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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: presidential debate

presidential debate stories: 58 news summaries

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analysis

Why Is Obama in Front?
It's All About the Debates

Americans reassured by "risky" candidate's cool performance

Oct 31, 08 10:33 AM CDT
(Newser) - To many pundits, the debates are forgotten, a thing of the past—but it’s quite possible they are the key to Barack Obama’s dominance in the polls, writes Robert G. Kaiser in the Washington Post. Before the debates, Obama was seen as a risky unknown. But having seen... More »

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Barack Obama • John McCain • presidential debate • Election 2008 • polls

(Newser) - Tired of Joe the Plumber? His life has been turned upside since he became an unintentional media celebrity, the New York Times notes. Among the odds and ends:
  • He is a single father, 34, whose real name is Samuel J. Wurzelbacher.
  • He does plumbing work for a contractor
... More »

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presidential debate • Election 2008 • Joe Wurzelbacher • Joe the Plumber

The Day After, McCain Still Savors His Cup of Joe

Back on trail after debate, Republican still has Obama-baiting plumber on lips

Oct 16, 08 4:03 PM CDT
(Newser) - Joe the Plumber remained a fixture of John McCain’s campaign today on the heels of his prominence in last night’s debate, the Chicago Tribune reports. “Joe's the man,” the Republican said at a rally. “He won and small businesses won across America. The American people... More »

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Barack Obama • John McCain • presidential debate • Election 2008 • economy • Joe Wurzelbacher • Joe the Plumber

ANALYSIS

 Fired-Up Mac Couldn't Land a Punch on Obama

Without a game-changer, Republican strikes out in third debate, and race

Oct 16, 08 3:49 AM CDT
(Newser) - John McCain turned in his best debate performance last night but couldn't turn it into the game-changer he needed, Sam Youngman writes in The Hill. McCain was fiercer this time, but he failed to score a direct hit on his unflappable opponent and didn't come up with any new arguments... More »

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Barack Obama • John McCain • presidential debate • Obama 2008 • McCain 2008 • Election 2008

Obama Sweeps
Final Debate: Polls


Dem makes it 3 for 3 with focus on
economy, health care

Oct 16, 08 1:29 AM CDT
(Newser) - Barack Obama made it a clean sweep by winning the final debate last night, according to polls taken immediately afterward. CBS found 53% of undecided voters believed Obama was the clear winner, with 22% saying John McCain came out on top, and 22% calling it a draw. Viewers' favorable opinion... More »

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Barack Obama • John McCain • presidential debate • poll • Election 2008

 Debate Puts Spotlight 
 on 'Joe the Plumber' 

McCain mentions make Ohio man America's most famous plumber

Oct 16, 08 12:01 AM CDT
(Newser) - Joe Wurzelbacher found it "pretty surreal" to become the focus of last night's presidential debate, the Ohio plumber tells the AP. "Joe the Plumber" was mentioned more than 20 times in the debate—more than Iraq or the economy—as John McCain and Barack Obama sparred... More »

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Barack Obama • John McCain • presidential debate • small business • Election 2008 • Joe Wurzelbacher • Joe the Plumber

(Newser) - John McCain and Barack Obama met tonight in the final presidential debate, their testiest meeting so far on a range of issues from the economy to negative campaigning, NBC reports. McCain pushed back against Obama's attempts to link him to the Bush administration. “Senator Obama, I’m not President... More »

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Barack Obama • John McCain • presidential debate • debate • Obama 2008 • McCain 2008 • Election 2008

ANALYSIS

 Debates Help Obama 
 Raise Our Comfort Level 

Dem, like Reagan, used forums as a public vetting of an unfamiliar candidate

Oct 15, 08 4:07 PM CDT
(Newser) - Barack Obama’s success in recent debates has less to do with out-talking his opponent than in letting US voters become familiar with him, the New York Times reports; Obama’s contest was as much to prove himself to an electorate uneasy with his novel candidacy. Polls show more confidence... More »

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Barack Obama • John McCain • Jimmy Carter • presidential debate • Ronald Reagan • Election 2008 • voter confidence • doubt

 Obama Sways 
 Ohio Swing Votes, 
 Door by Door 

Impromptu canvassing before debate prep wins over neighbors

Oct 13, 08 2:39 AM CDT
(Newser) - Barack Obama made an unannounced tour through an Ohio neighborhood yesterday, knocking on doors and talking to voters in the crucial swing state, reports the Toledo Blade. Surprised residents took the opportunity to talk policy and snap photos with the candidate, and several undecided voters said they were won over... More »

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Barack Obama • presidential debate • Ohio • Toledo, Ohio • Election 2008 • swing states

Mac's 'Aimless' Debating Skills Need Boost: Coaches

Senator struggled
to prove his point
in last match-up

Oct 12, 08 9:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - John McCain needs to sharpen his rhetorical skills before the final presidential face-off on Wednesday, debating coaches tell Politico. Whatever advice renowned trainer Brett O’Donnell is giving McCain, they say, has not helped him avoid pitfalls like looking "aimless" and saying "my friends." Voters polled... More »

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presidential debate • Obama 2008 • McCain 2008 • Election 2008

ANALYSIS

Oh, Was There
a Debate
Last Night?

