Obama '08?

woiyo wrote:

Cycloptichorn wrote:

Bi-Polar Bear wrote:

and wouldn't talk like a middle school boy about kicking John's grandpa teeth in... why would he?

He has an army of people to talk that kind of nonsense for him while he keeps his hands clean... surrogates, lackeys, people who believe he has some personal interest in them...

Your bitterness is showing, Bear.

It's not nonsense. We're going to clobber McCain. Just listening to the two competing speeches last night was enough to show that...

Cycloptichorn

Show what? All the handsome young man said was IT IS OUR TIME. While the wise man told us WHY it is his time.

Funny thing is; presentation matters. And likability matters. McCain's presentation is horrible and won't attract anyone who isn't already ideologically in his camp.

Both candidates have their strengths and weaknesses...

Cycloptichorn

Well maybe presentation matters to the ill-informed, but to the educated taxpayers and voters (who can smell Obamas BS miles away) who matter

Obama open to McCain's townhall proposalRAW STORY
Published: Wednesday June 4, 2008

Barack Obama indicated Wednesday that he would be open to appearing in a series of joint town-hall meetings proposed by presumptive GOP nominee John McCain.

"As Barack Obama has said before, the idea of joint town halls is appealing and one that would allow a great conversation to take place about the need to change the direction of this country. We would recommend a format that is less structured and lengthier than the McCain campaign suggests, one that more closely resembles the historic debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. But, having just secured our party's nomination, this is one of the many items we will be addressing in the coming days and look forward to discussing it with the McCain campaign," Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe said in an e-mail after McCain broached the idea in a letter to the presumptive Democratic nominee.

McCain, the Republican nominee-in-waiting, sent his Democratic rival a letter Wednesday outlining the offer. He suggested the first town hall be held June 12 in New York.

He said President Kennedy had made such an agreement with former Senator Barry Goldwater for the 1964 election before Kennedy's assassination.

"I don't think we need any big media-run production, no process question from reporters, no spin rooms," McCain said. "Just two Americans running for office in the greatest nation on earth, responding to the questions of the people whose trust we must earn."

blueflame1 wrote:

Obama open to McCain's townhall proposalRAW STORY
Published: Wednesday June 4, 2008

Barack Obama indicated Wednesday that he would be open to appearing in a series of joint town-hall meetings proposed by presumptive GOP nominee John McCain.

"As Barack Obama has said before, the idea of joint town halls is appealing and one that would allow a great conversation to take place about the need to change the direction of this country. We would recommend a format that is less structured and lengthier than the McCain campaign suggests, one that more closely resembles the historic debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. But, having just secured our party's nomination, this is one of the many items we will be addressing in the coming days and look forward to discussing it with the McCain campaign," Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe said in an e-mail after McCain broached the idea in a letter to the presumptive Democratic nominee.

McCain, the Republican nominee-in-waiting, sent his Democratic rival a letter Wednesday outlining the offer. He suggested the first town hall be held June 12 in New York.

He said President Kennedy had made such an agreement with former Senator Barry Goldwater for the 1964 election before Kennedy's assassination.

"I don't think we need any big media-run production, no process question from reporters, no spin rooms," McCain said. "Just two Americans running for office in the greatest nation on earth, responding to the questions of the people whose trust we must earn."

I think this would rock. I saw analysis somewhere (forget where, sorry) that says that Obama does better in scripted situations while McCain does badly in those situations, and vice versa, so Obama should say no. I disagree. Obama does really well in town-hall-type situations, even though the conventional wisdom is that he's a big-rally guy. He hasn't done that well in debates (that include Hillary Clinton anyway), but I've read lots of accounts of really good to excellent town hall performances. And I think the contrasts between Obama and McCain would really be played up to Obama's advantage.

Downside is that Obama would probably be a bigger draw, thereby giving McCain more ears and eyeballs than he would have access to otherwise.

Obama Faces Tough Questions in New Hampshire

By: Carrie Budoff
February 13, 2007 09:09 AM EST


DURHAM, N.H. - Sen. Barack Obama hosted his first town hall meeting in New Hampshire Monday as a presidential candidate, fielding almost a dozen questions - but not one about the Iraq war.

