Debate Day
Tonight's the night -- it's the last Presidential debate and then just 3 weeks until the election. Could this be the game changer? Or, will it be the clincher? Or, . . . We just don't know, and may not know.
To this point Barack Obama has been seen as the winner of the debates. John McCain has more at stake here, but Obama needs to do well. He needs to continue to show confidence and calmness without appearing either overconfident of cocky. McCain needs to be aggressive without seeming angry. Some are suggesting that he push on character issues -- I found it interesting to hear Bill Bennett suggest that McCain should raise up Obama's alliances -- and named besides Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, Jesse Jackson, and Louis Farrakahn. Now maybe I'm missing something, but these seem to suggest something "sinister", don't you think? By the way, Obama's "alliance" with Farrakahn was Farrakahn's "endorsement." And you know what Jesse thinks of Obama. So, I don't think McCain would get much traction there. McCain's best chance is to push the divided government theme, but that may not make Republicans all that happy.
I'll be teaching a Bible study as the debate begins and will likely miss much of it. I'm decided of course, so the information isn't all that necessary. I do hope that this is a solid, mistake free, civil debate that takes up important issues -- the economy and how government can be improved to better assist the American people -- rather than trivialities about whose house someone had dinner at a long time ago.
To this point Barack Obama has been seen as the winner of the debates. John McCain has more at stake here, but Obama needs to do well. He needs to continue to show confidence and calmness without appearing either overconfident of cocky. McCain needs to be aggressive without seeming angry. Some are suggesting that he push on character issues -- I found it interesting to hear Bill Bennett suggest that McCain should raise up Obama's alliances -- and named besides Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, Jesse Jackson, and Louis Farrakahn. Now maybe I'm missing something, but these seem to suggest something "sinister", don't you think? By the way, Obama's "alliance" with Farrakahn was Farrakahn's "endorsement." And you know what Jesse thinks of Obama. So, I don't think McCain would get much traction there. McCain's best chance is to push the divided government theme, but that may not make Republicans all that happy.
I'll be teaching a Bible study as the debate begins and will likely miss much of it. I'm decided of course, so the information isn't all that necessary. I do hope that this is a solid, mistake free, civil debate that takes up important issues -- the economy and how government can be improved to better assist the American people -- rather than trivialities about whose house someone had dinner at a long time ago.
Comments
If he does, that simply opens the door for Obama to raise questions about Keating, Hagee, and Todd Palin. If Obama's links with black nationalists and activist preachers are fair game then McCain's links with Alaskan nationalists and fundamentalist preachers need to be addressed to.
Frankly, some things are better left unsaid. Let's hope, as you suggest, that the debate is civil, substantive, and worth our time.
John