Just wondering if anyone has any idea why Obama won't debate McCain in an open Town Hall meeting format?

I know McCain has requested it numerous times and Obama will not do it. What's Obama afraid of?

Seems like to me Obama has to have his teleprompter at all times. Even last week at a county fair or something, he had to have his teleprompter in an animal stall !! Can't the guy even give a speech without resorting to reading all of it?

And now all this week he has been 'practicing' for this debate for Friday night, while McCain has continued his political rallies. If Obama is so wonderful and is the 'all-knowing Oz', why must he 'practice' so much? This isn't the VP we're talking about here -- this is the man who wants to be our next president.

DO you think he's being coddled??? I have been wondering the same thing. I am SO sad that I will be missing the debate Fri. night. I wish I had tivo!!

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Melissa

I think you just answered your own question. It doesn't seem like Obama can think on his feet and has to rely on scripts that someone else writes for him. It appears that his teleprompter is like his blankie. He seems to need it, which is worrying because anybody who wants to be President shouldn't have to have it with him at all times. It's very disturbing because it means he can't manage by himself.

Somebody might ask him about ACORN, or Ayres, or Johnson and Raines, or Black Liberation theology, or what his stand really is on gun control. . .or . . . or . . .or . . .

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"No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?"
- George Orwell Animal Farm

I think this is pretty accurate.

I also think that voters are going to be disappointed with Obama's performance in the live debates.

This has always been one of my issues w/ Obama. His ability to think on his feet, reason on his feet, respond to random questions, etc. concerns me. It's great to be able to hire the best speech writers; I expect any well educated and articulate person to be able to read off a teleprompter (although current President makes me wonder...), and when Obama talks--it doesn't seem like the words and thought reach his eyes. Meaning I see absolutely no passion no enthusiasm or "fire" in his eyes. I hear him saying it, but I don't feel him meaning it.

Anyway....that's just my opinion.

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

That is a good observation!

You know, I know that Mccain has been dogged, especially now, for saying the economy is not his strong suit. But, in my opinion, I would much rather a person recognize a weakness and address it, than a person, Obama, who thinks he does not have a weakness. I believe he thinks far too highly of himself......although at this point, he might be figuring it out. I wonder if he realizes he's bit off more than he can chew..........naw, I doubt it.

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Melissa

Why should he run his campaign by Mccains rules. Obama has decided what type of campaign he wanted to run and is running it. It simply does not include the town hall debates. I have seen Obama 3 times and he did not use teleprompters in any of those speeches.

Uhhhh. . .to show he can take on tough questions posed by people and not media reporters. I know there is debate about who gets to ask questions at townhalls, etc. . .but in general I think you usually get to see tougher questions in that format. You're right though. He doesn't have to do them. . .just doesn't look very good in some peoples eyes. . . KWIM?

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"No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?"
- George Orwell Animal Farm

I guess just like hiding Palin looks really really bad in some peoples' eyes

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"Well-Behaved Women SELDOM make history."Laurel Thatcher Ulrich


"Yesterday is but a vision, and tomorrow is only a dream. But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a dream of hope." Anonymous

"Your candle does not lose it's light by lighting another candle" Generosity

Have the courage to be yourself.

I agree. I'm not sure why anyone thinks Obama is "scared." I would think anyone involved in a political campaign would want to run their campaign on their own agenda, not their opponent's.

I think those who fault Obama for not doing the town hall meetings most likely don't look favorably upon him in the first place.

Why didn't McCain agree to Obama's offer?

"Statement on McCain's Refusal of Joint Appearances Offer
Chicago, IL | June 13, 2008
Chicago, IL -- "Barack Obama offered to meet John McCain at five joint appearances between now and Election Day—the three traditional debates plus a joint town hall on the economy in July and an in-depth debate on foreign policy in August. That package of five engagements would have been the most of any Presidential campaign in the modern era—offering a broad range of formats—and representing a historic commitment to openness and transparency.

"It's disappointing that Senator McCain and his campaign decided to decline this proposal. Apparently they would rather contrive a political issue than foster a genuine discussion about the future of our country.

"Senator Obama believes that the American people deserve an open and accessible debate as they choose between real change and four more years of failed Bush policies, and he welcomed McCain's invitation to offer voters ‘the rare opportunity of witnessing candidates for the highest office in the land discuss civilly and extensively the great issues at stake in the election,'" said Obama campaign manager David Plouffe"

Barack Obama and Joe Biden: The Change We Need |

Uhmmm... sounds like you’re confusing Obama with Palin

I guess they couldn't agree:

WASHINGTON — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Friday rejected Republican rival John McCain's proposal for 10 joint town hall meetings, offering instead to have just one July 4.

Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said he offered to meet McCain in five joint appearances between now and the Nov. 4 election. But only one of those was a town hall meeting, plus three traditional debates and an in-depth debate on foreign policy.

The McCain campaign said Obama's offer was to hold the single town hall on Independence Day — which likely would result in less attention while Americans are on holiday. McCain told reporters traveling with him in New Jersey that it was "a very disappointing response."

