Saddleback a Comfy Fit for McCain – an op-ed by Alan Schroeder

In an op-ed piece for the Boston Globe yesterday, Presidential Debates author Alan Schroeder explains how the appearance of both candidates over the weekend at Rick Warren’s Saddleback church sheds light on what to expect for the upcoming presidential debates on television.

McCain’s superior sense of showmanship could prove important in a debate, not just to journalists but to audiences as well. On Saturday night McCain directly addressed the folks in the church pews, whereas Obama engaged in an intellectual colloquy with the moderator, placing a filter between himself and the spectators. Though different formats will be employed in the fall debates, it is interesting that at Saddleback Obama opted for a relatively circumspect communication approach.

To read other posts by Alan Schroeder, including his take on the Vice-Presidential debates, click here.