In advance of the debates, the Republican/conservative mantra has been that Barack Obama is unable to speak without a teleprompter. To hear them describe it, without prepared text he will simply seize up and keel over. This innate fear of speaking on the fly will surely be a detriment to Sen. Obama in the upcoming debate versus a silver tongued straight talker like John McCain. Here is RNC chairman of the minute Frank Donatelli on just how much a babe in the woods Sen. Obama will be in the debate.
“Starting early next week, I think you’ll see a lot of interest in Friday’s debate. It may draw the highest numbers we’ve ever seen, and I think that for the v.p. debate, you’ll see a tremendous amount of interest. We feel good about that. Senator McCain is much better at giving answers off the cuff, and Obama has some trouble when he doesn’t have his teleprompter.”
Folks, this is panic time! Sen. Obama might not even be able to form words as Sen. McCain verbally pounds him to a bloody pulp. It’s gonna be a moider.
Remember, Barack Obama simply cannot debate without a teleprompter. John McCain will talk circles around him. Make sure you tell that to everyone you know. Oh, and make sure they tune into the debate.
(Oh by the way, Sen. Obama had about 25 debates in the last year. KTHXBYE)
Honestly, I’d be ecstatic if the meme gets established in the public consciousness that Obama “is lost without a teleprompter”… the lower the bar is for Obama the better, and the bigger the debate bounce will be. Keep painting him as newb that’s going to be crushed by the Straight Talker RNC… music to my ears.
I keep trying to organize debate parties with my Republican in-laws, but nobody wants to come over. It’s almost like they’re embarrassed or something.
And here were my wife and I marveling over McCain’s Nixon-like hand gestures and contant lowering of his eyes during appearances to try to read his notes for THE SAME OLD STUMP SPEECH. Boy, have we been fooled! We had it all backwards.
Look, I’ll be the first to admit that I think Obama is better when he’s delivering a prepared speech than when he’s speaking extemporaneously. But so what? Blogowingers seem to think that means he’s going to stumble on every other word during the debates.
Meanwhile, Mr. McCain has reversed himself so many times recently that he’ll be hard-pressed to remember his most recent position on just about any issue. Before the night is out, I suspect he’ll deny ever saying at least one thing that the networks have on tape–and which they’ll show again and again for the next 24 hours.
Personally, I think Obama’s a strong enough extemporaneous speaker that he might not need any preparation to be able to speak McCain into a corner to the point that McCain lashes out verbally.
Remember, McCain’s a hothead, and in the sort of stress situation that’s presented in a debate format, it shouldn’t be hard at all to press a few of the ‘right’ buttons….
I love the idea of lowering the bar for…OBAMA!
All Obama has to do is end a statement with, “If you believe that, I have a bridge in Alaska to sell you.” Then step behind the blast shield.
As I pointed out in a thread below, Obama is really, really smart. McCain is really, really not.
It’s always a good idea to bet on the fast horse in a race.
Bring. It. On.
Best to keep the expectations more or less even, which is about where they’ll be, especially since Sen. Obama’s generally the better speaker but Sen. McCain won such a clear victory at the Saddleback Forum. The media, like the movies, love the Color of Money ‘grizzly vet vs. the sharp-eyed neophyte’ frame, and I imagine that’s what we’ll see here.
The VP debates are more what worries me, because it seems Sen. Biden’s got to basically blow the Governor off the stage (but simultaneously not be too mean) to cover the point spread and have it be considered a victory for the Democratic ticket. If it’s even a wash, or if Gov. Palin doesn’t completely stink up the joint against her obviously more qualified opponent, I’d say she’s more than done her part.
This teleprompter stuff is just white noise. You can’t cull the three minutes of somebody sounding inarticulate from the thousands of hours they’ve spoken in public and say they’re up the creek without a prompter.
..he might not need any preparation to be able to speak McCain into a corner to the point that McCain lashes out verbally.
I’m banking on it.
John McCain invented the miracle known as the teleprompter
All Obama has to do is end a statement with, “If you believe that, I have a bridge in Alaska to sell you.” Then step behind the blast shield.
