Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


1

McCain Ditches Town Halls for Larger Crowds

Fractious Q&As and need for 'volume' forces shift to big rallies

Share

(Newser) – John McCain hasn’t held one of his trademark town hall meetings since early October, and it’s not only because they started turning nasty, Politico reports. Though the question-and-answer format revealed some distressing misconceptions in the McCain faithful, town halls also are much smaller than more spectacular rallies. “The final weeks are all about volume, volume, volume,” a political scientist said.

McCain has not taken questions at a public appearance since October 10th, when he had to assure a supporter Barack Obama was a “family man” and not an “Arab.” Though a town hall session is planned for New Hampshire tomorrow, McCain has been taking his message to larger crowds. “I’m not sure that if he had more town halls it would change the dramatic fall in the polls that we’ve been seeing,” another watcher said.

John McCain shakes the hand of a supporter during a rally at the Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va.
John McCain shakes the hand of a supporter during a rally at the Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va.   (AP Photo)
McCain in Ohio.
McCain in Ohio.   (AP Photo)
McCain hugs California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
McCain hugs California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.   (AP Photo)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

They were taking disproportionate hits for the questions being posed. If you can avoid that kind of negativity, you certainly do so, especially when you’re trying to close the gap. - Susan MacManus, University of South Florida

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.24.09
Murdoch and Microsoft: The Mice Are Trying to Roar
11.23.09
Books Are Bad for You
1 comment
VIEWING:
 
Shannonals
Nov 1, 08 9:42 PM CDT
Guess that last meeting here in Minnesota scared the, "Straight Talk Express", of course he knew how his supporters were, I just don't think he thought they would come out like that on camera with him present. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
0
LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

1725 Stories

 McCain 
 Defends 
 Staffers 
 From Palin 

Says he's 'proud' of her, but 'it's just time to move on'

Nov 19, 09 11:47 AM CST
(Newser) - John McCain is careful to praise Sarah Palin at the same time he stands by the staffers she's going after in her book. “There's been a lot of dust flying around in the last few days,” he tells Reuters , referring to the publication of Palin’s Going ... More »

MORE ABOUT:
John McCain • presidential campaign • Election 2008 • Steve Schmidt • Sarah Palin Going Rogue • sarah palin book • Nicolle Wallace • McCain campaign • John McCain Sarah Palin • John McCain interview

Going Rogue: What Reviewers Are Saying 

Same old Sarah: 'ever optimistic, weirdly ungrammatical'

Nov 17, 09 11:22 AM CST
(Newser) - Most reviewers agree Sarah Palin's Going Rogue is intriguing—mostly for the swipes at the McCain campaign and what Palin writes about her life off the political stage. Some takes:
  • The book is "a crackling read of grudges recalled, and settled, in her favor, a rewriting of the
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
John McCain • memoir • book reviews • Election 2008 • Sarah Palin • Going Rogue • Sarah Palin book review • Going Rogue review • Sarah Palin Going Rogue

CAMPAIGN MEMOIR

 Bill Sank Hillary's 
 VP Chances: Plouffe 

Clinton was still in contention in June: new memoir

Oct 29, 09 12:43 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Obama campaign seriously considered Hillary Clinton for vice president, but ultimately the perception that her husband was "too big a complication" combined with bad memories from the primary campaign to sink her chances. Barack Obama “said if his central criterion measured who could be the best VP,... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • Bill Clinton • vice president • memoir • David Plouffe • David Axelrod • Election 2008 • vice presidential candidate • President Obama • excerpt • The Audacity to Win

1725 Stories


On that last town hall, in Minn.
Huffington Post

Is NH stop "sentimental?"
Chicago Tribune

On McCain and his erstwhile medium
Time


Politics 
TwitterFollow @NewserPolitics on Twitter

 
Barack Obama • John McCain • town hall meeting • Election 2008 • campaign rally • question and answer • supporters

from our news partners