Obama still ducking townhall debates

ajmccarrell · #1 08-02-2008, 02:57 PM

For those of you who think that McCain isn't trying to engage Obama on the issues:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080802/...ential_debates

greatdarkwing · #2 08-02-2008, 03:04 PM

Obama's kryptonite is debating. If he can not overcome this, he will lose in November.

strandinthewind · #3 08-02-2008, 03:22 PM

Obama is not that bad. He held his own, mostly, against Hillary, and she is far better than all three.

Also, McCain is not that great a debater

Personally, I think the debates will be a snoozefest and mostly unnecessary in this race as I know no one who has not made up their minds

As for the townhall debates brought uop in this thread, I think the three debates they already agreed to in the Fall are enough, esp. considering the foregoing reasons and that they are after the actual nomination, as opposed to the pre-nomination ones McCain discussed in the posted article.

But, the debate trick has been around for a long time and both sides usually play it at one time or another

This is my own ignorance, but have any candidates in the past debated prior to obtaining the actual n0mination?

Musicman408 · #4 08-02-2008, 03:56 PM

I'm looking forward to the debates. I'm ready for America to get a better picture of who really should win this thing.

greatdarkwing · #5 08-02-2008, 04:22 PM

I personally didn't think he held his own against Hilary. Shame too cause I would've voted for her. He just looks awkward when answering spur of the moment questions and trips himself up alot. I just saw him do it today. When he strays from his message he stumbles. I look forward to the first debate just to see how he holds up against McCain, who seems very at ease with these town hall q and a forums lately. McCain's recent speeches have all been q and forums and he seems to be getting much better at them.

strandinthewind · #6 08-02-2008, 05:05 PM

^^

I agree with you that Hillary was far better. But, he had his moments. The one I thought he lloked the most arrogant in was the "You're likeable enough Hillary" line. She is his senior and the former First Lady. To address her in that tone and by her Christian name was rude. Yet, like most things, that fact alluded the masses. GO figure.

Again, the only reason I likely will vote for Obama is that I think McCain will be four more years of Bush, which I think is bad for us. I totally get, though, the Obama faults and recognize it is not an easy sell.

ajmccarrell · #7 08-03-2008, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

^^

I agree with you that Hillary was far better. But, he had his moments. The one I thought he lloked the most arrogant in was the "You're likeable enough Hillary" line. She is his senior and the former First Lady. To address her in that tone and by her Christian name was rude. Yet, like most things, that fact alluded the masses. GO figure.

Again, the only reason I likely will vote for Obama is that I think McCain will be four more years of Bush, which I think is bad for us. I totally get, though, the Obama faults and recognize it is not an easy sell.

Personally, I would have preferred Fred Thompson and I think, like a lot of conservatives, that were going to get "Arthur Branch" on the campaign trail, the tough guy D.A. from Law & Order that always has a snappy comeback in a slow calming drawl. Instead, we got the real Fred Thompson, who happens to be boring as hell. He nailed the South Carolina debate, but it was too late after he snoozed through the others.

The biggest difference I see between McCain and Obama is that McCain understands where his shortcomings are and he freely acknowledges them, Obama is way too confident despite not really having any national experience. He presents himself like the world's foremost expert on everything and is dead certain before he ends up changing his mind anyway, while pretending he never really held the former position. My 2nd year Accounting professor had a plaque on his wall that read, "education is man's journey from cocksure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty". I think truer words are rarely spoken.

gldstwmn · #8 08-04-2008, 02:36 PM

I don't recall Bush doing any town hall debates during his campaign.

In fact, we rarely saw him in the beginning of his presidency. Those are a dog and pony show anyway, with a selcted audience of people.
Perhaps Obama's security people don't feel it's a wise thing for him to do.

Musicman408 · #9 08-04-2008, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

^^

I agree with you that Hillary was far better. But, he had his moments. The one I thought he lloked the most arrogant in was the "You're likeable enough Hillary" line. She is his senior and the former First Lady. To address her in that tone and by her Christian name was rude. Yet, like most things, that fact alluded the masses. GO figure.

