Ok...I have noticed something this morning...

[imax2268]

Watching MSNBC and making the rounds to my usual message boards I have seen the "talking point" about the "Town Hall Meetings that McCain wanted with Obama and Obama wouldn't do it" from Repukes...

Good ol' Tucker Bounds just said it again this morning...

How do we counter this talking point...?

[seabeyond]

1. he wanted 10-13 and obama refused. was going ot spend his whole campaign doing town halls

with mccain. he suggest a couple and mccain said NO

[willbbalin]

12. 10 Townhalls

is too many to do on an important run for the presidency. Different states require different attention. Why make a commitment to do all these town halls locking up all your time when voters are so easily swayed by the internet/MSM

[seabeyond]

20. that is obamas thinking. he was right on. mccain knew it and was playing ANOTHER fuckin game

and mccain has been WHINING about it every since

[baldingrockwarlord2]

27. format, schmormat.....

For all the years McCain has been in public office and for all the times he has run for office, this man should not be bickering and whining for a preferred debate format, but rather show his mastery as a politician, speaker, and leader and simply take what is offered and show the world what a great leader he thinks he is. I think we all know at this point that the McCain Campaign is running away from and dodging these confrontations because they know they are outgunned, outclassed, and are doing anything they can to minimize their exposure or damage potential.

This speaks volumes of the type of leadership these clowns would provide if people don't wake up to the truth about the McCain-Palin ticket.

[soulcore]

2. you say...

That there are still 3 debates left, the first of which is happening tomorrow night, with or without your candidate!

[ingac70]

3. Obama didn't back out of anything...

that cost a college 5 million dollars to put together and joint Townhall meetings ARE NOT a traditional part of the campaign season.

If that is the attitude of the McCain camp, I hope he skips all of them. He's only hurting himself.

[RoadRage]

4. Uhh.. Obama wants to have ONE debate tomorrow night, and McCain doesn't want to show..

How about that? :eyes: McCain's been bitchin' and itchin' to go at Obama on the "same stage".. and now that the opportunity is here, he's the one who's balking.

THAT'S what you say!

[islandmkl]

5. the debates ARE AGREED TO and SCHEDULED...

what does something that never was agreed to have to do with anything?

[Neutralator]

16. Yep and also they were Townhall "meetings" not focused debates. They are two different things!

[faithfulcitizen]

6. it proves his call for MORE debates was purely political. He doesn't even want 3!

[nc4bo]

9. Exactly! nt

[ClassWarrior]

7. So then why is McBush bailing out now??

:shrug:

NGU.

[jberryhill]

8. He also wanted a pony and a big lollipop...

What's McCain's problem, Obama doesn't jump high enough when asked?

The counterpoint is that McCain is a petulant crybaby.

[ErinBerin84]

10. well

from what I understand, Obama said that they would compromise with three town hall meetings in addition to the debates (Robert Gibbs mentioned this on Morning Joe once, and said that the McCain camp never got back to them. Nicole Wallace just laughed like a maniac, so I assume that it's true) and McCain said that it was his way or the high way...McCain talks about bipartisanship, but is never willing to compromise. Just like how he punked Obama on the joint statement. He would rather get revenge for not having someone comply with his specific rules. He's a crazy motherfucker! Link this in with McCain's lack of message disipline from the whole week, point out that a McCain spokesperson all of the sudden said yesterday "Well, we overestimate how much the American people really WANT these debates anyway", to Norah on MSNBC...honestly, I don't think we should really have to counter it at all...is it an effective line from them? It just sounds pathetic to me.

[blogslut]

11. Simply ask

"What has that got to do with McSame "suspending" his campaign?"

There was no financial crisis when old Johnny made his ridiculous proposal. Then you can also ask them:

"Why can't Governor Palin take the helm and handle the campaign while the Senator is off in D.C.?"

[alcibiades_mystery]

13. It doesn't matter: nobody cares about McCain's stupid town hall meetings

And the massive numbers AGAINST canceling the debate say it all.

[imax2268]

14. It's rediculous...

they are really pushing this talking point out there...

[Erin Elizabeth]

15. I wouldn't use that talking point if I were them

all McCain has to do is show up for one goddamned debate and he can't do it? Then how the hell was he going to to 10-13 town hall debates? Give me a fucking break with that bullshit. He's not ready and Palin will NEVER be ready.

