Source: Obama will turn the debate into a town hall if McCain doesn’t show
posted at 2:05 pm on September 25, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Barack Obama is committed to hosting a public, televised event Friday night in Mississippi even if John McCain does not show up, a source close to the Obama campaign tells the Huffington Post.
The Senator, the source says, is willing to make the scheduled debate a townhall meeting, a one-on-one interview with NewsHour’s Jim Lehrer, or the combination of the two in McCain’s absence.
Is McCain prepared to hand The One a 90-minute campaign commercial in front of a national audience? I’m guessing no, in which case expect him to decide tomorrow morning that the bailout’s close enough to being done to qualify as “done,” whereupon he’ll declare victory and hop a plane for Ole Miss. The second poll on his decision to postpone the debate is just out from Marist, incidentally, and while the numbers aren’t as dramatic as yesterday’s Survey USA data, he’s still on the wrong side. 53 percent want the show to go on, including 53 percent of independents.
Exit question via Bill Clinton: How come Obama’s suddenly gung ho for a town hall in McCain’s absence after he declined Maverick’s offer for a series of them earlier this year?
Update: Skipping the debate could be especially dicey with independents, among whom McCain’s surging right now. See the new numbers from Franklin & Marshall noting that Obama’s seven-point lead among indies in June is now a six-point lead for Maverick. That jibes with the NBC and LAT polls yesterday showing a huge swing. But for how long? Pew offers this:
Follow the link and eyeball the first graph for the overall trend. He’s playing with fire if he doesn’t show.
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McCain will show, then head straight back to DC to continue work. He’ll look Presidential and make Obama’s ‘multi-tasking’ line look stupid.
McCain needs to somehow get the subject changed to the economy, though.
BadgerHawk on September 25, 2008 at 2:07 PM
Because Mac wouldn’t be there? Just a guess.
Akzed on September 25, 2008 at 2:08 PM
McCain is better at townhalls, switch the format.
lorien1973 on September 25, 2008 at 2:08 PM
That’s got to be a bluff. Barry wouldn’t risk stuttering and stammering all over prime time television.
bj1126 on September 25, 2008 at 2:09 PM
Come on Maverick, pull this one out.
socalconservative on September 25, 2008 at 2:09 PM
The empty suit will debate the empty chair.
Can’t wait……
Kuffar on September 25, 2008 at 2:09 PM
Agreed.
Spirit of 1776 on September 25, 2008 at 2:09 PM
The polls that have came out today are looking fine…
BTW, why can’t Bob Barr and Cynthia McKenney(sp?) participate in this townhall?
ninjapirate on September 25, 2008 at 2:09 PM
If I were McCain, I would do the debate, but in a town hall since Obambi suggested it. SCORE!
jencab on September 25, 2008 at 2:10 PM
I submit Obama
can’twon’t do a solo town hall in this environment because it will be a mixed audience. He needs a stacked audience to fare well.geckomon on September 25, 2008 at 2:10 PM
mccain has to show, the only reason for a possible delay should have been if deal wasn’t reached. Now it looks like there is going to be a deal, mccain should get to preparing for tomorrow.
brandozilla on September 25, 2008 at 2:10 PM
The Senator, the source says, is willing to make the scheduled debate a townhall meeting …
Is that with or without a TelePromptor?
My 2 year old daughter says
Tony737 on September 25, 2008 at 2:10 PM
I’d love to be there just to boo him. If I could get away with it that is.
mindhacker on September 25, 2008 at 2:10 PM
Oh yeah, empty suit…empty chair…I see a pattern here.
HornetSting on September 25, 2008 at 2:11 PM
Look for the Dems in DC to try to stall the negotiations as long as possible to keep McCain in town and away from the debate.
ManlyRash on September 25, 2008 at 2:11 PM
At this point, there is only one candidate who is looking Presidential and one who is just looking opportunistic.
Guess which one?
pilamaye on September 25, 2008 at 2:12 PM
McCain should agree to the Town Hall format.
Doing the work Obama would not do for two months.
mylegsareswollen on September 25, 2008 at 2:12 PM
shhhhhh.
geckomon on September 25, 2008 at 2:12 PM
Lowest.Ratings.Evah.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on September 25, 2008 at 2:12 PM
I thought Obama didn’t want to do townhalls?
BTW, the new Gallup numbers are back to a tie.
Also, says here a deal has been reached.
JammieWearingFool on September 25, 2008 at 2:13 PM
Good, now that Obama has agreed to a townhall, let the townhall begin.
