Dear Barack, Call McCain's Bluff, Agree to Townhall Meetings

Dear Barack,

John McCain gave you a great opportunity when he went on "The View." In attempting to answer why he's running false ads about you, he said (in essence) "It's Barack's fault. He wouldn't agree to those townhall meetings." Now is the time to call his bluff. Immediately. Before he retracts his words.
Why?
Because, as you may have noticed, the whole trick to a slash-and-burn campaign is that you never expose yourself to an uncontrolled situation. That way, you never have to answer to your claims or tactics, or explain your positions. You just pile up the lies so high the issues disappear. Poof! This is why McCain and especially Palin are being sequestered from actual reporters, not to mention citizens.
The debates, as you well know, will be two-minute chunks of rhetoric, spewed back and forth, then spun into bromides. But a townhall meeting - now that's some real exposure. McCain will be forced to talk in an uncontrolled setting, to rectify his Straight Talk rhetoric with his Pure Bullshit campaign. He'll be forced to defend his lies to your face, or disavow them. Oh, and by the way, he'll also be forced to articulate his policies.
Yoo-hoo!
Isn't that just what you've been asking for on the stump, Barack? An end to the distractions? A focus on actual policy?
So please Barack, man up on this. McCain can only keep distracting people if allow let him and Palin stage their crude political theater in a bubble. Remember your hero Lincoln. He rose to prominence by taking his arguments directly to the people, through a series of debates with Douglas. No attack machine. No media filter. Just two men on stage with only their principles and ideas to defend them.
I'll take you in that fight, any day.

Once again (fool that I am) rooting for your courage,
Steve

P.S. - You might as well allow Joe Biden to extend the same invitation to Sarah Palin. I'm sure she and her handlers are just dying for her to talk more in an unscripted setting.

Comments

[backsassing]

I admire your "fight" and the reasons given in your article for Barack to take McCain up on his offer are convincing. McCain's "Town Hall" offer is nothing more than a "BULLY TACTIC" Barack NEVER agreed to this and McCain should be ashamed that a man of his age having been in government this long "WOULD RATHER LOOSE HIS INTEGRITY THAN LOOSE AN ELECTION" using the "if Sen Obama agreed to the town hall it would not be so negative" excuse; the fact he can say that with a straight face scares me. Even more shameful is how he is using his VP candidate, as if that in itself was not sexist a choice, it is absolutely STUNNING that Sen.Olympia Snow, Gov. Jodi Rell or any of the republican women have not yet SPOKEN UP!! and said ENOUGH!!!!!
But I digress McCain seemed to pressure Obama into the overseas trip suggesting that he would even go with him,(bully tactic). Now if Barack gives in it will reinforce McCain's "appearance" of being the alpha male (bully again).
I SAY HELL NO, perception is everything and I do not see how obeying another Mcsame demand will help Obama.

[azcamp]

This is not in the best interest of Obama. When I see the audiences in the McCain town hall meetings, it is virtually all white. An Obama town hall draws a real diverse audience. Why confuse voters.

If McCain wants to integrate his audience, let him do it himself. The truth is that the Republican party platform only appeals to a narrow segment of America.

[jego]

Am I the only one who thinks McCain is a HUGE baby? I mean, come on, "He wouldn't play my way, so this is what he gets?" I swear I can see tears well up every time he talks about this. I never thought Obama would have a hard time pummeling the old man into oblivion in a one-on-one town hall, but with all the crap McCain's been spewing on us the last couple weeks, I think Obama could just call him out on it and he'd be finished -- election over.

[RickO]

My guess is that McCain will find some excuse now to decline the offer. Probably the "you had your chance" excuse. Palin wouldn't even consider it I'm sure. That's why they should offer it, schedule it, attend it and put a spotlight on the empty podiums. In fact, they should have an open invitation and an empty podium at every campaign rally going forward.