McCain, Obama camps fail to agree on joint town hall sessions

Saturday 14th June, 05:19 AM JST

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yabits at 12:39 AM JST - 15th June

sailwind - Thanks for the link.

Yes, it was wonderful to watch McCain displaying his ignorance -- and counting on more of the same from his Republican sycophants. Most laughable was his assertion that ordinary citizens can ask better questions than professional journalists. (Most citizens couldn't locate Iraq on a map.)

What McCain most fears is the follow-up question: Somebody taking what he's said, doing some analysis, and coming back with a question that shows he's talking out of both sides of his mouth. (And then, the diminutive Mr. McCain risks throwing one of his famous little temper tantrums.)

By the way, I'll bet dollars to donuts that "protester" was staged. McCain has not drawn protesters, and if you look at him, his reactions look extremely well-prepped -- as if on cue. The American people can't trust anything these Republican stage managers throw at us. Any dirty trick in the book is standard procedure for them.
yabits at 12:42 AM JST - 15th June

Unfortunately, Sen. McCain said it would be just the two of them.

The bogusness of it all comes in the fact that the town hall meeting is the ONLY forum McCain wants to subject himself to. I'm all for town hall meetings -- but also for other formats as well.

Of course, we see Republicans trying to spin McCain's ineptitude as a positive virtue, as they spin everything else since the days of Lee Atwater.
yabits at 12:53 AM JST - 15th June

Question: Why would a presidential candidate whose overweening narcissism led him to pen not one but two autobiographies before the age of 45 (though he has no accomplishments Americans would generally recognize as making him presidential caliber)

What kind of person labels The Audacity of Hope as an "autobiography?" (Someone who doesn't read very much, obviously.) And, of course, if it isn't an autobiography, then the "narcissism" charge goes out the window too.

Had George W. Bush even read two autobiographies before he was 45?
SuperLib at 04:17 AM JST - 15th June

Had George W. Bush even read two autobiographies before he was 45?

George Bush has nothing to do with this thread. He's only a part of it in your imagination.
Everton2 at 04:39 AM JST - 15th June

What kind of person labels The Audacity of Hope as an "autobiography?" Definitely a Republican bent on distorting the facts
yabits at 05:07 AM JST - 15th June

George Bush has nothing to do with this thread.

Regarding accomplishments for a person seeking the office of president, Bush did set the bar pretty low. I do sympathize, however. It would be better if Americans could completely get him out of our minds.

McCain's accomplishments were fully laid out for all to see by the supporters of Bush in the 2000 primaries.
SezWho2 at 07:02 AM JST - 15th June

SuperLib,

I think you're right that George Bush has nothing to do with this thread. However, in making that observation, you seem to skip over four sentences from two posts that do pertain to this thread and seize upon the one sentence that does not. At JT, an 80% relevancy rate is very near outstanding.
sailwind at 11:05 AM JST - 15th June

Agreed,

Most laughable was his assertion that ordinary citizens can ask better questions than professional journalists. (Most citizens couldn't locate Iraq on a map.)

Thank goodness for the elite college educated liberal arts majors to ask the real questions instead of from the great unwashed masses who couldn't ask an intelligent question if their lives depended on it.

Pretentious doesn't begin to describe that mindset which in my experience seems to the rule not the exception in Democratic party circles and which is why I have never warmed up to the democrats overall with just a few exceptions.
yabits at 12:11 PM JST - 15th June

sailwind writes:

Thank goodness for the elite college educated liberal arts majors to ask the real questions instead of from the great unwashed masses who couldn't ask an intelligent question if their lives depended on it.

The average citizen can ask intelligent questions on a topic that they've taken an interest in and researched. The conceit coming from you is that such specialized research is not necessary -- that any ordinary person is on equal footing with someone who has done his or her homework.

It is fortunate for the United States that the Democrats are not interested in advancing incompetence and mediocrity, as the Republicans have been doing for several decades now. If "pretentious" is the label we have to carry for preventing another disaster like the current White House occupant, then so be it.
RedMeatKoolAid at 02:43 PM JST - 15th June

Recent video of Barack Obama at a rally and brandishing a large walking stick he is given as a present. His fawning admirers are immediately informed he's gonna 'whup' some people in Congress if he doesn't get his way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS-bMNLwHX8
sailwind at 07:24 PM JST - 15th June

Obama was campaigning in Columbus, Ohio, where he courted the senior vote by telling a group of elderly supporters about his plan to have wealthier people pay more to support Social Security, the government-funded pension program.

