Category: Mississippi Presidential Debate

Monkey business in Presidential Debate

Like a bunch of monkeys “fkn” footballs pretty much sums up McCain’s campaign organization since he announced his selection of Palin.

Even then, I was surprised McCain would do his monkey business on stage at the debate – and equally surprised when an actual monkey scientist commented online last night.

I think people really are missing the point about McCain’s failure to look at Obama. McCain was afraid of Obama. It was really clear–look at how much McCain blinked in the first half hour. I study monkey behavior–low ranking monkeys don’t look at high ranking monkeys. In a physical, instinctive sense, Obama owned McCain tonight and I think the instant polling reflects that… (emphasis added)

So McCain may have given away his status as a low-ranking monkey. I’d never even considered monkey rank.

Late Monkey Science Update: In case anyone’s wondering, I looked up TPM Reader TB’s page at the University he teaches at. And no doubt about it, he appears to be a genuine monkey scientist, or to be more specific a researcher on social cognition and behavior in primates. I’d link to his page. But readers remain anonymous, save for their initials, until they tell us otherwise. (emphasis added)

Low ranking monkey, a reader post on TPM today, picks up from there. Continue reading “Monkey business in Presidential Debate”

Breaking news – Wa-Po says debate is on and McCain already claiming he won!

The Washington Post reports McCan’t-make-it has become McCan-be-there-afterall.

Sen. John McCain announced in a statement that he is resuming his campaign and will travel to Oxford, Miss., this afternoon to face Sen. Barack Obama at 9 p.m. EST.

In the statement, the McCain campaign said that there had been “significant progress” this morning toward a deal on a financial sector bailout, including the return of House Republicans to negotiations.

Must have been some kind of progress –  McCain has ad in the Wall Street Journal claiming victory!

The Post’s political blog reports this surprising news.

… John McCain has apparently already won it — if you believe an Internet ad an astute reader spotted next to this piece in the online edition of the Wall Street Journal this morning.

“McCain Wins Debate!” declares the ad which features a headshot of a smiling McCain with an American flag background. Another ad spotted by our eagle-eyed observer featured a quote from McCain campaign manager Rick Davis declaring: “McCain won the debate– hands down.”

If you’re as busy and important as McCain, you just can’t afford to waste time waiting until after the debate to claim you’ve won!

Mighty nice of Obama to still come!

Breaking – Commission on Presidential Debates releases statement

Oxford, Miss., September 24, 2008 – “The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) is moving forward with its plan for the first presidential debate at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Miss. this Friday, September 26. The plans for this forum have been underway for more than a year and a half. The CPD’s mission is to provide a forum in which the American public has an opportunity to hear the leading candidates for the president of the United States debate the critical issues facing the nation. We believe the public will be well served by having all of the debates go forward as scheduled.”

Wa-Po on McCan’t-make-it’s debate decision as campaign strategy

McCan’t if-I’m-not-winning-I’m-not-spending economic policy is as impressive as his running mate’s you-hoo-I-see-you approach to foreign policy – the Washington Post has the story on his strategy.

Sen. John McCain’s surprise announcement that he would temporarily suspend his campaign to return to Washington to help broker a deal to save the financial industry is the latest in a series of political gambits surrounding the financial crisis on Wall Street, and is sure to reshape political calculations and voter attitudes around the volatile issue.

The move is an obvious attempt by McCain and his campaign to paint the Arizona senator as above politics, willing to put aside his campaign for the good of the country.

It comes as two new national polls — including one conducted by the Washington Post — show McCain slipping in the head-to-head matchup against Barack Obama due in large part to voters’ inclination to trust the Illinois senator to solve the financial problems of the country.

The McCain campaign believes that their candidate is at his best when he is seen as a deal-maker, willing to reach across party lines to get things done for the good of the country. This economic crisis, they believe, provides McCain a chance to show the sort of leadership that voters value in the Arizona senator. (emphasis added) Continue reading “Wa-Po on McCan’t-make-it’s debate decision as campaign strategy”

Wa-Po on McCan't-make-it's debate decision as campaign strategy

McCan’t if-I’m-not-winning-I’m-not-spending economic policy is as impressive as his running mate’s you-hoo-I-see-you approach to foreign policy – the Washington Post has the story on his strategy.

