I think McCain is going to do the unthinkable tonight

[mtnsnake]

and accuse the Obama/Biden campaign of starting with the negative attacks and the lying, even though anyone who has been following the campaign knows that the McCain/Palin camp is grossly guilty of initiating the garbage. I think he'll make his preposterous accusation early in the debate in anticipation of a question from a voter coming later in the debate that would address that subject.

It wouldn't surprise me if the nasty fucker does it, and if he does, everyone on this forum is going to dive right through their TV screens at the same time. He might even get totally ridiculous and accuse the Obama camp of using swiftboating tactics....before anyone accuses him of the same.

[WeDidIt]

1. I think Obama is going to continue pushing his buttons

and McCain will come completely unhinged.

[msblueinredstate]

6. Oh I am hoping he has a melt down with everybody watching!!!

[DevonRex]

2. You and I think alike mtnsnake. I wouldn't put anything past him.

I can't believe I used to kind of like the guy years ago.

[mtnsnake]

7. Same here, JenniferZ

Any inkling of respect I had for John McCain has all gone out of the window in the last 6 months. I used to think that Poppy Bush was one of the nastiest individuals around, but now I think McCain is topping him in that department.

[ellie]

33. You guys

should read the article in the current issue of the Rolling Stone. I used to like him too, but now after reading the article, I realize that my impression of him was manipulated by friendly reporters and McCain himself. He is a prick and always has been a prick.

[speedoo]

3. Everytime McCain pulls a stunt, Obama makes him pay.

And I have absolutely no doubt that Obama would make him pay for this kind of stunt as well.

[OmahaBlueDog]

9. Rove isn't used to candidates who fire back

He's more accustomed to candidates like Dukakis and Kerry who "chose to take the high road"

[OmahaBlueDog]

4. Unthinkable?

Hell, that kind of thing is BAU.

When you said unthinkable, I thought you meant he'd do something outrageous, like state he'll retire in 2011 and hand the job to Sarah.

[Virginia Dare]

5. All Obama has to do is exactly what he's been doing all along..

McCain will try to throw him off balance, but it's not going to work.

[bdamomma]

29. exactly Obama needs to stay focused.

McCain is desperate.

[maddezmom]

8. you might be correct, but on the Sunday shows Obama surrogates gave warning

If they continued to go down the attack road(meaning they started it first) that Obama would respond. Palin kept on going there so Obama responded.

[OmahaBlueDog]

14. ..and McSame has been in the Senate a long time

There are lots of people he's associated with that he'd probably rather we all didn't know/hear about.

[Schulzz]

10. There you go again Obama.

Palin already tried something like that in the VP debate. It is possible, but I think it will backfire again.

[Lerkfish]

11. I need that graphic of Obama saying, "chill out, I got this"

:)

[Kajsa]

26. Hi Lerkfish, here ya go,

thanks to the DUer who posted this,

:)

[Lerkfish]

27. ex-cellent! exactly what I was talking 'bout.

thanks!

[Kajsa]

38. You're welcome!

:)

I think we all need to see it , especially today.

:D

[dionysus]

12. he's gonna play Brewer and Shipley?

one toke over the line sweet mtnsnake, one toke over the line...

:hi:

[mtnsnake]

13. !@%#X*@!

One of these days, dionysus...

:evilgrin:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

15. He'll accuse him of being Republican.

[1corona4u]

16. Nothing would surprise me at this point....

they are all such pathetic liars. I'm not sure what I expect tonight though, but if he accuses Obama of anything, I hope Obama refutes it, forcefully, but nice.

[mtnsnake]

17. Yeah, Obama is going to have to be ready to handle it exactly as you say

"forcefully but nice".

Yet, it would be hard for Obama to do so without pointing the finger of blame at McCain. Barack would almost have to call him a liar to his face.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

18. I *really* want him to blow a gasket tonight.

Plus, now he has to look at Obama because of the format, and looking at Obama only makes him angry.

[Lerkfish]

28. I'd say there's a better than 50/50 chance of him blowing a gasket.

[CoffeeCat]

19. This is my guess...

It's just a guess, but I think McCain's saber rattling is pre-debate psy-ops.

I think McCain is going to show up and be as nice as pie. I think he'll try to
look Presidential and gracious.