[CoffeeCat]

24. McCain was relying on those town-hall meetings...

...because he does a lot better in a town-hall venue, with a more conversational, relaxed style.

He's a very awkward debater, and a formal format magnifies his negatives. Obama, on the other hand,
shines in a formal debate setting.

Also, there is so much latitude in a town-hall. Does anyone really think that McCain wouldn't have
plants in the audience--making Obama look bad and asking questions that would make McCain look like
a hero?

Come on. Obama knew this and I am so proud of him for standing his ground. If I remember correctly,
the Democrats caved to the Bush camp when it came to the debates. Bush got the format he wanted, which
hid his lack of knowledge.

Obama is no dummy. McCain, however, is a vindictive, spoiled brat who needs to move on from this.

Obama said no a long time ago. McCain needs to go through his Kubler-Ross stages of grief, over the
sad, sad loss of those town-hall meetings that will never happen--and move the f*&k on. He's obsessing
and stewing in a toxic dump of bitterness and revenge--and he's starting to look like a complete lunatic.

[Erin Elizabeth]

28. Wow, great post and spot on!

[NJGeek]

17. Why is Tucker Bounds speaking?? I THOUGHT HE SUSPENDED HIS CAMPAIGN

STUNT.

MSM should call McCain on this - if you are suspending your campaign, then don't have your surrogates out there bashing Obama.

Turd.

[CoffeeCat]

18. We don't need to answer those goons...

McCain knows he doesn't do as well in debates, so he wanted town-halls.

Town-halls are easily corrupted. Does anyone actually think that McCain wouldn't
have planted questions from the audience, "Senator Obama, many people think you
are a Muslim and that you want to kill babies, can you please dispute these
popular beliefs about you?"

Obama is no dummy. He rebuffed McCain's town-hall suggestions.

Then, McCain went on a rampage because Obama wouldn't bend to McCain's
will. McCain and his aids have repeatedly said that the nasty tone of
the campaign could all end--if Obama would agree to the town hall meetings.

McCain went on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" and said, "I've asked Obama time
and time again to do these town-hall meetings, and I think the tone
of the campaign would be quite different if he had agreed to those."

So, they're blackmailing and bullying Obama--by unleashing nasty, lie-based
ads--because Obama won't agree to these town-hall meetings.

Screw John McCain. We don't need to have an answer or an excuse. There
are three Presidential debates.

John McCain should be the one answering for this and explaining to the American
people why he tortured our nation with lies and disgusting ads--just so he
could punish Senator Obama.

"Country First"--what a joke.

[RichGirl]

19. Obviously...

What better way for him to take advantage of Obama's ability to draw a large crowd. They would have an equal amount of dems and reps asking questions, thus implying that the audience is half and half.

What McCain has consistently displayed is a very Bush-like childish stubborness.

[LaydeeBug]

21. Here is the counter: It is BECAUSE we are in a financial crisis that this ONE debate, as opposed to

having as many town hall meetings as John McCain has houses that this ONE debate is more important than ever before.

[renate]

22. what McCain "wanted" Obama to do is kind of irrelevant

I want McCain to stop telling lies, but he's not doing it. He is not obeying my wishes! Um... waaaaaaaa?!?

(Actually, no I don't want him to stop. Keep it up, John! But if I did, so what? I'm not the boss of him.)

[deadparrot]

23. Because Barack Obama doesn't answer to John McCain like some kind of lackey. nt

[RiverStone]

25. The Obama team already responded with...

He wants to focus on taking his messsage directly to the people AND he has 3 debates scheduled with John (if J. shows!) and had what...22 debates w/Dems?

[WinkyDink]

26. McCain isn't Obama's boss, that's how you counter this cocky SOB.

[imax2268]

29. Now I just heard...

that someone from the McCain campaign said that letterman doing comedy is uncalled for...WTF?

[FatDave]

30. Obama wouldn't agree to do everything according to McCain's wishes...

...so now McCain gets out of the scheduled and agreed upon debate? Yeah, brilliant argument Johnny.

[Every Man A King]

31. Is that you Bill? nt