Debate preview: What do McCain, Obama have to do tonight?
posted at 1:10 pm on October 15, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Tonight we have the final presidential debate for the 2008 cycle, and if you’re in the Twin Cities area, we have some party ready for you! AM1280 The Patriot will host a debate party at Trocadero’s in Minneapolis tonight. The Northern Alliance Radio Network will emcee an evening of fun and politics, including my radio partner Mitch Berg, Power Line, SCSU Scholars, and Fraters Libertas. We’ll have free appetizers and a cash bar. The debate goes from 8pm CST to 9:30pm CST and doors will open around 7:30pm. Admission is free – but please RSVP at the handy AM1280 RSVP Page so we can plan accordingly.
You won’t miss anything at Hot Air, either, if you’re not able to make it to the party. We’ll have a live chat room running during the debate, with Jazz Shaw and Lady Logician moderating a cast of thousands — literally! We may have a few other surprises for you, so stay tuned!
With John McCain stalled in the polls and Barack Obama riding comfortably at the moment, this debate becomes all about McCain. He has to convince people that Obama isn’t ready to lead this nation, and that he can build a bipartisan coalition better than Obama can. Why? Because the election is, as always, in the hands of people who do not identify strongly on partisan or ideological grounds. McCain can only win this election if he can convince people that an Obama presidency would be a disaster on economic grounds — which is the main focus for Americans in the wake of the financial collapse.
McCain has to do the following if he expects to score a big enough victory tonight:
- Be aggressive. McCain has to both make a positive case for himself and a negative case against Obama. That will take a lot of effort and time, and McCain can’t waste time on the niceties. We know he respects Obama. He doesn’t have to tell us again.
- Attack the fundamental assumptions of Obama’s populism. McCain cannot win by being more of a populist than Obama. Instead of Teddy Roosevelt, he needs a dose of Milton Friedman and Ronald Reagan tonight. He has to fight the false “deregulation” narrative that Obama and the Democrats have created for the Fannie/Freddie collapse and tell the truth about the government intervention in lending markets that created the bubble and the rest of the failures that followed. If he can’t do that, McCain will not prevail.
- Talk abortion and gun control. Even if Bob Schieffer follows the lead of Jim Lehrer, Gwen Ifill, and Tom Brokaw in embargoing discussion on these points, McCain has to find a way to broach these subjects. Obama has a radical record on abortion and life issues that is far to the left of the mainstream in America. He also has a record of supporting far-reaching gun control laws. These issues provide McCain the quickest, most effective way to expose Obama as a hard-Left ideologue out of step with the American people.
- Foreign policy. It may not matter as much to Americans in the midst of a financial crisis, but McCain can and should tie that to American foreign policy, especially on trade. Obama’s protectionist impulses could lead to another Smoot-Hawley strategy and a worldwide depression. McCain has demonstrated strength in this area and needs to keep it alive as a debate topic tonight.
For Obama, the task is easier. He’s ahead by most measures and has to ensure that he doesn’t do anything to damage his standing:
- Maintain poise. Everyone knows McCain will go on the attack tonight. Obama can’t take the bait like he did in the first debate and argue from the defensive all night. He can parry, but would do better to stick to his own policies.
- Don’t stutter. Obama did well in the first two debates on this score.
- Stick to domestic economic policy. So far, that’s been his strength. His populism has attracted voters, but now he needs to sound some moderate points in order to reach the undecideds.
- Talk in general themes, not specifics. Obama has shown that he gets trapped in the weeds when trying to talk specifics, stumbling over his words and sometimes contradicting himself (and reality). He needs to stick to themes and concepts and project competence and rationality.
Which man will succeed? And will it make any difference in the election? We’ll find out soon enough…
Update: ABC reports on Obama’s strategy, thanks to a leaked memo: McCain’s insane. They may still pull defeat from the jaws of victory.
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Let’s all sing along now…
It’s the end of the world as we know it…
It’s the end of the world as we know it…
IIIIIt’s the ennnnnd of the woooorld as we know iiiiiit…
…and I feel fine.
McLame is baked…stick a fork in ‘im. Kiss your discretionary income buh-bye.
Where’s my damn bourbon glass…I just had it. Awww…screw it.