Obama looks weak, “I am showing up no matter what the crisis is”…McCain will show up, announce that he is immediately leaving afterward to wrap up the economic plan. And hope that next time the Republicans offer a bill that would stop FM and FM from abuse, that the Democrats would support it.
right2bright on September 25, 2008 at 2:13 PM
No, too much of a chance of Maverick coming in a saving the day..
HornetSting on September 25, 2008 at 2:13 PM
Now McCain should go all in and then load the audience with people who would bombard The One with questions about Ayers, Woods, Chic. Annenberg, Columbia U, Hawaii, Rezko, Wright, etc… Let the Townhall begin!
Obama wont do an inpromptu townhall meeting; he’ll do a selective one, where his camp gets to select which questions he’ll take and which ones he wont take.
Townhall my a**! The One is a wus
OSUBuciz1 on September 25, 2008 at 2:13 PM
Please don’t stupe to CodePinko tactics. You’ll find Barry will have you ushered out, just like he did to them….
SkinnerVic on September 25, 2008 at 2:14 PM
Man, to be able to get into that townhall and do the MSMs job for once.
“How does a Harvard grad not know that his pastor publicly supported Palestine? Do you care to restate your friendship with Ayers, now that we know he’s more than your neighbor? How does raising taxes on top of this govt. bailout going to stimulate the economy? ”
You know, stuff like that maybe.
hippie_chucker on September 25, 2008 at 2:14 PM
I need to eat – my speeelin is going to the crappa.
SkinnerVic on September 25, 2008 at 2:14 PM
Either way, he could just debate himself.
Pick a topic. Let him make a statement. Then have someone from McCain’s camp with a computer with BO audio/video to rebut Barry’s position with his own words.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on September 25, 2008 at 2:15 PM
One-on-one interview of softballs from an adoring fan in the media + carefully-screened softball questions from the adoring fans in the audience = epic McCain fail.
ScottMcC on September 25, 2008 at 2:15 PM
He had to have the format changed to a Townhall – he is the only man in America who could lose a debate where he is the only participant.
catmman on September 25, 2008 at 2:15 PM
Exactly. Obama wants to play chicken — I’m sure McCain can accomodate him.
aunursa on September 25, 2008 at 2:15 PM
Look,
All Obama has is his political campaign, his prepared speeches and talking points. He has no ideas, nothing worth contributing to the bail out legislation so why should he really work on the bail out?
I hope that the news leaks out that McCain was working on straightening out a mess while Obama wanted to play politics.
Heck, McCain could apologize for appearing tired because he put so many hours into solving a problem while Obummer talked about the problem.
Side note: I’ve seen some left wing blogs saying Obama wanted to suspend the campaign first. That ain’t what I heard. Any ideas where that came from?
Duncan Khuver on September 25, 2008 at 2:16 PM
I agree with many commenters who say that McCain should say, since the subject matter people want to hear about is not what the debate was originally set for, that he welcomes a town hall format to open it up to Americans’ real concerns.
progressoverpeace on September 25, 2008 at 2:16 PM
Rimshot!
freeus on September 25, 2008 at 2:17 PM
Ha ha – brilliant move by Obama.
New Republican line: Obama is being childish and selfish. Who is going to pay for Friday night? Because it’s supposed to be a debate. If it’s not then Obama should foot the bill.
Dave Rywall on September 25, 2008 at 2:17 PM
Is this debate in Massatoosits?
benrand on September 25, 2008 at 2:17 PM
I agree. If the debate was supposed to be on international issues, then McCain needs to say that he agrees with Obama (if even he didn’t say it) and say we need a townhall debate on the current economic issues of this country.
Unfortunately, I don’t think McCain’s team is that smart to turn the tables back on Obama.
moonsbreath on September 25, 2008 at 2:17 PM
There’s anew daily gallup poll out, that takes into account what happened last night, that has Obama dropping 2, and McCain gainig two. They’re tied now, again.
Enoxo on September 25, 2008 at 2:17 PM
I really don’t believe that if it comes Friday and it looks absolutely certain that McCain will not be showing up that Obama would show up himself. That plays well with the Kos types but not with serious people.
johnt on September 25, 2008 at 2:17 PM
McCain should agree to the Town Hall format.
Doing the work Obama would not do for two months.
mylegsareswollen on September 25, 2008 at 2:12 PM
——-
If McCain shows, then it’s the usual debate, not a town hall. Duh.
