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Upon word that McCain immediately challenged Obama to 10 town hall style debates in the next few months, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in partnership with ABC, offered up to sponsor the first one live from New York. However, the request was denied as explained from Fox News:
John McCain and Barack Obama rejected an offer Sunday from Mayor Michael Bloomberg and ABC News to host the first proposed presidential town hall because they do not want it limited to one television network.
McCain, the likely Republican nominee, last week asked his Democratic counterpart to join him for 10 meetings in the coming months, and campaign managers for both sides said they had agreed in spirit to schedule some type of joint appearances.
But the campaigns rejected a formal offer outlined in a letter from Bloomberg and ABC News on Sunday that envisioned kicking off the town hall series with a 90-minute, prime-time broadcast from New York. The campaigns said the candidates want the meetings open for broadcast on all television networks or on the Internet, rather than be sponsored by a single network or news organization.
Bloomberg, the billionaire mayor who toyed with running for president as an independent, has sought to hold onto the spotlight that began to fade after he ultimately decided against a White House run.
A spokesman indicated Bloomberg would not give up on trying to influence the town hall meeting process.
“We’re committed to finding a similar format that works for a joint town hall meeting between the two candidates in the nation’s largest city,†Stu Loeser said.
ABC News spokesman Jeffrey Schneider said the network is open to discussing a wider distribution for the town hall.
“We think the important thing is bringing the candidates together,†he said.
Bloomberg and ABC News President David Westin had proposed that the first meeting take place at Federal Hall in Manhattan. McCain already had suggested the venue, and wanted the first meeting to take place on Thursday.
In their letter to the candidates Sunday, Bloomberg and Westin said the date and other details — like how much interaction the candidates would have with voters or a moderator — would be worked out between the two campaigns.
I can understand not wanting to limit the town hall meeting to just one network, that’s what we’ve had all along. It would be interesting to mainly see the candidates debate an issue with each other, simply taking issue-oriented questions from a range of reporters.
I’m betting both Obama and McCain would like to avoid the one-sided debates where one candidate gets hammered while the other is asked softballs.
(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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I really like the idea of the youtube debates, they should do something like that again, as well, although without some of the silliness of the original ones.
I think they should really spin them. I say lets get them to a small location with a representative of one local paper from one town (of each state) with a population of less than 100,000 people. Let those small town reporters ask one question each, a question that effects their own community. All other media can film and record, but they have to keep their mouths shut, they’re spectators only.
Now that’s the true spirit of a Town Hall meeting.
The media shouldn’t even be speaking. It’s time for them to get their greedy hands off of the debates and take a back seat. The true Town Hall meeting should be directed by it’s citizens. There would have to be a non-partisan moderator or board of moderators (citizens) from that town of course to screen the silly questions out of the mix, etc. After the question is approved, McCain and Obama would then take their questions directly from the citizen who initially created the question.
Come to my small town in NY John and me and a few of my conservative friends will give you a warm welcome, and a well deserved one, even though all the liberals here love your opponent, you will be welcomed by me. COME TO NY!
O_S, didn’t I hear yesterday that McCain will be in NY this weekend? The report said he was still inviting Obama to join him, but he hasn’t accepted. Will you go hear him?
Of course I will go hear the next Commander in Chief speak Babs.
I figured you would. Bring back a report.
If you could ask your candidate any question like in the stlye of the YouTube debate, what would it be?
I would want to ask Obama about his thoughts on a Middle East peace treaty involving Iraq and its’ surrounding entities.
Michelle,
I would ask McCain why we are allowing the Chinese to drill for our oil 60 miles off our coastline.