2nd McCain-Obama Debate 7 October

Black Swan

The location, moderator, format, and source of questions will be different for the 2nd presidential debate between McCain and Obama.

• "Date: October 7
• Site: Belmont University
• Moderator: Tom Brokaw
• Staging: Town Hall debate
• Format: The moderator will call on members of the audience (and draw questions from the internet). Each candidate will have 2 minutes to respond to each question. Following those initial answers, the moderator will invite the candidates to respond to the previous answers, for a total of 1 minute, ensuring that both candidates receive an equal amount of time to comment. In the spirit of the Town Hall, all questions will come from the audience (or internet), and not the moderator."

If you were advising McCain or Obama regarding how to prepare for this 2nd presidential debate, what would you suggest?


Biographical information on moderator Tom Brokaw: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Brokaw

Source of debate information:http://blogsforjohnmccain.com/summary-mccain-obama-debate-agreement

Overheal

Blue_Lagoon wrote: »

If you were advising McCain or Obama regarding how to prepare for this 2nd presidential debate, what would you suggest?

That should be obvious: bribe audience members and buy out as many tickets as you can, implanting low profile campaign staff into the seats.

banquo

I think the committee pick the audience members. they all have to be independants, or not registered with any particular party. very tough to get a seat at a town hall debate.

is_that_so

I think Brockaw is a good choice. McCain's more personal touch would probably favour him. Seeing as he really needs to come out way ahead, at this stage Obama can probably afford to lose this one. I would hope both answer questions on how realistic their policy plans now are and show something that approaches leadership. Absence of that of late in both and both become less and less convincing by the day. Hopefully this will also be a better format that what we've seen to date.

Black Swan

is_that_so wrote: »

I would hope both answer questions on how realistic their policy plans now are and show something that approaches leadership.

Sadly, this close to the 4 November election, it's now a war of post-debate sound bites, not articulating policy.

Pocono Joe

I would advise McCain that he unfortunately needs to do the job that the media is failing to do for the people of our country. Most media outlets are merely scribes of the Obama campaign, so he needs to let the country what a disaster an Obama would be to our economy and country. If for nothing else, we need the power of veto in the Whitehouse against a Democratic controlled Congress that has the worst favorability rating in history, and who looks to pick up more spots in the next election. A Congress that will destroy our country for the sake of the their far left political donors.

Black Swan

Pocono Joe wrote: »

If for nothing else, we need the power of veto in the Whitehouse against a Democratic controlled Congress that has the worst favorability rating in history,

Does not the US Congress have two houses, the House of Representatives, which currently has a Democratic majority, but also the US Senate that has 49 Republicans, 49 Democrats, and 2 Independent Senators, with Republican Vice President Dick Chaney with a half vote to break a tie? The Democratic party does not have a majority in the US Senate, so how can you make the sweeping generalization that the entire Congress is "controlled" by the Democrats?

Also, didn't the Republicans control the US House of Representatives for several years, with Republican Dennis Hastert as Speaker, until the mid-term elections of 2006, with Pelosi on 5 January 2007 becoming the first female Speaker elected by the new Democratic party majority? So the Democrats have controlled the US House for less than two years?

Would it also be meaningful to include the favourability rating of the G.W. Bush (head of the Executive Branch of US Government) for comparison purposes?

metrovelvet

The senate is exactly split.http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/history/one_item_and_teasers/partydiv.htm

But... everything must go through the House first before it gets to the Senate. And Nancy Pelosi (D) is speaker of the house, making her second to the VP if the pres becomes incapacities.

BenjAii

Pocono Joe wrote: »

so he needs to let the country what a disaster an Obama would be to our economy and country.

No doubt he will do this by pointing out the huge success his own parties policies have been for the economy and country.

Overheal

Lets be clear that the veto power on Pennsylvania Avenue seriously impeded a lot of progress that could have been made in the last 2 years. Most of which was done to prevent funding from being unlocked for the troops until it met with the Republican agenda.

And lest I forget: http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=109136&title=kids-healthcare-veto

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=174305&title=Moment-of-Zen---Veto-Pen

Ludo

metrovelvet wrote: »

But... everything must go through the House first before it gets to the Senate. And Nancy Pelosi (D) is speaker of the house, making her second to the VP if the pres becomes incapacities.

This is what I thought also...but...how come the bailout bill made it to the Senate (after being amended) after being rejected by the house? The senate passed it and then the house passed it. Wasn't that a bit backwards to the norm?

