Tonight’s Debate Could Come Back To Haunt Both Candidates
Tonight’s debate is different from most other debates we have seen thus far in the campaign cycle: it will be townhall style, meaning that undecided voters are allowed to ask questions to the candidates about issues bothering them. Although most questions will undoubtedly deal with the issues, one has to wonder whether some or at least one person in the public will not ask a question of one or both of the candidates they’d rather not answer.
As Slate’s John Dickerson points out, back in 1992, the same kind of debate was organized, and it helped Bill Clinton tremendously. One man asked a question which was clearly aimed at George H.W. Bush (why talking about caracter constantly instead of issues that ‘matter to us’), and pro-Clinton.
It put Bush in the corner, and Clinton seized the opportunity to present himself as the candidate of ‘main street.’
Could the same happen tonight? Could one of the questioners, who are supposed to be truly undecided, ask a question (purposefully) for Obama and against McCain? Or, of course, the other way around?
Sure, it could certainly happen.
The person asking the question, however, should keep in mind that bloggers and journalists everywhere will immediately use the power of the Internet to find out more about him. If this research will show the person to be pro-Obama or pro-McCain, his reputation will be destroyed within a matter of hours.
The times are quite similar to 1992. The Republican nominee will be accused of not being able to deal well with America’s problems, while the Democratic nominee will be accused of not having the caracter to serve as president. It seems likely that at least one question will be asked which will put one of the candidates in a corner. The question is who?
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If a voter asks a targeted question, it will only be with the approval of Tom Brokaw. The rules dicate that he vett ALL questions, and he gets to decide who asks and who doesn’t. So basically, though the language will likely be less wonky, Brokaw will get to be the real one deciding what gets asked. Much less free than it might try to seem.
Brokaw has lately been a sort of good will ambassador to the McCain campaign on behalf of NBC, which has raised some suspicions about his possible bias. Personally I believe that he’s enough of a news powerhouse that I will suspend any judgement until I actually see the debate. Now, if he lets Ayers/Rezko/Wright be the questions asked while no Keating/Muthee questions get asked, I’ll be suspicious.
I expect though that Brokaw is more of a professional than that, and will keep the questions issue-oriented.
Town-hall style meetings are supposed to be McCain’s strong-suit. Should be interesting.