Dave Rywall on September 25, 2008 at 2:17 PM
Well, it looks like an agreement has been reached so all this no debate stuff should be moot at this point.
carbon_footprint on September 25, 2008 at 2:17 PM
Soooo, Obama will do a Town Hall alone, buuut, wouldn’t do the 10 Town Halls that he agreed to with McCain???
marklmail on September 25, 2008 at 2:17 PM
Yeah, McCain has to do the debate. I think they took it too far by seeking to have it delayed in the first place…
changer1701 on September 25, 2008 at 2:18 PM
It figures that you love Obama so much, Drywall…being Canadian and all, eh?
HornetSting on September 25, 2008 at 2:18 PM
Obama placed the first call to McCain, but from what I hear it was just a non-specific message about putting out a joint statement. It had nothing to do with suspending the campaign and heading back to DC to get this bill finished.
Obama wanted to talk, while both Paulson and Reid said the bill couldn’t get passed without McCain’s leadership.
Talk vs. Action. It should be clear who the leader is.
BadgerHawk on September 25, 2008 at 2:18 PM
Barack Hussein Obama: Doing the job Americans won’t do………
Mcguyver on September 25, 2008 at 2:19 PM
Barrack can’t do town hall format. He’ll studder and stammer right out the door. Nice bluff donkey.
Geronimo on September 25, 2008 at 2:19 PM
If they’ve got a deal reached in principle, McCain should go, clean Obama’s clock on foreign policy, and then come back. He’s already “iced the kicker” and thrown him off his game, and if he does end up going through with the debate and giving BO a beatdown, it will be devestating. Keep the topic on foreign policy, which McCain can do in his sleep.
thirteen28 on September 25, 2008 at 2:19 PM
The debate may go ahead on schedule, but it won’t be because of this ludicrous empty threat. If Obama tried the “debate an empty chair trick,” it would backfire. The people who want a debate don’t want an Obama campaign event. Such an action wouldn’t satisfy the desire for a debate: It would ruin the chance to have a later debate according to the compromises that the McCain campaign has offered.
Polls on this question posed ahead of time are close to meaningless.
CK MacLeod on September 25, 2008 at 2:20 PM
Gallup is a 3 day average, actually. So, theoretically there has been a huge pro-mccain swing and it’s only showing 1/3 of it right now.
lorien1973 on September 25, 2008 at 2:20 PM
Can I sigh a lot and roll my eyes?
MarkTheGreat on September 25, 2008 at 2:20 PM
Best of all worlds is McCain shows up late, like ten minutes late:
“Sorry, I was in Washington doing what the people of Arizona elected me to do.”
Well, maybe not. People don’t really like the word “Washington”.
Say, if Obama were to get a solo 90 minute interview / townhall, do not the networks that carry it have to give McCain equal time?
SlimyBill on September 25, 2008 at 2:21 PM
On a positive note, this has completely wasted at least one full day of debate prep that Obama needs.
BadgerHawk on September 25, 2008 at 2:21 PM
Drudge pushing eagleton again.
lorien1973 on September 25, 2008 at 2:21 PM
Obama won’t turn it into a Town Hall meeting if McCain shows up. McCain will show up. Getting head to head with Obama is trying to wrestle a greased pig.
Boehner is saying the House Reopublicns have not agreed to the “deal”.
volsense on September 25, 2008 at 2:21 PM
It figures that you love Obama so much, Drywall…being Canadian and all, eh?
HornetSting on September 25, 2008 at 2:18 PM
——-
Turnip truck. A fall. That’s you.
Dave Rywall on September 25, 2008 at 2:22 PM
Maybe Obama can just debate both his positions on each issue?
flyoverland on September 25, 2008 at 2:22 PM
Couldn’t those last numbers just indicate that McCain has peeled off some of those independents who are more inclined to like him?
DaveS on September 25, 2008 at 2:23 PM
Let Obama do it. The giant elephant in the room will be the elephant absent from the room. In other words, the story will be McCain not being there, and not Obama’s performance. A couple well timed press releases from the McCain campaign augmented by a new ad highlighting Obama and his “economic advisors”, could negate the debate all together. Maybe a line like, “With economic advisors like these, it’s no wonder Obama would rather be in a room by himself, talking to himself.”
Weight of Glory on September 25, 2008 at 2:24 PM
McCain should show up just after Obama has started his townhall thing to force Obama into a freewheeling, townhall-style debate.
