Politics | 10/15/2008 9:05 am

Will We See More Sparks Fly at Tonight's Presidential Debate?

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Barack Obama and John McCain will square off for their third and final debate. Here’s hoping there are a few more fireworks than at the last two.

Tonight’s debate will take place at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY, and begins at 9 PM ET. The 90-minute face-off will likely focus on the economic crisis plaguing the country, and will be moderated by CBS News’s Bob Schieffer.

This time, the presidential hopefuls will sit at a table facing one another. Schieffer told the AP that he will try to get real answers from the candidates on what each one will bring to the presidency.

"By now, we’ve all heard their talking points," he said. "The time has come to be a little more specific."

Former CBS anchor Dan Rather talks to Politico.com on what a moderator should do to get the debaters to answer the questions asked and to stay on topic.

Both Obama and McCain have apparently made interesting demands for tonight’s showdown, CNN reports.

Both campaigns, for example, have requested that an air-conditioning vent be placed above their candidate to prevent sweating. They also both demanded a water glass, but not just any glass – an exact replica of water glasses used at the previous debates.

Obama has been prepping at a resort in Toledo, OH. CNN reports that advisers say that as the debate nears, the Illinois senator gets a sense of calm, turns off his cell phone three hours ahead of time and just focuses.

McCain was making final debate preparations in New York. He’s hoping for a game-changing performance tonight.

McCain has suggested that he is likely to bring up Obama’s links to William Ayers, a Vietnam-era radical who was a member of the violent Weather Underground group but later became a university professor in Chicago. He and Obama both worked with some of the same charities in Chicago, and Ayers hosted a reception for Obama when he first ran for the Illinois state Senate.

"We’re always prepared for him to be hyperaggressive in his attacks," Obama campaign aide Robert Gibbs said of McCain. "I just think that doesn’t work in an environment where so many people are concerned about the issues in front of them, not scare tactics they don’t see as helping to pay the bills."

Politico.com also reports that McCain is at odds with many of his top advisers over launching a new attack on Obama’s ties to his long-time pastor and mentor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin and several top campaign officials see a sharp attack on Wright as a good chance to rattle Obama and force voters to rethink their support of him. But campaign officials say McCain is fighting against that tactic out of fear such an attack would be viewed as desperate and racist.

“Wright is off the table,” said one top campaign official. “It’s all McCain. He won’t go there. His advisers would have gone there.”

Obama Pulls Ahead

McCain needs a boost, if you believe the most recent polls.

-A new Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll shows that that Obama has a 4-point national lead over McCain. Obama leads McCain 48 percent to 44 percent among likely U.S. voters in the latest four-day tracking poll, down slightly from Obama’s 6-point advantage on Tuesday. The poll has a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points.

-The latest New York Times/CBS News poll shows that McCain’s recent angry tone and personal attacks on Obama have hurt him. Six in 10 voters surveyed said McCain spent more time attacking Obama than explaining what he would do as president; by about the same number, voters said Obama was spending more of his time explaining than attacking. In general, the poll found that if the election were held today, 53 percent of those determined to be probable voters said they would vote for Obama and 39 percent said they would vote for McCain.

-A Wall Street Journal/Washington Post poll conducted by Quinnipiac says Obama has taken a solid lead in polls of four large battleground states: he’s ahead by double digits in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, and by a smaller margin in Colorado. Obama’s prospects in these states has gotten better in the wake of the first two debates and by the fact that the electorate views him as better prepared to deal with the economy.

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ATTENTION GIRLS ….We Need Your HELP ….I’m going to be on The Colbert Report this Thursday night, October 16, and I need your help. As well prepped as I thought I was the last time I appeared on the show, Colbert caught me off-guard with his very first question: “Who hates America more, you or Michael Moore?” So now I implore you all, what questions do you think Colbert will ask me this time around? Which of our videos will he want to discuss? Will he ask about our most recent video, Tell McCain to End the Politics of Hate? Will he mock McCain’s anger in John McCain’s Rage Is a National Security Concern? Or will he ask about McCain’s YouTube Problem Just Became a Nightmare, which is about to top a staggering 7 million views? And perhaps more importantly, what questions do you think I should ask Colbert? That is, if I get the chance. Post your questions and any advice in the comments section of this blog post on the Brave New Films website. Help me nail Colbert on Thursday! Then, watch the show Thursday night at 11:30pm on Comedy Central. And after the show, check our website for an exciting new contest about John McCain. Yours, Robert Greenwald and the Brave New team THINK and REPLY to the Brave New Team …and have ya seen Meet The Bloggers ?? on the web ..please do so …GOD BLESS EACH AND ALL !

By Eliza Dodd on 10/15/2008 1:36 pm

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Eliza, do you have multiple personalities? You slip in and out of opposing opinions—what are we supposed to think? If this is a game it isn’t funny. Also, please stop calling us “girls” if you are really a man posing as a woman. It’s demeaning.

By kermie b on 10/15/2008 2:11 pm

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The other debates have been so boring; this one needs some substance. I am so tired of hearing McSame call himself a maverick. Does he ever explain what he means by that? My guess—a maverick is someone who does something different than the previous eight years, and yet McSame hasn’t shown he will do that. Obama, on the other hand, doesn’t have to label himself. His actions show how he will proceed. He is calm and well-spoken even when insulted. Obama’s actions won’t take us back to an America where women have no power over their own reproductive rights. Obama will finally get us out of this pointless war. If the worst were to happen and his VP needed to take over, I would feel better about Biden being President than no-experience Palin. She actually winks at the camera. Repeatedly. Maybe that is okay in a beauty pageant, but not in a presidential race. We need a fascinating debate because we need to convince the bigots in this country that Obama is the only choice. This election is essential to getting the country back on its feet. We have seen the reverberations our stock market has all over the world. Our next President needs to be Obama.

By kermie b on 10/15/2008 1:46 pm

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The only benefit I can imagine in seeing sparks fly will be that the truly unstable McSame personality might come out.

By Sherrie Crews on 10/15/2008 3:37 pm

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something to read thats very good and a video to watch thats worth the time ::>My, my! John McCain, flip-flopping to engage in baseless character attacks! No one could have foreseen…. ACORN to McCain: Have You Lost That Loving Feeling? Senator Allied with ACORN as Recently as 2006, Now Turns Cold Shoulder October 13, 2008, Miami, FL - U.S. Senator John McCain’s recent attacks on the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), are puzzling given his historic support for the organization and its efforts on behalf of immigrant Americans. As recently as February 20, 2006, Senator McCain was the keynote speaker at an ACORN-sponsored Immigration Rally in Miami, Florida at Miami Dade College - Wolfson Campus…. Bertha Lewis, Chief Organizer of ACORN, said, “It has deeply saddened us to see Senator McCain abandon his historic support for ACORN and our efforts to support the goals of low-income Americans. Maybe it is out of desperation that Senator McCain has forgotten that he was for ACORN before he was against ACORN; he was for immigration reform before he was against immigration reform; and he was a maverick before he became erratic. We were thrilled to partner with him to help reform the outdated immigration laws in this country, and were pleased to work closely with him on this issue.” [Emphasis added.] The beauty part here, of course, is letting all the wingnuts know how close McCain has been to ACORN in the past. Paul Rosenberg :: ACORN Slams McCain For Attacking Them, Cites History Of Working Together Here’s the press release in its entirety: ACORN to McCain: Have You Lost That Loving Feeling? Senator Allied with ACORN as Recently as 2006, Now Turns Cold Shoulder October 13, 2008, Miami, FL - U.S. Senator John McCain’s recent attacks on the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), are puzzling given his historic support for the organization and its efforts on behalf of immigrant Americans. As recently as February 20, 2006, Senator McCain was the keynote speaker at an ACORN-sponsored Immigration Rally in Miami, Florida at Miami Dade College - Wolfson Campus. The rally, co-sponsored by ACORN in partnership with the New American Opportunity campaign (NAOC), Catholic League Services - Archdiocese of Miami, Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, Florida Immigrant Coalition, Miami Dade College, People for the American Way/Mi Familia/Vota en Accion, the Service Employees International Union, and UNITE/HERE, was intended to call attention to the need for comprehensive immigration reform. Senator McCain spoke at the rally attended by hundreds of ACORN members, most of whom were dressed in the red shirts typical of its members. Senator McCain’s speech focused on the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act, a bipartisan, comprehensive reform bill, which McCain sponsored with Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA). Bertha Lewis, Chief Organizer of ACORN, said, “It has deeply saddened us to see Senator McCain abandon his historic support for ACORN and our efforts to support the goals of low-income Americans. Maybe it is out of desperation that Senator McCain has forgotten that he was for ACORN before he was against ACORN; he was for immigration reform before he was against immigration reform; and he was a maverick before he became erratic. We were thrilled to partner with him to help reform the outdated immigration laws in this country, and were pleased to work closely with him on this issue.” Lewis continued, “We expected Senator McCain to support our efforts to give voice to millions of American’s who have never participated in an election before. We are surprised at his efforts to vilify an organization that, until recently, he saw as an ally. Maybe this surprise attack and change of heart is indicative of his state of mind, and the way he would govern.” Senator McCain and his campaign have recently launched a series of coordinated attacks on ACORN, the nation’s largest community organization of low-and middle-income families. Ms. Lewis went on to say that, “We are sure that the extremists he is trying to get into a froth will be even more excited to learn that John McCain stood shoulder to shoulder with ACORN, at an ACORN co-sponsored event, to promote immigration reform.” Senator McCain was joined at the rally by Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-FL), Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), leaders from both political parties, immigrant communities, and members of labor, business, and religious organizations. There was a time, not too long ago, when this wouldn’t have been a problem. Back in 2000, candidate George W. Bush went right from South Carolina, where he slimed McCain like a… candidate sliming guy, and spoke at bigotry central, Bob Jones University, then hopped on a jet, and came out here in Los Angeles for a high-profile aura-cleaning event at the Museum of Tolerance. (I kid you not! Tho the aura-cleaning bit was metaphorical.) While McCain/Palin still get away with an outrageous amount of totally contradictory BS, they are still getting called on it every time they turn around, and the sheer volume of people speaking out, as ACORN has just done, is seriously taking its toll. We are not waiting for Democratic leaders or anyone else, for that matter, to “make the case” for us. We’re calling bullshit wherever we see it, and in doing so, we’re setting new standards for honesty and directness in our public discourse. It’s simple really: if it’s something you wouldn’t let your 4-year old get away with, then it’s something you shouldn’t let your elected representatives (or candidates) get away with either. Now, how’s that for a red-blooded, middle America, down-home, small-town approach to politics? You betcha! Tags: Character, ACORN, 2008 Presidential Election, John McCain, demonization, (All Tags) Print Friendly View Send As Email ACORN Slams McCain For Attacking Them, Cites History Of Working Together | 4 comments ———————————————————————————————————————— by: you @ soon To post this comment click here: Otherwise click cancel. You must enter a subject for your comment small town values (0.00 / 0) Now, how’s that for a red-blooded, middle America, down-home, small-town approach to politics? According to the Daily Show piece where they interviewed Republican Convention goers about “small town values,” it’s all about fear of gay marriage. It’s clear evidence of your arugula-style arrogance that you would assume to know anything about the values of regular Americans. Stop trying to confuse us with your fancy city talk about 4-year olds. Real Americans value having plenty of guns to protect ourselves from Muslims, negroes, and gay cooties.

By Eliza Dodd on 10/15/2008 4:14 pm

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Why should we see sparks fly? This isn’t a wrestling smackdown. That’s so unprofessional and tacky. I want to see who can keep his cool and actually provide detailed specifics to those “talking points” we’ve heard during the past two debates. Getting personal and nasty is unecessary as I’ve observed through the readings here from Eliza Dodd and CO. Please stick to issues in your disagreements. Life is too short to get so rude and hateful towards others.

By Dee T on 10/15/2008 4:16 pm

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It is funny that this country will put another uneducated man in the white house along with a beauty pageant reject. What does that say about our country to other countries…This isn’t American idol or some reality show. This is our future! The dollar will soon be equal to a peso if we have four more years of the pass eight. McCain doesn’t want to change the tax situation in this country. He doesn’t want to change it now because of the economy. That sounds like Bush to me. US jobs will keep closing and moving overseas because of the tax breaks. My company has shipped 300 jobs overseas in the pass 2 years. There are 18,000 US companies overseas, isn’t that disturbing to anyone??? Isn’t disturbing to anyone that there are more temp jobs then permanent employment? Isn’t disturbing that foreigners’ work here and refuse to spend the US dollar in this country but will send it overseas to other countries to fuel their economy? Isn’t disturbing that people are losing there homes and businesses? Some people are brain washed and do not live among people that are struggling to pay rent, buy food or find a job. I am struggling because I am helping family members that are unemployed now. I own a rental property and my tenants where just laid off six months ago, they can barely pay the rent. I don’t understand why people refused to vote for change. Well, I hope Obama wins because I can’t take no more of this mess.

By Ky McQueen on 10/15/2008 7:20 pm

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The real JOHN showed his face tonight! spraying Disgust all over the place! However I think tonight was his strongest debate! His pissing TECNIQUES, if you will , were still not ” UP ” to the challenge! John failed “We the People” AGAIN! His views were NOT expressed efficiently nor strategically! Obama was very on cue and handled himself in a Gentleman’s fashion and WAS to the POINT! OBAMA aimed and hit his target EVERYTIME John! their argument ” Obama favored Bush more out of the 2” …………..WHAT? ..My response NO WAY, NO DAY, NO McCain No Palin!! OBAMA in NO way reflected Bush!! I must seriously DISAGREE!! With the utmost DIS_respect!! It was a FLUSH down the toilet “”JOHN!! “” Dice have been thrown, Cards have been played, Last drink as been served! Obama Hits 21 and the dealer loses With a Martini in his hand! Vegas style Baby!!. IT is Over with Sarah! With the most Respect I have to offer! Indiana!!!! I would give my zip code but they wouldn’t let me post it!!…lol…No shame in this VOTERS Game!! Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:44 AM on 10/16/2008

By Wake Up and Hear The Fear In your Childs Voice on 10/16/2008 2:01 am

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As I said, this was not a debate. This was something, but who knows what. McCain has nothing to say except nonsense at this point. It’s pathetic. So what’s the matter with us, that what we want from these two candidates on the eve of probably the most important election of the past century? Um, sparks? Well, if you want sparks, why not watch Paris Hilton find her new BFF, and leave the rest of this to the grownups?

By Mugsy Peabody on 10/16/2008 4:38 am