tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2289595359432630118.post2442090590195694667..comments2024-03-18T04:36:26.547-04:00Comments on Paul Levinson's Infinite Regress: Obama Does a Little Better in Second Debate, Moves a Lot Closer to the White HousePaul Levinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07609987407926836519noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2289595359432630118.post-64699121627957800882008-10-08T14:52:00.000-04:002008-10-08T14:52:00.000-04:00McCain has been wanting the townhall setting for q...McCain has been wanting the townhall setting for quite some time. He thought of it as his specialty, his strong suit. Now we see he has miscalculated somewhat. He favorable opinion of his own performance in such a setting is the result of the one-horse race: when he is surrounded by supporters who respond to every joke, who regard him fondly, and go nuts over the red meat he throws out.<BR/><BR/>What the hell happened last night? Inject another personality and the dynamic changed immediately. No longer was McCain the only horse in the race. Every moment in that townhall setting, he was being compared to Obama, and the difference was startling -- and very much detrimental to the McCain campaign.<BR/><BR/>Obama is a bit taller. This may appear unimportant, but a scrutiny into the history of elections will demonstrate a subtle, yet real psychological effect. People definitely respond to height in salesmen AND politicians at a subconscious level.<BR/><BR/>This effect, however, was by no means as powerful as the difference in age. Obama is just entering into his prime and it shows. He moved easily, comfortably. In contrast, McCain showed every one of his 70+ years. He walked like an old man. This would not be so painfully obvious when he was the only candidate in a townhall meeting, but last night it became an intense contrast.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2289595359432630118.post-56654245672582611782008-10-08T10:51:00.000-04:002008-10-08T10:51:00.000-04:00The so-called 'town hall' format (town hall, my as...The so-called 'town hall' format (town hall, my ass!!) was said by the pundits to be McCain's strong suit and he still loses. So what does that tell ya? McCain is a hot-tempered 'songbird' who spilled his guts to the North Vietnamese and told a lie about this 'imprisonment' that he stole --full cloth --from a book. He may be kidding himself that he's a 'war hero'! Everyone else knows he's fraud!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04598093941551759917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2289595359432630118.post-20193979773586948822008-10-08T01:29:00.000-04:002008-10-08T01:29:00.000-04:00Dr. Lev,I don't think it was an "ass kicking" like...Dr. Lev,<BR/><BR/>I don't think it was an "ass kicking" like your post-er on Digg suggests; but I think it's telling that in McCain's admitted debate "weapon of choice," the Town Hall meeting, he was just plain lackluster.<BR/><BR/>I also noticed something immediately and was inspired to write a satirical post about <A HREF="http://bfadds.blogspot.com/2008/10/no-lapel-pin-john-mccain-obviously.html" REL="nofollow">John McCain's absent American Flag lapel pin</A>. <BR/><BR/>I guess all the propaganda about Obama's non-verbal "hatred" of America due to his pinless lapel goes down the tubes for the GOP foot soldiers on the web.Brian McFaddenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13080590884494457109noreply@blogger.com