Media: The Town Hall Format Favors McCain

[Neecy]

We've been hearing this all day from the talking heads, but is it true?

I'll admit - I watched a lot of McCain's town halls during the primary and over the summer. I think it's a terrible format for him tonight, and here's why:

1. His town halls so far have been in front of friendly audiences who chuckle at his lines and heckle his opponent. The ONE time he got a question that wasn't completely fawning was a couple of months ago, when a veteran questioned him about his support for veteran's issues. McCain suddenly became an aggressor and was rude, snide, and sarcastic - with a fellow veteran. He finally dismissed him with a flip comment. All of his negatives were front and center: angry, aggressive, rude, unstable. Now, Brokaw may try to protect him from serious questions that are in the least bit negative, but in any event this won't be a fawning GOP audience - which spells trouble for McKeating.

2. He looks better behind a podium. Period. When McCain is moving he looks ancient, elderly, last-legs old. He clearly has arthritic hips and has to hitch his legs to move in enclosed spaces, making him walk like a penguin. When he's moving and angry it adds to his aggressor persona. But mainly he doesn't move well and the overall impression I get of him in town halls is that he's far older physically than his 72 years. Contrast this with Obama in every way and the effect won't be good. McCain also tends to mug much more in front of an audience than he does behind a podium - and his mugging, should it turn angry, won't go over well.

3. He's in trouble and he knows it. I'm sure he's getting heat from every GOP officeholder in the country about how poorly this campaign has been run. He probably thinks he has to hit, and hit hard. But in a town hall, he won't be hitting at the 'liberal media' - he'll have to come out swinging against a fellow citizen, or completely ignore a voter's question and strike out at Obama. Either scenario will look terrible for him. It's a no-win.

So I'm actually kind of happy at how the media is raising expectations for McCain tonight, because he absolutely won't be able to deliver.