About Those Town-Hall Meetings...
By ADAM NAGOURNEY
NYT
HUDSON, Wis. — At nearly every town-hall meeting that John McCain conducts with voters these days, he stops to point out someone missing from the room: Barack Obama.
“I’ve asked Senator Obama to join me in town halls across the nation,” he said here the other morning. Mr. McCain’s notion was that the two of them would even share a plane, and travel to state to state taking questions from screened audience of uncommitted voters.
Mr. Obama initially seemed enthusiastic about the idea when it was floated by Mark McKinnon, an adviser to Mr. McCain, as it became clear in early May that Mr. Obama was going to win the Democratic nomination. “I think it’s a great idea,” Mr. Obama said at the time. And for just a moment last spring, it seemed that voters might actually in be for the different kind of political campaign that Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama have both promised but, arguably, have yet to deliver.
The idea slipped away, though, after what appeared to be a half-hearted response from the Obama campaign. Mr. McCain wanted to hold these town-hall meetings every Thursday until the Democratic convention at the end of August — about a dozen of them in all. The Obama campaign countered with an offer of five — but that included the three debates the two men were already scheduled to hold in the fall, meaning that Mr. Obama was really only agreeing to two of the sessions that Mr. McCain proposed. And the Obama camp wanted one of the two to be held on July 4, a day when Americans could be expected not to flock to their televisions.
(Continued here.)
NYT
HUDSON, Wis. — At nearly every town-hall meeting that John McCain conducts with voters these days, he stops to point out someone missing from the room: Barack Obama.
“I’ve asked Senator Obama to join me in town halls across the nation,” he said here the other morning. Mr. McCain’s notion was that the two of them would even share a plane, and travel to state to state taking questions from screened audience of uncommitted voters.
Mr. Obama initially seemed enthusiastic about the idea when it was floated by Mark McKinnon, an adviser to Mr. McCain, as it became clear in early May that Mr. Obama was going to win the Democratic nomination. “I think it’s a great idea,” Mr. Obama said at the time. And for just a moment last spring, it seemed that voters might actually in be for the different kind of political campaign that Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama have both promised but, arguably, have yet to deliver.
The idea slipped away, though, after what appeared to be a half-hearted response from the Obama campaign. Mr. McCain wanted to hold these town-hall meetings every Thursday until the Democratic convention at the end of August — about a dozen of them in all. The Obama campaign countered with an offer of five — but that included the three debates the two men were already scheduled to hold in the fall, meaning that Mr. Obama was really only agreeing to two of the sessions that Mr. McCain proposed. And the Obama camp wanted one of the two to be held on July 4, a day when Americans could be expected not to flock to their televisions.
(Continued here.)
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1 Comments:
Obama should do a couple joint town hall meetings … voters will quickly see that McCain has gotten a lot of undeserved praise for his performance in this format.
MPR broadcast the Hudson event and needless to say, I was unimpressed. Although not as fawning, and scripted, as when Bush would have his town hall sessions, McCain was not stellar. I have seen politicians who really shine … the best was former Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes. McCain took too long praising the questioner and thanking them for coming … all designed to stall while he thought of what to say. Many of the responses were canned and expected, but on more than a few he really couldn’t close the deal … barely answering the question … like a basic question from an undecided voter … Why pick McCain … being a POW should not be part of the answer … we want to know what your plans are for tomorrow.
There is the risk of what will be asked. No doubt that Obama would get some off the wall question --- for example, reparations for slavery – but he has already heard most of these before … while McCain still seems to be able to be stumped.
McCain was asked about nuclear waste that would be produced if his 45 to 100 nuclear power plants are built … he hemmed and hawed and then said that he thought the proposal to store the waste in Siberia should be evaluated … that’s the same McCain that wants to eliminate Russia from the G-8 and the place where so many loose nukes are still there … oh, and let’s not forget that Russia is a good trading partner with Iran … does this guy have any clue?
During the Hudson event, McCain talked about energy independence and wind … yet he has shown a real lack of urgency by stonewalling the Senate. He has failed to vote on any issue since April – missing 78 votes. The Wind industry is at a standstill as the tax credits are going to expire this year. Because of the 60vote rule, the bill is languishing in the Senate. Voters should be upset that McCain has decided to not vote rather than take a position on so many issues. Obama has missed his fair share, but has appeared when requested … including the FISA vote which hurt him with many voters.
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