Author Topic: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge  (Read 2628 times)

youandme

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I think the American people need to see these presidential candidates side by side, debating the issues. Not sending out letters or TV ads telling people how they differ from each other.



Obama backs away from McCain's debate challenge By DOUGLASS K. DANIEL,
 
WASHINGTON - Democratic candidate Barack Obama on Saturday backed away from rival John McCain's challenge for a series of joint appearances before the political conventions, agreeing only to the standard three debates in the fall.

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In May, when a McCain adviser proposed a series of pre-convention appearances at town hall meetings, Obama said, "I think that's a great idea." In summer stumping on the campaign trail, McCain has often noted that Obama had not followed through and joined him in any events.

On Saturday, in a letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said the short period between the last political convention and the first proposed debate made it likely that the commission-sponsored debates would be the only ones in the fall.

"We've committed to the three debates on the table," campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Saturday in an interview. "It's likely they will be the three appearances by the candidates this fall."

Asked by The Associated Press if that meant Obama would not agree to any other debates, Psaki said, "We're not saying that." She said the McCain campaign had rejected Obama's proposal for two joint town hall meetings.

The McCain campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The first debate planned by the commission is set for Sept. 26 in Oxford, Miss., three weeks after the Republican National Convention concludes Sept. 4. The Democratic convention is scheduled for Aug. 25-28.

The other presidential debates are set for Oct. 7 and Oct. 15 and the vice presidential debate for Oct. 2.

A day after Obama clinched the Democratic nomination in early June, McCain challenged Obama to a series of 10 town hall meetings with voters in the months leading up to the conventions. The candidates' campaigns began negotiations, telling reporters that they agreed in spirit to the joint appearances.

When the idea first came up from the McCain campaign that May, Obama was still battling Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic nomination. Obama said then: "Obviously, we would have to think through the logistics on that, but ... if I have the opportunity to debate substantive issues before the voters with John McCain, that's something that I am going to welcome."

In June, Plouffe had suggested Obama-McCain meetings more along the lines of the historic Lincoln-Douglas debates. In 1858, during Abraham Lincoln's Senate campaign against Stephen Douglas, the candidates met seven times across Illinois. One spoke for an hour, the other for an hour and a half, and the first was allowed a half-hour rebuttal.

Plouffe said Saturday that Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois will be Obama's representative in further discussions with the commission.

The Commission on Presidential Debates, established in 1987, sponsors and produces debates featuring the presidential and vice presidential candidates of the major parties. The nonprofit and nonpartisan organization has sponsored all the presidential debates since 1988.

240 is Back

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2008, 01:09:08 PM »
the leader always does as few debates as possible.

the person in 2nd place requests as many debates as possible.

Remember clinton avoiding debates - until obama became the frontrunner - at which point her campaign chastised him for avoiding debates? hahahahaha



BTW... you can incorrectly call it a 'dead heat', but the nation actually uses the electoral college, in which case obama is clearly the leader at the moment.

youandme

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2008, 01:10:05 PM »
They are in dead heat  ::)

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2008, 01:13:24 PM »
They are in dead heat  ::)

i was making run of the BB quote this week saying that.
Nationwide, yes, they are tied.  However, voters and states are distributed in such a manner that a man can have more popular votes and still lose the electoral college, as Gore did in 2000.

The same number of americans might like Obama as mccain (tied in head-to-head polls).

However, because of where they live, mccain has secured 112 electoral votes, and Obama has 231, meaning leads considered insurmountable barring a whitey tape.

Dos Equis

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #4 on: August 02, 2008, 01:13:34 PM »
Yes, it's a dead heat.  What is Obama afraid of?  

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #5 on: August 02, 2008, 01:18:29 PM »
Yes, it's a dead heat.

In terms of nationwide head-to-head polls, it is a dead heat.
When barr and nader are introduced, Mccain loses 5 points in many polls.

In terms of state by state polls, it isn't even close today.  Not shitting on mccain, just looking at facts.  The polls have obama with a strong hold on 231 votes with solids leads.