Black Swan

"No one has been elected President since 1960 without taking two of these three largest swing states in the Electoral College."

Results from the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe- ack) University polls conducted before and after the first presidential debate show:

Florida:
Obama 49 McCain 43 percent pre-debate
Obama 51 McCain 43 percent post-debate

Ohio:
Obama 49 McCain 42 percent pre-debate
Obama 50 McCain 42 percent post-debate

Pennsylvania:
Obama 49 McCain 43 percent pre-debate
Obama 54 McCain 39 percent post-debate

Source: http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x2882.xml?ReleaseID=1218

Manic Moran

I forsee that I will cringe at some of the questions posed, if they truly are unscreened and random.

NTM

Black Swan

Manic Moran wrote: »

I forsee that I will cringe at some of the questions posed, if they truly are unscreened and random.

OMG! This is one of the few occasions in history when Manic Moran and Blue Lagoon agrees.;)

Hobbes

Manic Moran wrote: »

I forsee that I will cringe at some of the questions posed, if they truly are unscreened and random.

if they pull them off the internet.
"What would you play in TF2"
"Wow or war?"

Hobbes

Hobbes wrote: »

if they pull them off the internet.
"What would you play in TF2"
"Wow or war?"

'Is the Internet Serious Business?'

Crash

"How many tubes have you personally used at once online?"

murfie

Ludo wrote: »

This is what I thought also...but...how come the bailout bill made it to the Senate (after being amended) after being rejected by the house? The senate passed it and then the house passed it. Wasn't that a bit backwards to the norm?

The Bailout bill was attached to another piece of legislation that was already due to come to the senate for a vote. So it was a round about way of doing it without the houses first initial vote.

But getting back to the topic at hand, i believe McCain needs a win in at least 2 of the 3 debates to come in the next few weeks. They can see that the election is starting to slip away, even after the so called Palin win in the VP debate, even though every independent survey should Biden won!

They are on the personal attacks now as the are losing on all the policy issues, Palin calling Obama unAmerican and hanging out with terrorists, desperate time desperate measures.

banquo

Bah! I though today was Tuesday and went out and bought loads of Doritos and Salsa dip!

Bah!

Trojan

What time is the debate on at? (please include timezone in reply)

Black Swan

2nd Presidental McCain-Obama Debate is scheduled to begin 7 October 2008 at 8:00PM Central Daylight Time at Belmont University, Nashville, TN.

6:00PM in Southern California (we are 8 hours behind Ireland):cool:

2:00AM in Ireland on Wednesday (wee morning hours) of 8 October 2008 if broadcast in real time.

CtrlSource

i predict an increasingly negative tone from both candidates tonight, as polling day aproaches. McCain will probably reference Obama's character, but wont go as far as Palin has done. This might be a good opportunity for Obama to address theses questions and hopefully put them to bed.

Obama needs to get tougher on McCain in the debates. He needs to stop agreeing with him on any points and should highlight McCain's high profile pullout from Michigan as a sign of weakness and retreat. He should also continue to hammer him on the economy.

Don't know if my flu like symptoms will improve or get worse by tonight, so i'm 50:50 at this stage about staying up tonight

Otacon

CtrlSource wrote: »

i predict an increasingly negative tone from both candidates tonight, as polling day aproaches. McCain will probably reference Obama's character, but wont go as far as Palin has done. This might be a good opportunity for Obama to address theses questions and hopefully put them to bed.

If I was an Obama advisor, that would be exactly the opposite advice I would give.

The McCain camp's attempt the smear Obama has been called out, just as they were starting it. Let Obama's aides combat these rumours and stories and keep the candidate talking about the economy. Its less than a month away from election day and he needs to talk about his plans, not McCain's houses or Keating.

CtrlSource wrote: »

Obama needs to get tougher on McCain in the debates. He needs to stop agreeing with him on any points and should highlight McCain's high profile pullout from Michigan as a sign of weakness and retreat. He should also continue to hammer him on the economy.

Again, keeping any campaign-bashing to the aides would be his best option imo.

Agreeing with your opponent on a problem is not bad. Its their ideologies and methods for fixing it that that will be different. If Obama can put a clear message on how he can combat the economic downturn on the table, he will walk into the Oval.

CtrlSource wrote: »

Don't know if my flu like symptoms will improve or get worse by tonight, so i'm 50:50 at this stage about staying up tonight

Pop the Lemsip tablets now...