…at which point McCain will point out that he voted against that bridge, while Obama voted for it — TWICE. The second time was when some folks suggested repealing a whole bunch of earmarked pork projects for Katrina relief, and Obama STILL thought the bridge was more important.
I’m just glad we’ll have so many opportunities to see Obama hand McCain his ass, with both men saying they’ll debate any time, any place.
Oh, that’s right. Obama won’t agree to more than three. How generous of him — he probably thinks the old guy can’t stand more than that.
J.
lowered expectations? All McCain has to do is
A) have a pulse
B) not yell at those kids to get off his lawn
I saw Obama speak live at a town hall event in Virginia a few weeks ago and it was great. “No problem with answering question or anything.” I am here in the south and it is so frustrating how much these things get promoted.
John McCain was a POW! There were no teleprompters in the POW camp. John McCain went without teleprompters for 5 1/2 long years.
Uh-oh. Mr. Tea has forgotten to bring along his facts again today.
“Some folks,” Mr. Tea? Which folks? What type of “relief” was suggested? And how did that suggestion fare? How many other “suggestions” did those same folks offer?
We’ll wait while you scamper off to do your homework, Mr. Tea.
Also, Mr. Tea, this part of your little tirade is, um, imprecise:
How many in “a whole bunch,” Mr. Tea?
Funny, when he was running for Senator, he heard the news that a car plant was laying off their second and third shift workers, so he detoured from his planned stop in Peoria and showed up to talk to the auto workers and community. He had less than 2 hours to put something together, used no notes (teleprompter? Please, the event was in a field.) and gave a great speech pretty much off the cuff. It was moving, thoughtful and engaged with what really mattered to our community. So I’m pretty darned sure he can wipe the floor with McCain, especially since no debate moderator will ask questions with as much substance as those laid off auto workers did.
Thanks for the consideration, Mr. Basement. Coburn Amendment, 109th Congress, first session, Vote #262 — shifting earmarked funds from their designated projects to Katrina relief. Proposed by Senator Tom Coburn, Obama and Biden both voted against it.
http://www.clipmarks.com/clipmark/CC913488-0992-4990-9380-B64E083A173F/
Not to mention how Obama and Biden both voted for the bridge in the fist place… yeah, keep bringing that one up. That’s a winner for sure.
So, how about all those debates Obama won’t be attending — with or without a teleprompter?
J.
As I suspected, Mr. Tea. Once again you have arrived unarmed.
Out of five questions posed, you have answered only two: Which folks? Tom Coburn. How did the suggestion fare? It went down to a shattering defeat, 82-15 with overwhelming opposition from both sides of the aisle.
Yet unanswered: What type of “relief” was suggested? How many other “suggestions” were offered by Mr. Coburn? And how many earmarks are in “a whole bunch”?
And since you’ve chosen to defend your original post (even with your lack of armamament), let’s add this: Who led the opposition to the amendment and what leverage did they use?
When we’re done, perhaps you can tell us just when Ms. Palin “told the Congress thanks but no thanks” for the bridge? I’m certain she must have done so at some time–she really loves to tell that story, doesn’t she?
no debate moderator will ask questions with as much substance as those laid off auto workers did.
TFJ for Reba.
It appears that I was partly mistaken; Coburn’s amendment was specifically targeted at the Bridge To Nowhere that Obama and Biden supported, and would have shifted the funding to rebuilding a bridge destroyed by Katrina. Obama and Biden voted with the majority to keep Alaska’s bridge and delay the restoration of Louisiana’s bridge.
The full text of Coburn’s amendment:
http://www.cdobs.com/archive/our-columns/full-text-of-coburn-amendment-2165-to-hr-3058-bridge-to-nowhere,1669/
Congrats, Quaker. You proved your pebble of a point — that Obama and Biden didn’t preserve a whole bunch of pork, just the specific project that you’re trying to hang around Palin’s neck. And they were so committed to that bridge that they’d rather fund that bridge than rebuild a bridge destroyed by Katrina.
But back to the point (you DO remember the point, Mr. Basement? It’s the bit about Obama and his teleprompters): Why is Obama refusing to have more than three debates against McCain? What’s Obama so afraid of — the old, crippled, senile old fart? Is he figuring that if he shows up McCain too badly, he’ll lose votes in Florida?
