Let’s not kid ourselves about what is at stake this evening. McCain’s performance in tonight’s presidential debate (in front of what will likely be viewed by a record smashing audience) will either right the ship or send the Republican campaign on its 40 day trudge towards almost certain defeat. McCain needs the performance of his life tonight, no less than that will do.
McCain can either tell Americans that it was the Democrats that started this mess with their insistence on forcing banks to give mortgages to those who could not afford it, that he knew this crisis was coming and that he tried to do something about it in 2005 (and that Sen. Obama opposed those efforts), that Barack Obama chose Former Fannie Mae CEO Jim Johnson to run his vice presidential search and appointed former Fannie Mae CEO Franklin Raines to a high level advisory role in his campaign and that both of those men have received tens of millions of dollars in compensation at tax-payer expense, or he can punt and lose this election.
Every crisis is also an opportunity, and McCain has the opportunity to turn this around tonight.
It is up to him now.
As always, Race42008’s Debate Open Forum will go live 30 minutes prior to the start of the proceedings. If you have never participated in one of our Open Forum’s before, believe me, this is the place to be this evening as you watch the events unfold.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
I don’t even want to know what it feels like to be John McCain right now.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Kavon – do you still think there is a chance that a “Rescue” plan will be announced prior to the debate? My home state’s Senior Senator will be doing the negotiations on behalf of the GOP Senators.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
The truth will win out as it usually does in these presidential debates. McCain embodies the truth. Obama is a liar. The American people spot lib liars everytime, and reject them. (esp with no perots)
September 26th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
“McCain needs the performance of his life tonight, no less than that will do.”
There are three debates, I am not sure he needs a home run tonight?
September 26th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
I’m so nervous about the future of this country. How can we elect such a radical like Obama? Why don’t more people see what I see? This election should be a landslide victory for McCain.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
everyone chill out… there won’t be any knock it out of the park moments tonight… the direction of the universe does not weigh on this debate… or the next one… or the one after that…
Both candidates will have some great moments and some that will cause you to scratch your head, but McCain simply needs to be the statesman – calm, cool and collected. Fear drives people to something familiar and safe. The dem’s and their fear mongering have over-reached with this bailout plan and the more ‘bitter’ the people get, the less likely they are to throw their last minute emotional support at the unproven, unaccomplished, ‘class president’ who would be POTUS.
McCain is like a cat batting a mouse around before going in for the kill.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
To Quote Dick Morris:
“This bold move by McCain is about to work. Big time.”
100 million people. If he wins, his poll numbers will surge.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Kristofer, the reason this one is so crucial is because of its proximity to the start of the fiscal meltdown. Does Sen McCain need to do it all in this one? No, but he needs to outperform Sen Obama (he should be able to do so, given both men’s history). He will be helped that expectations of him are so low, but as he only needed o be on par to score big before, he’ll need a solid performance to right the ship. If he manages that, he’ll have the polls in the same place as before this all started (enough ahead that he might pick off a few blues on his way to a 320+ EV win). Just keeping pace with Sen Obama will mean he needs more help to win.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Kavon, I disagree with you on one point….
This is not a crisis for McCain. There will be no punt. This will be an all out war where McCain chose the time and the battlefield. McCain is playing to win, not to tie. McCain purposely raised the stakes (and started benefiting initially, but now it doesn’t matter). The Democrats purposely raised the stakes as well (and Obama started benefiting initially, but now it doesn’t matter either). Tonight the reset button on the entire election has been pushed. With 100 million people watching, the only thing that matters is the narative that each person can give.
If McCain wins tonight with independents, McCain will take a huge lead that Obama will have difficulty overcoming. If Obama wins tonight with independents, Obama will take a huge lead and McCain WILL NOT be able to recover. The only thing debateable is what happens if there is a tie amound independents? The movement of the polls due to a tie could be argued either way…
September 26th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
McCain’s failure to drape Fannie/Freddie and the whole mortgage mess around Obama’s neck, when it is easily within McCain’s power to do so, is a profound and frustrating mystery.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
4:
No, if McCain doesn’t dominate it’s over.
Luckily, McCain performs best when backed against a wall. Still, I’ve never seen a candidate more in need of nailing it.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I hope he uses the opportunity to champion the House Republican’s plan and highlights the major problems with the plan that the Dem leadership was pushing along with Bush.
He needs to take a strong stand and clearly and persuasively articulate the rationale.
This is perfect timing for McCain to deflate the Obama bubble.
The Congressional Democrats & Obama, along with their MSM lackies, need to be slapped around. Tonight, McCain needs to pull a Reagan and go directly to the people. As was said above, the performance of his lifetime. What is great is that he has the opportunity to perform when the stakes are real and not contrived.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I am going to be “watching” the debate through the R42008 discussion thread. I can’t bear to watch it live.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
BTW, McCain needs to forget about the bipartisan message tonight–he needs to make a case for conservative principles.
And he needs to be emotionally engaged in the presentation.
If McCain seizes the opportunity, most people should have a difficult time remembering that Obama was on the same stage–he will recede into the shadows and sit on the sideline.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
[...] Kavon Nikrad’s assesment: “Let’s not kid ourselves about what is at stake this evening. McCain’s performance in tonight’s presidential debate … will either right the ship or send the Republican campaign on its 40 day trudge towards almost certain defeat.” [...]
