Obama Camp: Will McCain Look At Obama Tonight?

Preceding tonight's town hall presidential debate, the Obama campaign has put out a memo Tuesday morning both lowering expectations and accusing McCain of being "erratic," launching nasty attacks, and lacking the character to even "look at Obama on stage."

In an email to reporters, National Press Secretary Bill Burton, played the traditional pre-debate game, touting John McCain's experience with the town hall format that the candidates will face tonight in Nashville.

"When it comes to sheer format, we enter today's debate the decided underdog," he wrote. "John McCain does extremely well in town hall settings. It's been his favorite format throughout his career and we think that he will of course do very well."

But Burton also used the memo to launch a series of digs against McCain. They included the familiar swipes about the Arizona Republican's desire to "turn the page" on the economy. But the memo also targeted McCain's notorious temper, recalling his inability to look at Obama during the first debate.

"We don't know if McCain will continue his refusal to even look at Obama on stage -- like in their first debate -- but we fully expect that his "turn the page" strategy to ignore the economy will be seen in full view for 90 minutes of character attacks against Barack Obama," he wrote. "The fact is, McCain has erratically been all over the map in recent weeks, telling Americans that the fundamentals of the economy are strong only days before claiming to suspend his campaign and warning of another depression. John McCain just doesn't get it. The American people aren't interested in nasty, false attacks, and they're not interested in four more years of Bush policies. But that's all he's offering."

HERE IS THE FULL MEMO

TO: Interested Parties FR: Bill Burton, National Press Secretary RE: The Town Hall Presidential Debate DA: October 7, 2008

"'When are you going to take the gloves off?' a John McCain supporter wanted to know this afternoon. 'How about Tuesday night?' McCain replied, grinning and looking ahead to his crucial second debate with Democrat Barack Obama." [Washington Post, 10/2/08]

John McCain is running out of time for a game-changing event. In the latest sign of desperation, his campaign admitted just yesterday that if they "keep talking about the economic crisis, they're going to lose." It's our view that the American people are already worried about losing - their homes, their jobs and their health care - and it's up to the candidates at this debate to demonstrate who is best equipped to make sure that they can get ahead again.

In order to change the dynamics of this race, we anticipate that McCain will launch his nastiest attacks and continue to lie about Barack Obama's record and his vision to fundamentally change our country. We don't know if McCain will continue his refusal to even look at Obama on stage -- like in their first debate -- but we fully expect that his "turn the page" strategy to ignore the economy will be seen in full view for 90 minutes of character attacks against Barack Obama.

The fact is, McCain has erratically been all over the map in recent weeks, telling Americans that the fundamentals of the economy are strong only days before claiming to suspend his campaign and warning of another depression. John McCain just doesn't get it. The American people aren't interested in nasty, false attacks, and they're not interested in four more years of Bush policies. But that's all he's offering.

If all he does is attack Barack Obama, as he's said he'll do, it will be yet another colossal missed opportunity. In the face of those attacks, Barack Obama will continue to offer steady leadership, and talk about his plan to give real relief to the middle class and create good jobs here in America.

When it comes to sheer format, we enter today's debate the decided underdog. John McCain does extremely well in town hall settings. It's been his favorite format throughout his career and we think that he will of course do very well. See below for more reviews of John McCain's town hall performances.

Comments

[NJCPA]

Amazing he didn't say 'Boy' like some of his supporters do. Very insulting to another Senator.

[BIG JOHN]

RETHUGS WILL SAY MCCAIN WILL WIN DEMS WILL SAY OBAMA WILL WIN. OBAMA NEEDS TO LOOK COOL AND PRESIDENTAL. IT'S VERY TOUGH FOR MCCAIN TO SAY COOL, IT'S NOT IN HIM HE LOOKS AT EVERY THING AS WAR, OBAMA NEEDS TO STAY ON POINT, CALL HIM ON HIS RECORD AND HE WILL BE FINE. SOMEONE MAKE A GOOD POINT, DONT DEBATE MCCAIN JUST TELL THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO TO FIX THIS MESS.

