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Obama Team: McCain's Debating Skills Unparalleled

September 26, 2008 3:18 PM

ABC's John Berman from Oxford, Mississippi:

I have to warn you, I can barely write a complete sentence, and I am hideously ugly.  Surprised?  Alarmed?  Flat-out scared?  Well, what I have just done is set expectations, a key part of the political dance that happens before every big debate.  You see, if you were to meet me now, and it turned out that I am merely an average writer, and somewhat homely instead of horrific, it would be something of a personal victory.

It is this reasoning that helps explain why reporters received an e-mail from the Obama campaign, touting the debating skills of John McCain, and deriding that of their own candidate.  "According to the pundits, McCain's debating skills are unparalleled," the memo says, "and the expectations for him tonight are sky-high. "

Now, I promise, there are not many Obama staffers who think that McCain's skills are unparalleled.  But what they just did is make you think that McCain is Cicero.  And if for some reason, he is merely good, not but not historic, it would somehow be disappointing. 

This is normal from campaigns;  set the bar high for your opponent.  What I never remember seeing is a campaign going out of its way to slam its own candidate.  In this same Obama campaign memo are a number of clips quite critical of Obama, including this humdinger from an Associated Press article: "For a man known as a powerful speaker, Obama has rarely wowed people in political debates. He can come across as lifeless, aloof and windy."

When was the last time you heard a campaign point out that people find their very own candidate "lifeless, aloof, and windy?"   It is kind if catchy, they could put it on their posters.  "Obama: Change you Can Believe In…because he is Lifeless, Aloof and Windy."

September 26, 2008 in Vote 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (234)

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McCain doesn't have answers. He's going to the debate to blame Obama for everything--just like McCain's previously done on the campaign trail. McCain will ignore his 26 years in Washington, will forget all the times he's told Obama he hasn't been around enough, and then will lay this entire crisis at Obama's (and the Dems) feet. This is despite the fact that the GOP controlled the White House and Congress for years and never put in any regulations that would prevent this meltdown! America--watch out for the okey-doke!!

Posted by: beck | Sep 26, 2008 3:36:13 PM

Obama spent 10 days to write Acceptance speech

Obama spent 3 days to prepare for this debate

Obama team is trying to spin before their master forgets what he memorized

Posted by: adam | Sep 26, 2008 3:39:38 PM

They are about equally matched in debate skill - Obama has talent and McCain has over a quarter century on the Senate floor (and until he was recently muzzled by advisers, very frequently talking with the press on his Straightalk Express).

This debate should be McCain's based on the subject matter of foreign policy, where he is experienced. If it turns to economics, Obama will have the advantaged as his academic mind will serve him well.

Posted by: jhw539 | Sep 26, 2008 3:40:58 PM

adam: "Obama spent 10 days to write Acceptance speech"

Yes, and that is quite an achievement. Compare to McCain, who never writes his own speeches but is accomplished at reading and ad libbing "my friends."

Posted by: jhw539 | Sep 26, 2008 3:43:12 PM

I think it is genius, if he does good, then he makes mccain look like a fool. If he does bad then they can fall back and say "well we said McCain is a better debater."

Posted by: make it known | Sep 26, 2008 3:45:48 PM

LOL.

McCain's stunt pulled Obama away from his debate cramming sessions to sit with Bush and Reid and Pelosi and the cameras inside the Beltway, and added the mind games of an on-again, off-again event.

Now the Obama handlers are probably on their cell phones calling their mamas looking for tips on how to pray...

Posted by: Jon Do | Sep 26, 2008 3:50:27 PM

One of the country's top pollsters was in Rochester on Thursday and suggested that the November presidential election will end in an electoral landslide, even though the candidates are running close.

"Essentially the election is at equilibrium," said John Zogby, president of Zogby International. "This election will stay close until the end."

As Expected: THIS WILL BE A LANDSLIDE

POTUS OBAMA - IT'S INEVITABLE

Posted by: Nat Turner | Sep 26, 2008 3:50:40 PM

McCain will, then he won't, then can't, now can, boy this guy sure gets on ALL sides of an issue, don't like what he says today, tomorrow will be different. He really gives new meaning to being dishonest.

Posted by: JR | Sep 26, 2008 3:54:47 PM

How can any serious person back McCain anymore. He makes decision making ability is reckless and his policies are totally outdated.

Posted by: dm2008 | Sep 26, 2008 3:59:15 PM

ABC simply caters to liberals. I find this quite sad. This article suggests that Obama can set standards for how Mc Cain needs to do?

Yet ABC runs this as some kind of GOSPEL worthy of public consumption?

The Obama camp gets to frame how everything works? And ABC gleefully runs off and reports it like good surrogates.

How dissapointing for the media to look this foolish.

Posted by: infoseeking | Sep 26, 2008 4:00:33 PM

How can one set a bar for Palin???

Posted by: Libratine | Sep 26, 2008 4:01:00 PM

= Obama spent 10 days to write Acceptance Speech =

How dare you to mock Obama when it took God 7 days ?
BTW, you're a racist since you do not vote for Obama . It's David Axelrod's hand prints all over Obama's speech. Obama and the tele-prompter simply do the rest.

Posted by: Dod-Countrywide-the-fraud. | Sep 26, 2008 4:03:36 PM

Adam, I hardly think Obama has memorized his way through this campaign. He is intelligent and thinks on his feet.

Posted by: two-cats | Sep 26, 2008 4:03:36 PM

Now lets get real.

Obama, a junior senator, who destroyed his senate record, who had no foreign experience until he use the presidential nomination process to go over seas, who refused many many many times to dabte is ---- what did you say?????

McCain has a past record that Obama cannot even reach let alone in a debate.

My reaction to your headline and article is simply: HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA. People will be laughing all the way to the pols because Obama will perform so badly.

PhD

Posted by: versailles | Sep 26, 2008 4:04:34 PM

McCain is a good debater but can he hide his flip flop and lies.

Posted by: decipher | Sep 26, 2008 4:05:43 PM

McCain debating skills are phenomenal. Any performance less than that should be considered a failure.

Posted by: Jack Kovacs | Sep 26, 2008 4:06:10 PM

Show me the email!

Posted by: Allan J Krueger | Sep 26, 2008 4:07:53 PM

Senator Barack Obama will have to convince the American people that he is someone who is stable, thoughtful, and can make clear, solid decisions in time of crisis. The McCain brand image has allowed John McCain to make one faux pas after another and walk away completely unscathed by his disturbingly erratic behavior. One must seriously question that at age 72 does John McCain have the clear decision making capability to respond to economic crisis quickly and decisively, even in a Presidential debate?

Posted by: usarfc2008 | Sep 26, 2008 4:08:03 PM

So John - Is the rest of the MSM buying the "hype down"? Frankly, I find it demeaning both to Obama and to those of us who've been following this race for a year and a half. His camp should set the bar high for both candidates and have confidence that their guy will get his message across to the American people.

Posted by: mhh | Sep 26, 2008 4:08:17 PM

I can't wait to watch this fumbling jackass Obama "WOW US" with his ahhhs, ummms, stutters, and, you see's during tonight's debate. Can you imagine an emergency call at three in the morning and he has to respond w/o a teleprompter?

Posted by: bombem | Sep 26, 2008 4:09:08 PM

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