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McCain's Risky Move For Tonight's Debate
October 07, 2008 6:19 PM
ABC's Ron Claiborne reports from Nashville:
We've been hearing for several days now how McCain is going to go the offensive at tonight's debate. Trot out one of hoariest of political clichés, that he is going to take off the gloves (McCain was asked last week when he was going to take off those gloves and he said "Tuesday" -- tonight.
We've seen his running mate Sarah Palin pounding Barack Obama for his purported "association" with Bill Ayers, the former leftist radical who bombed government buildings in 1960s.
And yesterday, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, McCain went after Obama with what was unquestionably the harshest, most ferocious single attack of the campaign; one that verged on and probably crossed the line to the personal.
But McCain is in a delicate position in the debate tonight. Striking an aggressive pose, attacking his opponent while looking him in the eye (if he looks him the eye; in the first debate he didn't) is a risky move. It can easily come across as nasty and disrespectful. McCain knows that he has to shake up this race and the two remaining debates are the only single event opportunities to do that.
But -- to mix metaphors -- going to the big score is a high wire act fraught with risk. The risk is coming that in attacking Obama, he comes across as desperate and, well, political. McCain's brand is that he is a different kind of politician. Straight shooter. Maverick. The guy who promised to raise the level of political discourse, who said again and again he would run a "respectful" campaign on the issues. Going after Obama too hard could easily tarnish the brand. Yes, McCain will go after Obama in an aggressive fashion, but it may be more subtle than some are predicting.
Also, when taking questions from citizens, there is more pressure to actually answer the question, to satisfy the questioner than in a tradition debate forum. Moderators -- who are after all members of the media, not a profession held in high regard by the public -- can be ignored. Ignoring the question of an (self-described voter standing 20 feet away can easily be perceived as insulting).
In particular, if Ayers doesn't come up in a question, I suspect McCain will not bring him up himself. That task may end up consigned to Palin in the attack dog role. And invoking Ayers might cause Obama to bring up the Keating 5 scandal. As McCain's aides will tell you, McCain was ultimately found to have used bad judgment in intervening with federal banking officials on behalf of savings and loan exec Charles Keating, but was cleared of any ethnical violations. But does he really want to have that brought up with tens of millions of people watching on television? There's a generation of voters who don't know or have forgotten about that tawdry affair. McCain may decide to keep that out of the debate by keeping Ayers out.
Where the McCain campaign thinks they can hit Obama is to raise questions that essentially say this: "Who is this guy? You know me. You don't really know him, do you? What's he really for? What's he ever done?"
The notion is to make this election a referendum on Obama and exploit reservations swing voters may have about this relative newcomer. Look for McCain to exploit those doubts, lay the groundwork for more aggressive attacks on the stump more than go for a knockout punch in one night.
October 7, 2008 in Vote 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (51)
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Did you all ever hear of a process called the Cloward-Piven Strategy of Orchestrated Crisis?
Are you aware that it is happening in front of your eyes?
Are you prepared to move our country toward socialism?
Is the future of my great America, which I served faithfully as a career military person, going to be left in the hands of an administration and president who has so many times demonstrated that he does not value the ability of Americans to work hard and gain their just rewards?
Can anyone, just one person, tell me, besides being skilled speaker, how Obama is going to lead our great country out of our present mess?
Maybe you all are a lot smarter than I, but when I look at the situation, I am reminded of the "lambs to slaughter" story told to me over and over again by my grandparents and parents.
I cannot distinguish between Obama and a Judas goat. Maybe some of you smart folks can help me with that.
Posted by: JPVH | Oct 7, 2008 7:12:00 PM
"At some point, McCain will have to back off all of incessant his MSM complaining and baseless vile and racist attacking- just like Hillary had to"
Speaking the truth is not "baseless vile and racist attacking". He won't have back off since unlike Hillary, who put party before country, McCain/Palin have no such restraints.
Posted by: Mack | Oct 7, 2008 7:12:06 PM
I WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND WHAT ARE THEIR PLANS TO FIX IT!!!!
NO NEGATIVE ATTACKS!!!
JUST THE ECONOMY!!!
