Barack Obama Passing on Town Hall Debates is a Mistake

Barack Obama said during his interview with Tom Brokaw that he is moving away from the Town Hall debates idea floated just after the Democratic primary ended, and sticking to three traditional moderated debates instead.

My question is, why?

It is plain to see who has the oratorical edge, who is better on their feet, and who has the issues advantage in this election.

So why are we not looking to hammer McCain and make him look ridiculous on a grand scale? It doesn't have to be anything like getting to the Republicans level and attacking him, I just mean airing out all his flip flops, bad policies, and GWB-like qualities with an audience at home watching.

Can't you see McCain getting flustered in that type of setting, showing that anger we've all heard numerous stories about? I sure can, and I don't know why Obama isn't pushing for it. He doesn't have to attack McCain, he just would have to poke at him enough for Johnny to implode on himself like a dying star. Kind of like the last week has done. Barack did nothing but show why he would be a more effective Commander in Chief, and it riled McCain into making almost a baker's dozen of horrendous mistakes, gaffes and outright lies.

The debates he came off best in during the primary season were the informal ones, where both people sit, either behind a desk or on stools. In the podium debates, he seemed to lose a bit of his gravitas. Now he is the one advocating those as the only method of direct interaction with McCain until November.

Maybe he doesn't want to be paired with McCain in the sense that he could be seen as the big black man dominating the old white guy. Who knows. Or it could be plants in the audience with fluff questions like the flag pin, or attack questions about Rev. Wright or him being a Muslim. Maybe he fears being seen as a snob or an elitist while McCain turns up the good ol' Straight-Talkin' charm.

In short, maybe Obama smells a setup.

This is about the only rationale I can see for not putting himself and a lesser opponent together in a free-wheeling environment.

I don't doubt that Obama will do well against McCain in the traditional debates, but he could do so much more with even one Town Hall.

It just seems like a missed opportunity, where McCain could have been very much exposed, within an hour or so, for the liar, flip flopper and Pander Bear that he is.

I don't know, maybe I'm missing some sort of strategic play here from the Obama camp, but to me, Town Hall debates seem tailor made for a huge Obama advantage.

Cross-Posted on Daily Kos Under the name Red Star