Sen. John McCain’s surprise announcement that he would temporarily suspend his campaign to return to Washington to help broker a deal to save the financial industry is the latest in a series of political gambits surrounding the financial crisis on Wall Street, and is sure to reshape political calculations and voter attitudes around the volatile issue.

The move is an obvious attempt by McCain and his campaign to paint the Arizona senator as above politics, willing to put aside his campaign for the good of the country.

It comes as two new national polls — including one conducted by the Washington Post — show McCain slipping in the head-to-head matchup against Barack Obama due in large part to voters’ inclination to trust the Illinois senator to solve the financial problems of the country.

The McCain campaign believes that their candidate is at his best when he is seen as a deal-maker, willing to reach across party lines to get things done for the good of the country. This economic crisis, they believe, provides McCain a chance to show the sort of leadership that voters value in the Arizona senator. (emphasis added) Continue reading “Wa-Po on McCan't-make-it's debate decision as campaign strategy”

Breaking – McCan't-make-it wants out of Friday's Debate UPDATED

UPDATE in comments

The Sun Herald has the story

Republican John McCain said he wants to delay the international affairs discussion to focus on solving the nation’s financial crisis. McCain said that the Bush administration’s Wall Street bailout plan seemed headed for defeat and a bipartisan solution is urgently needed.

Democrat Barack Obama responded by saying that it was now more important than ever for the two to debate, given that one of them soon “will be responsible for dealing with this mess.”

Streets are blocked and campus security is tight. Ole Miss has been holding seminars, voter-registration drives and other events leading into what’s supposed to be McCain and Obama’s first debate since they were nominated at their parties’ national conventions last month.

The University of Mississippi, in the north Mississippi city of Oxford, has spent more than $4.5 million to prepare for the debate. Most of the money is from private donors.

So, anyone not already questioning McCan’t-make-it’s judgment, is certain to have questions now – like who needs a President that can’t meet his other obligations when there’s a crisis?  Continue reading “Breaking – McCan't-make-it wants out of Friday's Debate UPDATED”

Breaking – McCan’t-make-it wants out of Friday’s Debate UPDATED

UPDATE in comments

The Sun Herald has the story

Republican John McCain said he wants to delay the international affairs discussion to focus on solving the nation’s financial crisis. McCain said that the Bush administration’s Wall Street bailout plan seemed headed for defeat and a bipartisan solution is urgently needed.

Democrat Barack Obama responded by saying that it was now more important than ever for the two to debate, given that one of them soon “will be responsible for dealing with this mess.”

Streets are blocked and campus security is tight. Ole Miss has been holding seminars, voter-registration drives and other events leading into what’s supposed to be McCain and Obama’s first debate since they were nominated at their parties’ national conventions last month.

The University of Mississippi, in the north Mississippi city of Oxford, has spent more than $4.5 million to prepare for the debate. Most of the money is from private donors.

So, anyone not already questioning McCan’t-make-it’s judgment, is certain to have questions now – like who needs a President that can’t meet his other obligations when there’s a crisis?  Continue reading “Breaking – McCan’t-make-it wants out of Friday’s Debate UPDATED”

Sound bites or sound reasoning – the first Presidential Debate

A battle lost or won is easily described, understood, and appreciated, but the moral growth of a great nation requires reflection, as well as observation, to appreciate it.

I ran across that quote in my files and thought about the 3000 or so reporters gathering in Oxford to cover the First Presidential Debate – the site itself a message of change.

We’re certain to see a lot of background on the violent integration of the University of Mississippi in 1962 – more than usual, of course, because of Barack Obama.  A recent editorial in the New York Times suggests race is very much in the race for President even when express references to race are not evident.

In the Old South, black men and women who were competent, confident speakers on matters of importance were termed “disrespectful,” the implication being that all good Negroes bowed, scraped, grinned and deferred to their white betters.

In what is probably a harbinger of things to come, the McCain campaign has already run a commercial that carries a similar intimation, accusing Mr. Obama of being “disrespectful” to Sarah Palin. The argument is muted, but its racial antecedents are very clear.

Clearly, the media will be listening closely to what the candidate have to say.  Everyone will.  Continue reading “Sound bites or sound reasoning – the first Presidential Debate”