The Great Debate

McCain proposed a series of town hall debates. The Obama camp wants them Lincoln-Douglas style. James Joyner hopes for the best:

I continue to believe, perhaps naively, that the Obama-McCain fall matchup will be relatively issue oriented compared to recent contests. While surrogates and 527s and others will ratchet up the noise and vitriol, both candidates seem to have a natural aversion to mud-slinging.

More debates rather than fewer and less scripted rather than more would be my preference and, it seems, that of both candidates. If their campaigns don’t talk them out of it.

Ambinder wonders if McCain just blew it with his timing.