September 26th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
McCain will be victorious for one reason that no-one would’ve figured 2 weeks ago:
DISAGREEING WITH BUSH.
If he makes it more about ‘BUSH’S’ plan as opposed to the Dem plan, he’ll be far more effective. I love GW, he is soo wrong here though!
IF HE WINS, THE GOP #’S for Congress will soar.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
#16, interesting point. WOW! That would be something.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Kavon is right. The stakes are high. I’d be more nervous if I were for Obama though. He’s never been a good debater.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Love it 16!!!!!!!
September 26th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Hey, apparently McCain released an ad this morning, before it was even clear that he would debate, claiming that he won the debate. See:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/09/mccain_wins_debate.html
File this in your “could this get any worse” file.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
The funny thing is that most Americans think Obama will win the debates (as can be seen in just about every poll). McCain may not have low expectations with the media, but he does with the people as they think that Obama has the best speaking skills of any modern day politician (and I admit he is great when he has a teleprompter)…
Think about it…Obama WILL be a disaster in expectations if he performs like he did with the Hillary debates. Maybe this whole thing was to change the subject of the debate, get Obama to think on his feet (vs. pre-rehearsed lines). If so, this could be the most brilliant move in history…
September 26th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
One among many, effendi.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
That was photoshopped. The liberal media will make it a story though.
And honestly: NO CANDIDATE WOULD PUT OUT AN AD SAYING THEY WON THE DEBATE. That’s subjective, not objective!
And the ‘BUSH’ thing will be key. 100,000,000 million people, 70,000,000 million can’t stand his guts. McCain soars if he denounces Bush’s plan.
HE GOTTA DO IT.
So far 2 things have happened today;
He agreed to the debate, and the House GOP has not let their solution die!
September 26th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
This is probably the one thing that McCain could do to turn this whole thing around—hang the risible Paulson plan around the necks of Bush, Reid, Pelosi, and Obama, and endorse the House Republican alternative from behind his podium at the debate.
Please forgive me, but I don’t think he has it in him.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
dotan, seriously relax. We might as well start to invite more trolls on this site.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
23, I bet ya it was real. I am sure this banner ad was bought and the paper released it a day early (working in marketing and knowing how these things work). None of this matters though…
If he wins, he wins and this is not news. If he loses, he loses and this just makes it worse as Dems will jump on it…
September 26th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
McCain wanted to bait Obama into openly supporting the Paulson plan, he hasn’t quite done it but he has gotten Obama and the Dems to tie themselves to the plan of a wildy unpopular President. It’s an incredible piece of political jujitsu.
Look for McCain to pull an old fighter pilot maneuver tonight and come out opposing the Bush/Paulson/Dem plan. He will not only be seen as opposing Bush, but protecting the tax payer at the same time.
The McCain campaign is laying low, just like they did before they announced Palin. When everyone is watching is when they will pounce on Obama.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
This could’ve been a walk for Obama, but damn it if McCain isn’t the one to give up without a fight and he’s damaging my internal organs in the process. The Obama-Paulson bounce looks soft for the O since poll after poll show a consistent 10% undecided. I think GOPers like me are wobbly, wobbly in a sense that if I’m asked today to vote for a candidate, I won’t be able to choose though I know I’ll vote for McCain in the end.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Isn’t tonights debate on foreign policy or has it been changed to the economy??
September 26th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
28, the Democrats have to been in even worse shape regarding their “internal organs.” Think about it…not only do they believe they are entitled to the election, but every time they think they have pulled away and won the election, McCain pulls a “crazy ivan” and presses the reset button.
I think most of us don’t fully epxect McCain to win. In fact, most of us think it is 50/50 at best. However, Dems think this is a done deal. Must be so dissappointing!!!
September 26th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Its foreign policy, but we all know the economy will take over tonight…
September 26th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Dude. Weren’t you the one who in an earlier front page post accused those of us who rued Paulson’s bailout for shareholders and executives as being in league with bin Laden? And I’m overraught? Now, ironically, the buzz is that McCain’s only hope is to come out at the debate against Paulson’s final solution for liquidating the US taxpayer to save the Wall Street investor class because Bush, Reid, and Pelosi now have their fingerprints all over it. So who’s in league with bin Laden now? Or: who’s the bloody troll?
September 26th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
dotan, I did not say you were a troll.
My post (and you know this), was about those who were opposed to doing anything at all or who wanted significant delays. I stated that I disagreed with some of the bailout and changes were required to be made, but that time was not onm our side.
This same crap about McCain losing the election, we heard after Obama clinched the nomination, after Berlin, after the DNC convention, but McCain remains nearly tied with Obama.
September 26th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
You’re quite right. I hope McCain blows Obama out of the water tonight so that we can talk about other things.
September 26th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
McCain needs to educate the American people tonight and tell them in no uncertain terms that Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton are at fault for today’s crisis and that only a robust plan of tax cuts and DEregulation will improve things. I believe that GWBush really doesn’t believe in this horrible plan but is actually being a team player here in giving McCain something for him to oppose him on. Bush wants to get McCain elected and will sacrifice his own poll numbers to do it – that my friends is honor.