Pre-debate (probably part I)
Everyone is speculating on what McCain "must do" in tonight's debate, attack or not attack, new vision, paint Obama as "out of the mainstream"..... but, personally, as the McCain camp is trying to turn this campaign into a referendum on Obama, I think Obama's performance is more important.
He needs to look presidential. He needs to look unfazed by whatever McCain throws. And he needs to connect on the economy.
No matter what McCain does, if Obama comes through as presidential and more connected on the economy, he wins.
(The surest way to put down the attacks is to be normal.)
He needs to look presidential. He needs to look unfazed by whatever McCain throws. And he needs to connect on the economy.
No matter what McCain does, if Obama comes through as presidential and more connected on the economy, he wins.
(The surest way to put down the attacks is to be normal.)
posted by mikevotes at
8:00 AM
11 Comments:
I think what you've described is quintessential Obama.
I would that Obama also needs to make McCain look small and dishonorable for stooping so low. He needs to jam Palin's words into McCains mouth. Without being fiery our outraged, Obama needs to show a little righteous indignation here. Yes, he need to be cool. But not frigid.
By
-epm, at 8:13 AM
Good point. He needs to emphasize the gravitas gap. His bearing needs to emphasize McCain's "erratic."
And, I'm not sure how you handle the Palin stuff.
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mikevotes, at 8:16 AM
You put Palin's words in McCain's mouth and attack the "McCain campaign" for the perversions.
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-epm, at 8:21 AM
Yeah, the danger is, you don't want that topic to be the top headline out of the debate.
I think what you want is something like "McCain attacks, Obama talks about economy."
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mikevotes, at 8:33 AM
It's not an either/or. Yes the economy has to be the focus. Of course. But Obama can rebuke a McCain attack as a pivot to talking about economics.
All I'm saying is Obama needs to show he's not just an intellectual egg-head. He needs to show some emotion and part of that must be, in my opinion, to shake his head in disgust and call out McCain with regard to the lows to which the McCain campaign has sunk. It's part of his broader need to reassure voters he is indeed "one of us," and not "The Other."
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-epm, at 8:43 AM
FRankly, I think anger or righteousness, or whatever emotion about McCain attacking him is risky.
Now, if he wants to pull the "America's going down the crapper and we need to talk issues." That might work. Because I think the "I feel your pain" connection is his best aspiration for the night.
Overall, remember that Obama is clearly winning, and that people like you and me are already well on board. We're not the target he's after.
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mikevotes, at 8:54 AM
Frankly, I think anger or righteousness, or whatever emotion about McCain attacking him is risky.
I agree. Calm and somewhat bemused is the way to go, with brief expressions of dismay when McCain attacks.
McCain is turning into a parody of himself. The more he sputters in rage and makes base appeals, the less he looks like the man to have in charge.
Let Biden do the "outrage thing" after the debate.
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Todd Dugdale , at 9:09 AM
"Calm and somewhat bemused is the way to go, with brief expressions of dismay when McCain attacks."
OK. I'll buy that. Again, I wasn't suggesting that Obama express anger, but rather he makes McCain look small (unpresidential?) by addressing the attacks.
One criticism of Obama is that he can come across as too academic in debates -- not relatable enough. But this particular forum may help him with that.
Personally, I don't think McCain relates well to an audience unless it's a friendly audience. He can get prickly and condescending to unfriendly questioners. I think Obama will be the more relatable.
[Ironically, as McCain raises the fret of "we don't know where Obama comes from" it's Obama who has the more relatable life story.... not McCain. So I'm all for giving Obama another opportunity to define himself before a national audience.]
And a very good point about letting Biden deal with the outrage of McCain's campaign.
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-epm, at 9:37 AM
Summing up what we all seem to be circling around,
Obama needs to look presidential, and make McCain look "erratic," angry, or desperate.
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mikevotes, at 10:30 AM
(Minor point: I think it's 'unfazed', not 'unphased'...)
By
r8r, at 11:21 AM
I was wondering why the spellchecker was kicking it back.
Too much star trek, I guess. I'll fix it.
By
mikevotes, at 11:23 AM
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