The Long, Slow Crawl to the End

Now that woman candidate Hillary Clinton has been fundamentally eliminated from the presidential race, McCain has focused his attention on black candidate Barack Obama in more definite ways. Over the past week, McCain has stepped up criticism of how Barack Obama plans to deal with terrorist states such as Iran and Syria. McCain’s criticisms refer primarily to a debate in which Obama said he would meet with Iranian/tribble president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (pictured left with William Shatner). The major sticking point of this statement has been Obama’s suggestion that he would meet unconditionally with Ahmadinejad. Addressing the American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee on Monday (AIPAC), McCain stated: “We hear talk of a meeting with the Iranian leadership offered up as if it were some sudden inspiration, a bold new idea that somehow nobody has ever thought of before.” McCain cited unsuccessful attempts by the Clinton administration to meet with Iran as evidence that Obama’s ideas are naive.

In today’s meeting at AIPAC, Obama appeared to have toughened his stance: “We will open up lines of communication, build an agenda, coordinate closely with our allies, and evaluate the potential for progress…I have no interest in sitting down with our adversaries just for the sake of talking.” Then Obama had this zinger: “I will do everything in my power to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, everything in my power to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon — everything.” Then he got a standing ovation.

Today, McCain also proposed that he and Obama have 10 face-to-face town hall meetings across the country. The Obama camp responded positively to the suggestion, but proposed changes: “We would recommend a format that is less structured and lengthier than the McCain campaign suggests, one that more closely resembles the historic debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas.”

McCain said the following about the Lincoln-Douglass debate proposal: “I know Senator Obama has fond ideas about these debates because of how they have been presented in the history books. My friends, I was there in 1858 to witness the reality of these debates. I was there to see how ineffective they were for escalating the level of debate in this nation. For you, my friends, my many many friends, I want your voices to be heard and that’s why I propose the town hall meetings.”

McCain has yet to say whether he wants to include Libertarian/dustbroom candidate Bob Barr (pictured left) in these town hall meetings. Mike Gravel is expected to show up and throw gravel at the gathered crowds.