MCCAIN WILL TRY TO GOAT HM, BUT OBAMA NEEDS TO TALK TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.. MCCAIN IS LIKE THAT FIGHTER THAT IF YOU PISS HIM OFF HE'S GONE.

[BluePride]

He MUST... Obama will work the angle to lQQk him in the eye and force the issue...

Keep McCain to less than 100 references to his POW status. @ 100 announce that as president, Obama will name McCain as Ambassador to Viet Nam. His honor intact.

We DON'T need another HERO!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKVBq4VbC6w

[ToddG]

Everyone keeps talking about how McCain excels in the town hall format. However, he has never done a town hall format where the questions might be difficult.

Given the structure of the event, the questions are chosen by Brokaw in advance, and there supposedly won't be follow up, this isn't much different from the last event except they will physically be able to move around the stage with a hand held mic. With the size differential between McCain and Obama, I think Obama will try to get into his sight lines so we can see how much taller he is. Also, Obama moves very smoothly while McCain kind of shuffles due mostly to his war wounds but that is irrelevant as it makes him look even older than his 72 years.

Obama wins on visual imagery out of the gate so all he has to do is stay on message.

Also, I don't think McCain will go negative. He knows that the CNN independent viewers dialed him down every time he went negative on Obama during the last debate. In addition, it is much harder to go negative when the audience doesn't react. You need a rabid Repub crowd to make it work and the independents at the event hall are instructed not to react.

So I think at best McCain ends up in a draw, or loses in a decision to Obama. There will be no knock out punch and it won't be a street brawl either.

[mzindependent]

crossing my fingers that someone asks McCain if he's got that final count yet on the number of houses he owns

[Dandywalker]

Howcan you take off the gloves ..if you cant even look at the opponent. Pow-yes,war hero-no.

[onthemarch]

This debate should be a non-event as they all are. There is really no substance discussed and therefore will have no impact on either candidate's campaign. The lack of substance should benefit Obama more. As long as the media stays on his side and won't investigate anything about him, Americans will be blindly led to the polls to vote for someone that we know almost nothing about.

This is our country and we are responsible for it and for the selection of our leaders. The media owes it to Americans to ask all the hard questions of candidates and there policies. Most Americans are completely ignorant about politics and fall prey to the media's editorials (reporting rarely happens any more). We need more than ever for the media to shed their bias so that we can genuinely move ahead as a country. No more passes for the presential candidates.

[DonDavis]

Please Barack, YOU Take Off the Gloves, and Throw These Five Knockout Punches
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=3782

[loax]

He won't be able to because he has dishonered this country and his family. His father and grandfather must be spinning in ther graves as to how terroristic McCain has become.

[ReelBusy]

I predict that tonight is going to be Temper Tantrum Tuesday for John McCain.

I'm sure he has handlers that are evaluating whether to let "McCain be McCain right now"

Here's hoping they let the "pitbull" off the leash....

[cowtippor]

the best strategy would be to temp the man's temper. if he can keep poking him for an hour, then i'm sure the real maverick will come out

[StillIRise]

Unlike the traditional debate format, tonight's debate will be more informal and relaxed. Some say that this townhall format favors McCain ... but that's when he's by himself. I have a feeling that this format, with both McCain and Obama on stage together, will increase the chance that McCain will show the temper he's been trying to hide. It's even more likely that this will happen if he comes into the debate with the purpose of going negative, as his campaign says he will. He will be in attack mode, which requires a certain temperament to pull it off. I believe McCain will explode tonight, and all Obama has to do is what he does best, which is to be cool, confident and presidential, while his opponent goes off the deep end. This debate may very well mean the end of McCain's campaign!

I just saw a sign at an Obama rally which read: "Hockey Mom for Obama. You Betcha!"

[Airmid]

Am I alone in being terrified of Brokaw? He's so completely in the tank for McCain...

so it's going to be nasty and Obama's going to be up against two of them trying to trip him up

scary stuff

[Myrell002]

I've been thinking the same thing today.