/drinks straight from bottle
Wyznowski on October 15, 2008 at 2:14 PM
I like FF, just wondering if there is something better out there that I don’t know about.
Bishop on October 15, 2008 at 2:16 PM
Yeah, but browsing doesn’t feel nearly as good!
lorien1973 on October 15, 2008 at 2:18 PM
McCain’s Inane, not insane. He has run the least focused and most inept campaign since, since his 2000 campaign.
And at this point, obambastica will have to smash Victory in teeth in order to pull out a defeat.
trailboss on October 15, 2008 at 2:19 PM
Short of Obama having a Jack Nicholson “You can’t handle the truth” moment where he breaks down and admits he thinks America has trampled on the lower classes and he will do whatever it takes to undo the harm two centuries of capitalism has done, anything short of that and he wins. No matter what questions McCain brings up, no matter what damning points he makes, no matter what character flaws he enunciates, Obama can say the economy is more important bla bla and the media will repeat his talking points and say he won while ignoring McCain’s silver bullets.
If this campaign were a trial, the jury would of course find for Obama because the judge ruled out all of McCain’s evidence. Unless there is a miracle, the only person who can stop Obama’s run at this point is Obama.
Iceman on October 15, 2008 at 2:23 PM
Mac,
Please don’t say “friends” 100 times.
Ask Obama if his pay grade would allow him to say if a new born baby represents human life.
Ask him if could make his lettters on Fannie and Freddie public and why he voted “present” on the bill to put in more controls.
Ask him what the difference is between his proposals and the basic principles of Marxism and socialism.
Ask if he believes so much in “spreading success” around and being “our brother’s keeper,” why hasn’t he given more to charity, or sent money to his brother.
Tell him that anybody can explain away a relationship with one unsavory character, but how can he explain the sum total of ALL of his relationships, including, but not limited to Ayers, Wright, Pleger, Rains, Johnson and Farrakhan.
Ask him why he gave ACORN $832,000, if he really didn’t need them.
Ask him if he would STILL oppose the surge.
Don’t blame our current financial situation on “greedy Wall Street,” or try to promise more in give-aways than Obama.
Star20 on October 15, 2008 at 2:24 PM
McCain has to be so careful about how negative he goes on Obama- the media is waiting with their tongues out to slam him on anything he says! I don’t know what the “undecided’s” are hoping to hear, but if they get their news, (and post debate spin) from the MSM, all they’ll hear is distorted garbage at best.
All of us here at HA are informed, we pay attention. If McCain were to start accusing Obama of all his “sins” in a double barreled assault, the MSM will just call him a liar, and there’s not enough time left to clear it up.
I would really like to see him as he was at Saddleback- he was confident, easy, very much a leader. BUT- I do think he needs to make a BIG effort to attach Obama to the Fannie/Freddie mess, ACORN, Ayers. He has to make Obama squirm about ACORN- he’s up to his eyeballs in it.
anniekc on October 15, 2008 at 2:24 PM
Exactly, McCain’s biggest downfall was a complete lack of focus and no overriding themes although several opportunities presented themselves over the course of his campaign:
Missed themes for McCain:
1. McCain for a sensible/doable energy policy.
2. McCain because the world is too dangerous to put in the hands of an inexperienced communist.
3. McCain because serious times need serious people.
4. McCain for a bridge out of partisanship.
5. McCain for serious economic reform
and my personal favorite-
6. McCain because the troops fighting against terrorists and extremists don’t deserve a commander-in-chief who calls terrorists and extremists friends.
highhopes on October 15, 2008 at 2:27 PM
As I said, I use FF half the time. It’s a great browser, I particularly like the extensibility. I just feel like I need to use IE once it a while, since I wrote a little of the code (dealing with non-English rendering, my code never crashes alone…). If it wasn’t for the personal connection I probably wouldn’t use IE at all. There, I said it.
DarkCurrent on October 15, 2008 at 2:28 PM
Only four more to go, and McCain can have his first Top Ten Talking Points.
trailboss on October 15, 2008 at 2:31 PM
I know the MSM and Obama backers want the candidates to discuss the economy. It keeps the Republicans from discussing those distracting topics like Obama’s ties to terrorists; Black Liberation Theology; ACORN and the like.