The absence of any substantial focus on Iraq stood in contrast to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's weekend visit to the state, when voters repeatedly asked her to explain - or apologize for - her 2002 vote authorizing the U.S. invasion.

A different set of concerns emerged from the crowd of more than 2,500 people: What makes you qualified for the job after only two years in the U.S. Senate? And give specifics, not generalities, about what you will do if you get to the White House.

If Iraq is Clinton's Achilles heel, skepticism about Obama's electability might be his question mark with primary election voters.

Among the skeptical was Sally Struble, a 43-year-old Portsmouth lawyer who said she wanted to figure out why her politically active friends were "so gaga over someone who has not actively stated what he believed in other than hope."

"I want to hear if he has anything solid to say," said Struble, who says she is undecided. "What is he going to do to change our lives?"

Obama laid out his vision in broad strokes, offering more detailed responses when pressed by the audience about how he would increase energy independence, rebuild New Orleans and deal with Iran.

Caucuses?

Do you mean town halls?

They've been a mixed bag -- some supporters, some people who just want to learn more about him. Certainly not all softballs, and certainly not all Democrats. (Republicans and independents frequently have questions in accounts I've read.)

(Town halls = spending some time talking to a relatively small group, than a roughly equal amount of time taking questions from that group.)

Obama takes the tough questions
by Bonney Kapp

No one could accuse the Obama campaign of planting questions at town hall meetings after hearing a 63-year-old Iowa farmer drill Obama at a Grundy Center event Sunday.

This is why he can not win.

Democratic presumptive presidential nominee Barack Obama vowed Wednesday he would work to "eliminate" the threat posed by Iran to security in the Middle East and around the globe.

"There's no greater threat to Israel or to the peace and stability of the region than Iran," he told the powerful pro-Israel lobby, the American Israel Public Affairs Council (AIPAC).

"The danger from Iran is grave and real and my goal will be to eliminate this threat," he said, adding loudly to add emphasis that he would "everything" to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

"The Iranian regime supports violent extremes. And challenges across the region. It pursues a nuclear capability that could spark a dangerous arms race," he told AIPAC's annual meeting in Washington.

Calling for "aggressive, principled diplomacy" to tackle the problem of the Islamic regime in Tehran, he also warned he would never take the military option off the table in guaranteeing US and Israeli security.

"As president of the United States, I would be willing to lead tough and principled diplomacy with the appropriate Iranian leader at a time and place of my choosing -- if, and only if -- it can advance the interests of the United States."

What incentive do the Iranians have to speak to the US?

Obama specifically proposed 'economic incentives' for the Iranians to stop supporting terrorism and their nuke program.

And that's the exact correct move. Conservative warmongers will moan about us 'buying them off' or some such. But it's far cheaper then the alternative. Military action costs money, lives, and goodwill.

Get them into the system. Their people WANT to be in the system. Give them the opportunity and they will moderate themselves.

And if not - it isn't like our stick ever goes away. We could swoop in pretty much whenever we want and kick their asses if that's what things come to. So why not keep that aside for when it's actually needed?

Cycloptichorn

He also once talked about invading Pakistan to get Obama.

Bold talk for a dove.

Quote:

He also once talked about invading Pakistan to get Obama.

Bold talk for a dove.

I would think this was a slip if you weren't such a consistent jerk.

Cycloptichorn

Cycloptichorn wrote:

Quote:

He also once talked about invading Pakistan to get Obama.

Bold talk for a dove.

I would think this was a slip if you weren't such a consistent jerk.

Cycloptichorn

Oooh...I guess you told me!

BTW - Did you have to apply for the position of A2K captain of Obama's Praetorion Guard?

He also once talked about invading Pakistan to get Obama.

Bold talk for a dove.

It would be nice to see his dove supporters react to his muscle flexing the way they reacted to Hillary's voting for the resolution to label the Iranian Republican Guard a terrorist group, but I guess that sort of intellectual honesty is too much to expect.