[Matt7]

I'm not terrified, and I'll tell you why. I AM concerned about Brokaw's being the official "liaison" to the McCain camp, but just because I would prefer if Obama (and our nation) didn't have to go through this sleazy filth that is beneath us all.

But none of this matters because (close your eyes non-believers) I think that McCain and all of his minions are severely outnumbered when they come up against Obama and G-- . . . let's just call Him "Truth."

As Obama has always said--and not from a place of (false) modesty-- this race is NOT about him. There is something far more fundamental, and even spiritual if you will, at stake here. Americans have the opportunity to choose who we are fundamentally at the core:

. Either we believe in the ideals, rights and freedoms of this country, or we don't.
. Either we believe that issues are more important than distractions, or we don't.
. Either we believe that the truth, character and integrity matter, or we don't.
. Either we believe in the principles of the "Golden Rule" (whether taught formally in places of worship, or believed as part of human decency), or we don't.

This race simply brings our deepest concerns and beliefs to a head. Okay America. It's our turn to choose.

[MsDebate]

You are definitely not alone in your thinking. I will be at the debate tonight and can't contain myself with anticipation. This is going to be a mess, McCain is going to be slinging so much mud that we are going to need rain gear.

[vallon]

While Brokaw's concern over Olbermann's and Matthews' obvious hostility towards Repubs. talking points during the debates cold be construed as honest protectiveness of his network's 'reputation', his behavior on other occasions merits scrutiny: His silence during NBCs one-sided Rev. Wright coverage--indeed, his silence since 1980 during some of the most serious abuses of power(by Republicans, at least)in our nations' history makes it clear where his bias lies.

[TheLar]

I can understand McCain on this one subject. It must be hard to look at someone when they are constantly kicking your ass and no matter what attack you throw at them, he counterpunches harder and better and the old folks home is calling........

GO OBAMA - KNOCK HIM THE F OUT TONIGHT!!!!

[GoNitro]

I recommend the article "Reconcilable Differences" in the September issue of The Atlantic Monthly (I'm sure it's available on-line). In one section of the article there is a discussion about how much genuine disdain McCain has for Obama: John Weaver, who was chief political strategist for McCain in 2000 and for part of the current campaign, says that McCain lacks respect for Obama, primarily because he feels that he (Obama) is not ready. For me, one of the few genuine moments in the first Obama/McCain debates was near the end, when McCain spoke almost passionately about how unqualified Obama is to be president. I think this is behind McCain's inability to meet Obama's eyes.

In that same article, Weaver also talks about McCain's tendency to make emotional decisions and how these decisions are almost always mistakes. He cautions against being angry at Obama and against personalizing the campaign. He believes that McCain can only win by staying out of the gutter, but admits that is the minority view in the party.

If McCain/Palin continue their attacks and somehow manage to get elected, and Congress turns even bluer, McCain will not be able to govern. And I fear for our country. I'm afraid we won't last four months, let alone four years.

[spudgun]

I think, though, that a person can still be respectful and not so d*mn angry but still think someone isn't right for the job. Okay, so McCain thinks Obama's unqualified: does he have to be hateful about it? It's more than "disdain," I mean, the guy seems to loathe him. Would we be seeing this kind of behavior from McCain if Hillary had been the Democratic nominee?

There's got to be something else there besides just thinking Obama's highly unqualified. McCain has just been too despicable and ugly lately.

[TXOBAMAGIRL73]

Maybe he'll hold his breath until he passes out!!!! Word is that Johnny Boy is good at that!!!

[Trilogy5]

Obama will be classy and gracious as usual at tonight's debate. We can expect to see McCain looking constipated and angry, spouting the same tired talking points he has been holding on to since his campaign began. My prediction is he won't have the courage to look Obama in the eye because he knows that he and Palin have tried to incite violence against Obama, and that he has consistently lied about him for the last several months. When you get called out on The View of all places you know you have reached an all-time low in your campaign.