Town Halls Are McCain's Comfort Zone

Washington Post: Campaign Banks On Unscripted Forums With Voters To Counteract Obama's Speechmaking

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Michael D. Shear and Juliet Eilperin.

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Microphone in hand and surrounded on all sides by friendly inquisitors, Republican Sen. John McCain called on a man in the back row of New York's Federal Hall on Thursday night and waited for another opportunity to demonstrate his mastery of the off-the-cuff answer.

"We've got to put our country first and not our party first, and too many people have that reversed," McCain told the man, who asked about how he would break Washington gridlock. "And by the way, this is not a cheap shot. It's a matter of record. . . . You put your finger on what has to be done. Yes, there's going to be a change in Washington, but will it be the right kind of change or the wrong kind of change?"

This is McCain's arena of choice -- the town hall -- where mixing serious answers with flip comments and the occasional sarcastic insult has become his trademark as much as the smartly crafted speech in front of thousands defines his rival, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.). Now, the McCain campaign sees town halls as a necessity, hoping the old-style format will serve as a video-age counterweight to the rhetorical chasm between his stilted and sometimes awkward speechmaking and Obama's often rousing delivery.

McCain (Ariz.) has dared Obama to join him at 10 town hall meetings during the next 10 weeks, answering questions from a few hundred undecided people at a time. If it works as the campaign hopes, voters will see McCain as the more informed candidate, with a better command of the nitty-gritty issues that presidents face.

"This isn't a gimmick or some type of a hidden ruse," said McCain adviser Steve Schmidt, calling it a way to elevate the presidential debate and a chance to "change the trajectory of this campaign."

The idea has helped soothe concerns among Republican strategists, who have been distraught over McCain's inability to compete with Obama's rhetorical flair. That contrast was never more evident than on the day last week when Obama clinched the Democratic nomination.

In a widely panned speech in Louisiana designed to kick off the general election, McCain flubbed some lines and smiled awkwardly at moments. He stood in front of a green banner and spoke to a crowd of a couple of hundred, a setting that was lampooned by Democrats and Republicans alike. An hour or so later, Obama spoke in the center of a St. Paul, Minn., arena in front of 17,000 screaming supporters.

"McCain has the potential in town hall meetings to be really good. He has almost no potential to be really good in a big speech and zero potential being better than Obama in a big speech," said one Republican consultant, who asked for anonymity to discuss the campaign's strategy on the town hall challenge. "It's the one format where he could legitimately shine."

But the risks are huge for McCain. He is essentially betting the presidency on a series of side-by-side performances with his rival in a largely uncontrolled environment.

As evidence of the danger, McCain's most famous gaffes have come during town hall meetings. It was at a January town hall in Derry, N.H., that McCain said it would be "fine with me" if U.S. troops stay in Iraq for 50 years or more, providing a sound bite that his political rivals have put to great use.

"Make it a hundred," he said, cutting off the questioner as a bit of annoyance showed through.

When McCain is on his own, town hall audiences are generally filled with Republicans, most of whom are supporters and often allow him to joke or finesse his way out of tough answers. The dynamic with Obama would be different, with a more skeptical audience and with McCain's chief rival on stage ready to challenge his answers.

Standing next to Obama during televised town hall meetings could also highlight the kind of directcomparison that most campaigns strive to avoid: the image of a 71-year-old candidate next to one who is 46.

It could give Obama a chance to upstage McCain, looking presidential in the one forum that had been exclusively McCain's. Although Obama's performance in debates was more uneven than his formal speechmaking, McCain's advisers say they do not believe the Harvard-educated lawyer will flop in a town hall.

"It's a risk that I believe is absolutely worth taking," said Mark McKinnon, a former media consultant for McCain who helped conceive the town hall challenge. "I think when people see McCain unvarnished, they like what they see."

The problem for McCain is that most people in the country do not see him at his town hall meetings. After well over 100 of them during the primary campaign, they have become routine, unlikely to garner more than a brief mention in news reports. Joint town hall meetings with Obama would be seen as grand political theater and would almost surely be televised nationally.

One result would be plenty of free media exposure for a campaign that has little hope of matching Obama in ad dollars. In the primaries, Obama spent nearly $78 million on television commercials, and McCain spent about $11 million.

One GOP adviser said the consensus in the campaign is that town halls are McCain's "best setting," whereas Obama is "only average" in unscripted exchanges.