While going to shake Obama’s hand McCain can hand him a copy of the final financial plan McCain helped work out and say to Obama, “Here’s some reading material for later tonight – the McCain-Reid financial bailout package”.
And while the chairs are being re-arranged on stage, McCain should say to Obama, “We don’t need those teleprompters any more now do we Senator Obama? Could somebody take them down, they are a distraction….”
Then the uh,uh…uh…uh fun will begin.
albill on September 25, 2008 at 2:24 PM
Maybe someone can explain to Obama that raising taxes on business will, in fact, be a tacit tax increase on everyone in the country.
lorien1973 on September 25, 2008 at 2:24 PM
If you look at all the facts, no rational person can argue that Obama is somehow a non-partisan or at all a different/new type of politician.
He swears he won’t run on a national ticket when he falls into his senate seat (thanks to the fact that he ran against Keyes who isn’t even from Illinois!)…he claims he can’t run a national ticket because he believes one needs tobe qualified to be president and he said he wasn’t at all qualified. 143 into his promised full term, he takes the promise back and starts running for the presidency he said he wasn’t qualified for.
He says he will do townhalls with McCain. He clearly fibbed, as he then refused to do them. Now, when called back to Washington, he says he’ll continue with “politics as usual” (which he claims to abhor) by holding a townhall that he refused to take part in.
When I hear people say he’s a new kind of politician, I always ask them to back the claim up…to this date, no one has ever backed that claim up with any evidence of him being anything but an opportunist who is interested in one thing- power and glory.
TheBlueSite on September 25, 2008 at 2:24 PM
Gee gosh golly I sure hope McCain has time for a $5,583.43 makeover before tomorrow’s debate. Somewhere John Edwards is saying DAMN YOU MCCAIN YOU TOOK THE ONLY THING I HAD LEFT MY 400$ HAIRCUTS MEAN NOTHING NOW
Dave Rywall on September 25, 2008 at 2:24 PM
Asshole. A dump. That’s you.
FiveWays on September 25, 2008 at 2:25 PM
Maverick will show, and on Saturday morning The One will wish he’d accepted McCain’s offer.
infidel65 on September 25, 2008 at 2:25 PM
That would be amazing. But as soon as McCain’s plane is in the air they would obviously just push back the start of the debate 10 or 15 minutes. We can dream, though, we can dream.
BadgerHawk on September 25, 2008 at 2:26 PM
As I posted earlier, if there is to be any sort of a debate tomorrow night, it is absurd to waste all that gas for McCain and Obama to fly off to Mississippi when they are both in DC. It wouldn’t be “green” to waste all that fuel just to placate Ole’ Miss.
Obama wants a debate? Fine! Do it in DC from the floor of the Senate without a moderator- no rules about what can be asked. Just two candidates out there making their best case.
highhopes on September 25, 2008 at 2:26 PM
Hahahahaha. Awesome.
SlimyBill on September 25, 2008 at 2:26 PM
See. This is what happens when Libtards attempt humor.
Just walk away, Drywall.
FiveWays on September 25, 2008 at 2:26 PM
Repeating myself from this morning on a different thread:
I hope the debate goes on as scheduled. Obama will be angry and when he’s angry he’s way off his game.
RushBaby on September 25, 2008 at 2:27 PM
Oh Drywall, that really stung….it must be so DAMN boring to be Canadian….
HornetSting on September 25, 2008 at 2:27 PM
Let Obama turn it into a “town hall” … there’s a bit of a problem in there for him …
Unless Obama changes the audience rules … i.e. “who” can attend … then he will end up with an audience that is at least half Republican and therefore … half hostile.
He doesn’t have the guts to face that imo.
HondaV65 on September 25, 2008 at 2:28 PM
McCain should play this out, announce in the morning that he will go to the debate if they can get things close enough, then make a dramatic show of leaving DC at about 4 or 5 pm, and have some buzz about whether he will be able to make it there in time. Perhaps even show up a little late and “apologize” because he was out earning his paycheck as a senator.
Dudley Smith on September 25, 2008 at 2:28 PM
McCain needs to take up Obama on the townhall format.
FiveWays on September 25, 2008 at 2:28 PM
Obama…meet woodshed.
HornetSting on September 25, 2008 at 2:28 PM
Gawd, this Obapa is a pantload, “You better show up or I’ll stamp my foot and throw myself to the floor!”
Mac should make a statement that basically says, “Whatever asshole, I have senate work to do, see you Monday.”
