McCain Proposes Joint Town Halls with Obama
EmailThe septuagenarian Arizona senator and presumptive GOP presidential nominee challenges the young upstart Illinoisan and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee to join him in his preferred forum, the town hall:
"Dear Senator Obama:
"In 1963, Senator Barry Goldwater and President John F. Kennedy agreed to make presidential campaign history by flying together from town to town and debating each other face-to-face on the same stage. In Goldwater’s words, those debates ‘would have done the country a lot of good.’ Unfortunately, with President Kennedy’s untimely death, Americans lost 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. What a welcome change it would be were presidential candidates in our time to treat each other and the people they seek to lead with respect and courtesy as they discussed the great issues of the day, without the empty sound bites and media-filtered exchanges that dominate our elections. It is in the spirit of President Kennedy’s and Senator Goldwater’s agreement, in the spirit of the politics of change, and to do our country good, that I invite you to join me in participating in town hall meetings across the country to discuss the most important issues facing Americans. I also suggest we fly together to the first town hall meeting as a symbolically important act embracing the politics of civility.
"I propose these town hall meetings be as free from the regimented trappings, rules and spectacle of formal debates as possible, and that we pledge to the American people we will not allow the idea to die on the negotiation table as our campaigns work out the details. I suggest we agree to participate in at least ten town halls once a week with the first on June 11 or 12 in New York City at Federal Hall until the week before the Democratic Convention begins at locations to be determined by our campaigns. Federal Hall is particularly fitting as it was the place where George Washington took the oath of office as our first President and the birthplace of American government hosting the first Congress, Supreme Court and Executive Branch offices. These town halls should be attended by an audience of between two to four hundred selected by an independent polling agency, could be sixty to ninety minutes in length, have very limited moderation by an independent local moderator, take blind questions from the audience selected by the moderator and allow for equally proportional time for answers by each of us. All of these are suggestions that can be finalized by our campaigns. What is important is that we commit to participate in these history making meetings to join in the higher level of discourse that Americans clearly would prefer.
"To show our good faith, we should both commit to the first town hall I have suggested. In the mean time, we can work out dates for future town hall meetings.
"I look forward to your favorable reply and to the opportunity to work with you to give Americans a better opportunity to understand our differences, our agreements and the leadership we offer them.
"Sincerely,
"John McCain "
The Kennedy-Goldwater comparison is an interesting one, given the charges of inexperience made against JFK at the time, not to mention Goldwater’s ahead-of-his-time conservativism, and of course the LBJ blowout of Goldwater in 1964.
- jpt
CPAC: Romney Struggles to Convince Voters 
Obama Backs Off Birth Control Battle?
go obama tear that man apart i know you can he is a idiot there is noway in hell he is gonna win with a man of your intelligance hes bound to get crushed cant wait!!!
Posted by: angie | June 4, 2008, 12:16 pm 12:16 pm
If I were Obama I wouldn’t commit myself to more than 2 of these meetings.
See how it goes and always give yourself room to exit for more conventional debates…
Posted by: Kathy | June 4, 2008, 12:17 pm 12:17 pm
McCain will continue to embarass Repubs with is temper.
Posted by: Di | June 4, 2008, 12:18 pm 12:18 pm
unmoderated events seem kind of silly to me, it seems that at some point it would divulge into people yelling over each other to be heard
i dont know maybe i dont understand how a town hall meeting debate works
can anyoen enlighten me?
like what are the rules if any of these type of things
Posted by: bhrandon | June 4, 2008, 12:19 pm 12:19 pm
McCain would stomp all over Obama in such a debate. Obama is rather pathetic speaker when he isn’t reading from a teleprompter.
How many times can one hear the words “um..uh” and “change” in a sentence??? If he agrees to this debate, we will get the answer.
Posted by: Freedom | June 4, 2008, 12:21 pm 12:21 pm
McSame will probably lose his legendary temper sometime during one of these debates so I say to Obama go for it.
However, I would recommend that Obama does these in the Fall. For now, Obama needs time to unite the party.
Posted by: Dan | June 4, 2008, 12:25 pm 12:25 pm
This idea is a NON-STARTER.
We need real debates with journalists asking real questions without worrying about the political costs.
Posted by: Mel | June 4, 2008, 12:27 pm 12:27 pm
why not debate the conventional way is McSAME SCARED. IT WOULD SHOW UP HIS MANY WEAKNESS
Posted by: merle7 | June 4, 2008, 12:27 pm 12:27 pm
Obama is actually really good in townhall meetings when he is moving around and talking to people.
His weakness is actual debates in which he has to stand at a podium and debate.
But Obama just got the Dem nomination. He needs time to catch his breath, unite the party, and campaign in places so people get to know him.
These townhall meetings could happen in the Fall, not during the Summer.