It was during debates with his Democratic rivals that Obama said he would meet with anti-U.S. heads of government without conditions. And the candidate answered a question about how he would respond to another al-Qaeda attack with the wonkish answer that he would ensure an "effective emergency response."

McCain's use of town halls has become legendary. In his 2000 campaign, they helped create his reputation for "straight talk" because he was willing to take tough, unscripted questions. After his 2008 campaign imploded last summer, he held 100 town hall meetings in New Hampshire in a bid to revive the "maverick spirit" of his candidacy.

Armed with that confidence, McCain has challenged Obama to one town hall meeting each week, to have started with Thursday night's forum at Federal Hall, where George Washington took his first presidential oath of office.

Obama initially praised the idea, but his campaign said Thursday night was too soon to work out the details. It later offered a counterproposal: lengthier exchanges along the lines of the famous meetings between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas.

"We are happy to do more than the three typical presidential debates in the fall," Obama told reporters this week. "It's not realistic for us to do 10. We're dealing with all the campaign events that I have to do, since we've just finished our primary election."

McCain aides had considered putting an empty chair on the stage for Obama but thought better of it. Still, McCain tweaked Obama for failing to show up.

"Now, this town hall meeting probably would have been a little more interesting if Senator Obama had accepted my request to join," McCain said.

McCain's aides insist their proposal is not strictly an attempt to provide a safe environment for their candidate, and they reject the notion that they are seeking free air time.

"It's a good thing for democracy," McKinnon said. "This is the sort of thing voters are looking for."

[Stratmaster7]

14 reasons not to vote for John McCain.
1. Claims foreign policy as a strength but can%u2019t keep friends and enemies straight.
2. Too hawkish on the war.
3. Too hawkish on Iran
4. Did the biggest flip-flop in history & sold his soul to Bush for an endorsement.
5. Admits he knows nothing about the economy.
6. Seems to always have lobbyist issues.
7. Thinks pharmaceutical & insurance co., if left alone, will fix healthcare system.
8. Did not hold Bush administration accountable for torture. He of all people should know better.
9. Says he won%u2019t raise taxes, but doesn%u2019t explain how to reduce record debt or record deficit.
10. Shows early signs of senility. Look at video in 2000, & then current video and you can see the decline. Follows every statement w/ that Cheshire cat grin & deer in headlights stare.
11. Says %u201Cit%u2019s not important when our soldiers come home from Iraq if there are no casualties%u201D ignoring that there will ALWAYS be casualties while we are there & we have unfinished business elsewhere w/ an already stretched military.
12. Says %u201CAmerican%u2019s don%u2019t care if their President has a temper%u201D. He tried to dictate debate w/ his unsubstantiated assumptions about what we care about.
13. Has been associated for 18 years, & refuses to give back the $300k in contributions, from a man who thinks raping women is fodder for jokes.
14. He will veto all beer.

[demwatcher]

"McCain may think he does so well at town hall meetings of republicans. That will not be true when Obama is there before an audience that is Democrats and republicans. Then Obama will wipe the floor with McCain and he won''''t even break a sweat. McCain is such a fuddy duddy that he turns more people off than on.

Posted by Vincan at 08:58 PM : Jun 13, 2008"

Obumbadumba can''t put two words together unless someone wrote it for him. The mind-numb jerk cannot even remember details about his OWN FAMILY HISTORY!

Go back and read his pathetic Memorial Day speech, Vincan, and see just what a slug your messiah is.

[vincan-2009]

jack, jack, jack Obama will be the star in any town hall meeting just like he shines where ever he goes. Senator Obama is smart where McCain is not. Senator Obama is caring where McCain is not. Senator Obama is not a rubber stamping republican neocon but that is what McCain is. We can''t afford any more republicans who give our government to corporation bosses to run. We can''t afford any more republicans who have no more sense than to ruin our government department by department.

[vincan-2009]

McCain may think he does so well at town hall meetings of republicans. That will not be true when Obama is there before an audience that is Democrats and republicans. Then Obama will wipe the floor with McCain and he won''t even break a sweat. McCain is such a fuddy duddy that he turns more people off than on.

[jaded_jerk]

When you pull Georgys'' finger,Johnny farts.

[jaded_jerk]

McCain wouldn''t have a political career if it wasn''t for his sugar momma

[jaded_jerk]

Comfortable?Probably because they''re prepacked with his supporters.