Remember BB - the media likes to keep it head-to-head nationwide because close races are more fun to watch - and cause higher ratings.  If they were to tell us "Obama is stronger in 20 more states that mccain, and barr is going to cost mccain in many close races", people would stop watching.  You don't watch the second half of a game if the visiting team is up by 28 points.

What is Obama afraid of? 

Losing his lead in the state-by-state polls.



youandme

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #6 on: August 02, 2008, 01:22:10 PM »
Oh I did not know.

But when someone loses a 9 point jump, within 4 days and then shys away from "real politics" about issues then, plays the race card, this becomes a serious issue since Obama claims that McCain is the one not talking about "real issues" and trying to "distract" voters.

Dos Equis

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #7 on: August 02, 2008, 01:22:47 PM »
No, I don't believe in a media conspiracy to rig polls to make the race appear to be close when it's really not so networks can improve their ratings.  ::)

youandme

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #8 on: August 02, 2008, 01:25:33 PM »
No, I don't believe in a media conspiracy to rig polls to make the race appear to be close when it's really not so networks can improve their ratings.  ::)

I think it would be better for the "media" to fulfill their self fulfilling prophecy of "Obama winning by a landslide" and keep showing him on the up and up.

"See we told ya so"

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #9 on: August 02, 2008, 01:32:00 PM »
No, I don't believe in a media conspiracy to rig polls to make the race appear to be close when it's really not so networks can improve their ratings.  ::)

I didn't claim it's a conspiracy.

It's simply reporting the news that will keep their viewers tuned in.

When the Patriots are up 21 points over the Rams, the announcers don't talk about how the Pats will probably run the ball in the second half, and that the Rams' anemic offense will throw 3 picks and fumble 2 balls trying to make a miracle happen playing outside of their offence.  Instead, the broadcasters start exploring personal stories about the players, talking about drama around the league, etc, trying to keep viewers tuned in.

it's simply presenting the side of the story with the best ratings.

Besides, many people get confused by the depth of state by state electoral polling and prefer the simplicity of one number to look at. 

headhuntersix

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #10 on: August 02, 2008, 01:54:55 PM »
First, a word of caution: National polls are generally given undue attention in the press. There is no national election, but rather 51 state elections. On that score, our Electoral College count shows a razor-thin Obama lead (273 to 265).

The usefulness in national polls is in getting rough ideas of a candidate's popularity, and more importantly as a judge of momentum. It is on this latter score that Obama needs to worry. On June 4, Rasmussen Reports released its first daily tracking poll of the general election (3,000 likely voters over three nights, with a margin of error of +/-2%), and it showed Obama 47%, McCain 45%. Fifty-seven days later, the Wednesday, July 30 poll showed Obama at 48% to McCain's 46%—virtually no movement. In the interim, neither candidate has shown movement outside the margin of error.

240 I can find numbers all day that show that Obam's in trouble. U also seem to ignore the fact that he should be way ahead.....
L

TerminalPower

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #11 on: August 02, 2008, 02:02:08 PM »
Obama has everything to lose in a debate EXCEPT who's vernacular appears more polished (which like it or not is very important to the uneducated amongst us) to which Hussein will do better.

On the issues Obama will fair just fine given he will take the position he believes represents his lunatic left wing nut jobs.  McCain will struggle a bit because his stance takes a far deeper look into issues which too many people (imo) aren't involved enough with to really know or care.  The war is a prime example, raising taxes is another....tax raises on the "rich and business's" sound perfectly legit to the uneducated because they can't see past the first step.  In reality, the results are less spending (2/3rds of our economy) more layoffs, more jobs going overseas, and higher unemployment which means deeper problems for economy.

Obama will get hurt bad when taken to task on such issues like experience, patriotism, political accomplishments, readiness, friends, & leadership. 

