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McCain NYC Town Hall Offers No Fireworks Without Obama
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ShareJune 12, 2008 10:34 PM
ABC News's Bret Hovell reports: It was one of his very first lines he delivered, but it seemed to perfectly sum up Senator John McCain’s town hall meeting Thursday night in New York City.
"I think this town hall meeting tonight would have been a little bit more interesting tonight if Senator Obama had accepted my request,” McCain said early on in the evening, referring to McCain's plan for joint town hall meetings with Obama around the country.
But Obama was not there – his campaign is considering the proposal, but said it was too soon after Obama clinched his party’s nod for them to make it work.
The show went on without him. It was McCain’s second town hall meeting of the day – an earlier one in Nashua, New Hampshire, marked the 103rd such event he has had in that state this election cycle.
In New York, the audience of 200 at Federal Hall was not open to the public, unusual for a campaign that typically prides itself on allowing anyone into the room to question McCain. For this event, the crowd was selected largely by the McCain campaign, which said tickets were given to supporters, “independent groups,” and New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg to distribute. The campaign would not provide details of how many tickets each got, or what independent groups were invited.
After brief opening remarks, McCain took questions from eight members of the audience, on topics ranging from the skyrocketing price of oil and gas, to how he would work across the aisle with Congress, to how he would appeal to the youth vote.
On two occasions, questioners in the friendly audience made reference to the Arizona Republican’s service in Vietnam. One explained that he did not feel people knew enough about McCain’s five and a half years as a prisoner of war, and asked if he would advertise it more.
“Yes,” McCain said, “but, I don’t consider myself a hero.” He went on to talk about how he had “served in the company of heroes” but did not feel he deserved that title, a typical response from McCain to that type of question.
That answer proved to be the only point of contention in the event, which was broadcast live and exclusively on the Fox News Channel, when several minutes later a supporter took issue with what McCain had said about his time in prison.
“The only thing that I disagree with you on tonight is that I think that many people in the room including myself do believe that you are a hero,” said a questioner to applause.
McCain has said he wants the town hall meetings with Obama to be made up of real undecided voters of all political persuasions, and to have the audience picked by a neutral group.
“Let’s hear from the American people,” McCain said today in Nashua, pitching his town hall idea. “And the American people can examine us, and they can know in full what our positions on the issue is, not grab a sound bite from or a phrase or a couple of words, but know the candidates, that’s what the American people deserve.”
June 12, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (84)
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What a Loser.
Didn't work for Hillary
Will not work for you.
Creep.
Posted by: Omentum | Jun 12, 2008 10:49:41 PM
tony rezko
if you only had a brain
Posted by: Omentum | Jun 12, 2008 10:51:18 PM
Even I don't know why Obama keeps hiding.
What is he afraid of?
Posted by: Omentum | Jun 12, 2008 10:51:38 PM
freak!!!!!!
good riddens to you
Posted by: Omentum | Jun 12, 2008 10:53:36 PM
I touch myself when I think of Obama.
Posted by: Omentum | Jun 12, 2008 10:59:32 PM
"I think this town hall meeting tonight would have been a little bit more interesting tonight if Senator Obama had accepted my request,” McCain said early on in the evening...
Even McCain knows he's a snoozer! A blatant admission that new blood is needed to liven up the same-ol' same ol'!
Posted by: Deep Release | Jun 12, 2008 11:08:04 PM
Senator Obama has stage frieight when it comes to Town Hall Debates. He might be expected to answer questions honestly.
GO MCCAIN
Posted by: Mary | Jun 12, 2008 11:11:19 PM
The GOP, McCain and Fox News must really hate women. First they go after Hillary tooth and nail, now they attack Michelle Obama. They must have the political formula that says destroy women at all costs.
Most Hillary supporters need to understand that it was the GOP that destroyed Hillary from the very beginning. The GOP with Rove leaked press stories and information to drive up Hillary’s negatives even before she announced her candidacy. The GOP thought she would be the Democratic nominee and needed to destroy her reputation and define her image. That is why the initial press was so aligned against Hillary initially.
Until women as a group start to fight back against this kind of stuff they will always lose and be thought of as second class.
Posted by: James | Jun 12, 2008 11:16:59 PM
I would like to see McCain and Obama on the same stage. They both need to take about the issues. I respect McCain for what he went through in Nam. I would like to hear how he feels about the guys in Iraq and why he is unable to support them. I would like to know how Obama thinks we can be out of Iraq in 18 months. They both need to address these issues. I am a Nam Vet disabled and would like to see these guys in Iraq treated better then we were after Nam.
