WASHINGTON - Republican White House hopeful John McCain, fresh from his first debate with Democratic rival Barack Obama in Mississippi, expressed regret on Saturday that his performance didn’t win over all the pundits in the press.
“I was a little disappointed the media called it a tie but I think that means, when they call it a tie, that means we win,” McCain said during a telephone call that was caught by cameras filming him at his campaign headquarters.
Both camps claimed victory after the 90-minute debate on Friday.
Meanwhile, Obama’s campaign manager, David Plouffe, sought to lower expectations for the next debate in Tennessee on Oct. 7. It will be conducted in a town-hall style with questions from an audience.
“We will be a decided underdog in that encounter, and John McCain is the undisputed town hall champion,” Plouffe told reporters on a conference call, noting that McCain — who is fond of the format — had challenged Obama to do joint town hall meetings throughout the summer.
“He clearly feels, even more than the foreign policy debate, this is his home turf. So if we can just escape relatively unscathed against the undisputed town hall champion in Tennessee, we’ll be thrilled.”
Obama has held regular town halls of his own throughout the 2008 campaign and does not appear to struggle with the format.
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
Photo credit: Reuters/Brian Snyder (McCain talks on the phone at his campaign headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, on Sept. 27)
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McCain and Obama may have tied on substance but McCain lost in other ways. People keep talking about how “tough” McCain is but he didn’t even have the courage to look his opponent in the eye. We are living through hard economic times in which bipartisanship is paramount and Obama was gracious and acknowledged when he felt McCain was correct. After this he stated how he felt McCain was mistaken. Obama showed respect for a fellow American citizen while McCain sneered at him and treated with with contempt. It brought American politics to a new low and I am now saddened at what McCain has become. How far he has fallen from who he was in 2000.
- Posted by LilyI think it was a tie on supstance but a clear win for Obama on style and temperment. Obama has what it take to lead the United States in the 21 centry. Obama is thoughtful and graceful, McCain is and angry old man who needs a good BM. McCain’s pick of Palin should disqualify him, he picked a gimmick over substance.
It is Obama’s time, McCains time has past. We just really need someone smart after 8 years of a dummy. McCain was at the bottom of his class, I think 884 out of 890 or close to that, Obama was in the top of his class at Columbia and Harvard law. Smarter is better!!!!!
- Posted by KenThe debate showed how inexperianced John McCain is in dealing with the real world. we respect your service old timer but move on. Stop trying to make the people of this country feel the whole world is out to get us. It doesn’t play. We real folks no we are the melting pot and it is the greed, and the blaten disreguard of the
- Posted by TJconstitution the last eight years that got us into entire mess we are in today. McCain you showed your foolish distion making efforts twice now with Palin and the so called rush to suspend your campain. Your shoot from the hip and see were the chips fly policy making like that of the rotting “BUSH” of the past eight years shows. You not only lost the debate YOu shoed retire and let the world heal from the wounds of this adminstaration
McCain did not look at Obama because he is incapable of accepting that a BLACK man might beat him. McCain is as divisve as his policies. Reviewing many of the GOP comments in on this blog support an alarming racial undertone. This guy is not a maverik he is Johnny Come Lately. And if it weren’t for Viagra it would be not at all. Get it? Liberals help Conservatives with this joke…
- Posted by ErikI read one blog post that had a good explanation for the fact the McCain never looked at Obama. It seems that lower ranking animals never look the alpha male in the eye. Obama owned McCain in that debate! It was obvious in McCain’s refusal to even look at him.
- Posted by barbara tateAs a European, I am necessarily biased (the whole world with the possible exception of Saudi Arabia hopes for an Obama win) but I tried to watch the debate with neutral eyes. If it were a mere contest, I would have called it a tie up to nearly the end, but finally a win for Obama since McCain went too negative in his rambling closing statement. However the policy differences were very stark. It became absolutely clear that a McCain presidency would revive the Cold War, which in my mind is not necessary at all. Obama’s willingness to meet without preconditions is a good thing, it’s the way things were always done in happier pre-Bush times.
But I was struck by a glaring omission. This debate was about foreign policy, and the candidates were only asked about enemies and potential enemies. Not a minute was “wasted” on such trivialities as allies or peaceful, nonaligned countries. Does the US see the outside world only through the lens of the countries it doesn’t like?
- Posted by Hans B (from France)During the debate Sen. McCain mentioned low business tax rates in Ireland and how things are so rosy for them. Well, guess what-Ireland is the first EU country in a declared recession, it happened Thursday the 25th of September. For more info, google Ireland recession.
- Posted by BetsyMcCain didn’t look Obama in the eye because you NEVER look the Alpha Dog directly in the eye.
- Posted by SammiMcCain wants to make sure we “win” in Iraq and Afghanistan but when that comes about, who will be on the other side of the table signing the cease fire agreement.
- Posted by JonBoI ask this Question only because I don’t know who we are fighting.
John McCain’s avoiding eye contact was rude. But it reveals more - at his age, he can’t afford to take his attention away from the script inside himself to remember it. I know. I am his age and have studied human development and cognitive decline. McCain also seemed to struggle with hiding his rage at a smart, capable young leader. McCain really did smirk his way through the debate. His supporters surely know that his temperament
- Posted by CA Senioris not one that would make him a strong leader or they don’t understand the part of “he does not keep his cool when he needs to.”
Sorry to burst everyone’s bubble on the VP debates, but there is not going to be a real debate.
Typically a debate is defined as:
1. A formal contest of argumentation in which two opposing teams defend and attack a given proposition.
2. To discuss or argue (a question, for example) formally.
3. A formal contest of argumentation in which two opposing teams defend and attack a given proposition.
The republican party successfully changed the format of the VP ‘debate’ to a format where there are pre-selected questions and each ‘debater’ gets to voice their response to the questions.
