On Politics: Will war of words explode at Belmont?

Monday, October 6, 2008 at 2:19am

The town hall debate in the presidential race comes to town this week, and perhaps the real question is whether or not the war of words between the two campaigns will erupt from the stage at Belmont University.

Nashvillians can see a piece of true American history develop here this week as Senators Barack Obama and John McCain will engage in the town hall-style debate at Belmont tomorrow. Early handicapping of the event suggests this more informal setting — with questions from an audience with at least some Red State blood — favors the Republicans’ McCain.

Anyone who has seen McCain in one of these more informal settings dealing with off-the-cuff questions knows it is the arena where this otherwise awkward public speaker often excels. McCain’s ability to lock in on a question and answer it with plain, direct language mixed with often self-deprecating humor works. For those that have seen Obama in such a setting, his danger is slipping into lecture mode. His gift for soaring, inspirational oratory gets lost in this setting. The format favors McCain.

Leading up to this event, though, both campaigns have been threatening to push the proverbial nuclear button on the other candidate’s past. Each of the potential charges is based on a timely, hot-button issue that would resonate with the standing angers and fears of the American populace.

The standoff actually began with GOP vice presidential choice Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin throwing a bomb at Obama in this past week’s vice presidential debate. Palin made what appears to be a vague reference to Obama’s past association with fellow Chicagoan and former Weatherman William Ayers. Palin’s remark charged Obama had kept company with the former 1960s radical, considered by some to be the equivalent of a modern day, domestic terrorist.

Similarly, the Obama campaign threatened to bring up McCain’s past as one of the Keating Five – one of the five U.S. Senators that attempted to help corrupt banker Charles Keating in the 1980s. Reports over the weekend said Obama surrogates have been given the go ahead to bring Keating up when attacking McCain.

Terrorism and financial corruption are two issues certain to scare or anger most Americans given the ongoing state of uncertainty in the world as well as the nation’s economy circling the toilet. Both strategies come with risks. Can the GOP really make charges of a shirttail association with a member of a radical group that existed four decades ago stick? Can the Obama campaign similarly make ancient political history seem relevant while still pledging to “change” the way politics are practiced in this country?

The stage is set for a battle royale in town this week. The question is whether either candidate will have the courage to throw the first bomb at Belmont tomorrow.

Filed under: City News
Tagged:
By: morpheus120 on 12/31/69 at 6:00

The sound you are hearing is the sound of a flailing, undisciplined, presidential campaign with no message.The McCain/Palin campaign will be seen as one of the worst presidential campaigns in history when Barack Obama wins in an electoral and popular vote landslide on Nov. 4.The Belmont debate is just prolonging the agony, but McCain, Palin, and the Republican Party will be put out of their misery very soon.So long, and thanks for all the fish.

By: Marymeet on 12/31/69 at 6:00

I was always told that people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. I find it fascinating that either side has the temerity to open their mouths up about the other's dirty laundry.

By: Jokapsig on 12/31/69 at 6:00

Morpheus, this is nothing but the same old liberal blah blah blah....the worst this, the worst that, the agony.Don't count your chickens yet pal.

By: gdiafante on 12/31/69 at 6:00

Landslide? Bless you heart, no, it'll be close. Closer than it really should be.

By: abrahamlincoln on 12/31/69 at 6:00

as I look around my working class neighborhood, I see working class people not wealthy or affluent people and I see that were haveing hard times with this high gaseoline prices, bad stock market and all the republicans do is point fingers at other people and say were just a nation of whinners, we need a democrate that will take care of working people.

