Obama-McCain Debate Sept. 26: The Republican’s Last Chance?Randy Shawbyline‚ Sep. 22‚ 2008John McCain heads into the first presidential debate this Friday desperately seeking momentum. After a post-Convention bounce that stunned pundits and left some Obama supporters fearing defeat, greater public exposure to Sarah Palin and McCain’s ill-advised claim that “the fundamentals of the economy are strong” in response to last week’s financial meltdown has left the GOP ticket in deep trouble. The McCain campaign needs a “game changer,” and Friday’s night’s debate would seem to offer the best opportunity. But elections for nearly fifty years show that, contrary to popular belief, presidential debates rarely impact the outcome. And John McCain has not only proven a less than powerful debater, but if pressed on Friday night to explain his constantly switching positions on such issues as immigration, economic regulation, and tax cuts for the wealthy, the debate could leave his candidacy even worse off. |