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Debating society

  • Jon Kelly
  • 26 Sep 08, 07:26 PM GMT

When John McCain announced he was to Oxford, Mississippi, the town breathed a sigh of relief.

The Republican candidate's decision to show up for 2008's first presidential debate - having previously called for it to be postponed - meant that this little college community could hold on to its moment in the spotlight.

The event is a very big deal here. The University of Mississippi has spent around preparing to host it. And the acres of red, white and blue livery outside every store and business in the town is testament to the amount of cash locals hope to make from the temporary influx of media.

Courtney GordonCourtney Gordon, 31, had as much of a stake as anyone in ensuring it went ahead. Her gift shop, the Lilypad, was selling piles of debate memorabilia - election-themed badges, books and mugs - which would have been worthless in the event of a cancellation.

"When I heard it was going to happen after all, I was just so relieved," she said.

"Not just for me, for the whole town. So many people have invested so much in the debate. It's going to put us on the map.

"If it had been postponed, that would have meant we wouldn't have been the first to hold the debate - and that would have devalued the whole event for us."

Marvin BrownIt wasn't only local people who had been hoping that Mr McCain showed up, however. Just around the corner, I met 40-year-old Marvin Brown, who had come down from Chicago with a stall full of Obama t-shirts.

Marvin has been following the Illinois senator around the country with his wares. "Wherever he goes, I go," he told me. He had never doubted that the debate would go ahead as planned.

I broke the news to him that Mr McCain was on his way.

"Is he? I'm not surprised," Marvin said.

"All that was just political manouvering. He was always going to show up.

"I'm looking forward to the debate. Obama will come out on top - he understands the ordinary man better than McCain does."

John and Chelsea HerbertNot everyone was lining their own pockets, however. In the town's square, John Herbert, 46, was charging passers-by to pose with cardboard cut-outs of Obama, McCain or Sarah Palin. ("We couldn't get hold of Joe Biden," he admitted).

John was raising funds so that his 16-year-old daughter Chelsea could attend the Edinburgh Festival next summer with the Oxford High School Theatre Group. A McCain supporter, he acknowledged that his favoured candidate's standing would have been damaged in this safe Republican state had he pulled out.

"I think a lot of people round here would have been really angry if he hadn't come," he admitted.

"Now, though, I think everyone's just really pleased. We're going to be number one after all."

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    They would have held an event anyway, even without McCain. I think McCain has already lost this one with his transparent posturing.

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  • Comment number 2.

    By the way, Jon, after my initial criticism when you started, I am pleased to find that this has become the most interesting blog on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ website on the subject of the US election. I hope your moderators don't allow it to be hijacked for whatever axe someone is inclined to grind. My apologies for my earlier remarks!

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 2)

  • Comment number 3.

    I, also, am enjoying your blog, John Kelly. I think that it was important for this debate to occur. Not only for the people of Oxford and the state of Mississippi who have invested so much but for all of us who need to hear these two men speak together about the issues that so concern us.

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 3)

  • Comment number 4.

    There surely will be no contest when the two are standing on the same platform. McCain looks old and Obama looks young and enthusiastic.....not long to go before the result, either everyone is going to be happy with Obama winning or they are going to be very depressed........

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 4)

  • Comment number 5.

    Jon you are finding your footing. I've enjoyed our discourse today and I look forward to your take on the debate. John McCain seemed spooked and sporadic this week. I really hope he has got it together for tonight...he needs to be fully ready for the spanking that is about to come down. Barack Obama needs to be less professorial and more precise and animated attack dog, at least for tonight. Americians love a fight.

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  • Comment number 6.

    To Jon Kelly

    Is it not interesting that even though this night is the first debate, people are still discussing food and exchanging recipes on the previous thread of this blog?

    Please do not think we are frivolous or that we do not care about serious things. We can be very acrimonious in our disagreements and are very concerned about our country.

    We have had some very difficult times here but I think that your blog thread 'Southern Comfort' has given us all a 'Time Out' to remember that we are all Americans and that many of our memories and experiences are similar.

    I guess you could say that no matter our differences, we can all come together at the table.

    Thank you, I think we all needed that.

    The days ahead will not be easy but I think that we will do our best to change the direction of our country into a more positive direction.

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  • Comment number 7.

    #6 Best post of the day!
    excerpt: "I guess you could say that no matter our differences, we can all come together at the table." Invaluable and true.



    And to Jon: Thanks for providing the "Time Out".

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  • Comment number 8.

    Jon, your blog are telling the USA public something that most in the nation, especially minorities would say was impossible.

    Is the USA finally awakening by it's old ignorance and arrogance, not to mention the institutionalized racism that has existed for over two centuries?

    Or are they finally coming to terms with themselves that "if one tells lies long enough, people are stupid enough and will began to believe them?"

    During the last 8 years (minus 41 days and 9 hours, 20 minutes) the USA tax paying public and the entire USA populations have been living with the lies, the deceptions, the corruption and the destroying of our civil rights and our US constitution by an Administration which based it's government on spreading fear and lies to the US people and to world at large. It has virtually destroyed this great nation.

    Ironically, it should remind us of what most Europeans said after WWII. They said that "Hitler was smarter than Mussolini, but the Italian people were smarter than the German people, simply because the Germans believed Adoph Hitler but the Italians didn't believe in Mussolini.

    Much later. a German said: "We lost the war, but it would have been unbearable if we had won."

    Perhaps now most USA citizens, like that German who made the statement feel that another term of GW Bush under McCain and fundamentalist "shoot em up" Sarah Palin will be "unbearable", for not only the USA people, but for the entire world at large.

    Please, also convey to the "British tax payers" public for providing us your blog and your outstanding coverages. It's an accomplishment that the entire USA corporate news media can never do!

    Thank you.

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