Mississippi Definitions
Throw most of the of tonight's debate preview stories out the window (but do see also Ross Smith's extensive, hot off the press preview just below). In the last three days the political landscape has transformed in essential ways.
Who has a memorable misstep, who wears the right tie, which exceeds expectations all matter, of course, but not in the same way they did when the Ole Miss debate was hyped as politically seismic.
Two events fundamentally change the narrative: McCain's "suspension" of his campaign and the economic "crisis" on Wall Street.
Debate Held Hostage
McCain's placing the debate in doubt, whether bold or erratic, diminishes the importance of strategic minutia. We recognized we'd be just fine if the debate were canceled, reminding us that the stage is much larger than the one in the Ford Center, Oxford Mississippi.
And the new landscape from Wall Street, to corridors of power in Washington, to rebellious Main Street is more serious than another campaign event, however outsized.
Winning the Debate
A day ago I advised to the candidates to not be risky, but to take some risks. To be attuned to ways their messages will be parsed, used and misused. I think my advice today is much simpler. The candidate who wins the debate tonight is the one who can concisely define who we are and where we are as Americans.
Ronald Reagan crystallize voters sentiment when he asks in his 1980 debate with Carter, "Are you better off then you were four years ago." Uncertainty pervades the election in ways not imaginable before the credit meltdown. Which candidate can memorably answer these questions?
- What is happening with the American economy?
- What just took place on Wall Street and in Washington?
- What ought the future to look like?
- What does leadership mean in this world?
The Responsibility at Hand
The winning candidate needs to transcend the petty, define the exigencies, and enact the bipartisan mantle both camps seek. Tonight's debate is certainly important but for different reasons than last week.
It presents a unique opportunity to rhetorically construct reality much like we remember Franklin Roosevelt's redefining another banking crisis in his first fireside chat from the White House, March 12, 1933.
"After all there is an element in the readjustment of our financial system more important than currency, more important than gold, and that is the confidence of the people. Confidence and courage are the essentials of success in carrying out our plan. You people must have faith; you must not be stampeded by rumors or guesses. Let us unite in banishing fear. . .
It is your problem no less than it is mine. Together we cannot fail."
