This blog post is interesting for a couple of reasons: (1) It provides insight into McCain's growing campaign strategy against Obama, now that Obama is the official Democratic nominee, and (2) it points to how this election seems to be about engaging in "authentic" conversation more than past ones (e.g., all candidates using Web sites & various forms of social media to reach people in new ways). McCain actually suggests, "No process questions from reporters, no spin room." I think this growing attitude is a direct result of citizen journalism/blogging involvement in the media and political process.

The article is a venue to put out McCain's attempt to appear as the agenda setter in the debate planning. The attendant video is interesting on two points. One is the timorous old-guy tremble in his voice as he starts out. The second is his attaching the debate proposal to the raw chutspah of his spin trying to label himself as the agent of change. Right.... very right.

It is not a good story it is unbiased straight reporting about McCain and his PR stunt staged at a meeting of supporters. There are no real details in this story and it leaves you feeling hungry even though you just had a meal.

general information article. No bias one way or the other.maybe the article could have went into why McCain would want this sort of furum,which I think would be a disaster for McCain

sen. mccain's idea, presented here in some of his own words clearly has some merit for both candidates, and some disadvantages. answering questions from the public often provides more information and opportunity for a candidate than those from media representatives. however this forum also can be just as abused with planted questioners playing to a candidate's perceived strengths or weaknesses. a greater benefit perhaps to sen. mccain from greater numbers of people attending to see and hear sen. obama who wouldn't show up to hear sen. mccain.

Good clean reporting on what McCain has proposed to the Obama campaign and their reaction to it. Well written.

Factual. No analysis. Sometimes that's good!

Great breaking news, but I think it is more important as a source of insight into the tactics of the McCain campaign.

Historian, Michael Beschloss, appeared on a cable news program this morning and cited that Kennedy never agreed to these townhall meetings with Goldwater. Doubtful that he would have considered such a venue, but we'll never know. It would have been helpful to discover the complete facts of this story from Mr. Beschloss or other historians who have recorded this reality.

I was disappointed in the lack of sourcing for this information. Sources within the campaign must always be named. There is no discussion of the benefits and failures of either forum to each candidate. There is no defintion of what a "town hall meeting" is nor of what the "Lincoln-Douglas syle debate" is. There is no discussion of the possible reasons for the offer from McCain nor of the reasons for Obama's response. I expect better detail and much more balance to any political story.

McCain is going to be waiting on June 12 for Obama to show up? Talk about taking a good idea (town hall forums) and making them into fluff (will he or won't he show up?) While this isn't a comment on the quality of the article, Obama needs to avoid doing too much on McCain's terms; that makes McCain look like he's in charge of the two of them.

Interesting and relevant past stories on this subject are in-cluded, i.e. the Goldwater- Kennedy planned meetings. The pros and cons of such settings for each candidate is mentioned.