Frankly, we have hundreds of economic experts from around the world scratching their heads about what to do about the economy. I don’t think sound bites from McCain or Obama on what they would do is going to solve anything.
I’d like to see a greater emphasis on the moral and social issues like abortion; gun control; same sex marriage; etc.
iamsaved on October 15, 2008 at 2:47 PM
The system depends on responsible, informed voters. There’s really no way of getting around that point. The institutions which educate and inform people are infiltrated by radicals. This election will tell you whether the left’s infiltration was caught enough ahead of time to avert disaster or not. When speaking with that Toledo plumber, Obama practically proclaims he’s a socialist. That alone is sufficient reason to lose the election. There are many others, the list is long. The only one who can stop Obama is Americans. It’s their call.
better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.
JiangxiDad on October 15, 2008 at 2:47 PM
As a lifelong Independent, it amazes me that so many conservatives are “faint of heart”. I enjoy the PUMA sites because they remain upbeat about defeating Obama. They do not believe the polls reflect a fair sampling or use questions that do not have a preferred slant. They continue to say help get out the vote etc. Why are you all so negative? The main concern is that the “all is lost” attitude will keep people from voting. No matter how well McCain does or does not do, remember the alternative and vote as if American life, as we know it, depends on our votes!
Pat in NC on October 15, 2008 at 2:49 PM
Another item I’d like McCain to say:
“Senator Obama. There is a lawsuit regarding the authenticity of your birth certificate. I had the same problem some time ago. I produced mine within days and Congress ruled that I was indeed a natural born American.
Why don’t you put these rumors to rest and produce a certified copy of your birth certificate? Don’t give it to a web site like factchecker.org or snopes.com. Give it to a court or some other reputable outlet. It has to be an easy task since you had to produce it to get your passport didn’t you?”
Sorry Hot Air, but I don’t want to a dismissive comment that this is a bogus affair. If it is, let Obama put it to rest. Everyone else has no problem producing their birth certificate if asked.
iamsaved on October 15, 2008 at 2:55 PM
I think if conservatives as a whole really felt that everything rides on this election, they would still be out in droves. My guess is that a number of people feel that way, but most, like myself, don’t attribute that much power to the dems. Even if they have it, they don’t know how to use it. (see, Pelosi, Nancy, and Reid, Harry)
trailboss on October 15, 2008 at 2:55 PM
McCain has a difficult job ahead of him in this final debate. If he is too aggressive the media will basically do a job on him, if he is to moderate he is done. Is very difficult to win when the game is been fix on Obama’s favor. On my part will support Senator Mc Cain no matter what, I’ll be dammed if I will let the left wing radical media decide for me. Some times you have to make the best with what you have, thus I will no quit on Mc Cain.
http://www.letfreedomringusa.com/
pukara61 on October 15, 2008 at 2:59 PM
“The system depends on responsible, informed voters. There’s really no way of getting around that point. The institutions which educate and inform people are infiltrated by radicals. This election will tell you whether the left’s infiltration was caught enough ahead of time to avert disaster or not”
Oh, come on, dad. The internet blogs, where more and more people go to for news, are generally center to right-of-center. The viewership of TV and cable news shows are generally dropping (other than Fox) and the readersip of daily newspapers is generally dropping as well.
You’re just upset that Obama seems to (for now) be winning. Blaming the (possible) win on radical leftist institutions is just irresponsible.
jim m on October 15, 2008 at 3:00 PM
You dispute that public education, academia and the media are liberal institutions, and have been for decades? Do you also dispute that Obama’s mentor Alinsky called for exactly this type of infiltration? Do you deny that people are brainwashed by the MSM to hate the President, question the goodness of the US, believe wars are lost when they aren’t, that elections are over before they’re held, that McCain is a racist, etc. etc.
You and I are living in different realities.
JiangxiDad on October 15, 2008 at 3:09 PM
My guess is they will know how to use it when the have a Democrat in the White House and filibuster-proof majorities in congress. Anybody counting on that not being the case, is playing with fire.
neuquenguy on October 15, 2008 at 3:15 PM
I think the biggest thing McCain’s got to do is remind the base that the election hasn’t happened, despite the MSM’s having written the bylines already. This is still in our hands. He needs to wake those who are suffering campaign fatigue. He needs to have a moment like the one he had when he chose Palin to be his running mate… something to liven up the process and give people a reason to go to the polls.
