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Obama To Lose "Height Advantage" At Debates With McCain?
A funny catch from McClatchy -- or perhaps not so funny, depending on where you're, er, standing...
Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama would sit at a table at two of three presidential debates this fall, according to a formal proposal unveiled Thursday, which, perhaps unintentionally, would neutralize Obama's height advantage.The Commission on Presidential Debates proposed the less formal, more conversational talk-show format for two of three 90-minute debates it's seeking this fall. The third debate would be a town hall-style session in which the candidates would be free to get up from high stools and walk around the stage...
Obama is about 6 feet 1 inch tall; McCain is 5 feet 9.
The two nominees haven't yet responded to the commission's proposal. We'll let you know if they do.
Hey, it wouldn't be the first time that completely meaningless trivia impacted a presidential race, would it?
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And I bet you thought you couldn't pile bullshit up to 5'9".
June 26, 2008 2:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
anyone think mccain is really 5 9?
June 26, 2008 2:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm guessing about 5'7"
That damn little runt - I knew he'd do something about that huge difference in their height. Bush was more vain, really - using lifts as well as platforms behind podiums - but this is pathetic, really.
June 26, 2008 2:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Truthfully, Obama is better at debates when he's seated. When he's at a podium, he gets into this defensive position, like he did with Senator Clinton.
June 26, 2008 3:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
I feel like this is one of those things that Obama couldn't care less about and I'm glad to hear he does better sitting down.
June 26, 2008 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think seated debates just tend to favor the frontrunner. It's hard to be as combative when you are sitting around the table, including for the moderators.
For some reason (perhaps savvy negotiating with the networks on the part of his campaign), the primary debate schedule worked out well for Obama, with more of the standing debates before the primaries started when he trailed Hillary and more of the seated debates after the primaries got underway and he led the race.
June 26, 2008 4:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
If McCain is 5'9" then I'm Kevin Garnett. 5'7" tops and he stoops. I'd be surprised if he came up to Obama's shoulder.
June 26, 2008 3:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
he was probably 5'9 at one point in his life. remember, he was a navy pilot and pilots have height restrictions so they can actually fit into the cockpit.
but, that was 40 years ago. old people tend to shrink as they age so, no. He;s probably not 5'9 anymore
June 26, 2008 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know if he's actually 5'9"; all I know is that he reminds me of the Coroner of Munchkinland.
June 26, 2008 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, it wouldn't be the first time that completely meaningless trivia impacted a presidential race, would it?
Not at all. What would be weird is if meaningless trivia didn't impact an election!
June 26, 2008 2:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
At least his intellectual and moral "height" will be evident no matter where they are ...
June 26, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think McCain is 5'9"
Even if they sit at a table, don't they have to get to the table in the first place, and, secondly, won't they have to get up from the table after it's over?
And this:
Hey, it wouldn't be the first time that completely meaningless trivia impacted a presidential race, would it?
Just shoot me. Sometimes it seems that it's about nothing more than meaningless trivia, and the Democrats have managed to completely fuck that up, as well.
June 26, 2008 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain will enter the theater via military issue parachute while Obama will be pulled in on his daughters' Radio Flyer wagon. That solves things nicely.
June 26, 2008 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're on a roll today.
June 26, 2008 3:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Damn, and I was hoping the whole 'flag pin on the lapel' issue was going to be decisive this year!
June 26, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Its just like being in high school.
Appearance counts for a huge amount.
Best "issues" candidate this year was Dennis Kucinich, bar none.
But he doesn't have the "looks" Its too damn bad for America that we can see our candidates before we vote on them.
Better would be candidates you could judge only by reading what they said: screen out gender, race, height, hairdo, teeth, posture, the whole bit that seems to count for so much....
June 26, 2008 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Except then you would be screened off from any hope of judging the truthfulness of what they said by their demeanor, which does matter.
You can't just depend on what someone says - they'll say anything. Look at Bush - he said all kinds of shit when he was running against Gore that we know were out and out lies. Things like not being in favor of empire building - o really Commander CooCoo Bananas?
It's an imperfect system, but you know what? We're imperfect beings. It works ok, given the drawbacks.
June 26, 2008 3:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, a good part of any politician's job is their ability to convince others of the strength of their proposals. People try to crap on Edwards for looking good or Obama for speaking well (or vice versa) but when such an enormous chunk of your job consists of public speaking and private negotiations, it's a valid edge.
June 26, 2008 3:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
The measurements that are most important, intellect and temperament, can be measured either sitting or standing which puts Senator McCain at a severe disadvantage.
June 26, 2008 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
They didn't want McCain to get tired standing up for that long of a period. :P
June 26, 2008 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama should ask for a reclining chair, put his feet up on the table and smoke through the whole debate.
June 26, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Definitely works for me.
:)
June 26, 2008 3:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think he'd need to have a martini at hand, as well.
June 26, 2008 3:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
And Michelle, aka "Hot Date", behind him.
June 27, 2008 1:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Has that paperback-sized object that protruded from GW Bush's suit during his debates with Kerry ever been identified?
I never have understood why Kerry never said, "Before I answer that question, Wolff, I'd like to ask Mr. Bush: What the hell is that thing sticking out from underneath the back of your suit"?
June 26, 2008 3:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
IIRC, the Secret Service eventually took some sort of responsibility for it. I think it came out in WaPo months later.
June 26, 2008 4:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am appalled at progressives who mock McGoo for being vertically challenged.
June 26, 2008 4:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Town halls tend to be a bit of a wild card. Remember that George H.W. Bush was torn apart for checking his watch during a town hall while Bill Clinton was busy feeling the audience's pain.
June 26, 2008 4:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
".. the Secret Service eventually took some sort of responsibility for [the paperback-sized object that protruded from GW Bush's suit during his debates with Kerry".
But what was it they took responsibility for? What was that thing?
June 26, 2008 4:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
You know the media will be chattering on and on about how the seated debate format is specifically designed to hide the fact that Obama is so much taller than McCain. There is sure to be a comment about whether McCain is using a booster chair.
Plus there will probably be one shot at the beginning or end where the two are shown standing up, shaking hands.
You can sit, John, but you can't hide.
June 26, 2008 5:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Which is exactly my question - Who's running these debates? I just can't stand one more debate peppered with the most inconsequential trivia dragging on and on while matters of substance are ignored. !!!
!!!!!!!!!
June 26, 2008 5:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
All I know is that McCain's always the last one to know that it's raining.
June 26, 2008 6:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Breaking: Obama will also have to paint his hair white and be drugged in order to appear senile and befuddled.
June 26, 2008 8:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Couple of things:
1. I don't know if I can watch another debate. I'm debated out at this point.
2. Obama should agree to sitting down, which I think is silly, as long as they use a sickly green background. I have been in hundreds of debates and I am almost always standing. It actually is more comfortable than sitting. I hate debating when I am sitting. It sucks.
June 26, 2008 10:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
The sickly green background was just there at McCain's speech so they could photoshop in a cheering crowd of supporters later. Too bad they ran out of money.
June 27, 2008 10:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Don't they always get up after the debate and do the point point wave routine even if they were seated? If so the height discrepancy will have much more of an impact.
June 26, 2008 10:44 PM | Reply | Permalink