Obama Chickens Out On Appearances With McCain

McCain was pretty clever to challenge Obama to those joint town hall meetings.
Either he gets to beat him a couple of times over the summer or gets to beat him up for not doing them.

Based on this statement from the Obama camp, it looks like it will be the latter.

Barack Obama offered to meet John McCain at five joint appearances between now and Election Day—the three traditional debates plus a joint town hall on the economy in July and an in-depth debate on foreign policy in August. 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.

“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.

“Senator Obama believes that the American people deserve an open and accessible debate as they choose between real change and four more years of failed Bush policies, and he welcomed McCain’s invitation to offer voters ‘the rare opportunity of witnessing candidates for the highest office in the land discuss civilly and extensively the great issues at stake in the election.

I don’t blame Obama for avoiding the appearances. It’s not that I think McCain is so great at them (though it’s a better forum for him than a set speech) but Obama is so bad when he has to think and speak off the cuff.

I am not one for all sorts of ‘new politics’ and bridging the partisan divide but if that’s your stuff, McCain really is your guy this election despite all of Obama’s talk and hype on the subject.

BTW- Isn't this more conditions than he said he would put on any meeting he would have with Ahmadinejad?

Hope! Change! Fear of appearing with your opponent...Obama '08!

UPDATE: How chickenshit is Obama? Apparently very. It looks like he agreed to one town hall meeting. On July 4th. Look, I am a political junkie. I watched all but 2 of the Democratic debates and all the Republican debates (except the Spanish language ones both parties had) and there's no way in hell I'd be watching this on the 4th of July.

posted by DrewM. at 01:16 PM

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