Texas Rainmaker on October 15, 2008 at 3:23 PM
I dispute that all (or even possibly most) people get their news from the MSM.
jim m on October 15, 2008 at 3:27 PM
trailboss on October 15, 2008 at 2:55 PM
When scary nancy has already said she would bring the house back into session if the O wins to get started on the next round of spending people need to be made to understand the danger of an all Dem unchecked power hungry control of our great country good lord this will be worse than the Carter years and I’m sorry I remember those years all to well even if I were a teenager.
tee866 on October 15, 2008 at 3:30 PM
Can’t bear to watch these debates any longer. I’ll content myself with listening to what y’all have to say about it tomorrow. Besides, it doesn’t matter who really wins, the MSM probably already has headlines printed already that say Obama.
jeanie on October 15, 2008 at 3:39 PM
And that’s the problem. The last two debates was a good cure for insomnia. Neither candidate showed any fire or passion about being there and McCain acted as if it were past his bedtime.
If McCain really wants to win (I question this) he needs to reach his inner Southern Baptist fire-and-brimstone preacher’s voice instead of his Senator voice. It’s more than getting out there and bringing up Ayers- it’s convincing the public that McCain is ready and energized to be the nation’s leader.
highhopes on October 15, 2008 at 3:50 PM
“All” is one of those absolutes that rarely is true so that is safe to dispute.
I would say most people get their news from some version of the MSM either directly or indirectly. For instance, reading a Washington Post story linked from an internet site is still getting the news from an MSM source. The problem with the internet is the same as most MSM sources- editorial bias. What Americans are lacking in great measure is objective reporting of the facts.
highhopes on October 15, 2008 at 3:54 PM
Yup, and Obama was very considerate this time, as the UPDATE points out, he already sent them the talking points so they won’t have to stay up late witting about it.
neuquenguy on October 15, 2008 at 4:00 PM
Tonight, I want to hear these words come out of McCain’s mouth as he puts up a staunch fight against Hussein:
Socialist
Alinsky
Infanticide
Wright
Ayers
Spread-the-wealth
ErinF on October 15, 2008 at 4:02 PM
Bush won in 2000 and 2004. The GOP lost in 2006 and seem (for now) to be losing this election.
The percentage of people who receive their news exclusively from the MSM has got to have fallen significantly since 2004. So how can blaming the MSM this time around be the reason?
And what is the MSM? 40 million people watched the VP debates. I think 33 million people watched the first Pres debates. Where those MSM because they were on TV?
jim m on October 15, 2008 at 4:02 PM
FIRST WORDS I WANT TO HEAR OUT OF McCAIN is to challenge Obama to
a duelmake good on his offer to debate McCain “at any time”… then nail him down to specifics. We need to see a less biased, less structured discussion. But Obama DOESN’T HAVE THE ACORNS TO DO IT.NightmareOnKStreet on October 15, 2008 at 4:13 PM
I would like to see McCain compare himself and the decisions he made as a first term Senator to those made by Obama. Is there any other senator like McCain who has completely rejected earmarks – and explain why he did reject it. Yet, Obama’s first move was to be one of the largest recipient of earmark money. What about the money Obama earmarked for his wife’s employer – is this what an honorable person would do? Is there any job Obama has been satisfied with? Seems like every job he’s had, he’s moved on before really completing the job. Lawyer? No thanks. Community organizer? Not enough power. Illinois Senator? Not enough glory. US Senator? Only if he can run uncontested and then still not good enough, only one year in and looking for a new job. Has he ever stuck with anything?
AndAwayWeGo on October 15, 2008 at 4:18 PM
I want McCain to point out that in 2005 when he co-sponsored legislation to rein in Fannie/Freddie (around the same time Obama claims “I wrote a letter…” in his best “I-have-a-bracelet-too!” voice.) that OBAMA USED THE “CHICKEN BUTTON”/voted present, the chickesh*t way of voting “no”. YET CLAIMS HE SUPPORTED THE CONCEPT.
