Luke Russert: Five questions for tonight

Posted: Friday, September 26, 2008 5:46 PM by Carrie Dann
Filed Under: Luke Russert

In his latest entry over at iCue's Off Air blog, NBC's Luke Russert asks five big questions about tonight's debate. Here's a preview:

Will either Obama or McCain go for a knockout punch?
Usually when there are three debates, candidates hold back until the last debate because they don't want to say anything stupid or appear overbearing. Presidential debates are different because more people watch the first one than the other two. So this presents an interesting dilemma: both candidates have the biggest audience they may ever have tonight. They have the opportunity to showcase their abilities and to demonstrate why the other guy is wrong, but do they take advantage of that opportunity?

To read more of Luke's blog, visit Off Air here.

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Comments

How do you help and respect central America and the Caribbean yet trying to limit Venezuela influence on the region with its oil resources and wealth and the madness of Hugo Chavez?

Greenbelt, MD (Sent Friday, September 26, 2008 6:19 PM)

1. How much will moderator Jim Lehrer let the debate be about the economy?

2. Can Obama get his point across without taking a lifetime?

3. How well prepared is McCain?

4. Who can avoid "the big one" and will it happen?

5. Will either of the two go for a knockout blow?

Just FYI... (Sent Friday, September 26, 2008 6:29 PM)

Well, I'm not young or naive, and I am 99% certain that when McCain "suspended" his campaign, he did not prepare for the debate as much as he would have had he kept up his usual schedule.

Only because, I say, his poll numbers dropped. McCain did the same to a debate with Bush in 2000 when his poll numbers dropped.
No way!
No how!
No McCain/Palin!
Nobody but Obama/Biden

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Friday, September 26, 2008 6:30 PM)

Barack's problem -- he's overly trained in the (meandering) socratic method of issue analysis. He needs to learn how to be conclusory without being reactionary!

McCain has the reverse challenge.

My real question is -- How can McCain come out as a "leader" on the bailout issue that he suspended his campaign to address when it appears that someone else took the lead as early as yesterday? What was his name, Blunt?

Giselle, Atlanta (Sent Friday, September 26, 2008 6:33 PM)

http://twocanpete.blogspot.com/
How about one question. Who's going to bring the jobs back from Communist China? Fair Trade not Free Trade!

twocanpete (Sent Friday, September 26, 2008 6:53 PM)

Because of McCain's silly posturing the past few days this debate will be heavily watched and parsed to pieces after.

But tactically, it's smart. By his ridiculous on agan off again behavior McCain has so lowered expectations for himself and raised the bar for Obama that if McCain manages to breathe and stay upright he can claim victory.

You bet they'll each aim for a knockout punch, because if Obama succeeds it's over for McCain. If McCain gets through with an actual statement and not his usual whining and counter charges then he gets to stay in the game.

KN, HI (Sent Friday, September 26, 2008 7:00 PM)

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