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McCain doesn't even know how to use the internet, do you really think he is tech-savvy enough to use a cell phone to somehow watch Obama or access the questions?

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ORIGINAL: ManimalX

McCain doesn't even know how to use the internet, do you really think he is tech-savvy enough to use a cell phone to somehow watch Obama or access the questions?

Plus, as I already typed, McCain was surrounded by Saddleback staff and Secret Service. Oh, wait, I forgot. Rick Warren covered it up and swore his staff to silence on the issue because he is an evil right wing conspirator who wants Obama to lose. Silly me.

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ORIGINAL: ManimalX

On Hannity's radio program yesterday Rick Warren confirmed that McCain was with Saddleback staff AND Secret Service the entire time, and that the monitor in the green room used by McCain had been completely disconnected and taken offline the day before. Pastor Warren was absolutely confident that McCain had no access to the forum questions.

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I have to admit great disappointment in seeing certain people on the left perpetuating a completely unsubstantiated charge by making up conspiratorial scenarios whereby McCain somehow surreptitiously acquired the answers.

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I, for one, am not accusing McCain of "cheating" in the forum - just that the notion of him being completely sealed off in a "cone of silence" from any warning or tip-offs as to what his questions would be is ridiculous in the age of wireless tech.

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In addition, I think it would also be fairly obvious what sort of questions would be asked...there was nothing unexpected in Rick Warren's questioning.

In all honesty, should it have really mattered who went first or second?

But I'll admit, I'm sure enjoying all the whining from the left!

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You may not intentionally being doing so todd, but you are perpetuating the idea that he did. Speculating about someone might be able to do something they are accused of only perpetuates the notion that they did.

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In politics, esp in a campaign where so much for a candidate is on the line, almost any advantage will be taken to allow "Person A" to get a leg up on "Person B."

Had McCain been first on stage with Warren, I'd hardly be shocked if someone from the Obama camp were hanging back relaying questions to campaign higher-ups.

It's not cynicism, it's just reality. Ask Karl Rove.

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ORIGINAL: ManimalX

Given the fact that Warren gave both candidates a general overview of the interview he would be conducted, plus the fact that each candidate was given the first two questions specifically, plus the fact that Obama actually was given a third specific question beforehand, plus the fact that McCain would have only had 30 minutes or so to "formulate" his answers... well, it all still equals one thing: McCain did a better job.

Somebody call the waaaaaambulance and the cryway patrol, the messiah has been embarrassed!

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Your excuse here seems to be, "I'm doing this because others would be any way".

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To quote a certain, well-known Washington phrase: "Politics ain't beanbag."

Neither camp in this election is lily white, nor walks on water.

Look at the misinformation flying about from both McCain and Obama's spin factories:

http://www.factcheck.org/

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But that doesn't excuse you for perpetuating the nonsense.

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I truly don't know, but you can't tell me it's impossible

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I suppose I just don't have the same faith in people that you do during an election year.

Did McCain's people help him out with advanced information on key questions?

I truly don't know, but you can't tell me it's impossible.

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Not impossible, but then no proof either. Perhaps McCain was just on his game moreso than Obama that night.

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Of course the same could be suggested that Obama managed to snag info about the questions beforehand (anything is possible)...

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but that would just make his bumbling responses all the more pathetic...

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ORIGINAL: todd_t

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McCain doesn't even know how to use the internet, do you really think he is tech-savvy enough to use a cell phone to somehow watch Obama or access the questions?

I really hope you're kidding here.

If McCain doesn't know how to use a cell phone, what does he prefer? Smoke signals?

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That of course is the problem - if the fact that something is 'possible' makes it likely, then there is no end to which one campaign could accuse the other of misdeeds.

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Presumably you value American principles of accusation and evidence, and in keeping with those priciples accusations follow evidence, not 'possibility'.

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Presumably you value American principles of accusation and evidence, and in keeping with those priciples accusations follow evidence, not 'possibility'.

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But the political sphere is not always a courtroom where facts and evidence mean a whole lot.

During an election year, public perception (and how it can be molded) is key - not facts.

Look at what Corsi helped do to John Kerry in 2004 with the book he co-wrote about his war record. That text (like his current one about Obama) was bursting with innuendo and very little fact.

Yet it didn't stop Fox "News" from bellowing such misinformation on a nightly basis.

Sorry, if I'm getting off track here.

I appreciate your point, and agree there is no direct evidence that McCain was tipped off on the question he'd be asked.

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Simply because something does happen - for example lying about an opponent - doesn't mean that it is right that it happens.

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But it's the second argument that concerns me - you are implying that your comments are justified as a result.

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That's not what I'm driving at.

Lying and slander in campaigns are indeed not justified, and I'm not lying here.

What I'm saying is that despite a lack of any direct evidence to the contrary, I cannot 100% rule out the possibility (however likely or not) that McCain was somehow tipped off by his staffers as to the questions.

That is not a conviction based on direct knowledge, it's just a personal hunch based on what people are capable of during an election year to try and give their man an edge.

Look at it this way: Sherlock Holmes dealt in clues and evidence to solve cases, but more so used his instincts on human nature (in this case, political) to fill in the missing gaps to establish the what, who, where, and when.

Were I Holmes here, I would have zero in terms of hard clues, but that still doesn't mean I have zero suspicions - even if they are little ones in the back of my head.

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Well I can't rule out the possibility that Obama is secretly meeting with Al Qaeda operatives - but to suggest he is based on a 'personal hunch' (which I don't have, by the way) would be out of line.