Obama Won The Post-Debate Game
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in 2008 Election, Barack, Debates, McCain
The New York Times talked to three people in the audience at the town hall on Tuesday, and they all thought the actual debate was a wash.
However, after the debate left, McCain stuck around for a few minutes and then left. Obama stayed for a long time and tired to shake everybody’s hand.
Here’s what the voters thought…
Both women, as well as the third audience member, were especially emphatic about their feelings on the two men’s performance after the debate. All three said that Mr. McCain shook hands with several audience members and then left fairly quickly. Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle, stuck around to shake far more hands, pose for pictures, sign autographs, and answer more questions, including from people who had been on stage but did not get a chance to ask their questions. Only when Secret Service agents told them it was time to go did the couple leave (upon which they headed for a post-debate fundraiser at Al and Tipper Gore’s house nearby).“McCain leaving right afterward was pretty shocking to me – even some of the big McCain fans among us were really surprised he did that,†Ms. Jackson said. “I thought the Obamas came off like real people much more in the end.â€
Ms. Trella added: for, “I was very impressed that the Obamas stayed til the very end, shook everyone’s hand, and just seemed very accessible. I think they won some people over by just sticking around and seeming happy to talk more.â€
Here’s the video…
Why did McCain have to leave so abruptly?
Hearts and minds…
This entry was posted on Thursday, October 9th, 2008 and is filed under 2008 Election, Barack, Debates, McCain. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
October 9th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Maybe he had an interview with David Letterman?
OK, joke aside, he did appear on Fox News just after the debate. Perhaps it was pre-scheduled. Perhaps it was not, but McCain should not lose points for not hanging around. The audience was not promised an personal time with the candidates.
However, it is OK of Obama gained points for sticking around though.
I am not clear from watching if the audience were just giving Obama extra credit or damning McCain for not.
October 9th, 2008 at 8:38 am
Again, I may be wrong…
But I was listening to WABC 770AM and Sean Hannity kept bragging how he’d be meeting with McCain and Palin immediately after the debate on the “straight talk express” jet.
If that is the case, was it worth the election, Mr. McCain?
October 9th, 2008 at 10:28 am
[...] Donklephant Related PostsThe Town Hall Debate: What The Audience [...]
October 9th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Gerry may be correct that McCain shouldn’t lose points for departing right after the debate. But the fact is, for better or worse, he apparently did. As so often, the world just refuses to work the way we think it should.
But is it not wise to work with the world as it is, rather than act like it is the way we think it should be? Especially if we want to get anything accomplished.