Barack Obama to hunker down in Florida for debate prep this week

Florida seems to be a favorite site for Democrats to practice presidential debating.

Sen. Barack Obama will spend more time there this week, as he sets up his debate camp in an important battleground state to prepare for the general election's first presidential debate, coming up Friday in Mississippi.

As seemingly designed, millions of Americans are expected to not watch it, Friday nights in autumn often being set aside for things like high school football instead of watching Washington guys in suits arguing on TV.

Obama campaign aides are offering few details to the media but did confirm that Obama will be in the Tampa area as he works to get ready for what is nevertheless viewed as a critical moment in the fall campaign.

Greg Craig, an Obama advisor and foreign policy specialist, will play the role of Sen. John McCain in practice sessions.

Presidential candidates typically set up camp several days before a debate so that they can practice their lines and hone their seemingly spontaneous quips, as well as participate in mock sessions with advisors throwing expected attack lines and debate questions at them.

Former Vice President Al Gore also set up his debate camp in Florida, twice, during the 2000 presidential campaign. Gore was making a claim to the Sunshine State's electoral votes -- which he lost to then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush by 537 popular votes in a disputed election that took 36 days and the U.S. Supreme Court to settle.

So obviously the TV debates played a large role in that contest. Our Swamp colleague John McCormick has more history on this story over here.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Photo credit: Jae C. Hong / Associated Press

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Comments

[steveJJ]

Yeah. Barack is down there in Florida scaring all the blue hairs with his lies about the Social Security being lost under a McCain Presidency. Obama doesn't have a clue. The Social Security he is speaking about would have been invested in government and treasury bonds and would have been insured and would not have been tied to the stock market. Obama, quit your lying.

[Frieda]

I hope he is prepared to answer his party role in Freddie/Fannie mess. As you know, Bush Called For Reform of Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac 17 Times in 2008 Alone... Dems Ignored Warnings

[Affirmative Action]

( Racial issues could cost Barack Obama a Close election. )

Why would you think this when 95% of black voters are voting for Obama, many because he's black ? Now that's the real racial issue. Obama has played on people's emotions with the race card from the beginning of this election, hoping it will get him sympathy and more votes. The republicans are voting in this election too, are they all suppose to vote for Obama ? Is it a MUST that everyone vote for the democrat's savior ? Voters didn't elect Al Gore or Kerry, that wasn't called racial.. Many of us are not impressed with Obama's lies and his thin record and his constantly tying McCain to Bush,when the media refuse to investigate his close association with people like Ayers and Rezko. Shouldn't Obama be tied to these people, he spent years with them? I refuse to vote for Obama ( I'm black ) because I think he's too weak, lack knowledge and leadership and I don't agree with most of his views. I dont trust his ability to do anything good for this country.

[Sheldon]

I expect Obama to do very well in the presidential debate with McCain. With the financial disaster now unfolding and dominating the race, history will be on the side of Barack Obama in the first presidential debate.

[Janice Silverman]

Obama is telling the TRUTH about McCain's support of privatization of social security. McCain voted for Bush’s 2006 Social Security Privatization Plan. In 2006, McCain voted for the Social Security Reserve Fund. The proposal would shift Social Security’s annual surpluses into a reserve account that would be converted into risky private accounts. [SCR 83, Vote #68, 3/16/06; SCR 83, Vote #68, 3/16/06]

In 2000 McCain wanted to divert Social Security money to private accounts. The Wall Street Journal reported that “[a] centerpiece of a McCain presidential bid in 2000 was a plan to divert a portion of Social Security payroll taxes to fund private accounts, much as President Bush proposed unsuccessfully.” The plan would put workers’ retirement money into the risky market and reduce the amount of Social Security payments they would receive from the government. The plan would undermine the Social Security system. [Wall Street Journal, 3/3/08]

McCain STILL proposes privatizing Social Security—despite what his website says. McCain told the Wall Street Journal he still backs a system of private retirement accounts that he supported in 2000 and President Bush pushed unsuccessfully. The Journal reported he “disowned” details of a proposal on his 2008 campaign website that says he would “supplement” the existing Social Security system with personally managed accounts. But when asked about the position change he denied it and promised to change the website to reflect his true position. “I’m totally in favor of personal savings accounts… As part of Social Security reform, I believe that private savings accounts are a part of it—along the lines that President Bush proposed,” McCain told the Journal.[Wall Street Journal, 3/3/08; Campaign Website, accessed 3/3/08]

[steve rodriguez]

I guess that we all should vote for Obama to avert the possiblity of a riot! Is this the Dems scare tactic?

[john dempsey]

Is he trying to be like John Kennedy working on his tan before the debate? Will anybody notice.