[rgrxx175]

Town Halls Are McCain''s Comfort Zone, just don''t make any loud noise, (it scares old people/john mccain)no computers (that also scares old People)

[noloyalisti]

McBush''s comfort zone is in bed after an hours hard work. This neo con bozo is a scary and dangerous nut case. Unfortunately he represents the corporate and uneducated poor white classes of this country. You know the fellow racist nut cases who have their story and will stick to it. Listen to Fox and Lintbag and offer up their kids for cannon fodder.

[orenishi-2009]

The REAL John McCain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEtZlR3zp4c&eurl=http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com/index.htm

[trbundro1277]

billster68, how can you favor Mccain when Mccain supports the same things as bush has done that past 8 years? How is he going to make things better with the economy when all he is going to do is inact the same things bush already tried? We need a big Change! Rich people need to pay thier fair share of the taxes! Obama 2008!

[Markus]

IF ANYONE WHO READS THIS THINKS JOHN McCAIN IS A PATRIOT OR ....
{I EVEN HATE TO USE THE WORD IN ASSOCIATION WITH HIM}..WAR HERO,YOU HAVEN''T DONE YOUR HOMEWORK.AN EXCELLENT PLACE TO START IS WITH THIS VERY INFORMATIVE ARTICLE;

John McCain: War Hero or North Vietnam''s Go-To Collaborator?
By DOUGLAS VALENTINE

AT THE ADDRESS LISTED BELOW.YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO GO SEARCHING FOR IT SINCE IT IS TODAY''S FIRST STORY.FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY AS WELL AS SOME INSURANCE NOT TO MAKE A JACKASS OF YOURSELVES BY HAVING BEEN MISLED,PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ THIS.

http://www.counterpunch.org/

SINCERELY,
MIKETNT303

[inventagod2]

Can you imagine Bu$h surviving a town hall meeting?

Ha!

[shingles1]

trracymorgan, Larry Johnson has been talking about this supposed tape for more than a week now. His story keeps changing (go to the libertarian site Reason for more).

If it exists, where is the tape?

Since you seem to believe rumors that have no proof, then maybe you''ll believe this one:

Jack McLamb is a highly respected name in law enforcement circles. After 9 years of clandestine operations in Cambodia and unmentionable areas, he returned home to Phoenix where he became one of the most decorated police officers on record. Twice McLamb was named Officer of the Year. He went on to become an FBI hostage negotiator. This man has stated that every one of the many former POWs he has talked with consider McCain a traitor. States McLamb, %u201CHe was never tortured%u2026The Vietnamese Communists called him the Songbird, that%u2019s his code name, Songbird McCain, because he just came into the camp singing and telling them everything they wanted to know.%u201D McLamb further quotes former POWs as saying McCain starred in 32 propaganda videos in which he denounced his country and comrades.

[rgrxx175]

mccain surrendered to the communist, and he left his buddy''s behind!!!

[rgrxx175]

U.S. MILITARY CODE OF CONDUCT
I. I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.
II. I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist.
III. If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and to aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole [early release] nor special favors from the enemy.
IV. If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them up in every way.
V. When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am bound to only give name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause.
VI. I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.

[jersupporter]

mcbush/mcsame loves town halls, especially when he fills them with only his supporters! what a hypocrite this man is. The fact that he has any supporters always amazes me. Posted by suzyku
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The fact that you can spell hypocrite amazes me.

[jack3213]

OBAMA HAS NO EXPERIANCE RUNNING A BUSINESS- NO EXPERIANCE ON FOREIGN POLICY, NO EXPERIANCE MAKING TOUGH DECISIONS, NO EXPERIANCE IN GOVERNMENT THAT QUALIFIES HIM TO LEAD A COUNTRY. HIS PLANS TO RAISE TAXES WILL DESTROY THIS COUNTRY. BOTH HIM AND HIS WIFE INNATELY HATE THIS COUNTRY AND THINK THEY CAN CHANGE IT- CHANGE CAN BE VERY BAD- IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL!

[billster68]

Although favoring McCain I am still undecided. That said I hope JMc will rapidly proceed with town meetings - - with or without Obama. No doubt BHO is a skilled orator - - his gifted performances in this department remind me a little of JFK. JMc is simply out of his element when delivering a prepared speech via teleprompter - - even "W" is better at this kind of "speachifying"! JMc shines when he can just be himself - - including gaffes. As a voter, I want to determine what these two people are made of - - and their books, campaign speeches, glitzy political advertising and glib campaign slogans tell me very little.

[suzyku]

mcbush/mcsame loves town halls, especially when he fills them with only his supporters! what a hypocrite this man is. The fact that he has any supporters always amazes me.