Forum brought McCain one non-event closer to November defeat

Oct 8, 08 11:53 AM CDT
(Newser) - Last night’s debate was uneventful, writes Roger Simon in Politico, and uneventful is a bad thing for John McCain. Neither candidate delivered "a knockout punch,” which leaves McCain the loser because “he needed one.” Republican stewardship of the tanking economy has painted McCain into a... More »

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Barack Obama • John McCain • presidential debate • Election 2008

OPINION

 What We Saw: 
 Hot vs. Cool 
 Old vs. Young 

How they acted

Oct 8, 08 10:01 AM CDT
(Newser) - What viewers see is as important as what they hear in debates. So what did pundits see?  
  • "The expressions on John McCain's face, and the irritation in his voice, said it all," writes the San Francisco Chronicle. McCain “was a portrait of frustration,
... More »

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Barack Obama • John McCain • presidential debate • town hall meeting • Nashville • Election 2008 • presidential election

(Newser) - Barack Obama and John McCain were hit with blunt questions tonight about how they would "bail out" Americans hurt by the staggering economy. In the second of three debates, this one a town hall-style face-off, the candidates fielded questions from an audience of 80 undecided voters and moderator Tom... More »

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Barack Obama • John McCain • presidential debate • presidential candidates • Election 2008 • Tom Brokaw

OPINION

 Facing Actual Voters 
 Can Be Tall Order 

Candidates won't be as easily able to duck pointed questions in tonight's debate format

Oct 7, 08 2:20 PM CDT
(Newser) - The presidential candidates will be walking into a lion’s den tonight, forced to face those most dangerous of creatures: undecided voters. The town-hall debate could be a “snooze-fest,” writes John Dickerson on Slate, but there’s also a chance “Ponytail Guy”—the town-haller... More »

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Barack Obama • John McCain • presidential debate • George HW Bush • town hall meeting • Nashville • negative campaigning • Election 2008

analysis

 Tonight's Tango: 
 Think Dance, Not Debate 

Get ready for Barack and Mac to bust some Clintonian moves

Oct 7, 08 11:11 AM CDT
(Newser) - Tonight in Nashville, don’t expect either a real “town hall” format or a true debate, advises Jack Shafer in Slate. We won’t see unvetted questions or reasoned exchanges. What we can expect are some interesting moves, with the candidates taking cues from earlier performances by Bill Clinton,... More »

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Barack Obama • John McCain • presidential debate • dancing • town hall meeting • Election 2008 • body language

Candidates Stock Up on Tough Talk

As promised, rhetoric takes turn for the worse ahead of debate No. 2

Oct 6, 08 5:43 PM CDT
(Newser) - The presidential race got uglier today, with both campaigns delivering on promises to crank up the pressure. John McCain worked to slow Barack Obama's momentum and Obama fought to hang on to his lead, Reuters reports. McCain asked a New Mexico audience, "Who is the real Barack Obama?" "... More »

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presidential debate • Obama 2008 • McCain 2008 • Election 2008 • Keating Five • Bill Ayers

OPINION

Palin Advises McCain: 'Take the Gloves Off'

Running mate tells Kristol she found debate 'liberating'

Oct 6, 08 8:27 AM CDT
(Newser) - John McCain faces Barack Obama in their second debate tomorrow night, and the Arizona senator's running mate has some advice: "Take the gloves off." In an interview with New York Times columnist William Kristol, Sarah Palin says that she found it "liberating" to be able... More »

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John McCain • presidential debate • Election 2008 • Sarah Palin • vice presidential debate • Track Palin • William Kristol

 McCain to Redouble Attacks

New ad campaign, to debut after debate, will attempt to shift focus from the economy

Oct 4, 08 11:33 AM CDT
(Newser) - John McCain’s struggling campaign, hobbled by the economic crisis, will go back on the attack, the Washington Post reports. Insiders said targets would include Obama’s association with convicted developer Tony Rezko. Ads criticizing the Democratic candidate’s record on taxes have already run. More »

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television • Barack Obama • John McCain • presidential debate • political advertising • attack ad • Election 2008 • vice presidential debate

Soldier's Mom Loved Obama's Bracelet Nod

Wisc. woman asked him to keep mum, but calls criticism 'garbage'

Sep 29, 08 11:27 AM CDT
(Newser) - Tracy Jopek says she was “ecstatic” when Barack Obama mentioned her late son in Friday’s debate, even though she’d once asked him not to. But she’s enraged at online critics who accused Obama of exploiting the bracelet she gave him. “I don’t understand how... More »

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Barack Obama • presidential debate • debate • Obama 2008 • Election 2008

 Obama Wins 
 Debate Bump 

Poll: Democrat more presidential, honest

Sep 29, 08 5:07 AM CDT
(Newser) - Barack Obama slightly increased his lead over John McCain after last week’s debate and bad economic news, according to a new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll. The Democratic candidate is up 49% to McCain's 44%, a 1% gain from last week. The results indicated less confidence among Americans that... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • John McCain • presidential debate • Obama 2008 • McCain 2008 • Election 2008

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