J.
Not to mention (from Jay Tea’s link) : Sen. McCain did not vote on the Coburn Amendment, though he is on record as opposing the Ketchikan bridge earmark.
Yeah, he talks a good game. But when it comes to putting his vote where his mouth is? Better to not have an actual record.
Sean, he voted once against the bridge — which is one more than Biden and Obama can say. And McCain didn’t show up, and then vote “present” — the weasel’s way out. “I’m here, so keep paying me — just don’t expect me to actually take a stand!”
And how about them debates? Why is Obama so afraid of more than three debates?
J.
You proved your pebble of a point — that Obama and Biden didn’t preserve a whole bunch of pork,
That wasn’t my point, Mr. Tea. My point was that you have, once again, bloviated on a subject without knowing even the simplest facts. You’re quite reliable.
How are you doing so far? 1) “A whole bunch of pork projects” is actually two projects. 2) “Katrina relief” is rebuilding a damaged bridge, 3) “Some folks” is actually Tom Coburn, 4) “Supported by Obama and Biden” is actually shorthand for “Supported by an overwhelming majority from both parties.”
You’re doing very well, Mr. Tea. There are only a couple of questions that you have neglected: Who led the opposition to Mr. Coburn’s amendment? What leverage was used?
But back to the point (you DO remember the point, Mr. Basement? It’s the bit about Obama and his teleprompters): Why is Obama refusing to have more than three debates against McCain?
Why, Mr. Tea! I’m surprised at you! You act as if I have dragged you down this rabbit hole against your will.
Remember what I was saying about reliability? Yet again, you don’t disappoint us. Are three debates too few? How many were there in previous Presidential races?
REPOST:
>When we’re done, perhaps you can tell us just when Ms. Palin “told the Congress
>thanks but no thanks” for the bridge? I’m certain she must have done so at some
>time–she really loves to tell that story, doesn’t she?
JT: And McCain didn’t show up, and then vote “present” — the weasel’s way out.
No, he just didn’t vote at all. Far less weaselly.
JT: And how about them debates? Why is Obama so afraid of more than three debates?
Yeah, just keep phrasing it that way. “so afriad” Really shows your unbiased view of the situation.
Coburn’s amendment was specifically targeted at the Bridge To Nowhere that Obama and Biden supported,
I just love the way this whole thing is framed, as if the Kechikan Bridge was all by itself and not buried in one of the biggest transportation bills of modern times. Obama and Biden, along with a whole lot of other Congressmen and women voted in favor of the transportation bill that was supposed to help our crumbling infrastructure.
I just love the way this whole thing is framed, as if the Kechikan Bridge was all by itself and not buried in one of the biggest transportation bills of modern times.
Stay with me, Duros. The Kechikan Bridge and “Don Young’s Way” were targeted by an amendment to that transportation bill. It is the amendment that Mr. Tea references.
“Not to mention how Obama and Biden both voted for the bridge in the fist place… yeah, keep bringing that one up. That’s a winner for sure.”
Jay Tea once again swallows the latest talking point whole to regurgitate here without stopping to think, even for a second, that it has nothing at all to do with the controversy over Palin’s support for the bridge.
Remember, Jay Tea, the issue isn’t whether Obama or Biden voted for a massive transportation bill that included an earmark for the bridge. The issue is that Palin and McCain have repeatedly lied about Palin’s support for the bridge and her aggressive pursuit of federal earmarks for Alaska. It’s the lie, my friend, that’s the problem.
Ah. Gotcha.
Mr. Tea seems to have gone missing. I suppose he’s scouring the Internets for his missing facts.
For our home audience, here’s a hint about who led the opposition to Mr. Coburn’s amendment: It was a powerful Republican member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. His name rhymes with Schmed Schmevens and he’s from Schmalaska. (He had–and still maintains–very cozy ties with a certain highly visible figure from his home state!)
