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Debate Winner? He Who Beats Expectations

Posted Sep 24, 08 2:20 PM CDT in Opinion Politics 

(Newser) – To win the presidential debates, Barack Obama and John McCain need to beat expectations, political strategist Mark Penn writes on Politico. Penn, who most recently was Hillary Clinton’s top strategist, argues that reinforcing one’s strengths does nothing: Voters know Obama, for example, is a skilled speaker, so he needs to be “clear and substantive,” and refrain from flashy rhetoric.

Obama should focus on foreign policy, the area where McCain consistently outpolls him, and would do well to link it to economic policy at home. McCain faces lower expectations coming into the debate, so he must grab voters’ attention and pound Obama’s inexperience home.
Source: Politico

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John McCain and Barack Obama will face off Friday in the first debate of the presidential campaign.   (AP Photo)
"Debates are won by upsetting the pre-event conventional wisdom," Mark Penn, who ran much of Hillary Clinton's campaign, advises those preparing Barack Obama and John McCain for Friday's event.   (AP Photo)
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Watch out for misleading post-debate research. The candidate people “like” is just one of many dimensions affected by the debate. One person could be more likable but not seem presidential or tough enough to do the job. - Mark Penn

If people think you are weak before the debate but strong after, you win. If they think you are a good speaker and you speak well during the debate, it does little other than reinforce what people already know. - Mark Penn

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