With less than a month to go before the presidential election, neither Barak Obama nor John McCain can afford to leave anything unsaid in tonight's debate.
In the first debate there were no heavy punches. I think they were testing each other's stamina. This time they both have to go for the big hits, but not wildly. It's not all or nothing yet.
The election is close enough that the polls are really starting to matter. And most of them show Barak Obama ahead and building distance. This seems to be tied to the floundering economy.
McCain can still make a lot of headway on this subject. Obama doesn't own the economy as an issue the way McCain owns foreign affairs. Obama has just played it better thus far.
John McCain is in a precarious position, though. He needs to be smooth tonight - no old man moments. He also needs to fight the urge to pick on Obama's character. That will make him look like he's grasping at straws; a last ditch effort to tarnish a pretty clean record.
What McCain does need to do is speak intelligently and confidently about what's happening with the economy, even get technical. He needs to communicate empathy for Americans who are suffering because of lost jobs and higher food and fuel prices. McCain needs to get back to the straight talk about the economy, even if it cuts.
Barak Obama needs to avoid sounding dismissive, the bain of most academic types. His primary challenge will be to create intimate space between himself and the audience members. The town hall meeting format is where McCain has shined.
The biggest mistake either candidate could make is to leave anything unsaid. After tonight it will be nie impossible for McCain to convince us he can lead us out of this economic slump if he doesn't make a good case for it here.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment