John McCain Gets My Vote

For proposing joint town hall meetings with Obama. Yeah, I know McCain made the challenge because he sucks at debate and reportedly does well in give and take but I like the idea. Lord knows, contemporary presidential debates are little more than a series of mini-speeches with the occasional gaffe or enduring soundbite, but they at least put candidates together, face-to-face for a few hours. Town halls would do the same and offer different perspectives.

I recommend three debates and three town halls this year, a home and home series with formats geared to each candidate's favored venue. The nation might learn quite a bit from the experience. If nothing else, the change would add something new to what is already a way too long and tedious campaign.

If three and three is too much, two and two would work. Even better would be an extended series of debates as in Lincoln-Douglas but that's not going to happen in this day and age. Hell, we can't even get a single hour of unscripted exchange.