The way McCain stumbles and stammers I'm reminded of visiting elderly relatives and my mother shooing everyone from the room because some sort of medicine or procedure was required to re-establish lucidity in the confused object of our travels.

Kerry won all three debates, and the stupids still voted for Bush. That tells you everything you need to know about the importance of debates WHEN A SITTING PRESIDENT IS RUNNING.

As for now...well, things are different. The Republicans inherently think Obama can't talk because he's black, and all blacks -- from the RNC point of view -- are stupid unless spoon-fed by a white guy: see also Alan Keyes. They also think McCain is a charmer, because he's got his trademark fratboy grin and his somber serious-patriot look down pat.

Unfortunately, voters are looking for credibility this time, and McCain's got very little. And the press is going to have to ask some tough questions, beyond the policy basics. And McCain is going to have to keep lying -- baldly, right to America -- and that's going to be a tough row to hoe given the way the press is leaning.

So here's my prediction: McCain gets a nosebleed in debate #2, Palin tries to sucker Biden into a remark that she can call sexist (something along the lines of, "Governor Palin is...." at which point she pounces), and in debate #3 John McCain calls Obama a black man running for president.

Will the media give McCain a victory as long as he doesn't stand up there and drool, like they did with Bush? That's the only question. Considering the media's turn on McCain as he has clammed up and ceased grilling, I'd say it's not too likely. Obama had tons of practice from the debate and will come out firing.

It could be more trying to put Obama on the defense.

They keep going after the very thing they themselves are weak at and instead they project it onto Obama/Biden (dishonest, elitist, lack of knowledge/experience, unfair, hits below the belt, all talk and no substance).

McCain is going to be in his element since he loves town halls and has a strong command of all of the issues. Obama is all rhetoric and no substance. Plus, he does his best work when he's reading--so I expect him to perform horrible against McCain. Hopefully the Obama campaign's ground game is together, because the debates could get ugly. The best we can hope is that Obama doesn't commit a major gaffe.

Both McCain and Palin are good at one line zingers. And since no low-info voters will be watching, this is all that will matter to them. Watch their poll numbers go up if McCain goes postal. It's sad, but this isn't the nation it once was.

I honestly have never spoken a word that wasn't on the teleprompter that I keep in front of me at all times. That's why I'm such a masterful speaker.

Frankly, I was unimpressed with Obama's debating skills. In this close race, it won't be enough to hold his own against McCain.

Obama needs to wipe McCain off the map, and it would be helpful if he'd study the Bill Clinton tapes from '92 and '94 (he might even learn a thing or two from Ross Perot's performance in those debates).

Obama should also be ready for McCain to bring up freak issues pushed at RedState.com, among others, that even Stephanopolous hasn't familiarized himself with. The format of the first debate includes unmoderated discussion between the two candidates, and without a doubt, McCain will be in attack mode.

I don't mind tellin' ya, I'm nervous as hell.

"McCain is going to be in his element since he loves town halls and has a strong command of all of the issues."
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McCain has a strong command of all the issues? That's, um, rather charitable in the extreme.

There's also the point that the far right doesn't care. Most of them are still fawning over Palin, even at this point. So no matter what happens in the debate, they'll still be loving on McCain, inventor of the Blackberry, POW, Savior of our Nation, the only one who can protect us from Terra and Obama.

Obama tries to answer questions rather than repeat talking points. The only time I thought he wasn't on his game was the ABC debacle. But if Jim Lehrer is the host, I expect sanity.

I hope Jim Lehrer as moderator doesn't allow McCain to become a bully in the pulpit.

Obama is all rhetoric and no substance

And how would you explain endorsements from former Fed Chairman Paul Volker and three former SEC chairmen, including two appointed by Bushes?

Obama does use a lot of "uhs" when he talks extemporaneously, but consider the punishment he took for using the word "bitter" once. A Republican would have never been called on that. We should be grateful to have a candidate who doesn't merely reach into his bag of talking points for a bumper sticker solution.

Bush was considered to have done well against Kerry because he kept his answers short. A few words to get to the point. Kerry used more words and complex ideas. He lost the audience; he lost have them at Hello.

Unfortunately, the mass of voters like short, easy answers to complex ideas.

Obama has to practice and review some skills he learned in law school. But he's a good learner and he's competitive.

mccain is the fall guy...

bush gets to screw the "hero"...

one more time...

and mccain and the kool aid drinkers?

they haven't a clue...

as usual...

With falling house prices, stock prices and investment values, why does the capitol gains tax rate matter?

You only pay capitol gains on "gains" in value, at the time that you sell them.

Jack Kemp on MSNBC with Andrea Mitchell is crashing big time. He just said that those making more than $250k are responsible for economic growth, which is why they need a tax cut, and why Obama's plan is a disaster.

He used air quotes the so called "upper class", those making over $250k.

Steve, it's all they got, Kiddo. I followed the Pumas blog for a little bit and the complaint Obama hems and haws was said over and over again.

Those who believes he hems and haws will still think he hemmed and hawed and that Pops was articulate. Meaning, when Stupid speaks, other Stupids listen.

My coaching tip for Barack: DON'T USE 50 CENT WORDS! Don't even use 25 cent words. Pretend you're 'splaining duh gobberment to a five-year-old.