McCain had said the more intimate town hall format, a give-and-take between a candidate and the audience, would allow real interaction with voters and would be more revealing than formal, televised debates. Town halls are also McCain's favorite style of campaigning and would allow him to get free media attention alongside the better-funded Obama.

When a McCain adviser first floated the concept last month, Obama said it was a great idea. But the Illinois senator told reporters Tuesday that it's not realistic to have 10 town halls with all the other campaigning he needs to do after just clinching the Democratic Party's nomination months after McCain wrapped up the GOP nod.

The two campaigns have been unable to work out a deal, other than to agree that the town halls should not be sponsored by media organizations and instead be open to all networks, like presidential debates.

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"No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?"
- George Orwell Animal Farm

Palin is not running for President. . .she's the VP on the ticket.

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"No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?"
- George Orwell Animal Farm

Well you got me there I thought people would be smart enough to figure out the part I was refering too. But I should have know better and spelled it out for you.

That's what it looks like to me too. They each have their own ideas on how to run their own campaign.

Well if you want to spell things out...it's known not know! lol

Thanks for correcting my typo. If you wish to make a more constructive post maybe you could answer my original question “Why didn't McCain agree to Obama's offer?”

I believe, since being the OP, I asked the question of why Obama is afraid to debate McCain in town hall meetings? Why is that? I believe the question you posed was answered in that Obama wanted a July 4th meeting. Why July 4th? Simple -- no one would be watching, thus he could 'scoot' thru it without many noticing his mistakes. And we know the media surely wouldn't broadcast it.

So my question is still -- why is Obama afraid of town hall meetings?

A town meeting is a meeting where the population of an entire geographic area is invited to participate in a gathering, often for a political, administrative, or legislative purpose. Traditionally, a town meeting is a time when community members come together to legislate policy and budgets for their town. However, politicians in the United States have been using the term to represent a forum for voters to ask questions.

I think he may prefer not to answer individual questions from voters.

Obama has had his own town hall type meetings where he answers questions from the people. I really think people are being petty about this. Obama has the right to conduct his campaign the way he feels is best just as McCain is free to conduct his as he wants. Obama has been in 19 Presidential debates(with Hillary and the others who were running) and has never shied away from hard questions.

On which planet? Here on Planet Earth, that just isn't true. ROFL!

So says fox news. ROFLMAO

McCain backs out of a debate he agreed to months ago, but he's somehow brave and courageous. Obama refuses to campaign according to McCain's standards, but he's afraid.

Republi-logic. Someone should study it. It's fascinating.

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Reading is Fundamental.

His 'town hall type meeting weren't the 'type' the rest of us had in mind. It's easy to answer questions from only people who worship you and rah rah every word that comes out of your mouth. Obama hasn't answered real questions from voters in town halls who don't already believe he walks on water.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE provide a link that proves that FOX NEWS maintains that Obama "has never shied away from hard questions". ROFL!!!

"The rest of us"? How elitist of you! Who do you presume to speak for with this "us" term?

If Obama had said "the rest of us" you'd be jumping all over him for arrogance.

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Reading is Fundamental.

That really wasnt what I was referring to. I meant you need to get your news elsewhere but if you insist
Obama takes the tough questions Cameron’s Corner FOXNews.com

YouTube - Obama town hall meetings

This speaks for itself. ROFLMAO

McCain at town hall meeting

I made it absolutely clear in my post that "the rest of us" referred to those that don't worship Obama. Nice try at stirring the pot but no dice.

The last link you posted of McCain is frightening. He looked totally lost, didn't he? I really am beginning to think that there is something going on with his health that hasn't been made public.

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“You don’t suspend your campaign, Do you suspend your campaign? No, because that makes me think, well, you know, maybe there will be other things down the road –- if he’s in the White House, he might just suspend being president. I mean, we've got a guy like that now!” David Letterman, September 24, 2008

The reporter asked TWO questions at the same time, both of which were long/confusing. He was getting ready to answer her first question when she jumped right into the second question.

Is is very common for media to ask 2 questions at once. They know if they don't the politician will not come back to them for the 2nd question. Neither question was long or confusing. But if he couldn't remember the 2nd question, it would have been ok to answer the first then ask for a repeat on the 2nd. He couldn't even remember the first one. Did you see how he blinked excessivelyin the 3rd camera angle. That is one of the signs of beginning dementia. I am not saying this to be mean. I just worry that we could have a president who is suffering the beginning stages of Alzheimers. McCain also had a droopy left eye the other day when he came on TV to announce he was suspending his campaign. At about the same time, he hired the $5K makeup artist to do his makeup. It is very scary to think about what he may be hiding.

My mother had Alzheimers. I know what the beginnings of that horrible disease looks like. I don't think he's hiding anything and would think that the Republican party has done their research and checks on him to assure he's in good health. I think the democrats are just trying to make something of nothing to make Obama look better.