Posted on 06/13/2008 8:46:37 PM PDT by Red Steel
WASHINGTON, June 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and his Republican rival John McCain failed in reaching an agreement on Friday to hold ten "town hall"-style meetings where they are supposed to answer questions directly from a small audiences.
According to McCain's campaign manager Rick Davis, Obama's team only agreed to participate one town hall meeting before the Democratic national convention in late August.
The Arizona Senator suggested shortly after Obama clinched nomination last week to hold 10 joint town hall meetings with Obama at locations that both teams agree to, starting with the one in New York City on June 12.
Every meeting would involve an audience of about 200 to 400 people who are selected by an independent poll body, and last around 60 to 90 minutes, according to McCain's proposal.
Obama's team said at first that they accepted the suggestion on principle, but they preferred the meeting to be shorter and informal.
The Illinois senator told reporters on Tuesday that it's not realistic for him to attend 10 town hall meetings while doing other campaign activities.
His senior strategist David Plouffe said on Friday his candidate had offered to meet McCain five times between now and the election day in November instead, including three debates, a joint town hall on economy in July and an in-depth debate on foreign policy in August, which, however, was refused by McCain's team.
"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," Plouffe said.
"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," he added.
In response, McCain said during a news conference in Pemberton, New Jersey, he would leave it to American people to decide "which is the preferable proposal."
Obama is doing his best to avoid the questions he does not want to answer.
He is a chicken!
Should the CEO of IBM condescend to meet with the McDonald’s janitor to discuss things?
Of course not, the janitor is uncouth, along with average Americans! The Obamao is the President already...
Maybe McCain should have offered a few smoke breaks?
Chicken, chicken! Barack is a chicken. Nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah!
He know he get he butt wupped wihout he telepromtuh.
Yes, you are correct. He will avoid any forum that doesnt include a teleprompter or scripted answers.
Couple it with his no shows in the Illinois and US Senate. He is showing that he is a no vote, which is something he can never do as President.
Fact is, Obama is afraid of these meetings. He is absolutely clueless and a flailing, babbling, stuttering bafoon when not in a wholly engineered and controlled environemnt, spouting others people's prepared words.
And that is why he refuses to attend these meetings.
So he’ll talk unconditionally with Iran but he won’t debate John McCain?
SMITH: "I reported at the top of this hour that the campaign had told us at Fox News that the audience would be made up of Republicans, Democrats, and independents. We have now received a clarification from the campaign and I feel I should pass it along to you. The McCain campaign distributed tickets to supporters, Mayor Bloomberg, who of course is a registered Republican, and other independent groups."I'm all for town hall meetings but they need to be fair. We can beat Obama on the issues and don't need to try to pull a fast one behind the scenes.
And he’s a red one, too!
Either he knows his limitations ie; a loser without the teleprompter, or his handlers do. He wouldn’t do well debating my Horse much less McCain on the real issues should real issues be placed for their debate.
BTW, Obama without a teleprompter is downright inarticulate.
McCain is not the best speaker but I think Obama would seem like a child up against McCain. He speaks well but it’s words that have no real substance.
Direct questions from the audience would be great “IF” they were not ‘plants’.
Obama is a chicken, Obama is a chicken, Obama is a chicken.
We don’t need a president who smokes. Yuckity, yuck.
Baraaaack! bok bok bok bok. Barackk bok bok bok. Bok bok bok.
Did you know Laura Bush smokes?
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