Posted by: Dan | June 4, 2008, 12:29 pm 12:29 pm
What does Hillary want?
She doesn’t really know.
All she knows is that since she is not the Dem nominee, she will try every trick in the book to ensure Obama loses in the fall.
OBAMA WATCH YOUR BACK; SWITCH GEARS AND MOVE ON REAL QUICK.
Posted by: Yolanda | June 4, 2008, 12:31 pm 12:31 pm
I WOULD NOT LET mCain call all the shots no way !!!
Posted by: merle7 | June 4, 2008, 12:31 pm 12:31 pm
Oh don’t worry, I’m sure that Obama will chicken out and not have the courage to do this.
He needs his prescreened questions and rehearsed answers. He needs the atmosphere of the complete bias towards him. That same bias that was evident in the primaries and is still alive and well. He needs the drones in the audience that will clap for him. He needs his biased moderators. He needs someone to make sure that the “democrat follow up” is upheld on every question McCain answers.
Posted by: Freedom | June 4, 2008, 12:32 pm 12:32 pm
“Obama is rather pathetic speaker”
And our Democratic Nominee
Posted by: Vanessa | June 4, 2008, 12:35 pm 12:35 pm
Sure matt.
Then why did Hillary take him to the woodshed durring those kind of debates?
Posted by: Freedom | June 4, 2008, 12:37 pm 12:37 pm
Obama has business to take care of the next couple of weeks. McCain is just trying anything to get free media coverage after biting MSM hand that feeds him last night
Posted by: another old man | June 4, 2008, 12:40 pm 12:40 pm
mccain you are so scared right now its not funny obama is gonna crush you and you can bet on that MY FRIEND
Posted by: angie | June 4, 2008, 12:42 pm 12:42 pm
Either way, by broadcasting that she’s open to being Obama’s running mate, she puts public pressure on him similar to the sort of pressure Walter Mondale was under from feminists when he put Geraldine Ferraro on the ticket.
Mondale ended up seeming henpecked, as Obama would seem if he caved to the women who say they will write in Hillary’s name or… vote for anti-choice McCain before they’d vote for Obama.
Posted by: Maureen | June 4, 2008, 12:44 pm 12:44 pm
McCain will continue to embarass Repubs with is temper.
Posted by: Di | Jun 4, 2008 12:18:04 PM
*****
Bet you $100 fake-internet-dollars that he swears on National TV.
Posted by: jmc663 | June 4, 2008, 12:44 pm 12:44 pm
i extremely disagree with these people who think obama is a poor speaker
did anyone see mccains speech last night
my cat fell over dead it was one of the worst speeches i have ever heard. One good thing about the democrats contest was that hillary and obama both have a lot of passion and weight and substance to their speeches.
mccain sounded like he was just going down a list checking things off
ok im going to end teh war, end hunger, end violence, save isreal, lower gas prices, give everyone new shoes, new cars, new bridges, new government, attack opponent make fun of slogan, smile, end polar bears, i mean preserve polar bears, stop everglade burnings, stop world hungar, create a new kind of rocket ship, create liveable space on mars, create a new earth, renew this earth, stop environmental damage, drill for oil, revive extinct species, make the olympics more fun, create better jelly, create a better diet pill, create fat free but good tasting donughts, eleminate terrorism, eliminate obescity, give every kid a playstation 3
i mean… cmon his speech last night was terrible and it was prepared
obama had an amazing speech last night, an amazing speech at aipac today and i havent heard it yet but im going to go listen to it apparently a great speech at seiu convention
listen to those speeches and tell me hes an empty suit, something very magnificent is available to the american people and i think we as americans owe it to ourselves to listen
Posted by: bhrandon | June 4, 2008, 12:49 pm 12:49 pm
Obama won’t do it yet, He has to brush up on his rehearsed answers. Someone said “Obama you have come thus far being a great man of integrity and good judgement” …REALLY!! You people must of been asleep for 16 months.
Americans have questions about him, no one likes to answer. Except it doesn’t matter vote for him anyway he’s for change. His associations and his character is in question. How can people think this stuff doesn’t matter, must be brain dead.
He didn’t know anything, I don’t know those people, I knew those people but they changed, I was only 8 years old, and on, and on.
Obama bus keeps getting bigger.
Posted by: Keith Olberman | June 4, 2008, 12:52 pm 12:52 pm
I doubt Obama would accept, because he likes giving speeches only in his style, and doesn’t do well in forum changes. But I hope he does, because what we’ll see is style vs substance. Obama’s got style, sure. But no substance. McCain has the latter. What would be more interesting is to listen without watching. Why? In 1992, I listened to the Clinton / Perot / Bush debates on the radio at work at night. Perot won every one of them – his answers were just the best. I would then watch the recorded videotape on TV the next day, and Clinton won them all. Why? Because he had style – loads of it. I think McCain might surprise us, and I look forward to it.
Posted by: sharonevolving | June 4, 2008, 12:57 pm 12:57 pm
actually Keith lol
republicans want to play on the fear that he has these questions about him, but the fact is, he has a very good background and a very good story to tell, if they press this issue it will hurt them in hte long run because they are barking up the wrong tree
Posted by: bhrandon | June 4, 2008, 1:01 pm 1:01 pm
because they are barking up the wrong tree
Posted by: bhrandon | Jun 4, 2008 1:01:48 PM
********
Yes, McCain is much, much older and has a very “spotty” history.
Thank goodness Bush did such a nice job on McCain in 2000.
Posted by: jmc663 | June 4, 2008, 1:06 pm 1:06 pm
Why does this man think Americans are interested in Grand Pa’s traps? Pls we want practical solutions to current problems; not games.
Posted by: Churchill | June 4, 2008, 1:07 pm 1:07 pm
Obama your no JFK!!
Obama will not take it, he will use some excuse!! but what needs to happen is William ayers who Obama consulted with before he ran needs to tell Obama to do it or maybe instead of a terrorist the racist will tell him!!
McCain should turn down all conventional debates, because as we seen they are useless and bias.
the townhall debates also are dangerous because Libs do not know how to play fair and they will try to stack the audience!!
The best debate would be both of them at a table with a moderator They are asked a question and then they go back and forth without the time.
Posted by: spock | June 4, 2008, 1:12 pm 1:12 pm
I’m an Obama supporter so, of course in this day and age, I am a little bit leery of what McCain’s real intentions are. But, despite how it may pan out for either candidate, I think this idea is a great idea that would benefit the American political process. We have the choice between two Great Americans in this election, rather than the false choices of the last elections. I hope that Obama commits to do at least a couple of these town hall meetings with McCain.
Posted by: Kevin in Houston | June 4, 2008, 1:21 pm 1:21 pm
I enjoy listeing to McCain, I respect McCain, I can not listen to Obama and his garbage, and I do not respect him. I am 76 years and and for the first time I will vote Republican.
Posted by: BARBANEL | June 4, 2008, 1:40 pm 1:40 pm
McCain knows he has this guy so whooped. I bet Obama doesn’t want to debate. Do you get teleprompters at debates? Oops. Lol.
Posted by: Jo | June 4, 2008, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm
Notice that it’s McCain who proposes this and NOT Obama. Obama needs the teleprompter for his events, otherwise he’s very average.
I think McCain should suggest a 57 state debate tour and especially in Kentucky which apparently (according to Obama’s map of the country) borders Arkansas but NOT Illinois.
LOLOL.
Posted by: Jo | June 4, 2008, 1:51 pm 1:51 pm
bhrandon,
Nobody said Obama was a poor speaker. They’re saying without his teleprompter (which he had last night) that he’s very average. And that’s just the truth. Obama supporters who have seen him at events without a teleprompter have even admitted this.
Posted by: Beth | June 4, 2008, 1:55 pm 1:55 pm
Town hall meetings would be an appropriate venue for an open exchange of ideas between two candidates without being scripted with responses.
As evidenced in his poor showings in earlier debates, Barack Hussein Obama stands to lose ground in any one-on-one confrontation with an opponent unless he is scripted and prompted.
However, McCain has thrown down the gauntlet to the self-proclaimed messiah. If Obama chooses to run away, his lack of ability and leadership will be emphasized and illuminated. However, choosing to participate will show the same Obama weaknesses.
McCain gave Obama a “lose-lose” situation.
More of the same is sure to follow.
Posted by: Jayhawk | June 4, 2008, 2:02 pm 2:02 pm
I love this about McCain. He wants town hall debates so the people can really participate and ask questions.
This is the kind of democracy the DNC could learn from. People having their voices heard.
Obama seems to prefer big crowds with a script rather than people-generated questions.
I know McCain isn’t charmimg or a great speaker but I appreciate his humility, his experience, his sense of humor.
If I can’t have Hillary then McCain is the next most qualified candidate to lead our country.
Hillary2012 McCain08
Posted by: cindy in nc | June 4, 2008, 2:02 pm 2:02 pm
Senator Obama will never unite the party. He has belittled or insulted 2/3 of Americans. He is a socialist/marxist/communist and that will be his agenda if he is elected. He just wants the power.
Posted by: Mary | June 4, 2008, 2:03 pm 2:03 pm
Don’t do townhall meetings, Obama!
Do not spend time meeting 300-400 people when you need to deliver the message of hope and change to as many people as possible.
People are already familiar with McCain, but not so much with Obama.
Therefore, this is an attempt by McCain camp to take precious time from Obama to meet thousands of people that need to hear his message.
