Let’s face it, McCain giving a speech with a teleprompter is not a pretty site. It is hard to believe a guy that has been in politics this long hasn’t mastered it yet, but it is what it is. Obama, of course, is the master speechifier.
But McCain is the master at town hall events. He takes all questions, from anyone, and answers them all. Sometimes he fights and argues with the person, sometimes they agree, but that is his format.
Obama says quite clearly, he will debate McCain, “Anywhere and Anytime.”
So being the cagey SOB that he is, McCain challenged Obama to 10 town hall debates.
Obama, cagey SOB that he is, agreed to one town hall debate on Independence Day, when no one will be around to watch.
Here’s the reason Obama doesn’t want them.
and
There is another half dozen gaffes in this earlier post, Obama’s Got Himself a Strategery: Out-Gaffe Bush.
McCain, by contrast, is pretty good here.
Good off-the-cuff stuff here.
Google “McCain Town Hall Videos,” pick any one, and you will see why McCain wants them.
The Washington Post doesn’t think Senator Silver Tongue should duck the town halls.
The sooner the sniping stops and the serious discussion starts, the better off the country will be — and the best way to achieve that would be for the candidates to meet, one-on-one, as often as possible. Mr. McCain’s proposal to hold weekly town hall meetings was — as the Obama campaign said — “appealing.” That was more than three weeks ago. Since then, the Obama campaign has countered with the offer of a single town hall meeting, on nobody-will-be-watching July 4, and a second debate on foreign policy — this in addition to the three traditional fall debates. Mr. Obama has written that “one of my favorite tasks of being a senator is hosting town hall meetings.” He launched his campaign decrying “the ease with which we’re distracted by the petty and trivial.” Now, he should seize the opportunity to practice the change he preaches.
How long can Barry stay up in the ivory tower with his teleprompter if he really wants to be president?
Also find Bill Dupray at The Patriot Room