McCain has tried to make everyone believe that McNasty will show up for the
debate. McCain is hoping that Obama will spend a great deal of time preparing
for attacks--that will never come.

This is a town-hall-style debate, and it's highly unlikely that attacks would
work well in this intimate setting.

I think McCain is hoping that a nervous, unsteady Obama shows up for the debate--
braced for attacks. Then, McCain emerges as the larger-than-life nice guy who
sooo loves America and wants to have a wonderful exchange of ideas with Obama.

I'm not saying that McCain won't go after Obama. He'll get him on inexperience
and higher taxes, but the bulk of his words will be fake--positive and glowing.

That's my prediction...

[mtnsnake]

20. I'll take what you say one step further. I think McCain is going to be laughing all night long, yet

he's going to be making Obama the brunt of his laughter. In other words, he'll be mocking Obama tonight and laughing when he does it. He did it with Romney, and I hate to say it, but he was effective at it.

Here's an example of what I mean. It comes at the very end of this short video which I've posted before:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W8Vb6ZqffI

[Virginia Dare]

34. I think it makes him look like the asshole jerk that he is..

if he's tries this with Obama tonight it will fail badly. His condescension didn't work at all the last time, I don't see it being much more successful tonight. People are in no mood for petty bullshit right now and that's all McCain seems to want to give them.

[nc4bo]

21. You know what? I hope he does and I hope that Obama exposes the dispicable

sniveling little desperate chickenshit of a man for what he is - in the way that only Obama can.

[occe]

22. McCain will be very tough tonight

and that worries me, i am very nervous.

[nc4bo]

23. Mccain is a p***y. A dishonorable coward of a man who resorts to petty

disgusting methods to claim what he believes belongs to him.

Fuck Mccain and the ship he floated in on.

[nini]

31. I hope so.. because his version of tough = nasty and psycho

I hope he gets all wound up and looks like the loose cannon he is.

He has 'presence' issues and any attempt at snarky/tough/aggressive don't come off to well with viewers.

[Virginia Dare]

35. He'll be himself..

which makes me not nervous at all.

[rucky]

24. I hate to bring it up...

but this isn't anything we haven't seen from the primary - and we still haven't really sorted out who did what to who and when (not that it matters at this point). It's an effective way to cast blame, so I won't be surprised when it gets conflated, even though Obama ended up on top last time attacks flew back and forth and got distorted. He seems to have a good way of letting this stuff roll off his back.

[frickaline]

25. I have a feeling McCain will be stable tonight unfortunately

The style of debate tonight will make him comfortable and less likely to "blow". I hope he does but I'm not holding my breath for it. But I do think he will come off as very negative and full of attacks. Its all he has left. I'm sure he is going to try to make Obama seem like he's not telling us things, like we don't really know him. Hopefully he'll show more the idiot side of himself and talk about freezing spending like a government seizure again. The man has no finesse ...

[renie408]

30. Have you been watching him lately, though? He is getting weirder and weirder

every day. His laugh is more hysterical, his eyes glassier...he is losing it, I think. I usually hate doing what I am doing...estimating a person's mental state based on bits and pieces seen on TV, but I saw him Monday talking about Palin 'schooling' Biden in the debate. He sounded batshit nuts.

They may have him medicated into relaxation, but otherwise this guy is jittering like crazy.

[frickaline]

37. I have seen some of this but I wonder if he sounds this way

only to us.

In the first debate, which was of a format not to his liking, he remained fairly stable. I have a feeling we will see more of the same just with more negative character attacks. He's going to come off angry which will look particularly bad for him but some of the character attacks will likely work to some extent.

[palintology]

32. Obama should simply ask for his HEALTH RECORDS !!!

[Overseas]

36. Not at all unthinkable really. McLiar does that all the time.

The RNC uses that technique very often. Accuse opponent of techniques you are using before they accuse you. Standard Operating Procedure for them.

And get media coverage for your accusation first. Call columnists or reporters in RNC pocket-- many to choose from-- to get coverage first.

[Median Democrat]

39. Hope McCain Does! Obama Should Just Respond By Focusing On The Economy, Not.On Who Started It

I would point out that McCain's own folks said they needed to change the subject. Then, just go back to the economic stump speech.

[Cha]

40. Why? Because cindy mccain

started this shit already in Tennessee?

Wouldn't surprise me and Obama will have an answer because he knows the history.