Obama is going to have a problem I believe getting the senior vote overall. McCain has been appealing to that portion of the electorate for awhile now has as one should say a natural advantage over Obama that he is using pretty effectively to appeal to older crowd. Now if he would display a little humor and poke fun at himself once in awhile to try an appeal to the younger naturally inclined Obama supporters he might make some real headway in the campaign.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB8iVgviw9w
SezWho2 at 12:13 AM JST - 16th June

sailwind,

People have every right to vote according to their prejudices. It doesn't advance the cause of democracy much if they do, but they have every right to do so. It does not follow, however, that the general population is best qualified to ask the questions which the candidates must answer.

In the town hall format, questioning does not usually follow any particular plan. With peer pressure, with the basic prejudice which everyone brings (liberal arts major or not) and with a multiplicity of voices, certain questions, once broached, are more likely to lead us away from helpful information than toward it. I would cite these message boards as an example.

Furthermore, what is it with this spurious attack on liberal arts majors? Liberal arts majors are exactly those college graduates which are most likely to be in need of economic assistance. I daresay you'll find many of the new ones clerking at Books-A-Million or working some anonymous and thankless job elsewhere. And I suspect that it is the people you refer to as "the unwashed masses" who do not bother to vote or to show up for town hall meetings.

Also, I'm not sure about McCain getting the senior vote. I think that, if seniors are really honest with themselves, they will take note of how many good days and how many bad days they have. They will look at their medicine cabinets and sigh. They will remember how much their children have tried to teach them about the new technologies and they will note that they have forgotten what they were taught. They will note how much longer it takes them write a letter or even sign their names and how often they search for the word they think they want. And, if they are honest, they will question whether or not they really want someone their age trying to be sharp 24/7.

You don't have to support Democrats. I wish, though, that you would stop making stuff up about them. If you have only met pretentious Democrats you can't have met too many.
DanManjt at 12:19 AM JST - 16th June

Furthermore, what is it with this spurious attack on liberal arts majors?

Its the old Ad hominem red herring.
DanManjt at 12:43 AM JST - 16th June

DanMan's Weekend Election Roundup

If the election where today:

www.electoral-vote.com has Obama increasing his lead in the Electoral College. Last week it was Obama's 287 to McCain's 227, with 24 tied. This week its Obama's 304 to McCain's 221, with 13 tied. While Indiana moved more towards McCain, one of the "battle ground" states MI flipped to Obama, along with her 17 electoral votes (EVs). NC also edged closer towards toss up, which the Obama campaign hopes to make a battle ground state.

The PBS Newshour -- www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2008/primaries/states/ -- is nearly unchanged from last week, with McCain still leading with 227 sure or likely EVs (232) to Obama's 200 (200), with the remained up for grabs.

Last week Real Clear -- www.realclearpolitics.com/ -- had Obama leading by 38 electoral votes. This week Obama increased his lead by 10 EVs (238 Obama/ 190 Mc / 110 Tossup) If the Election where held today, Obama would win by a sqeecker 272 to 266. In the popular vote, Obama leads McCain + 3.8 (46.2 to 42.3)

And finally Rasmussen -- www.rasmussenreports.com -- last time had McCain slightly eading in popular vote for months, tied with Obama for the past two weeks. Now, Rasmussen for Sunday shows Barack Obama attracting 46% of the vote while John McCain earns 39%. When “leaners” are included, Obama holds a six-point advantage, 49% to 43%. This is the eighth straight day that Obama has enjoyed a lead of five-to-seven points.

Electoral college breakdown goes Democrats 185 Republicans 174 Leaners 141. With Toss-Up 38 With Leaners its 260 to 240 for Obama, with 38 toss up.

This is unchanged from last week.

Conclusion: these data show a slight upswing for Obama, but its way to early for any meaningful forecasts. We've got a lot of time between now and November.
Everton2 at 10:55 AM JST - 16th June

These Town Hall meetings may very well be the undoing of McCain. He claims that this is the forum in which he performs best, but what i have witnessed so far contradicts that notion, unless you regard lifeless, monotone, uninspiring, purely timed punch lines as great. If Obama can perform and I am sure he will McCain will come off looking ridiculous beaten in the forum that he claims he has ownership to. Be careful what you asked for you may just get it!