Debates can be the formal type or unformal. Sarah Palin couldn't answer a question from Katie Couric about what book or magazines she read. It threw her and the McCain campaign for a loop. (She lost a one-person debate, and Couric probably asked the same question of others.)
Obama beat Hillary Clinton. What were the 12/2007 odds of that happening?
Earlier there was the first debate with questions posed by YouTube uploads, with the questioners in the audience asking their questions.
It all started with a question during a CNN/YouTube debate on July 24, 2007.
Obama went first.
"Would you be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, in order to bridge the gap that divides our countries?"
"I would," Obama said. "And the reason is this, that the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them — which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration — is ridiculous."
politifact.com
Hillary took the Washington insider cautious approach about staff and advance meetings first and then maybe a meeting. Maybe she didn't want to copy Obama's answer. Obama had her on the ropes and she never recovered. 20 to 30 seconds, done.
Something will come up where Romney has to think. Even the WSJ Friday described and criticized him as trying to run out the clock and play it safe. He hasn't even chosen his running mate and it's only July. |