NightmareOnKStreet on October 15, 2008 at 4:30 PM
McCain, “Senator Obama, 1) why have you changed your website “FACTS” regarding your association with ACORN? 2) Explain how your payment of $800,000 to CSA/ACORN make you complicit in the widespread voter registration fraud? 3) If you’re not affiliated with them, let’s make a deal right now to hold all of ACORN’S REGISTRATIONS until they can be investigated thoroughly. DEAL?”
NightmareOnKStreet on October 15, 2008 at 4:38 PM
What do McCain, Obama have to do tonight?
Barry-breathe.
McCain-kick ass!
HornetSting on October 15, 2008 at 4:45 PM
there, fixed it.
NightmareOnKStreet on October 15, 2008 at 4:50 PM
Very good, Nightmare.
HornetSting on October 15, 2008 at 4:52 PM
There’s plenty McCain needs to do, but he won’t do it. His last chance was during the second debate, and he blew it.
His biggest flaw is that he values bi-partisanship over everything else including principle. When there’s an economic crisis, I don’t want to hear how he’s going to reach across the aisle. I want solutions and I want the people who are to blame punished. Populist nonsense about Wall Street greed is the democrats talking point — it sounds silly from a republican who’s trying to preach to people who know better.
I don’t know what ads he’s running because I don’t live in a battleground state but unless he’s running ads linking Obama and the dems to FM/FM and the market meltdown, unless he’s running ads showing what Obama’s capital gains tax increase will do to further batter the economy and unless he’s runnig ads showing how Obama has flip-flopped on every issue between the primaries and the general elction he isn’t going to win.
As I’ve said before it’s Bob Dole vs. Clinton, again.
An old guy vs. a smooth talker and people with a short attention span want the smooth talker.
The base doesn’t think much of McCain, they just dislike Obama more intensely. That doesn’t win elections as the dems learned in 2004.
Rather than watching the debate I suggest spending the time finding ways to hide your spare change before it gets redistributed.
Sensible Mom on October 15, 2008 at 5:20 PM
Oh, and McCain needs to hammer Obama’s work for and links to ACORN. In his convention speech he implored people to “stand up and fight.” But he hasn’t.
I wonder if his internal polling, like Dole’s, indicates he doesn’t have a chance, and so he’s going easy on Obama to save face. If that’s the case, it’s another reason why he was a bad choice for republicans.
Sensible Mom on October 15, 2008 at 5:27 PM
Thanks HornetSting- you are very kind. Admittedly, your name gives me pause, as I’m am terrified of your namesake.
I wish I could change mine. It was much more topical, (if not exactly brilliant, hehe) when I joined HotAir 2 1/2 yr ago when the whole Jack Abramoff / K Street lobbying scandal was in the news.
Now it just seems like a Freddy Kruger movie. Good thing I didn’t used “Kickapoo” which was the Indian tribe Abramoff made famous, that just sounds too much like a cross between a marshall artist and a porn star. LOL!!
NightmareOnKStreet on October 15, 2008 at 6:04 PM
In 2004 and even 2004, MSNBC wasn’t totally in the bag for the Democrats. Putting Keith Olbermann in charge of moderating anything back then would have been unthinkable.
Speedwagon82 on October 15, 2008 at 6:21 PM
2004=2000
Speedwagon82 on October 15, 2008 at 6:21 PM
McCain needs to say:
“Got his mentoring from crackpot preachers like Reverend Wright and Father Pfleger…”
And:
“Began his political career in the living room of an unrepentent domestic terrorist, Bill ‘Weather Underground’ Ayers…”
And:
“Has a junior Marxist economic philosophy in store for the country, as he plainly told a plumber the other day, with his revelation that he plans to ’spread the wealth around’…”
And:
“Made millions of dollars on an autobiography that now appears someone ghostwrote for him…”
Kick ass and take names!
profitsbeard on October 15, 2008 at 6:32 PM
Forgive me if this has been covered …
what is the format for tonight ??
All I’ve heard is that they’ll be seated.
Anyone know how much time given for answers, etc ?
pambi on October 15, 2008 at 6:33 PM
The economy is a stinky diaper right now. I say McCain needs to lay that at Obamas feet.
johnnyU on October 15, 2008 at 6:40 PM
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