About the town hall meetings McCain proposed....

[OneGrassRoot]

What is the history of this, as far as Obama's initial responses through today, and how do you feel about it?

Obama would destroy McCain in such a setting, so I don't know why McCain ever WANTED this. What is Obama's strategy (in your opinion, as that's all it is...lol) for NOT doing them?

Enlighten me, please. :)

[annabanana]

1. I think McCain had reason to believe he could control admission

requirements.. or the media in the room..

He must know he'd be lost on an honest, level platform..

[Believing Is Art]

6. I agree

There's no reason to trust an event set up by your rival. Obama had a tough choice: decline and look like he's afraid to face McCain, or get creamed a few times in an undoubtedly biased setting. The results of the first choice will hopefully be long forgotten after the debates. It would have been harder to come back from losing at the town halls.

[Lerkfish]

10. your'e assuming Obama would lose town hall events.

I don't think so, I just think mclame feels more comfortable himself in that format, but I don't think the format would help maclame as much as he thinks it will.

[Virginia Dare]

15. I think Obama could adjust well to town-hall type meetings..

but there's absolutely no reason for him to knuckle under to any McBush demands at this point. Obama can basically put it in cruise control at this point. He's got a ground swell of support, an excellent ground game in the works, and he hasn't had to go off message, a few little tweeks here and there is all. Unions and other liberal 527's are a go for some pointed and blistering attacks.

McBush is scrambling to redefine his campaign practically by the day. He's not winning the fundraising or the GOTV. The press is calling him out on his lies and negativity. The air is coming out of the Palin balloon.

Game on, we're looking good.

[annabanana]

17. Not at all. In a FAIR and UNBIASED Townhall setting he would shine.

I do not trust McCain to walk into a room with a FAIR and UNBIASED setting.. I do not believe he would agree to a venue where he didn't think he had some control over the make-up of the crowd or the subsequent media editing & distribution...

[Believing Is Art]

18. If they were set up by McCain, then yes

In a completely neutral town hall, I think Obama would win. But that's not what would have happened. I'm sure the audience at these events would have been carefully selected by the McCain camp.

[TwilightGardener]

2. I think Obama was right not to do them--especially once I saw the way

the Saddleback thing went. It would be 100% stacked against Obama, crowd and question wise--he would have had little control over it. These aren't moderated debates, mind you--this is some murky area where Obama could have been trapped into defending his patriotism, having to take questions about Wright, etc. Obama doesn't have to jump to McLoser's tune--if McLoser wanted them, then they're going to be set up to be good for McLoser. Now we have the debates coming up, so it's moot.

[Virginia Dare]

4. Obama never needed to play by McBush's rules...

this is just a slimy attempt at controlling the campaign.

[Virginia Dare]

3. Obama is going out and getting huge crowds of enthusiastic supporters..

wherever he goes. McBush is not. Basically McBush wants Obama to play be his rules. He also went nasty and negative early in the campaign, something he promised he wouldn't do, so he's trying to throw that back on Obama saying if he had done what McBush asked him to do, it wouldn't have gone that way. It's stupid and childish.

[OneGrassRoot]

7. Okay, thanks. So these town hall meetings would have had a moderator?

Silly me, I thought it was a "free for all" kind of thing, like they have now on the campaign trail.

But I totally see what you mean about it likely being manipulated. Okay, that was the missing piece for me. The Saddleback thing sucked and I didn't understand why Obama did that, as it was obviously slanted toward McCain before it even started.

It is a moot point now, I was just curious. And, I don't think any reasonable person can stomach McCain's "if he would have done the town hall meetings, I wouldn't have gotten so nasty" BS. Geesh.

The tide has turned and, no doubt, that was what Obama was foreseeing: that by the time of the debates, McCain would start to implode and the media couldn't avoid showing it.

Thanks! :)

[DemoRabbit]

5. Consider the HUGE Obama crowds

why would Obama and his campaign give McCain that kind of free exposure? Obama has worked hard to create the momentum and excitement seen at his rallies, drawing huge numbers. McCain has had a hard time on his own getting anything close to the crowd size we see on the Obama size. Why would Obama and his team just give away that exposure?

[OneGrassRoot]

8. Good points all. I am indeed enlightened! Thanks so much. :) n/t

[lotus007vr]

9. Don't play into McClains hands

The McClain camp will play dirty and the corporate media will assist them at targeting Obama. Together they attack and attack. by having someone planted in the crowd to bring up old issues that may anger the voters.. like Rev Wright, being muslin, the bitter comment..etc.. anything to win... Hilary tried the same tactic at their last debate with ABC... remember. McClain is really pushing this issue because they have something to set him up on.

[liberal N proud]

11. Obama must not allow them to control the debates

And not doing the town halls is part of doing that.

McCain surely thought that his campaign could control the audience, who was allowed in and what questions they would ask.

Saddleback should be more than enough evidence for any future Democrat, don't give them anything. They will steal enough as it is.

[CoffeeCat]

12. Did everyone see the McCain camp quote...

yesterday, where the McCain camp said that since Obama had not agreed to the
town-hall debates, that is why things were so negative and nasty.

You can imagine what has gone on behind the scenes. Can you imagine? McCain's
henchmen telling Obama that his life will be a living hell until he agrees to those
town-hall meetings?

What a bunch of thugs.

I'm proud that Obama didn't capitulate to these third-rate, Soprano-wannabees. Tell them
to 'fuck off.' That's what always brings the Dems to their knees. They agree to debate
styles and other assorted Republican traps--after being pressured--and they sucker punch
us every time.

Obama should be proud of standing his ground.

Republicans can spin their sticky webs, but they need to know that Obama's not going to fall
for their shit.

A great deal of McCain's anger is probably the result of his own "I'll destroy you with negative
ads" strategy--backfiring in his lumpy, bitter face. How humiliating for them. They try to
pull a, "Oh, yeah, well...we'll show you!" and now everyone is talking about how McCain is
a complete liar. LOL! :rofl:

Stupid thugs.

[OneGrassRoot]

13. I knew there was a good reason...I just didn't understand it... LOL

Now that I see these meetings would have been "controlled" (I didn't envision them that way...my stupidity), I TOTALLY get why Obama didn't go there.

Man, McCain is gonna blow his stack big time any day now. They obviously didn't manipulate the Wall Street thing as planned, so it's gonna unravel BIG TIME now.

Sweet. :)

[Virginia Dare]

14. Do what we say, or we're gonna go all Britney Spears on you again..

as you say, stupid thugs...:rofl:

[kskiska]

16. McCain also challenged Obama to join him

on a trip abroad. Obama declined and the rest is history.