The leverage he used was a threat to drag the entire Senate into open warfare over each and every one of several thousand earmarked line items. Even for those who oppose earmarking as a matter of principle, this would be disastrous. The business of the Senate would have ground to a complete halt. Of course, back in those days, the Republicans–holding 55 seats–saw that as a bug, not a feature.
I love the framing that Obama is avoiding debates with McCain. Obama has filled an 80,000 seat stadium, while McCain is half-filling Holiday Inn conference rooms.
Palin is a bigger draw than McCain, but compared to Obama they are a bar band wanting to open for The Stones. McCain knows that if he gets Obama into a town hall event, at least he’ll sell some tickets. Surely even JT has noticed that Obama draws a crowd and McCain doesn’t. If I were a candidate, I would be a lot happier drawing huge enthusiastic crowds, instead of half filling a small venue with what looks like a casting call for Night of the Living Dead.
JT, just ask yourself how many people would turn up in Berlin to hear McCain speak, and what their mood might be. Sure, the Germans don’t speak for us, but they are a good indication of who would be better received by the rest of the world.
It’s McCain who is desperate for the debates, not Obama, although the JTs of the world would like to bait Obama by suggesting that good campaign strategy is in fact cowardice.
Three debates are enough to establish who is who and what is what, and Obama does better by letting McCain accumulate a lot of stupid statements that he’ll have to defend.
Keep in mind these facts, JT. Obama graduated Magna cum Laude from Harvard law, in the top one percent of his class, and he got there on his own merit, with no racial preference. McCain, a legacy appointment [white Affirmative Action] to Annapolis, graduated in the bottom one percent of his class, which is why he was lucky to reach the rank he did. The bottom one percent at the USNA are not future admirals, they are more like guys who get out as soon as the Navy takes the jet away, and start running a Toys ‘r’ Us franchise.
Obama is really smart. McCain is really not.
Obama has shown no sign of being easily ruffled, while McCain is famous for his temper and short attention span. He clearly suffers from PTSD, although candidates for president can’t admit any such thing.
Obama is seven inches taller and has a great, authentic smile. Although I sympathize with McCain’s dental problems, that doesn’t change the fact that he has the most insincere, phony-looking and scary smile ever concocted. It’s like half the muscles in his face that we associate with genuine smiles, don’t work for him. I’ll even grant that this horror of a smile is a relic of the time when he was a POWPOWPOW. That doesn’t change the fact that is is harmful to children and frightening to adults.
But if Obama doesn’t have a teleprompter, he’s toast.
Bring. It. On.
Repack, I wish I had you with me at the lunch I suffered through with my Republican co-workers yesterday. I wish I had half your eloquence.
Are three debates too few? How many were there in previous Presidential races?
I’m sorry. Time’s up, Mr. Tea. The correct answers:
1976 – 3 debates
1980 – 3 debates
1984 – 2 debates
1988 – 2 debates
1992 – 3 debates
1996 – 2 debates
2000 – 3 debates
2004 – 3 debates
Now, perhaps you’d be so good as to explain why it’s so unusual for Mr. Obama to want 3 debates?
You guys keep calling him Mr Tea and I keep picturing Mr T. I pity the fool.
Champion Blogger Mr. T pities the fools. Indeed.
You guys keep calling him Mr Tea and I keep picturing Mr T.
Exactly the point, Bruce.
I love this place!
I listened to Obama’s debates with that lunatic, Alan Keyes. Obama gave substantive answers to questions, and kept his cool even under severe provocation. Remember, Obama right out of college was in charge of a jobs training program for displaced workers, and grew it to several times its original size; that takes a lot of savvy for a guy in his 20’s. Then he went on to graduate from Harvard Magna Cum Laude and become the first black editor of the Harvard Review. Extensive experience with Illinois State politics – it’s not an easy state to legislate in – and then the US Senate where he has amassed a pretty impressive record in an admittedly short time (McCain ads notwithstanding)
He’s done more in his life than most people would ever dream. You can’t do all that with a teleprompter.
“Oh by the way, Sen. Obama had about 25 debates in the last year.”
And he’s not very good in them; Hillary cleaned his clock last time out. That’s why he didn’t do any Townhalls with McCain, despite promising he would. He much prefers having the teleprompter around, there’s no question about that.
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