McCain and Obama Hesitate on Joint Town Halls

(CBS)

From CBS News' John Bentley:

John McCain stays on the East Coast this week with a series of fundraisers and town halls stretching from Richmond, Virginia, up to what he calls his "second home state" of New Hampshire. The trip culminates in New York City on Thursday, where the campaign says they will put two chairs on stage at Federal Hall – one for McCain, and one for Barack Obama. McCain challenged Obama to a series of 10 town halls – one a week from Thursday until the Democratic National Convention – and while Obama agreed in theory with the idea, he has not yet committed to appear.

ABC has offered to air the event with Diane Sawyer moderating, although both campaigns have indicated they don't want a single network airing the event or a network anchor asking the questions. "Both campaigns agree the town hall meetings will be open to press," said McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds, "but not sponsored or moderated by the press."

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is not supporting either candidate, sent letters to both campaigns encouraging the candidates to attend because of the town hall style of the debate, which encourages more audience participation.

[craigh9]

ABC - really ABC wants the opportunity to narrate another debate - give me a break. After the Gibson/Stehpenopolous debacle if I was Obama I wouldn''t give them an opportunity for the next 8 years - fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice...........

[mattcat25]

I presume that McCain thought that they would be able to setup Barack Obama in a staged venue where only Republican Conservative Supporters would be able to attend.It would%u2019ve been a FoxNews studio remote complete with shouting angry Americans waving flags and wearing lapel pins wanting
"More War! More War! More War!" and "Higher Gas Prices! Higher Gas Prices!"

[jack3213]

No amount of preeching, coddling, singing praises for the idealist future, no amount of promises or illusions of grand change will allow a "black man" to lead this country, one that will raise your taxes, at this juncture. The USA is not ready of an unqualified- inexperianced person any more. No amount of money or excellent speeches will change that.

[omaar-101]

WHO ISSUED THE TOWN HALL CHALLENGE ?

ANS: MCCAIN

WHO SAID HE`D BE INCLINED TO DO THEM , BUT NOT TRAVEL TOGETHER, SIDE BY SIDE ?

ANS: OBAMA


WHO SHOULD STICK TO HIS DIRECT CHALLENGE ?

ANS: MCCAIN


WHO HAS BEEN LAUDED BY BOTH CNN & FOX, AS TO BE BETTER SUITED FOR, THIS TYPE OF DEBATE ?

ANS: OBAMA


WHOSE REALLY HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS ?

ANS: MCCAIN, THE ONE WHO CHALLENGED OBAMA, WHOSE NOW, HESITATING.

PS: LIKE MCCAIN CHALLENGING OBAMA TO BOTH OF THEM, TRAVELING TO IRAQ, SINCE (OBAMA) HAS`NT BEEN THERE SINCE 2006.

WITH OBAMA REPLYING, I`LL VISIT, BUT NOT WITH MCCAIN.

OBAMA IS SMARTER THAN YOU YAHOOS IMAGINE.

ITS MCCAIN, MAKING THESE HOLLOW CHALLENGES.