What this means is that Palin has had plenty of time to learn and practice her responses to the questions that will be asked. (How may want to bet the answers are not written by her?) There will be no back and forth between the candidates. And more importantly she will look well polished and knowledgable. Also what that means is we will be no further ahead in getting any insight as to what actual knowledge she may or may not possess on the topics.
However it will undoubtably look very good for her, especially given how low expectations are. Everyone will be saying how well she did and overlook the fact that my 8 year old also does well when given a list of questions and 2+ months to practice the answers. That’s elementary but that’s also politics today!
- Posted by LunaMccain’s made many serious mistakes in the debate, especially regarding foreign policy. He struggles with a weak mind:
1.Mccain referred to the Iranian “Republican Guard”–in fact, the unit is called the “Revolutionary Guard”
2.he called Pakistan a “failed state” when Musharraf took over– in fact it was a democracy overthrown by a coup-d’etat
2. mis-stated the name of the new pakistani president
3. confused the concepts of military tactics and strategy
4. lied about or simply didn’t understand or know about Henry Kissinger’s recent statements re: diplomacy
5. claimed Nixon’s meeting with the Chinese was an example of a President NOT sitting down with his enemies?
6. failed to acknowledge Obama’s high-level visits to US commanders and allies throughout afghanistan, Irag and Israel this year.
7. claimed that it is possible for a US soldier to die “in vain” while serving his country. A shameful statement for a man who advocates sending them into a quagmire.
7. showed an undignified lack of respect to the next President of the USA– the clearly much smarter, more nuanced, more level-headed man on the stage, Sen. Barack Obama.
- Posted by Lem“Wow - the press and many of you are so blind. McCain did not do everything right, nor did Obama. Obama was virtually crushed on Foreign Policy, however. Did no-one hear him say, for example, that if Pakistan did not crack down on militants and help (or something like that) that he would just “let them have it.” That is a virtual declaration of war! His position to sit down with the leader of Iran (and other such countries) and just chat without preconditions is also outstandingly naive…
The bias for Obama is impressive! If McCain or worse Palin had said that we will just let Pakistan “have it” the press would have had a field day. I am just so disappointed that after 8 years of Bush we now are facing Obama. Gore was far the intellectual superior of Obama, but would never have one as we don’t elect on intellect or credentials, we elect on the basis of charm and good looks. The press crushes Palin who is the only one of the 3 with any management experience and let’s ONE TERM OBAMA get away with virtually everything.
I have *always* voted with the democratic party, but this is a joke.
- Posted by Benjamin Alper”
You’re lying - you sound like a republican in disguise.
- Posted by DonLen - I agree…I’m sorry Obama didn’t raise McCain’s Baghdad market spectacle when McCain talked about his travel to Iraq. His photo op put our troops in unnecessary danger, probably cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to stage, and resulted in the deaths of many innocent Iraqi civilians. Still, he claims he always puts country first. With “heroes” like this, who needs enemies?
- Posted by K MIf McCain is disappointed that the media deemed the debate a draw, he should be seriously bummed that a clear majority of undecided voters thought Obama won.
As a previously decided voter (Go Barack!) I can only hope that the McCain campaign keeps on preaching to the converted, as John did in the debate with condescending, rude and unstatesmanlike behavior.
How is it that the man who is trying to sell himself as stronger and more able to lead by bipartisan consensus was unable to look his debate rival in the eye?
In a few days, it will even be clearer that Obama vs McCain I was really Kennedy vs Nixon II.
- Posted by steve lilliensteinI am a democrat but my answer to the debate-John McCain
had Obama on the defense–which was good strategy.
Obama did looked at McCain (as he did with Sen. Clinton)throughout the debate and then agreed with him on certain points,as he did with Sen. Clinton –Perhaps he thinks it is intimidating or perhaps he needs to focus on what the opponent is saying to prepare his answer.
As for John Mccain not looking at Obama–why would that matter???? Perhaps Obama was playing the old –I can stare longer than you -game–and calling him John–How disrespectful.
I am sure when Obama becomes President–he will not care to have anyone calling to him with out Pres. in front of his name.
The answer I search for is who was Obama talking to or nodding to in the audience thru=out the debate–Was Michelle sitting there with cue cards–look at the rewind… If he wasn’t trying to stare at Mccain, he was shaking his head to someone past the moderator and mouthing words????
As said I am a Democrat but facts speak for themselves…
Obama was on the defensive –and shouldn’t have been.. Time to tighten up.
Obama opposed the war in Iraq but is sit to invade Afganistan. (which is where we should have started )
- Posted by LindaDear Mr. McCain…. where was your flag lapel pin? Didn’t your handlers remind you to wear it for the BIG DEBATE? You’re not *unpatriotic*, are you?
- Posted by MariaJohn - How typical of a conservative to characterize people who disagree with them as whiners, and assume others don’t work hard. The irony of your claim that conservatives are out learning and not blogging is that the Republicans have nominated a Presidential candidate proud of his abysmal academic performance as a legacy at the Naval Academy and a Vice Presidential candidate who appears to take pride in knowing almost NOTHING about the world. Everything she needs to know is in her good book, apparently.
- Posted by K MThere’s a perfectly good explanation for McCain’s averted eye-contact. McCain is an ex-combat vet (as we all know well), and ANY warrior must learn this simple maxim: “Never let the enemy see the fear in your eyes”
- Posted by ChrisJBe afraid, John, be very afraid…
You all need to get a life!!
- Posted by rick Martinez