Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

September 5, 2008 10:42:17 PM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

McCain Dares Obama to 10 Informal Debates

Posted Jun 4, 08 3:00 PM CDT in Politics 

(Newser) – John McCain challenged Barack Obama today to fight mano a mano in a series of 10 intimate town-hall meetings between now and the Democratic primary in late August. The Republican's invitation, delivered in a speech and said to be modeled on a proposed Kennedy-Goldwater series, would be “free from the regimented trappings, rules, and spectacle of formal debates.”

Obama's  camp wasted no time in responding positively, calling the idea an “appealing one," Time reports, but suggested some tweaks. While McCain's meetings would involve blind questions from audiences of up to 400, Obama’s camp said such a plan would indeed “allow a great conversation to take place,” Politico reports, but  they'd like to see a format even less structured and more akin to the famed Lincoln-Douglas debates.

Sources Time, Politico

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Flip-Flops Don't Always Give Us Blisters

    Jul 2, 08 10:34 AM CDT
    Flip-Flops Don't Always Give Us Blisters Flip-flops are an easy summer target for media covering the presidential campaign, Ruth Marcus writes in the Washington Post. But, she notes, it's important to remember that the issues are more important than the candidates' changing views on them. "We in the media risk becoming the enablers of inanity by acting as if all flip-flops are created equal, and equally bad." More »

  • Candidates Spar Over Debate Schedule

    Jun 13, 08 5:20 PM CDT
    Candidates Spar Over Debate Schedule Camp Obama and Camp McCain are jousting over debates, with both candidates, New York Times blogger Michael Falcone jokes, appearing to feel “a little rejected.” Obama has suggested five forums: three traditional debates and two town halls, one on the economy and another on foreign policy. A rep said he was “disappointed” that McCain hasn’t agreed and would rather “contrive a political issue.” More »

  • McCain, Obama Reject ABC Town Hall Meeting

    Jun 9, 08 3:10 AM CDT
    McCain, Obama Reject ABC Town Hall Meeting John McCain and Barack Obama turned down an invitation from Mayor Michael Bloomberg and ABC News to hold the first town hall meeting in New York, AP reports. While the candidates are both enthusiastic about the idea of such a forum, they want it to be broadcast by multiple stations. Both camps have shown interest in a series of joint stops, new to modern presidential campaigns. More »

  • What Mac Doesn't Get About Obama

    Jun 5, 08 12:46 PM CDT
    Mark Halperin writes in Time that John McCain is underestimating several challenges ahead of him:

    • The “astonishing enthusiasm” Obama inspires, compared to the respect McCain enjoys
    • How “major league” Obama’s infrastructure is compared to his own
    • The difficulty of running against Bush and Barack at once. He’ll have to knock the president in front of Republicans
    More »

  • Goldwater Vs. JFK Echoes in '08

    May 21, 08 12:19 PM CDT
    Goldwater Vs. JFK Echoes in '08 The coming Obama/McCain matchup is an echo of another presidential bout, David Talbot writes for Salon—one that never happened between JFK and Barry Goldwater in 1964. Then as now, a young idealist takes on a seasoned ex-soldier over negotiation with hostile governments, to debate a fundamental question of whether it is more important to project understanding or strength to the world. More »

In this file photo from Jan. 30, 2007, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, and Sen. Barack Obama.   (AP Photo/Dennis Cook)
McCain and Obama   (AP composite)
Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., is asked a question by CNN's Wolf Blitzer, left, about Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (1 of 6)

Tags

Barack Obama  • John McCain  • John F. Kennedy  • Abraham Lincoln  • debates  • town hall meeting  • Barry Goldwater


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular


Other Politics Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »