The difficulty of answering that question is that it's hard to
think of any scenario under which John McCain can make up much
ground in this debate. The fundamentals are playing into Barack
Obama's favor now, so all he has to do to win is ride the wave.
Most Americans believe that Republicans are to blame for the
current economic crisis, so as long as Obama keeps reminding the
audience that McCain is another Republican, and he's their only
opportunity for genuine change, and avoids a monumental gaffe,
he'll be fine.
As for McCain, he has a much higher hurdle. He has to convince
skeptical Americans that he has a plan to deal with the economic
crisis that's distinct from the policies of the Bush era, while
Obama's plans would cause economic catastrophe. The one advantage
he has going in is that it's a town hall format, so he'll feel at
home, and has more opportunities for informal give and take and
spontaneous humor that he's known for.
UPDATE: Apparently, the
strict rules of the debate will limit interaction with the
audience, which I think inhibits McCain's ability to connect.
topics:
John McCain