FrankGrimes

Otacon wrote: »

Agreeing with your opponent on a problem is not bad.

In a mature campaign that would be true, but when the Republicans are prepared to stoop as low as they are and childishly publish a video highlighting (in a negative way) each time Obama has agreed with McCain, giving them more ammo is a bad thing.

Personally, I take it as a sign of strength when somebody has the confidence to agree with an opponenent as it shows me they are not just about self-promotion, but in this campaign anything goes.

Otacon

FrankGrimes wrote: »

when the Republicans are prepared to stoop as low as they are and childishly publish a video highlighting (in a negative way) each time Obama has agreed with McCain, giving them more ammo is a bad thing.

I couldn't understand that myself. You disagree with the other candidate on issues, so you post a video of that candidate agreeing with your own?!

FrankGrimes wrote: »

Personally, I take it as a sign of strength when somebody has the confidence to agree with an opponenent as it shows me they are not just about self-promotion, but in this campaign anything goes.

+1

CtrlSource

Otacon wrote: »

If I was an Obama advisor, that would be exactly the opposite advice I would give.

The McCain camp's attempt the smear Obama has been called out, just as they were starting it. Let Obama's aides combat these rumours and stories and keep the candidate talking about the economy. Its less than a month away from election day and he needs to talk about his plans, not McCain's houses or Keating.



Again, keeping any campaign-bashing to the aides would be his best option imo.

Agreeing with your opponent on a problem is not bad. Its their ideologies and methods for fixing it that that will be different. If Obama can put a clear message on how he can combat the economic downturn on the table, he will walk into the Oval.



Pop the Lemsip tablets now...

i should have added that i reckon overall Obama will remain more positive, upbeat and foward looking than his opponent. But he does need to get a bit tougher and needs to be a bit more robust this time around IMO.

Think i'm already at my limit for Lemsip today!

Am trying to buy Obama-Biden mugs online and having a hard time of it. The only ones that are a) in stock and b) can be shipped internationally are cheap 'n nasty ones that'll probably fade after 2 wash cycles. The official campaign ones are out of stock too

Overheal

http://gizmodo.com/5060155/where-to-watch-tonights-presidental-debate-live-online-hulu-vcast-and-more

Whereas a live online stream of the first presidential debate was a bit harder to pin down, our pick for tonight's at 9PM Eastern is Hulu. Its live stream of the final two presidential debates is actually Hulu's first ever live broadcast, which is something they might do more of following the debates. (Unfortunately, it doesn't look like it'll be in HD.) But there are, of course, other options.

If you're not near a TV or computer tonight Verizon's VCAST service will be streaming CBS's feed live. Of course, there are streams from CBS's regular site, CNN and C-SPAN, who has probably the best and most forward-thinking—for Web 2.0 fanatics anyway—online coverage around. Hulu's Election '08 hub also aggregates everything from speeches to punditry to funnies from The Daily Show, Colbert, Conan and more if you want to flip something more engaging during a particularly snoozy stretch of the debate. Or if your politics appetite is just insatiable, there's Obama's maybe gaming-changing iPhone app if you want to put your fingers in your ears whenever McCain speaks.

skelliser

another site i may suggest is the bbc website.
bbc.co.uk stream the debates live and provide user commentary along with comments from their american correspondent justin webb, not bad.
they also have a good area about previous debates from years gone by including video clips from the jfk v nixon to the reagan era.

FatherTed

It will be interesting to see if McCain will ignore the questions put to him as Palin did in the VP debate last week.

Also, I wonder if there will be any good one-liners as in past debates e.g. "Where's the Beef" and "It's the economy stupid".

Manic Moran

FatherTed wrote: »

It will be interesting to see if McCain will ignore the questions put to him as Palin did in the VP debate last week.

Not likely. The format doesn't lend itself anywhere near as well to scripted talking points and ignoring questions. If McCain can stay off the personal attacks, I expect him to be perceived as having done well at the end of this one as it's a format and style that he likes. He challenged Obama to ten of these 'Town Hall' style meetings, this is the only one that Obama's going to.

NTM

BenjAii

Anyone else watching this live tonight ? Starts 2am Irish time.

CBS News did a live broadcast from their site for the VP debate, so i'm assuming it will be available there tonight.

http://www.cbsnews.com/

My predictions. Obama will come out on top. I have a suspicion McCain will lose his temper at some point & I have a feeling he will get some negative reaction off the audience with regard to his recent dirty tricks.

High political drama !