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Tonight's Debate

RymRym
edited September 2008 in Politics
So, if McCain doesn't show up to the debate tonight, they've come up with a backup plan.

Basically, Obama would get to answer questions, both from the moderator AND from the audience (unscripted) by himself for the duration. McCain hasn't commented yet, but he said earlier that he will only attend if Congress passes the bailout this morning. I'll wager that the democrats will now have a vested interest in keeping this from happening at least until it's too late for McCain to fly out to Mississippi.

Obama's already surging in the polls. Frankly, I hope McCain doesn't make it: this could be a major turning point in the election.
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Comments

  • Even though McCain has said he won't leave Washington until a bailout compromise is met, I don't think he can afford to let Obama take all that prime air time. Either the House Republicans will thrown him a bone and actually work something out with the Democrats, or McCain will just go back on his word, again, and take his private jet on down to Mississippi this afternoon.
  • McCain will just go back on his word, again, and take his private jet on down to Mississippi this afternoon.
    I'm predicting this. If the does this, the Republicans can easily spin this to show that McCain doesn't back down from a fight, or something to that degree.

    I hope he doesn't show up. It will be interesting how Obama responds to audience questions.
  • I wish they would just get Bob Barr and other third party candidates on there to debate. Think of the media coverage they would get. McCain not being present would get the tar kicked out of him and people might migrate to third parties.
  • Even if McCain shows up, he'll be tired and possibly unprepared. I'll wager he was really hoping for this debate not to happen. Regardless of what happens, he's under a lot of pressure. Obama had a big bump in the polls today, and McCain's clever plan seems to have done nothing so far but backfire.
  • Why are we paying attention to this debate it's just lies, you should be attending your local debates held by local public radio, instead you are going to care what a reality show has to say. Gees guys what kind of fools are you? Why did we even make a topic of this, you should be out working a local campaign it matters 100% more.

    Since Rubin hasn't commented I figured I'd add his opinion in :-p
  • I'll wager he was really hoping for this debate not to happen.
    That's what I've been thinking to. I'm planning to stay up till 02 a.m. to see this "debate", can't wait.
  • this could be a major turning point in the election.
    I think turning point is the wrong word. I'd rather define it as the cement block on McCain's feet dragging him to the bottom of the ocean.

    McCain is just like the kid in school that prays for heavy snowfall before the final exam instead of studying (and I mean literally praying).
  • McCain just announced that he will attend.
  • McCain just announced that he will attend.
    Ok kids, what have we learned today? McCain is all bark and no bite. He compromises his commitments to others and the country for personal gain.
  • McCain just announced that he will attend.
    And there we go.

    Hopefully he's tired and off kilter throughout the debate. It was a stupid move to suspend his campaign in the first place, and he might just have to pay for it now.
  • McCain just announced that he will attend.
    Is he prepared? These debate things are totally always prepared in advance. If he's been goofing around and not memorizing his answers, what will happen? I care now in so much as there will be very hilarious YouTubes tomorrow.
  • McCain just announced that he will attend.
    Ok kids, what have we learned today? McCain is all bark and no bite. He compromises his commitments to others and the country for personal gain.
    I completely agree with you there. Besides, if he wants to return to Washington, he can - why suspend the campaign? It's just political manoeuvring.

    Sigh. What happened to the McCain of last year, even the McCain of January? No, wait, let me answer that: he won the Republican nomination.
  • Is he prepared? These debate things are totally always prepared in advance. If he's been goofing around and not memorizing his answers, what will happen? I care now in so much as there will be very hilarious YouTubes tomorrow.
    Many of my coworkers and myself were thinking the very same exact thing.
  • I want to see this tonight:
  • I'm planning to stay up till 02 a.m. to see this "debate", can't wait.
    Can you tell me where or how you are going to watch it?
  • Why are we paying attention to this debate it's just lies, you should be attending your local debates held by local public radio, instead you are going to care what a reality show has to say. Gees guys what kind of fools are you? Why did we even make a topic of this, you should be out working a local campaign it matters 100% more.

    Since Rubin hasn't commented I figured I'd add his opinion in :-p
    Nah, Scott's opinion would be like "politics suck!"

    But you're right, local elections do mean more than the national election. They affect you a lot more.
  • I'm actually kind of disappointed that it's going on. I was really hoping that McCain wouldn't show, and that we'd have a potentially useful format. Giving the audience a chance to directly ask questions to a candidate seems to be a lot more useful than prepared softball questions.
  • McCain just announced that he will attend.
    And there we go.

    Hopefully he's tired and off kilter throughout the debate. It was a stupid move to suspend his campaign in the first place, and he might just have to pay for it now.
    No, I hope McCain is at his best, so that there is no excuse when he is verbally eviscerated by Obama's facts, logic, and truth.
  • I'm planning to stay up till 02 a.m. to see this "debate", can't wait.
    Can you tell me where or how you are going to watch it?
    CNN - the international version of the channel is broadcasted on German cable.
  • Rym, are you gonna watch it on TV, follow the blogs or just listen to it in the radio?
  • Time? Channel? Website? Details please.
  • Time? Channel? Website? Details please.
    8 central, so 9 eastern. It's on like every broadcast channel.
  • edited September 2008
    Also streaming live on CNN.com
    I'm watching the stream with the audience reaction ticker. Currently the red line is causing me to alternate between rage and nausea.

    Edit: I think I'm reading this ticker wrong. I kinda jumped in in the middle.

    Edit: I am reading it wrong. Damn I'm stupid.

    Thought: McCain mentioned the "Afghan Freedom Fighters". He neglects to mention that Operation Cyclone laid the foundation for the Taliban.
    Post edited by Pseudocidal on
  • McCain still insists that we are winning in Iraq and says if we pull out of there we will 'lose' and give Al Qaeda a new home. Also, spending freeze? Wow.
  • edited September 2008
    So I was talking to former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial, now the CEO of the National Urban League, and I missed the debate.[/nightly name drop]
    Post edited by Jason on
  • McCain actually did a lot better than I thought he would, however I still don't agree with most of what he said.

    I really enjoyed how Obama pushed for increasing spending on education with having people get better access to technology especially getting broadband out to more rural areas. That was pretty cool.
  • I think both parties will claim that their party "won," but to me it seemed like they both lost. Can we draft Josiah Bartlett?
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