Chicago Sun Times - Summary of Debate Previews - McCain Is Expected To Do Very Well

[Median Democrat]

This is an interesting summary from Obama's hometown newspaper summarizing previews of tonight's debate. Even liberal leaning newspapers are giving McCain the edge. McCain loves using foreign policy as an excuse for bringing up his POW experience, and McCain loves to throw out personal put downs and challenges of his opponent's patriotism. Also, McCain can lie with conviction, and has no problem just spitting out short little talking points and references to his biography. Thus, it should be fun to see the debate, since the expectations for McCain are so high while Obama is expected to ramble on and on like a college professor.

There is NO WAY McCain could live up to such expectations even if he does well. This McCain's purported area of expertise, and McCain has already started running ads about how he has won the debate even before he announced that he would attend.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/09/barack_obamas_bill_burton_memo.html

/snip

According to the pundits, McCain's debating skills are unparalleled, as you can see below, and the expectations for him tonight are sky-high.

/snip

[FreakinDJ]

1. More RATpublican propaganda - the economy is fine BTW

[Jackpine Radical]

5. Definitely on a solid footing. The foundations are solid.

The only things blocking it from really taking off are those intrusive regulations and the failure of the Congress to dump in a couple of trillion. And of course the EOs need their bonuses in order to incentivate them for top performance.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

20. she's actually a pretty straight shooter, with just a hint of

conservatism. She calls it fairly clearly, and she has no problems criticizing McPalin. She also is on record of saying that the GOP's efforts to push Rezko are wrong and baseless.

Lynn Sweet is not the worst of the worst, not by a long shot.

[deadparrot]

2. Ratchet up those expectations for McCain.

He's coming into this tired, pissed off, and with little time to review these past couple days.

[Median Democrat]

6. The Real Issue Is Whether The MSM Will Fact Check, McCain Got Under Romney's Skin...

By repeatedly mis-stating Romney's position on a timeline for withdrawal. I am sure McCain will also try to paint the Iraq war as beginning and ending with the surge while avoiding all the years leading up to it.

[deadparrot]

8. As I've yet to be disappointed,

I see no reason not to trust that Obama's well aware of what's coming.

[booksenkatz]

13. Hear, hear deadparrot

If McCain does not leave Obama lying broken and bloodied and weeping openly on that stage tonight, then McCain will have failed beyond measure. Scares the hell outta me, that's for damn sure. Hell, McCain's so good, his win is already in print today.
:scared:

[Jackpine Radical]

3. Oh, you underestimate McCain. I would even go so far as to say

that you MISunderestimate him. He's gonna blow Obama away. He's seasoned, experienced, knows foreign policy like the back of his hand, been in the Senate all those years and all. It would just be a total embarrassment if he doesn't mop the floor with Obama tonight.

[quispquake]

7. He he...

Yup, there is NO CHANCE Obama will take this debate...it's going to take AT LEAST until the 2nd debate because McCain is the BEST on foreign policy...There's NO WAY McCain will do badly tonight...

[FreakinDJ]

9. I got $50 says McCain loses it in the debates tonight

Wanna Bet ?????

check this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7195716#7195735

[Median Democrat]

12. I Bet That McCain Pulls Out Some Cheesy Prop During The Debate!

It could be a letter, a flag or momento given by some yet to be identified family of a member of the military.

[booksenkatz]

14. My money's on a femur

He'll dramatically and slowly pull a dead soldier's femur out of his jacket and say gravely, "This is what being president is all about."

Repukes do love their props.

This is why McCain's going to win tonight, y'all!!one!!11

[Median Democrat]

18. Obama Could Respond With A Dewey v. Truman, and Pull Out the McCain Win's Ad...

and ask who is being presumptuous?

[FreakinDJ]

19. any takers on the $50

I'm still betting he loses it

[gmoney]

4. Huh?

I think that's backwards. I think it'll be like Bush/Kerry... if McCain gets through it without wetting his pants, he'll be "commanding" whereas no matter how informed or brilliant Obama is, everyone just expects that from him, so it will be "ho hum."

The "soft bigotry of low expectations" anyone?

[Median Democrat]

11. I Expect McCain To Make A Lot Of Personal Attacks, The Key...

Is whether Obama can turn that around, and make McCain look petty. McCain will try to turn he debate into a biography contest. Obama has to make clear that notwithstanding election season, McCain has been the biggest cheerleader for Bush's foreign policy. Also, while McCain tries to portray Obama as naive on military issues, I think Obama should try to turn it around and portray McCain as only understanding foreign policy in terms of military issues, and that McCain does not understand international finance and trade.

[GoesTo11]

10. Depends on what you mean by debate

Sometimes a debate means a structured argument over some issues, with some sort of evidence and logic as well as rhetoric being important in trying to have your point of view prevail. Presidential debates seem to be about nothing, at best an attempt to deliver bad stand up comic lines written by your team, or to have a tv-loop moment (I have a pledge in my pocket, and I want you to sign it). McCain has spent a lifetime preparing for the second type - trying to fool people into liking him and manipulate to get his way and get someone else to look bad. The higher-level debate simply cannot be a contest, but it wasn't in 2000 or 2004 either.

[ClarkUSA]

15. All I know is McCain is the greatest debater since Cicero... Obama must try very hard to do well!

It's all about expectations. ;-)

[Arugula Latte]

16. Truly, McCain is a Masterdebater.

[ClarkUSA]

17. ROFL! I'll bet he is.

:rofl:

[Blackhatjack]

21. Yeah, But McCain Won't Have A Teleprompter Or Written Speech To Follow...

IF Obama remains cool, calm and gives McCain plenty of rope, all he will have to do is step back and watch McCain do himself in.