Posted by: Independent | Jun 12, 2008 11:20:12 PM
Did you hear about McCain's involvement in "The Keating 5?" I'm surprised he got the nomination after being involved in that. Just check out the site below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keating_Five
It's time to stop McCain. Let's unite to bring some change to the White House
Posted by: Allen | Jun 12, 2008 11:23:20 PM
Oompa, Loompa, doom-pa-dee-do
I have another puzzle for you
Oompa, Loompa, doom-pa-da-dee
If you are wise, you'll listen to me
What do you get when the media manipulates the vote?
And your party shoves a candidate down your throat?
What happened to vetting and thinking on your own?
Instead of downloading Obama Girl wallpaper on your cellular phone?
Now Hillary Voters are your safety zone
Oompa, Loompa, doom-pa-dee-da
If you're not gullible you will go far
VOTE FOR OBAMA AND BE SCREWED
Oompa Loompa doom-pa-dee-do
Posted by: Samantha | Jun 12, 2008 11:25:12 PM
Obama is afraid to accept McCain's challenge to a town-hall style debate just as he was afraid, & refused, to accept Hillary Clinton's challenge to meet her in a free-style debate? His managers know he's not knowledgeable enough to make a decent showing in a debate where his highly paid writers aren't able to give him a speech to memorize. Also, of course, his image gets damaged when embarrassing facts about his history, deceit, buddies, etc., are disclosed & discussed.
Posted by: Pat Knif | Jun 12, 2008 11:37:55 PM
Obama is a clown.
Posted by: female clinton supporter | Jun 12, 2008 11:40:15 PM
x
Posted by: female clinton supporter | Jun 12, 2008 11:43:17 PM
Obama hasn't started swinging yet, but when he does, it's gonna hurt. He clearly outclasses McCain. When this thing gets rolling and people see the differences in every way between Obama and McCain then Obama is going to start to run away with this. In fact, if you look at the polls, he is starting to run away with this election, and he has yet to begin to fight.
Did you even see that Green Screen Speech?
I wanted to hate him, but that speech made me feel bad for him it was so awful. That green screen; that terrible suit; the lack of inflection in his voice; the time between the applause and the applause lines; that smile that looks like it was being forced to smile by someone pulling on his mouth with strings in the background; the fonzy finger point he gives at 16:30-16:35 in (how cool Grandpa Munster). It was bad. McCain has been unchallenged thus far. When Obama comes after him with his fire and rhetoric, then Obama is going to start running away with this. McCain looked like a short, little, angry old man that no ones really cares to listen to. How do people in his own party even passionately get behind someone who can't deliver a line let alone passion? This will be too easy for Obama. I felt embarrassed for him, it was just that sad. He wont win young voters with his lack of energy; he wont win old voters and women with his record.
WARNING TO REPUBLICANS...
Don't egg on Obama to fight because when you get what you ask for and Obama starts to raise 100 million every month and we start coming out in droves again then the fight is going to start to get really ugly on your end. Don't have any illusions Republicans, this is still a giant mismatch, and when we do come out swinging, you'll know it because it's gonna hurt and your little man is going to start to look even more like the little goof ball he is.
Posted by: Anthony | Jun 12, 2008 11:44:07 PM
These guys should absolutely have a town hall meeting. I want to know, in plain english, what they are going to do about healthcare in this country. As a doctor (who, coincidentally treats many war vets), I hope that one of the candidates realizes that "supporting the troops" means providing comprehensive healthcare for them once they get home. If we took our defense budget and applied it towards universal healthcare, our country would be much better off.
Posted by: Ben | Jun 12, 2008 11:44:57 PM
What is Obama afraid of?
After all the MSM says he's such a
great speaker! Obama should welcome
a town hall meeting with McCain!
Oh I forgot Obama speaks empty words
and tired old liberal rhetoric!
McCain is right on the issues and Obama
knows it!
Posted by: reaganfan | Jun 12, 2008 11:45:22 PM
nobama! lifelong democrat here not voting for obama. too extreme. too dirty
Posted by: kurt | Jun 12, 2008 11:47:19 PM
Obama, who insists he's a "transparent" candidate, will never agree to a town-hall style debate because his image is blown away when embarrassing facts about his history, deceit, buddies, etc., are disclosed & discussed as they would be in a free-style debate. Obama's only willing to accept debates where his highly paid writers can provide him with a speech to memorize & deliver.
Posted by: Pat Knif | Jun 12, 2008 11:48:48 PM
Republicans use racist fear of the black man while they continue to screw over whites and everyone else as they laugh all the way to the bank.
Yep, republicans are counting on whites to ignore 7 years of getting screwed without vaseline because they think fear of blacks will trump all any problems they have with bush/cheney and mccain.
Posted by: LG | Jun 12, 2008 11:52:43 PM
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