McCain will be at the debate.

[Drunken Irishman]

He's setting it up for he can swoop in at the last possible minute, debate Obama, leave and steal the headlines. If it's a poor performance, he can blame it on the fact he had little prep time. If he does just well enough, it'll give the media a new narrative heading into the weekend.

The only way, however, he loses, is if he isn't on that stage tomorrow night.

[msallied]

1. He won't be able to use his lack of prep time as an excuse.

Because the meme that he can't multi-task is already going to be circulating. Obama is going to thrash his stupid ass tomorrow. McCain is going to show up looking like an erratic, histrionic asshat who threw the country under the bus in order to score some political points.

[Drunken Irishman]

3. We'll see, I think he can and will use it as an excuse.

It isn't like neither candidate preps for the debates, so it's not something anyone can really throw in his face. The only chance I see it being a failure on his part is if he totally bombs in the debate.

But I'm not going to bank on that just yet.

[tblue]

7. How long has it been since he became the presumptive nominee? He's had, like 6 months to prepare

for these debates. If after 26 years in the senate, he's not fully conversant on his area of expertise, he'll fail.

Plus, his entire demeanor and body language are both big minuses for McLoser. He's very hard to enjoy watching.

[rockymountaindem]

18. "Obama is going to thrash his stupid ass tomorrow."

I like that line.

[volstork]

2. The only way he loses is if he opens his mouth n/t

[Clio the Leo]

4. The only way he loses if if Barack Obama stays in the campaign. NT

[book_worm]

5. Even if he's there it's not a win. He'll look like a fool who meddled into something

and screwed things up. He also took Obama away from his debate prep time as well. Obama will be in Washington about as long as McFool will be. They both went to Bush's photo-op and what else is McCain going to do? If he tries to get into negotiations the Dems will walk and I'll bet a few republicans will join them. This has become a lose-lose for McLame.

[Webster Green]

6. He's fucking toast!

It's over for him and his dumb-ass running mate. :smoke:

[earthside]

8. After the last two day's hype ...

... if he doesn't swoop-in like the white knight and dominate the debate, then he loses.

He's a "take charge guy" (right?) -- he better act like one at the debate.

He has set himself up for a fall.

But, if he really does have health problems, he will use the collapse of the bailout negotiations as his excuse.

Because ... if he wanted to grab headlines, he could have 'suspended' his campaign, announced that he was going to Washington, etc.

So, why did he also play the 'defer the debate' gambit? Unless he doesn't want to or cannot debate?

[rufus dog]

9. This morning I thought it was 99% probability of him showing up

After today and finding out he ducked a debate with Bush in 2000 I give it a 50% probability. I really question everything about him after today. IMO he is a major pussy who is lazy and intellectually weak. His life has been a series of others bailing him out and him being able to fall back on his POW status.

[crossroads]

10. I can't wait to watch this! nt

[Teaser]

11. I don't think debates really have "winners" or "losers" anymore.

not so much...

[barack the house]

12. No he loses and Obama can just call him on his unpresidential nonsense this week.

[barack the house]

14. Also it's foreign policy night so he would have little excuse for poor performance.

[BrotherBuzz]

13. Hello, I must be going.

Hello, I must be going

sung by Groucho Marx

I cannot stay,
I came to say
I must be going.
I'm glad I came
but just the same
I must be going.

For my sake you must stay,
for if you go away,
you'll spoil this party
I am throwing.

I'll stay a week or two,
I'll stay the summer through,
but I am telling you,
I must be going.

[Beregond2]

15. "The only way he loses...?"

I can't imagine any way he wins!

[amb123]

16. If McCain does badly in the debate and claims he had no prep time

my question would be: If McCain has, as he claims, "Experience", how much prep time does he really need?

[Erin Elizabeth]

17. He's been in the Senate for 26 years.

He's run for president before. He's debated before. If he's not prepared for this by now, he never will be. I've been in my career field for 15 years and I'd participate in a debate on the issues in my field at a moment's notice and not bat an eye. It's what I live and breathe every day. Of course, he IS the most absent senator in the Senate, so.....

AND he claims to have all this foreign policy expertise, so what's he worried about? (LOL.)