In the end much of this won't matter to those of us who post in this political forum.  Who and how many it will effect is the answer nobody knows and won't be determined until November at the earliest.  Until then, lets speculate!
1

headhuntersix

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #12 on: August 02, 2008, 02:09:27 PM »
Obama knows he'll do much better the the standard format that they're going to use. A format which allows him to spout the hope and change bullshit. If he gets into a gunfight in a townhall he's liable to say anything, u'll get more guns and god quotes. Some people here think this guy is no a product of the telepromter. Obama is one big leftwing talkingpoint machine....he's got all these fruity feel good lines. Once those are gone..all he has left are Hard Left views which don't play well with America.
L

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #13 on: August 02, 2008, 02:14:52 PM »
240 I can find numbers all day that show that Obam's in trouble. U also seem to ignore the fact that he should be way ahead.....

No, he shouldn't be way ahead.

He's an untested question mark, a minority with a muslim name, who has shady connections, minimal experience, and he looks a bit sneaky.

He's up against a household name with love from both sides of the aisle.  A decorated war vet with the full backing of the state dept, pentagon, and white house in his run for president. 

He should be icing obama by 25 points.

TerminalPower

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #14 on: August 02, 2008, 02:17:19 PM »
No, he shouldn't be way ahead.

He's an untested question mark, a minority with a muslim name, who has shady connections, minimal experience, and he looks a bit sneaky.

He's up against a household name with love from both sides of the aisle.  A decorated war vet with the full backing of the state dept, pentagon, and white house in his run for president. 

He should be icing obama by 25 points.

Very stereotypical response. 

The fact Obama is all the things you mentioned and considered the favorite in most circles (if not all) negates all of you points (or lack thereof).  People in America know what you know yet are still very divided on who to vote for.
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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #15 on: August 02, 2008, 02:18:51 PM »
The fact Obama is all the things you mentioned and considered the favorite in most circles

This goes against what beach Bum says.  He says it's dead even.


headhuntersix

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #16 on: August 02, 2008, 02:20:20 PM »
In this economy and with the war, ur completely wrong 240 and no political pundit would agree with u..McCain should be doing things to do better, but he should not be way ahead. The things u listed are reasons why Obama is not but.....he should be up by 10 points atleast.
L

TerminalPower

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #17 on: August 02, 2008, 02:20:40 PM »
This goes against what beach Bum says.  He says it's dead even.



OK... ;D
1

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #18 on: August 02, 2008, 02:24:20 PM »
In this economy and with the war, ur completely wrong 240 and no political pundit would agree with u..McCain should be doing things to do better, but he should not be way ahead. The things u listed are reasons why Obama is not but.....he should be up by 10 points atleast.

If John edwards was running, he'd be up 10 points on mccain (minus the love child).

face it - 2000 and 2004 have solidified most peoples' views on their candidate now.  Obama isn't up by 15 or whatever kerry/gore was in the summer, because there are a hell of a lot less undecideds now. 

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #19 on: August 02, 2008, 08:04:03 PM »
First, a word of caution: National polls are generally given undue attention in the press. There is no national election, but rather 51 state elections. On that score, our Electoral College count shows a razor-thin Obama lead (273 to 265).

The usefulness in national polls is in getting rough ideas of a candidate's popularity, and more importantly as a judge of momentum. It is on this latter score that Obama needs to worry. On June 4, Rasmussen Reports released its first daily tracking poll of the general election (3,000 likely voters over three nights, with a margin of error of +/-2%), and it showed Obama 47%, McCain 45%. Fifty-seven days later, the Wednesday, July 30 poll showed Obama at 48% to McCain's 46%—virtually no movement. In the interim, neither candidate has shown movement outside the margin of error.

240 I can find numbers all day that show that Obam's in trouble. U also seem to ignore the fact that he should be way ahead.....


So it's a dead heat in both national and state-by-state polls?  How does this square with 240's claim that it's a landslide for Obama?

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Re: Obama becomes afraid of McCain - backing away from Debate Challenge
« Reply #20 on: August 03, 2008, 12:35:05 AM »
So it's a dead heat in both national and state-by-state polls?[b/] 

Link or it didn't happen :)