Again, the only reason I likely will vote for Obama is that I think McCain will be four more years of Bush, which I think is bad for us. I totally get, though, the Obama faults and recognize it is not an easy sell.

Yeah, I definately liked Hillary more than Obama, but what can you do now, right? Gotta learn to move on, and knowing that we need a Democrat, I've got to vote for Obama.

chiliD · #10 08-04-2008, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Musicman408

Yeah, I definately liked Hillary more than Obama, but what can you do now, right? Gotta learn to move on, and knowing that we need a Democrat, I've got to vote for Obama.

Not so much that we "need a Democrat", we just DON'T need Republicans, ever, EVER, EVER!!!! In the past 30 years that party has become neo-facist.

ajmccarrell · #11 08-04-2008, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

Not so much that we "need a Democrat", we just DON'T need Republicans, ever, EVER, EVER!!!! In the past 30 years that party has become neo-facist.

LOL! Do you support universal health care? If so, that is fascist by definition. I think you don't know what fascist actually means, nor do you have a basic grasp on history.

Lincoln's actions under the civil war when he suspended habeas corpus rights and even deported disloyal senators was vasty more far reaching than Bush. How about Roosevelt's executive order to round up the Japanese citizens? That was a lot more far reaching. Bush actually got congressional approval to suspend habeas corpus. Roosevelt and Lincoln never did. John Adams also had locked up a journalist that slandered Jefferson. Is Bush clumsy? Certainly! Does he have more power than other presidents in history? No!

strandinthewind · #12 08-04-2008, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajmccarrell

LOL! Do you support universal health care? If so, that is fascist by definition. I think you don't know what fascist actually means, nor do you have a basic grasp on history.

Lincoln's actions under the civil war when he suspended habeas corpus rights and even deported disloyal senators was vasty more far reaching than Bush. How about Roosevelt's executive order to round up the Japanese citizens? That was a lot more far reaching. Bush actually got congressional approval to suspend habeas corpus. Roosevelt and Lincoln never did. John Adams also had locked up a journalist that slandered Jefferson. Is Bush clumsy? Certainly! Does he have more power than other presidents in history? No!

So, lying to get us into a war we did not have to fight is now called clumsy

But, once again, you point to other peoples' behavious in an attempt to lessen the one being talked about. What were those logic lessons you were talking about earlier?

ajmccarrell · #13 08-04-2008, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

I don't recall Bush doing any town hall debates during his campaign.

In fact, we rarely saw him in the beginning of his presidency. Those are a dog and pony show anyway, with a selcted audience of people.
Perhaps Obama's security people don't feel it's a wise thing for him to do.

I didn't much like that either. I like what McCain is doing. Mike Huckabee did it too. Too often campaigns are too staged. I think the reason Obama doesn't do it is because he doesn't do well without a teleprompter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hMyRGRD3rM

I think the form of the video is disrespectful, but it shows what happens when Obama doesn't have his cue cards. There was one speech that Limbaugh played where he stuttered clear through the commercial break for a full ten minutes of rambling stutters.

ajmccarrell · #14 08-04-2008, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

So, lying to get us into a war we did not have to fight is now called clumsy

LOL! Oh, the "lie" thing again. LOL! What a joke! The Russians, Clinton, the French, and many other countries also believed the intelligence. Bush had REALLY bad information. A "lie" mandates intent. He made a grievous error, but it was certainly not deliberate. I love this "lie" business. http://news.aol.com/newsbloggers/200...ush-didnt-lie/ Even this left wing reporter doesn't buy it.

strandinthewind · #15 08-04-2008, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajmccarrell

LOL! Oh, the "lie" thing again. LOL! What a joke! The Russians, Clinton, the French, and many other countries also believed the intelligence. Bush had REALLY bad information. A "lie" mandates intent. He made a grievous error, but it was certainly not deliberate. I love this "lie" business. http://news.aol.com/newsbloggers/200...ush-didnt-lie/ Even this left wing reporter doesn't buy it.

No, Bush and his admin. were told that the yellow cake into a nuclear bomb info. was completely inaccurate and they chose to use it anyway. They could not have sold the war without the exigency need and that was it.

Pay attention