What was the point of Obama calling McCain Tom and Jim in the debate

[marshall]

I think it was a great technique for Obama to deformalize the debate by referring to McCain as "John" even while McCain continued to refer to him as "Senator Obama". But what was the point of referring to him as Tom and Jim? At first I thought he was making a reference to "Uncle Tom"--that he was a sellout to his mantle of maverick. But then he called him Jim. Was he just trying to rattle him or further confuse and discombobulate the old geezer?

[firedupdem]

1. I think he just forgot that bastards name! n/t

[w8liftinglady]

2. I thought he accidentally called him Jim while looking at Lehrer

[valerief]

3. I know when he called him Tom in the next sentence he was talking about some guy named Tom.

He was just getting ahead of himself. Check the transcripts. I don't remember the Jim thing.

Edited to add:
Here's the Tom thing.

OBAMA: Not willing to give up the need to do it but there may be individual components that we can't do. But John is right we have to make cuts. We right now give $15 billion every year as subsidies to private insurers under the Medicare system. Doesn't work any better through the private insurers. They just skim off $15 billion. That was a give away and part of the reason is because lobbyists are able to shape how Medicare works.

They did it on the Medicaid prescription drug bill and we have to change the culture. Tom -- or John mentioned me being wildly liberal. Mostly that's just me opposing George Bush's wrong headed policies since I've been in Congress but I think it is that it is also important to recognize I work with Tom Coburn, the most conservative, one of the most conservative Republicans who John already mentioned to set up what we call a Google for government saying we'll list every dollar of federal spending to make sure that the taxpayer can take a look and see who, in fact, is promoting some of these spending projects that John's been railing about.

[ecstatic]

4. Yep. Posts 2&3 pretty much explain each incident

Who cares? Some rethug talking head on CNN hinted that it was disrespectful and elitist of Obama to use McTroll's first name. Give me a break! These guys are colleagues!

[Merlot]

5. I doubt there is any great strategy behind it

His brain was probably working to formalize his comments, and the name became a trivial part of the equation.

I'm like that. I can remembeer all kinds of facts about a person, yet while talking I can use a wrong name. I get around it by not using names much. Good thing I'm not in sales.

[enough]

6. Payback.

[Kookaburra]

7. Jim Lehrer (can't spell check this one) was the moderator

Pretty sure that's who he was calling Jim. Not sure about the Tom one though.

[rateyes]

8. He said "Jim" thinking about Jim Lehrer, and "Tom" while thinking

about Tom Coburn.

[Mz Pip]

9. Tom Coburn

That's right. Obama corrected himself almost immedidately and discussed how he worked together with Tom Coburn.

[marshall]

12. That makes sense

I guess I was looking for some kind of strategy behind it, linguist that I am.

[Emit]

10. He was about to mention Tom Coburn, and meant to say Jim

this is no big deal

[Essene]

11. Look at who is moderating the debates. Jim Lehrer and Tom Brokaw. Obama just messed up...

He has been probably practicing non-stop for BOTH debates and just slipped up.

[pansypoo53219]

13. obama is a COLLEGUE

not a servant.