Bishop on September 25, 2008 at 2:28 PM
What? Another chance to read from the teleprompter again? SOS, repackaged and regergitated….
CynicalOptimist on September 25, 2008 at 2:29 PM
He needs to do the debate, but still kick butt on Capitol Hill.
Sir Andrew on September 25, 2008 at 2:29 PM
That is the true reason for Obama’s “townhall”…his teleprompter got jealous and threatened to leave him.
HornetSting on September 25, 2008 at 2:30 PM
I’m completely convinced that McCain has been playing Obama on this since yesterday.
FiveWays on September 25, 2008 at 2:30 PM
Yeah.
SlimyBill on September 25, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Frigging stupid. All any of this did was make McCain look panicky, and gives Obama an air of strength and superiority when McCain inevitably caves in and turns up for the debate.
cyclosarin on September 25, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Town hall? Sounds great. Let’s do it.
capitalist piglet on September 25, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Didn’t I read a post by you the other day complaining that people were calling you a troll?
Well, if you stopped ACTING like a troll people who stop CALLING you a troll.
Religious_Zealot on September 25, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Should that be done with or without the earth tone suits?
MarkTheGreat on September 25, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Townhall? That’s a lose-lose for Barry. If McCain doesn’t show up then Barry will have to answer unscripted questions. Uh … Ummm … Uh …
If McCain does show up he should what a wonderful idea and hold him to it where Barry will get trounced.
Desperation doesn’t smell good.
darwin on September 25, 2008 at 2:32 PM
My theory:
Never for one single second did our Mavericky political genius even think of not showing up at Ole Miss for that debate
DJ Dubya on September 25, 2008 at 2:32 PM
I don’t know all the election laws but how can Obama do this. As a Senator he foregoes go up to Capital Hill and turns a debate into a 90 minute single free for all within 45 days of the election? Wouldn’t the media have to provide McCain with a 90 minute televised townhall free for all before the election to balance matters. I don’t get it.
Sultry Beauty on September 25, 2008 at 2:32 PM
Heh.
geckomon on September 25, 2008 at 2:32 PM
Off Topic:
I would like to see a Constitutional amendment that says that no one running for office can maintain some other governmental job at the same time. If a private sector company wants to continue to employ someone who is campaigning for elected office, then that is up to them, but the government should have strict rules that office-holders are full-time employees.
That would be the topic of my townhall question – after all the financial questions that people would ask.
progressoverpeace on September 25, 2008 at 2:33 PM
I tried that, it doesn’t work. They don’t go for the “call a spade a spade” thing.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on September 25, 2008 at 2:33 PM
I smell another “above my paygrade” ass whoopin!
HornetSting on September 25, 2008 at 2:33 PM
Completely disagree. McCain will go do the debate, make an explicit point that he’s proud of the progress he and other lawmakers made on the bill, point out how Sen. Reid even said the bill couldn’t get passed without McCain’s leadership, then head straight back to Washington.
It was a gamble, but I think it could work out as a huge plus.
BadgerHawk on September 25, 2008 at 2:34 PM
Mac can still make Obeepy look like a fool and a rookie.
Walk into the auditorium carrying a stool, ignore the stage and set the stool down somewhere among the crowd, roll up his sleeves and then….look up on stage at Obamo and say, “You comin’ or not?”
Bishop on September 25, 2008 at 2:35 PM
Bingo!
I didn’t believe for a minute that McCain was going to blowoff the debate.
The threat of an open town hall from the “One” just plays right into the McCain trap.
ChrisM on September 25, 2008 at 2:35 PM
I definitely agree. Currently elected officials should not run for higher (or lower) office. They must resign their seat before running.
lorien1973 on September 25, 2008 at 2:35 PM
Hey Drywall, I found what I think is what’s left of your sanity here on the floor.
Chuck Schick on September 25, 2008 at 2:36 PM
FIFY
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on September 25, 2008 at 2:36 PM
McCain needs to go, but as late as possible. Then when he gets his first question he should begin by saying, “I’m sorry I had to leave this debate up in the air for a couple of days while I was doing my job for the people of Arizona. It’s a job I’ve done proudly for 18 years and I was not going to let them down now, with so much of their money at stake here. This would not have been necessary had my opponent agreed to do several joint town hall meetings with me as I asked him to do back in June. But I understand that the American people want to see us together , so I’m glad we are finally here.”
rockmom on September 25, 2008 at 2:36 PM
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