about the superiority of his health plan and other plans. Don't merely lay out your plan, but break it down and tell us how his plans are far more superior. Make it plain!

[loveangelc]

2. I was watching a show and I agreed with the host:

He knows she's going to come after him so all he has to do is prepare for it. say something witty and brush off her attacks with a good line or something. If she's going to make this about who's the best to be commander in chief, he has to bring up the war vote and stay on it. thats all.

[redstate_democrat]

6. This seems like the only

sensible course of action for him. He wins if he stays on message and stays mature about it. Don't jump into the dumpster!

[anigbrowl]

3. I'm sure he's got better things to do than read DU, but...

yes, that's all he has to do. Be cool, and let the attacks bounce off. If Hillary decides to go for the jugular then it will just exemplify to 'swing voters' why it is that we prefer Obama as the candidate. He has done better in presenting a platform to address the needs of all Americans, rather than the combative identity and turf politics of recent years.

[redstate_democrat]

7. I agree

totally agree.

[Hutzpa]

16. Another thing, he should question

her on her campaign finances, why is she charging interest rate the money she loaned
her campaign. 1.25%, thats like robbing the voters, its their money.

Why has she not report her tax returns...use this to show how untrustworthy she is
and can be as a President.

Coupled the two with her voting records (IRW), try to show how shady she is,
voters already knows about her shady dealings, but a little spice won't hurt.

[redstate_democrat]

19. I don't think he

should hit her hard on the campaign loan because that only opens him up to whatever baseless attack she has prescripted for her. Then he will have to spend time responding to whatever lie she tells. That only takes him off message. And he won't be able to take the high road since he basically will be viewed as initiating that line of attack.

However, he should question why she has not made her tax returns public. What is her retort? He has made his public.

[Hutzpa]

26. Yep!

the later would be perfect, tax returns should be echoed, especially the day shift and night shift
she claims to represent in her latest commercial.

Also, immigrant, I'm not sure about this one, but, she is against granting drivers license to
immigrants, he can win more latinos on that, with sharp and witty response.

He can say something like the same folks she is here asking for them to vote for her are the same
folks she wants to deport back to their country.

[redstate_democrat]

28. Well

I don't know if he should come out full blast saying he wants to give driver's licenses but if questioned on it, he should respond that he is for it, and was for it before he was for it, unlike Hillary who was for it before she was against it. He should talk about how he wants a humane and fair immigration system that doesn't allow big, multibillion dollar corporations and corporate farms to use and mistreat undocumented workers while subverting the law and undermining American labor and wages. This is a country of immigrants, but he should be sure to stress the fact that our country is a country of laws and that there will be consequences for entering the country illegally. That is a MODERATE tone in a very hostile environment for immigration reform.

[Hutzpa]

29. Very good point. n/t

[Fredda Weinberg]

4. Can he look her in the eye? n/t

[redstate_democrat]

8. Ummm

I guess. Why wouldn't he be able to? Are you suggesting he would turn into a pillar of salt or something? :shrug:

[texas_indy]

12. OMG! Now that's funny! And your spot on with your analysis. (nt)

[redstate_democrat]

24. Thanks!

:headbang:

[Hippo_Tron]

10. It's difficult when they are sitting side by side

Do you look her in the eye or do you look at the audience? That's why I like podiums a lot better.

[Hippo_Tron]

9. If Hillary has half a brain she will stay cool as well

The best way to win a debate is to do what the pundits don't expect you to do.

[Hutzpa]

21. There is one thing people have

said about her when it comes to debates, is how knowledgeable
she is with the issues, but, why not question her on her achievements.

[redstate_democrat]

25. you know what

I get the feeling that a lot of those "facts" she throws out, are basically pre-scripted for her. How knowledgeable is she on those facts? What is the source? Dig deeper? Ask questions? I've noticed that when she is pressed on these facts she throws out, she gets caught off guard and has trouble explaining in detail what it all means. Also, when she talks about her 35 years of experience, what does that include and how does it make her qualified to be president? Does she include her time as a partner at the Rose Law Firm in that 35 years? What accomplishments has she achieved over those 35 years? One or two or even five accomplishments don't seem pretty substantial for someone with "35 years of experience". That needs more attention.

[Hutzpa]

27. That should be the set up...absolute set up.

allow her to dig her own grave, then just cover it.

[Hutzpa]

delete

[Hutzpa]

11. Lets play it this way

what happens if she comes at him with pleasantries, being all mushier,
being defensive. Hillary is proving to be a snake, and she is not going
to stop.

Anyway, game plan should be stick to the facts, don't let her ruffle your
feathers, she might even try to be little you. Also watch out for those
crocodile tears, this woman is desperate, watch out for her emotional
moves, wait for to finish and hit her with fact.

I'm sure you are much more intelligent than us giving advice, but this woman
is proving to be despicable every minute and desperate.