Posted by: Mike Hardgreaves | June 4, 2008, 2:08 pm 2:08 pm
I think it’s important for all democrats, no matter who you supported for the primary election, to just take a deep breath and chill. Hateful words really do more harm than good – it would serve us well to heed the grammar school lessons we grew up with!
I am an Obama supporter but I also voted for Bill Clinton in the past. I have been hurt by actions and words from Hillary in this primary battle, but I still see how valuable she is and I still appreciate all the work she has done.
I doubt Obama would choose her as his running mate because you really need to trust the person who is to be your VP and she chose to conduct herself in a way that would inevitably lead to a loss of trust from Obama. I truly wish she chose different tactics during this primary because she had an opportunity to keep this campaign peaceful and instead, I think she has contributed to the reason there is so much hate and decisiveness among voters, evident in many of these comments.
We now have to rise above all this because we need to change this country for the better and it starts with a democrat in the white house. Actually, it really starts with BUSH out of the white house, and since McCain is falling in step with his policies, he can not be allowed to lead this country to further ruin.
Also, be respectful of Obama’s choice. He is allowed to choose his running-mate and I am certain his wisdom and pragmatism will aid him in selecting the best VP for this country. If it’s not Hillary, KNOW that she has a place in his administration. She is a bull-dog and she is needed. She would be an EXCELLENT senate majority leader and I am certain Obama will want her to take the leading stance in ensuring we have universal healthcare in this country.
Mark my words, they will work together no matter if she is the VP or not. Let’s all take a collective deep breath….now, doesn’t that feel better? ;)
Posted by: Jessica Butyrin | June 4, 2008 2:06 PM
Posted by: Jessica from WaPo | June 4, 2008, 2:16 pm 2:16 pm
Barack Obama should not let McCain dictate how and when they will discuss the issues, that McCain strategy is directly from Sun Tzu’s Art of War.
The meetings would take 10 days worth of campaign time away from the Obama camp, or about 7% of the remaining time before elections.
Posted by: Diana | June 4, 2008, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm
Debates of any kind won’t happen until after the Republican and Democratic conventions this fall!
Posted by: Mary, MI | June 4, 2008, 2:24 pm 2:24 pm
C’mon Vanessa, you want to see your young fellow knock off the geezer, right? I admit that since a woman whupped him in the popular vote, he has some confidence building to do, but doncha think he can take on an aging POW from the VietNam era and win in a joint meeting? I mean he can even bring the joints.
Of course with nothing to talk about except Hillary not conceding between now and August, we’ll devolve into mudslinging otherwise, yes?
Posted by: len | June 4, 2008, 2:41 pm 2:41 pm
Come on Mack, take down the punk. Hillary did in every single debate.
Posted by: roberta | June 4, 2008, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
McCain harkens back to the past too much once again. He tries to bring back history, this time ’63, that has passed without fruition. Most of us are concerned about the economy and the price of gas, not in historical precedents that didn’t quite make it 45 years ago. The trajectory is forward, not backwards!
Posted by: katrina | June 4, 2008, 5:51 pm 5:51 pm
“go obama tear that man apart i know you can he is a idiot there is noway in hell he is gonna win with a man of your intelligance hes bound to get crushed cant wait!!!”
Need anyone say more? Obama is definitely a man who has supporters with a high education and “intelligance.”
Posted by: Wade | June 4, 2008, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm
“Jo” I loved your comment about Obama’s 57 state debate tour!
I think Obama supporters are going to turn off veterans and older voters with their vicious attacks on McCain.
Kind of like they turned off women and blue-collar voters with sexist/racist comments.
Obama’s charm and speaking skills won’t keep our country safe.
I trust McCain’s strength and experience.
McCain08 Hillary2012
Posted by: cindy in nc | June 4, 2008, 7:32 pm 7:32 pm
Obama will not do this. His worse moments in the primary were debates. He gives a good speech but he is still not a guy that can answer unscripted questions. He will find an excuse to back out of this.
Posted by: Jackie | June 5, 2008, 3:54 am 3:54 am
After ABC’s debate fiasco, I think the candidate would do well to avoid the media’s agenda and let the actual public dictate the topical questions. We already know what the worst looks like.
Posted by: Genna | June 5, 2008, 8:16 am 8:16 am
Its a stunt and I pray Obama does not fall for it. Its interesting how some Hillary supporters would rather switch their entire political principles than see someone “non-white” do an extraordinary job running this country.
Are Mrs. Clintons actions indicative of the type of president needed to conduct foreign affairs…’change the rules so I can win’ COME ON!
Consider this “popular vote screamers,” the average US citizen is unaware of the daily processes in Washington..the delegates and superdelegates ARE and have seen Obama in action(apparently Hillary too),if they trust him and we put them there..should we not have some kind of faith in the Party, I mean if not now then when?
Democrats ’08
Posted by: Slade | June 5, 2008, 2:28 pm 2:28 pm