McCain, Carter, and a Friday night

[© tweed]

could John McCain be Jimmy Carter?

ie, if Obama continues to reject the request to cancel the debate, and the debate proceeds, what does McCain do?  does McCain not show up and instead Obama just fields questions by himself?  (Carter didn't show for the first debate in 1980 and looked like a moron, as Reagan just debated Anderson, but 2008 has no John Anderson)

if that were to transpire what would be the result?  would McCain be heralded for sitting in the Senate while Obama campaigned or instead look like a fool for handing Obama two hours of network TV primetime?

[© tweed]

The networks wouldn't cover Obama by himself.

yeah they would...  and even if the NBCs and CBSs of the world didn't, hypothetically that is, CNN and FOXNews and MSNBC still would and it would be a major news story.  

[© tweed]

it'd be really cool if Bloomberg was in this thing, because he'd be invited to the debate, so it really could be 1980 redux with Obama debating Bloomberg.  but, alas, not.

[© tweed]

I'm sorry...are you? There's no way that they'd get away with that. The Commission would cancel the debate anyway.

how do you know what the commission would do?  they don't have much time (like 50 hours as of now) so they don't have much time to cancel.  if everyone is there with their notepads and microphones and Obama walks in, they aren't just going to turn the lights off and tell everyone to go home.

[© tweed]

They won't have a debate if McCain doesn't show up.

but it may not necessarily be clear whether he will or won't until pretty close to when the debate starts, and if everyone is rearing to go at that point (including Obama) I can't envision them telling everyone to go home

[© tweed]

The networks wouldn't cover Obama by himself.

You'll never know. McCain isn't the media's favourite anymore after a couple of blips on their side, especially those concerning Palin. I would like to see her debating Obama on foreign policy, though.

which is neither the strongest area of Palin nor Obama.

that's also a decent roundabout point - this is the one debate where the subject matter should inherently favor McCain, and if he's a no-show...

[© tweed]

could John McCain be Jimmy Carter?

ie, if Obama continues to reject the request to cancel the debate, and the debate proceeds, what does McCain do?  does McCain not show up and instead Obama just fields questions by himself?  (Carter didn't show for the first debate in 1980 and looked like a moron, as Reagan just debated Anderson, but 2008 has no John Anderson)

if that were to transpire what would be the result?  would McCain be heralded for sitting in the Senate while Obama campaigned or instead look like a fool for handing Obama two hours of network TV primetime?

Send Palin to debate Obama.  That would be must-see-TV. 

I don't think the McCain people want to do that, and I'm also not sure if that would be allowed

[© tweed]

I'm sorry...are you? There's no way that they'd get away with that. The Commission would cancel the debate anyway.

how do you know what the commission would do?  they don't have much time (like 50 hours as of now) so they don't have much time to cancel.  if everyone is there with their notepads and microphones and Obama walks in, they aren't just going to turn the lights off and tell everyone to go home.

I'm sorry. I guess I should concede that you have the answer and the major networks would let Obama give a campaign speech for two hours.  

The Commission is very unlikely going to allow Barack Obama to address the nation for two hours without debating anyone. That's common sense. It would be cancelled on Friday so it's not like Obama would bother showing up.

All that being said, the debate is happening.

we'll have to wait and see.  there's no objective way to know what the commission would do when presented with certain unprecedented/unique situations.

[© tweed]

I understand that, but if it's in limbo up until hours before the debate starts, and everyone begins to file into the debate and Obama's in town, I doubt they're going to just stop everything.  or maybe they will, but it's not impossible by any means that they go along with it.

[© tweed]

I understand that, but if it's in limbo up until hours before the debate starts, and everyone begins to file into the debate and Obama's in town, I doubt they're going to just stop everything.  or maybe they will, but it's not impossible by any means that they go along with it.

Well you have a point. McCain should say he won't show up period by tomorrow AM.

if he for some reason thinks the entire spectacle would be a net positive for him he should let it remain a question mark.  (the chance also exists that people think he's bluffing and the Commission/Obama attempt to call his bluff.  the possibilities are endless!  what a spectator sport)

[© tweed]

So apparently McCain is saying that he won't show up to the debate if a deal isn't made by Friday. Obviously, this is a huge risk.

even if he continues to say that right until gametime, it may just be perceived as a bluff.  see my point?

[© tweed]

So apparently McCain is saying that he won't show up to the debate if a deal isn't made by Friday. Obviously, this is a huge risk.

even if he continues to say that right until gametime, it may just be perceived as a bluff.  see my point?

Well, what's your point now? That he'll just debate? Fine. I still don't think that they'll cover Obama vs. nobody.

my point is and has always been that, the Commission likely will not cancel as McCain's actual plans for this may well not be known right up until the time of the start of the debate.  and if all of the media and the moderator and Obama show up and are ready to go, I don't think they will send everyone packing at that point even if it's Obama debating himself.