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Stephanopoulos: Is There Anything McCain Can Do?
October 15, 2008 8:25 AM
ABC News' George Stephanopoulos reports: Going into tonight's third and final presidential debate Barack Obama leads John McCain 53 to 39 percent in support nationally, according to the latest CBS News/New York Times poll.
Among independent voters -- a crucial voting group in this election -- Obama now leads McCain by 18 points, according to the CBS/Times poll.
Watch the final 2008 presidential debate LIVE on ABC at 9:00 p.m. ET tonight.
Obama is in "do no harm" mode going into tonight's debate at Hofstra University.
You never want to coast in a debate. But the Democratic candidate's big challenge tonight is just to avoid mistakes that could become the talk of the campaign trail in the last few weeks of the campaign.
Obama has to do what he's done in the last two debates: be reassuring, counter punch when necessary, bur basically lay out his policy plans.
McCain has a much different challenge. He does have to draw some blood in the debate but if he goes too negative he will reinforce the perceptions that have been built up over the last couple of weeks that he is he candidate on the attack.
A majority of Americans believe McCain is mainly attacking his opponent 59 percent versus only 26 percent who say that about Obama, according to the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll.
The McCain campaign is looking for something dramatic he can do to pull this out. Could McCain pledge to serve only one term? Could he challenge Obama to more debates? Could he announce a bi-partisan cabinet? Those are all conceivable long balls but there is not a whole lot he can do at this point to change the race dynamic with only one debate left.
McCain has pledged to bring up Obama's connection to 1960's radical William Ayers. But for this to work for McCain, he's going to have to put it into a much broader context.
The McCain campaign has been arguing Ayers is part of a pattern where Obama hasn't been truthful.
There is a risk for McCain, however, in talking about something like this when people are so focused on the economy and what the candidates are going to do for the economy.
The McCain campaign has been reeling of late. McCain's brother, Joe McCain, sent an e-mail message to the campaign that read in part, "Let John McCain be John McCain. Make ads that show John not as crank and curmudgeon but as a great leader for his time."
When things go wrong, people start jumping ship. McCain's campaign has also been attacked by many conservatives, including conservative columnist and "This Week" contributor George Will.
Former Bush strategist and ABC News contributor Matthew Dowd recently said of McCain: "He put somebody unqualified on that ballot and he put the country at risk, he knows that."
A renewed focus on national security could help McCain, but it's important to remember how much of this is out of McCain's control.
The Republican presidential candidate is up against a wall. But he would be having a very tough time even if he were running a perfect campaign: 90 percent of the country thinks the nation is going in the wrong direction, the economy is souring, and President George W. Bush has record-low approval ratings.
The final, and perhaps fatal, obstacle for McCain has been money.
Unlike McCain, Obama opted out of public financing and has been out raising McCain and outspending him, sometimes by two to one, or three to one in many battleground states.
Obama has been pouring money into his ground operation and television advertising in the final weeks of the campaign.
In the battleground state of Virginia last week alone, Obama spent about $4 million and McCain spent less than $500,000.
Obama will no doubt have enough money to keep going.
Sources say Obama raised about $100 million in September, his best fundraising month ever.
October 15, 2008 in McCain, John, Obama, Barack, Vote 2008: Democrats, Vote 2008: Republicans | Permalink | User Comments (441)
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McCain's Transition Chief Lobbied for Saddam Hussein
The person charged with planning the McCain administration, William Timmons, lobbied for Saddam Hussein in an effort to get the international community off his back. Obama challenged McCain to talk about William Ayers to his face at the debate tonight and McCain accepted the challenge. What was Obama thinking? Maybe he will bring up Timmons and point that he (Obama) was 8 years old and living in Indonesia when Ayers was planting crude bombs but McCain knowingly chose Saddam Hussein's lobbyist for an important job in his campaign. There could be fireworks if Obama brings this up.
Posted by: kawasaki | Oct 15, 2008 9:18:51 AM
Here is the deal!....McSame and his chrony - You know, the Gov from Alaska - have been badgdering Obama for weeks now and when it comes time to meet face to face....McShame will hid his tail between his legs! lets be real here, McSame has no chance to win and will go down in history has losing in the biggest landslide in American politics...
Posted by: Roc | Oct 15, 2008 9:19:53 AM
Cynics, Pessimists and Naysayers:
You won't be able to hold your denial much longer. As you continue FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT as your fearless leader McChicken has called for, it appears that fighting yourselves out of a web paper bag is impossible.
Cmon, you know, McChicken, Palin the parrot, the GOP and the entire world is acutely aware of the inevitable. Somewhere deep down inside, there's a voice saying to you...........
POTUS OBAMA - Resistance is Futile
Donkeys don't win thoroughbred horse races
Posted by: Nat Turner | Oct 15, 2008 9:20:02 AM
The Night they drove the Old GOP down..
you cant raise Mccain outta the ground..
nah,nah,nah nah...look, there goes the
Sarah Palin....
Posted by: Howard | Oct 15, 2008 9:20:43 AM
Gee Evil,
Read this and weep buddy
LATEST POLLS:
LA Times/Blomberg: Obama +9
CBS Mews/NY Times: Obama +14
Gallup Expanded): Obama +10
GW/Battleground: Obama +13
ABC News/Washington Post: Obam +10
Newsweek: Obama +11
We Americans must be some damn liars according to Gee Evil.
Posted by: Steve_NJ | Oct 15, 2008 9:21:00 AM
Cynics, Pessimists and Naysayers:
You won't be able to hold your denial much longer. As you continue FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT as your fearless leader McChicken has called for, it appears that fighting yourselves out of a wet paper bag is impossible.
Cmon, you know, McChicken, Palin the parrot, the GOP and the entire world is acutely aware of the inevitable. Somewhere deep down inside, there's a voice saying to you...........
POTUS OBAMA - Resistance is Futile
Donkeys don't win thoroughbred horse races
Posted by: Nat Turner | Oct 15, 2008 9:21:13 AM
Mccain can start by learning about the Economy and what he will do to fix things as President, But no all he talks about is obama. And his latest Capital Gains tax cut who has capital gains now days? Maybe Mccains Millonaire friends Donald Trump Wealthy Ceos His Wealthy Wife meanwhile us middleclass 401ks are going to h-- and Mccain is caring about The wealthy Capital Gains Mccain is not for Main Street!
Posted by: ANGIE | Oct 15, 2008 9:21:27 AM
GO MARILYN!! And let's look at the facts of history of republicans and financial conservatism/responsibility. They were in control 1920-29, and what happened? THE CRASH and GREAT DEPRESSION. Reagan and Bush #1's "tickle down" years? Steel belt turns into the rust belt. BIG Crash og 1987, DOW loses 23% in one day. Chrsyler BAIL OUT. Bush 1 leaves office with economy in a recession. Bush 2 after 8 years? HUGE ECONOMIC meltdown. Recession. Trillions in debt to the Chinese. But I guess all of this can be blamed on the democrats were in office before hand? Clinton is to blame right? even though he left GW with a huge surplus, smaller government than Reagan's, welfare turned to workfare, and a balanced budget.
Oh, side note to republican administrations...Nixon. Corruption and criminality.
Look at the facts. Look at how the economy was following republican administrations when they had their shot. Abysmal.
Posted by: rick | Oct 15, 2008 9:21:52 AM
Marilyn - You lost your job, your health insurance and are apparently dependent on the govt. Why single out the Republicans (do you think there is one Republican in Government who would like to trade places with me for even one week?) -- is there a Democrat who would do it? I don't see Obama offering to give up his salary, or returning donations (closing in on a billion dollars to buy the election) -- that would have gone a long way towards better purpose.
Posted by: DLR | Oct 15, 2008 9:22:12 AM
ACORN Political Action Committee Endorses Obama
By Sam Graham-Felsen - Feb 21st, 2008 at 6:36 pm EST
Posted by: geevill | Oct 15, 2008 9:22:27 AM
This is going to be great....Obama will have McInsane "right where he wants him" by baiting him to talk to talk about Ayers (of course, because he will try to stall time since he has NOTHING else to talk about). And when McOld brings up Ayers...Obama should hit him with McCain's newfound CURRENT TERRORIST CONNECTION: "William Timmons, the Washington lobbyist who John McCain has named to head his presidential transition team, aided an influence effort on behalf of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to ease international sanctions against his regime."
Everyone, read all about it!! William Timmons is HEADING McOld's transition team and seved on behalf of Saddam Hussein??????? That didnt happen years ago...ITS HAPPENING NOW. Also....read about McCain's connection to another terrorist, G. Gordon Liddy. Oh, how about the Keating 5, his association with the Iran Contra scandal, Palin's abuse of power, McCain's alliance with ACORN (speaking at their events) as early as 2 years ago (by the way, ITS ACORN that came out and said there were a few employees involved in voter registration fraud, not voter fraud, in order to make some money...so we dont know how OBAMA could have contributed to that. Either way, McCain has ties to them as well)...there is SO MUCH to choose from...Bring IT ON OLD MAN!!! YOU'RE DONE!!!!!