By: WyattObamanation on 12/31/69 at 6:00

If today's(10-6-8)McCain Campaign's words were suppose to be a healthy debate on serious issues, we must take our country back from Ali Mohammad McCain and Osama Bin Palin! My Friends..If they want to play the blame game with silly tactics flavored with racial overtones and list Barack Obama's name with terrorists, muslims, thugs, resko/ayres fibs, anti-hillary accusations, & flag pins; We must demand the following GOP/McCainiac issues come to the forefront and be answered in the media:~Keating 5 www(dot)keatingeconomics(dot)com~Fundamental Deregulator~Deregulation of Social Security~Deregulation of HealthCare~Enron Loophole~100 Year War Monger & $Trillions$ Spent On Iraqi War~Vicki Iseman Girlfriend and Media Lobbyist~Brokaw/McCain Friendship~Infidelity/Adultery~Anti-Catholic ~Tax Break Elimination~Voted Against Equal Pay & Equal Rights For Our Mothers, Sisters, Daughters, Grandmothers, Nieces, Aunts, Wives, & Girlfriends~Temperament-Erraticsism, Is There A Blood Relation Between McCraziac & Bill-Had-Sex-With-A-Show-Intern-O'Reilly ?~McCain Campaign Lobbyist ie. Rick Davis & 169 more Lobbyists~Andrew McCain + Nevada based Silver State Bank~Andrew McCain + CMKM Diamonds,better known as CMKX~Palingate/Troopergate Criminal Investigation~Palin's REV.THOMAS MUTHEE Witchdoctor Video~Betrayus With A Surge To Nowhere In Iraq~US Council For World Freedom; Radical, Dangerous & Racist Organization~Voted Against Veteran Benefits At Home~4th Stage Cancer & Recurrence Rate~Radical Criminal: G. Gordon Liddy's Fundraiser At His Home For & With McCain~Country First Savings And Loan 2008 : John Keating McCainiac & Sarahcide TrooperBridge Palingate~Anheuser Busch(Budweiser)Cindy Mccain #1 National Debate Sponsor~*Straight Talk America PAC, *Altria Group, *American Issues Project, *National Campaign Fund, *Vets For Freedom *RightChange(dot)com Inc = Fred Eshelman&Fletcher Hartsell&Jeffrey Barnhart & Tim Pittman~~~~~~~~~~~~~~www(dot)mccainslobbyists(dot)comwww(dot)mccainsource(dot)comwww(dot)therealmccain(dot)com/butlerwww(dot)mudflats(dot)wordpress(dot)comwww(dot)plnewsforum(dot)com/index.php/forums/viewthread/39966www(dot)phoenixnewtimes(dot)com/1989-11-29/news/mccain-the-most-reprehensible-of-the-keating-five/1www(dot)rationalrevolution0(dot)tripod(dot)com/war/bush_family_and_the_s(dot)htmwww(dot)republicansexoffenders(dot)comwww(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=GEtZlR3zp4cMcCain Campaign Has Strong Ties To Corporate Lobbyists At Center Of Bailoutwww(dot)thinkprogress(dot)org/2008/09/22/mccain-campaign-lobbies-bailouMcCain on Special Interest, Lobbyists and DC Sleaze—What you should remember www(dot)personals(dot)nymag(dot)com/blog/1069/post_78180.html?dcb=personals(dot)nymag(dot)comMedia advance myth of McCain as lobbyist foewww(dot)mediamatters(dot)org/items/200802260009the McCAIN BUSH GRAMM foreclosure plan: called BIG BANK BAILOUT (4 more years of BUSH PILLAGE?)www(dot)miami(dot)craigslist(dot)org/mdc/pol/850631984(dot)html G. Gordon Liddy: John McCain Finds His Own Radical Criminal Ties At A Fundraiser For McCain At Liddy's Housewww(dot)huffingtonpost(dot)com/2008/05/05/g-gordon-liddy-john-mccai_n_100134(dot)htmlNOW, IF YOU NEED TO KNOW MORE, PUT "credit default swap + Mccain lobbyists" INTO THE GOOGLE SEARCH BARAND YOU CAN'T BELIEVE THE UNETHICAL THEFT THAT MCCAIN HAS PULLED OVER THE EYES OF ALL THE LOW INFORMATION AMERICANS THAT WILL VOTE FOR HIM. IT IS DISGUSTING AND IT'S THE SAME LIPSTICK ON THE SAME PIG!