[redstate_democrat]

14. YES

He should be armed with a barrage of irrefutable FACTS and a lot of them. He should be able to throw em so he can appear "wonkish" like Hillary makes herself look because she has such command of the "facts". (I could say more, but I'll leave it be). So he should just SMILE (because he has a nice one) and disarm her with the FACTS and his non-participation in the dumpster diving. What can she do, keep attacking like a maniacal nut case? STICK TO THE FACTS, JACK!

[Blue State Bandit]

13. I absolutely agree, "I thought we were here to debate, not flame-bait".

He should have a few of these such lines at the ready. She's sliding fast, and all she can do is grab for his ankles.

On edit: It may also be good to denounce the mussling of dissent AH-HEEM (sibel edmonds got dirt on you turkish contributor). Only if she gets real down and dirty. JMHI

[redstate_democrat]

17. I'm pretty sure

his advisors have several of these witty lines prepared for him. Remember to SMILE and hit em with the witty retort, then launch into a detailed POLICY discussion. Don't forget to dig into that record of hers too. She has gotten pretty much a free pass on her record, besides the war vote, in these debates. Bring it up. But be kind when you do it and don't forget to SMILE. You get points just for the smile while she steams over in the corner with a scowl on her face.

:hi:

[MadBadger]

15. Declare her attacks as "more of the same" Or "politics as usual

[redstate_democrat]

18. YES

"more of the same" "politics as usual" "same folks doing the same old tricks" "yesterday's tricks" "Washington games" "politics of personal destruction" "tear people down to lift themselves up" "we should be bringing people together, instead of tearing people apart" "politics of division and diversion" "i love this party and this country so I will not engage in this type of argument, Hillary" "people aren't looking for a divisive president, they're looking for an inclusive president" "we are moving towards the future, not the past, so I will not engage in the politics of the past" "yesterday's politics have no place in this debate" etc etc etc

[Hutzpa]

22. delete wrong reply

[Hutzpa]

23. Thank you for this link n/t

[TheDonkey]

20. Yep, stay calm and call her out on throwing slime.

[my3boyz]

30. I hope the voters are able to see how cold and calculating she is at the debate. nt

[Metric System]

31. Cold and calculating? Did you pick that one up on Free Republic?

[thesubstanceofdreams]

32. At what time is the debate?

Thanks :hi:

[quakerboy]

33. 8 PM Eastern

So.. does anyone know of a good place I might be able to get the full video of the debate, after the fact? I'm going to be working, but Im very interested.

[earthlover]

34. Obama's best tactic would be to direct his criticisms towards McCain

This does several things. 1) it makes him look like our nominee, fighting the Republican dragon for us, 2) it avoids looking like he is going negative against Hillary, 3) it doesn't give her an opening to respond, other than to agree with what Obama said about McCain first.

Obama needs to stay calm. It is not necessary for him to engage hillary. I agree that saying something like "we are better than this" could be effective and that he should basically try to smile and shrug off attacks by Hillary.

Stick to the issues, and maintain control over the debate by attacking McCain not Hillary.

Obama's mantra should be don't attack hillary first, don't attack her positions, her campaign, anything unless dragged into it by Hillary bringing it up. Try, at all costs to take the initiate to contrast his positions with McCain (not hillary) to attack McCain's record (not hillary's) and McCain's positions (not Hillary's) and what a McCain presidency could mean.

[Jawja]

35. I believe that Hillary

will throw everything, including the kitchen sink at Obama tonight. I believe the moderators will help her do it, too.

I believe Obama will be prepared for it and I believe he will be cool and stay on message.

I believe tonight that Obama will show once and for all that he is "presidential" has "gravitas" and can handle whatever the GOP "swift boat" slime have for him down the road. Tonight will be a big night for Obama going into Ohio and Texas, as he effectively puts the lid on Hillary Clinton's flailing campaign.

[Yurem2008]

38. HILLARY WILL DROP OUT DURING THE DEBATES

and will beg Obama for the Vice-Presidency or to be Attorney General...or Secretary of State.

[DemVet]

36. Yeah, he should stay cool, maybe have a smoke if he needs it.

C'mon, I'm just kidding. :)

[RBInMaine]

37. Cool, but FIRM and TOUGH in responding to attacks !

Yes, be cool, but your best comment is SHUT HER DOWN when she attacks. You never, ever fail to respond to attacks, and you also FIRE BACK in a smart way.

[backscatter712]

39. Continue to set the record straight and kill her with kindness!

That technique seems to be working well in defusing the negativity without stooping to nasty tactics.

[cooolandrew]

40. Yes all he has to do is think presidential address and positivity and he should be fine.

[Avalux]

41. He won't go negative; he'll maintain his composure.

All he needs to do is have a couple of good comeback lines like "There you go again Hillary" or "I was expecting this from you and I will not participate" while smiling and remaining calm.

He knows what she's gonna do, so he should be ready.

[democrattotheend]

42. Agreed

He doesn't have it locked up yet, but he is definitely the frontrunner now, and he needs to avoid getting dragged into the mud. If she attacks him, he can respond, but he's got to take the high road. He has a lot more to lose by going negative.

[polichick]

43. Yep - don't take the bait...

Easier said than done, of course ~ but he can do it!