Posted by: ed | Oct 15, 2008 9:22:40 AM
The most positive thing that McCain could do to turn around things is to dump Palin. He could select someone else from the list, for example Romney, and he could might just win the election. With Palin at his side, his chances are dismal but still has a chance. After all, everyone thought Gore would beat Bush but he didn't. 4 years later everyone was sure Kerry would defeat Bush but he didn't. McCain needs to pull off a headlining voter catcher and that would be to dump Palin today, right now.
Posted by: Lawrence | Oct 15, 2008 9:24:39 AM
To understand McCain's situation, think of McCain's campaign as an overweight person. A person doesn't put on 75 extra pounds overnight, and it can't be taken off overnight. Sen. McCain's problems (the backfiring Palin publicity stunt; the 'suspended campaign' grandstanding, etc.) have been many, and each new misstep piled up to become Sen. McCain's current train wreck campaign. Sen. McCain's many missteps can't all be undone by waving a magic wand (or via one debate).
Posted by: Pat M | Oct 15, 2008 9:24:50 AM
Why is the media not reporting this?
McCAIN IS SICK, VERY VERY SICK.
I tell you the old geezer will die in office if elected.
The media must investigate and force McCain to release his latest medical records.
Posted by: Steve_NJ | Oct 15, 2008 9:24:57 AM
Senator Obama, the papers say that you are benefiting politically from the financial crisis. But if America knew the facts, I don’t know how they could vote for you. John McCain tried to blow the whistle on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac over two years ago. In 2006, he told the Senate, “For years, I have been concerned about the regulatory structure that governs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac…. The GSEs need to be reformed without delay.”
No wonder he didn’t get their political contributions. And who opposed the reforms John McCain was calling for? Barack Obama, Christopher Dodd, and John Kerry. Wait, it gets better. Guess who received campaign contributions from the people who drove Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae into the ground? Barack Obama, Christopher Dodd and John Kerry.
John McCain saw this coming. You, Senator Obama, have been part of the problem. What happens when we elect a Senator who’s part of the biggest financial crisis in U.S. history? Please, America, let’s never find out.
Posted by: citizenforintegrity | Oct 15, 2008 9:25:28 AM
Stupidity? Sarah Palin is the embodiment of stupidity - and McCain is trying to put her in the White House. That's what's gonna cost him this election.
Posted by: Larry | Oct 15, 2008 9:25:45 AM
"Obama is incredibly inexperienced"
I keep hearing this. I agree it would be nice if he had another 4 yrs in the senate. But he isn't incredibly inexperienced. He has worked at the local, state, and federal levels. He is well educated, intelligent, and has been running for president for closing on 2 yrs. He has been through 22 debates, well over 100 interviews, press conferences. He has clearly articulated what he will do as president. I don't understand the hatred that some people seem to have towards him.
Posted by: billthomson | Oct 15, 2008 9:26:43 AM
John McCain is losing because he:
* Makes bad decisions
* Doesn't care about the middle-class
* Like war too much
* Is an unlikable hot head in the senate
* Erratic leader
* Bad ideas for the economy
* A past of lying, failing upward, and flip-flops
* A past womanizer, unfaithful husband
* Numerous examples of pressing for favors and legislation on behalf of special interests (Keating 5 anyone?)
Posted by: Jonathan J | Oct 15, 2008 9:27:18 AM
Associations are very different from alliances. Allies are not just people who happen to be where you are or who happen to be doing the same things you do. You choose allies deliberately for a reason. The kind of allies you choose says something about you. Jeremiah Wright, Father Michael Pfleger, William Ayers and Antoin Rezko are not just people who happened to be at the same place at the same time as Barack Obama. They are people with whom he chose to ally himself for years, and with some of whom some serious money changed hands.Some gave political support, and some gave financial support, to Obama's election campaigns, and Obama in turn contributed either his own money or the taxpayers' money to some of them. That is a familiar political alliance-- but an alliance is not just an "association" from being at the same place at the same time.Obama could have allied himself with all sorts of other people. But, time and again, he allied himself with people
who openly expressed their hatred of America. No amount of flags on his campaign platforms this election year can change that.Unfortunately, all that most people know about Barack Obama is his own rhetoric.
Posted by: citizenforintegrity | Oct 15, 2008 9:27:59 AM
And MCCain thinks you can "FIGHT" your way out of an economic crisis, when instead it calls for a clear understanding and vision, patient and deliberate consideration of the context, pragmatic and informed strategies, and a team of players to see it implemented. McCain thinks everything is a battle and a war and it is not. His hot headedness and ill temperment and lack of judgment are now exposed. He is rash, petulant, dismissive, unthoughtful, and pandering to far too many and divergent constituents. HE blew it.
Posted by: rick | Oct 15, 2008 9:27:59 AM
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