Posted by: sisterdearest09 | Oct 7, 2008 7:20:55 PM
It seems, that now is the time to listen and analyze the scarce facts. Do the algebra on the rhetoric. Don't disregard the facts you don't like.
We are Americans, we are smarter than this. Rise above the stupidity, lies and media propaganda. Obama or McCain, Vote for the right person for the right reasons. Not because you have been bullied into some perspective of fear and ignorance.
Posted by: JPVH | Oct 7, 2008 7:24:53 PM
I am hoping that sensible and responsible dialogue is a possibility. Does anyone else have the same hope?
Posted by: jpvh | Oct 7, 2008 7:34:57 PM
I don't know why everyone is pretending that it isn't important who Obama choses to spend his time with over the decades. I know Obama was only 8 when Ayers bombed America, but how old was Obama when Ayers held a party at his house for Obama to announce his decision to run for the Illinois Senate?? 38 or 40?? In my opinion this tells us more about a person than anything he/she says.
Posted by: reality801 | Oct 7, 2008 8:19:24 PM
Senator Obama's "anti-American" radical friends make me wonder if the Senator won't "owe" them favors should he be elected. Bill Ayers, Father Flannigan?, Rev. Wright, etc.
Posted by: John Right | Oct 7, 2008 8:24:00 PM
Mack-
I suspect that The Economy will somehow fix itself, despite the bail-out. Now I hear American Automakers (or was it retailers) were saying they needed a bail-out.... It may take 4-6 years, but it will make a comeback. Meanwhile my retirement savings are down 40% so I am feeling the pain.
I really wish Congress would hold meaningful hearings on the LACK OF OVERSIGHT that Congress is guilty of for the Toxic Twins (Fanny and Freddie).
Unfortunately since there is a lot of blame that would fall on a lot of Democrats (and some Repub's also) that we will only get lip service hearings since the Democrats are in power.
Posted by: John Right | Oct 7, 2008 8:28:45 PM
McCain should stick to the issues at hand their campaign has gone to negative they are being very divisive lets see what they are really offering to America.We don't need smear that cannot help us out this hole.
Posted by: damehen | Oct 7, 2008 8:34:16 PM
this is crazy that mcCain only wants to hash the same things, i'm mr. big guy who loves war. i
Posted by: rachel | Oct 7, 2008 8:48:21 PM
McCain is no hero......he broke under pressure...told all he knew......turned on his own.....became one of the Cong's "pets". All he can say in his defense is "I should have been stronger!"
Everyone says, well, you don't know the kind of torture he went thru.....well.....you people think about the thousands that died under torture rather than do what John McCain Did!
If he broke once.....He will do it again !!!
Posted by: Dave Peck | Oct 7, 2008 9:17:34 PM
obama isn't playing by the rules now how can he or will he later? what has really done even as a congress mn.
Posted by: terry | Oct 7, 2008 10:30:38 PM
jarrode i hate to tell u that the current situation started with pres. carter
Posted by: terry | Oct 7, 2008 10:34:55 PM
jarrode i hate to tell u that the current situation started with pres. carter
Posted by: terry | Oct 7, 2008 10:34:56 PM
way to go dennise at least there is someone who knows something
Posted by: terry | Oct 7, 2008 10:36:40 PM
dear jane how clean is OBAMA?
Posted by: terry | Oct 7, 2008 10:38:51 PM
no mcCain no pain I mean palin///
Posted by: kb | Oct 7, 2008 10:52:28 PM
no mcCain no pain I mean palin///
Posted by: kb | Oct 7, 2008 10:52:29 PM
It's over. Americans are demanding Marxism, Obama is the one willing to deliver. That's Democracy, Mob rule.
Posted by: Uncle Moe | Oct 7, 2008 11:07:37 PM
This is exactly what happened tonight. McCain stump speech was great in NM on Monday, but the debate tonight was not any one two punch....gloves coming off?
Not very evident tonight.
I am assuming the next four weeks will heat up, and both candidates will attack each other more and more on the campaign trail.
NOT AS GOOD AS THE PALIN/BIDEN DEBATE.
STILL FOR McCAIN/PALIN
Posted by: hanna | Oct 7, 2008 11:12:07 PM
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