I'm simply hoping that Obama effectively ties McCain to all his fibs and reversals. That should end the contest right then and there.

Obama really isn't that good in debate. It's not just righties that have noticed it.

McCain is going to be in his element since he loves town halls and has a strong command of all of the issues. Posted by: Keith

You're joking right? In the last three days, McCain has proven that not only is he tone deaf, he just doesn't have a handle on anything facing the country.

Don't believe it. I've seen him speak from close up, and he's sharp and on point. Were there any telepromplters in those primary debates? But as another poster said, Kerry won all three debates (Remember the box taped to Bush's back?) and "lost" the election. As Stalin said, it's not who casts the votes, it's who counts them.

Obama needs a 'there you go again' moment at some point to crystallize his outrage over McCain's behavior and lies. It would be best if it were over policy, but he should plan one of these moments ------- he needs to get on the nightly news.

Also, he should watch the Dukakis debates (and his own where he bumbled in some sense the question of what he would do after another 9/11 event) as a cautionary tale and work on putting some passion into his comments. Hell, I'm a professor too and I manage to lecture on some topics with lots of passion.

He just said that those making more than $250k are responsible for economic growth, which is why they need a tax cut, and why Obama's plan is a disaster. He used air quotes the so called "upper class", those making over $250k. Posted by: tomj

I can't believe anyone ever took Kemp seriously on anything.

$250K a year is not the income threshold at which the economy is driven. People making this kind of money are consumers not capitalists. They work for someone else for a living. They aren't big investors because they don't have a lot of surplus, unless they are single, live in a studio apartment and take the bus to work. The capital gains tax on investments made by someone or a household with this kind of income amount to very little.

Asshole

Actually, I believe the correct quote is "It's not who votes that counts, it's who counts the votes." Never knew the old guy was that clever in English.

Bizarrely, the boys-in-the-bubble McCain partisans have really convinced themselves that Obama is gaffe-prone and unable to speak in public. It's really one of those cases of a fringe element that clings to strange beliefs in the face of all countervailing evidence.

I propose a new drinking game. Every time McCain blinks more than 20 times a minute, take a shot.

(Joke Alert. People should watch debates responsibly.)

"I propose a new drinking game. Every time McCain blinks more than 20 times a minute, take a shot."
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How about a shot every time he says "My friends"? Alcohol poisoning would occur in about 15 minutes. If he starts with that tic in the debates I'm going to be hard pressed to not pick up a brick........

Well, I got news for you: Cicero thought that McCain was the best debater he'd ever seen, so that should give you a good idea of how good McCain is.

And I'm not joking.

One thing is for certain, I'll be glad when the debates are over. Obama simply needs to remain succinct with his answers, challenge repeated falsehoods (call out the lies) and bring home the "unity gets things done/divisive rhetoric does not" message. There are a lot of racists out there, that’s my main concern. Hell, my father thinks I’m “naïve� for supporting Obama so there you go! It is patently disappointing that many Americans still harbor the social mold of 50+ years ago. We need this guy as President to really change anything, on one of the most fundamental levels imaginable.

Good one, Jay B.

I think Obama had some difficulty in the primaries because there was not a lot of difference between everyone's positions and that generated longer explanations in order to create a distinction.

These debates are black and white and it won't take much to create a stark contrast.

He'll do fine.

Obama is a terrible at debates. I hear he needs a pillow, nutrition bars and Bling H20 in order to make it to the first 15 minutes.

Actually, I've seen him have good and bad debates. I'm hoping he was simply biting his tongue during the last debates with Hillary.

Thanks for that reassurance, bdop4. After the past two elections I've become a nervous fellow.

James Fallows predicts McCain will try to attach Obama and catch him off guard:

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200809/fallows-debates

Gaah should be "attack" of course.

Obama could maybe watch "Philadelphia" again. Denzels character had that great line, "Exlain it me like I'ma four year old."

James Fallows predicts McCain will try to attach Obama and catch him off guard: Posted by: HeidiPDX

Gaah should be "attack" of course. Posted by: HeidiPDX

Are you sure? I would say that the McCain campaign is above very little at this point. If they thought that having the old man wrap himself around one of Obama's legs (which are probably longer than McCain is tall) or begin stalking him (as Rove now has Palin stalking Hillary Clinton), I wouldn't be surprised.

Keep in mind that his handlers don't insist that Hon. Sen. McCain stick to flash cards and teleprompters because it keeps him from stammering and sputtering, they do it to insure that he doesn't go off the reservation and say something asinine. Considering the theme is National Security or some such, I think it the odds of getting him to say something over the top might be pretty good.

My view on recent pres debates: The media and pundits have set the spread.

DEMs need an A just to be passable and/or bare acceptable.
Repub need only a D to pass and a C effort is glorified.
Gore beat Bush every time in 2000.
Kerry beat Bush every time in 2004.

But Bush did "Better Than Expected"
Bush beat the MEDIA set SPREAD and "won".

Can anyone image:
1)the college football championship bowl game between the teams best at beating the spread and not to the teams with the best records?
2)The Super Bowl being between the NFC and AFC teams that best beat the spread?
3)The basketball champioinship based on beating the point spread?

Probably not but that is the recent pattern for the White House.

Yeah, Obama is pretty lousy at debate.

If by 'debate' you mean the Jerry Springer show.