Saturday Night's "Debate" in the California Church

We got the impression that the questions for each candidate would be the same, would be given to each fresh (Sen. McCain was assigned a seat in the "cone of silence" so he would not hear the questions and Sen. Obama's answers), and thus each would be spontaneous and unrehearsed.

But I had the impression that both candidates may have seen copies of the questions ahead of time. Both candidates, as I saw them interact with Rev. Warren, seemed to be aware of the questions and responded not as much with spontaneity as with their typical way of answering.

Despite Rev. Warren's intent, it appears the questions fit better into Sen. McCain's talking points than with Sen. Obama's.

In fact, there seemed to be a sense that Sen. McCain had his answers ready and pounced on most of the questions.

Some bloggers and the Obama campaign committee now claim they think that McCain actually did hear some if not all of the questions and Sen. Obama's answers.

There was one moment about 19 minutes into Sen. McCain's time for which I reran a recording to see if I heard him right.

On my way there, I heard Sen. McCain open with a response to Rev. Warren's concern about his comfort in the "cone of silence." "I was trying to hear through the walls." Motive was there, but not enough to be decisive. At the nineteen minute mark, Rev. Warren asked the question about abortion to which Sen. McCain responded he would be the "Pro-Life President" if elected. Then he asked, "Are we going to get back to the importance of Supreme Court justices?"

When I heard it Saturday night, my impression was that he was referring back to when Sen. Obama talked about the justices that he would not have nominated.

As I watched the rerun, I was not far from keeping that interpretation. But the actual words do not provide any clear alternative to his simply wanting to discuss Supreme Court nominations as part of the abortion issue.

But I still feel that McCain had time to prepare his answers and that Obama may have.

There is no question that McCain knew what he wanted to give that friendly audience.

I was not happy with his failure to answer some of the questions but inserted his talking points instead.

And I think he may have really lost the women's vote by proclaiming he is the pro-life candidate.

But it is hard to say whether or not he cheated and was not in the cone of silence.

Update: Criticism of the "debate" Saturday includes the possibility that McCain came late to the site and therefore had an opportunity to listen to the broadcast in his car as he was driven in. While he apparently went to the green room, which Rev. Warren jokingly called the "cone of silence," where the monitor in there was turned off (Rev. Warren asserted), he may have heard enough of the broadcast to have time to anticipate his own responses.

I recall that in the lead up to the broadcast, Rev. Warren said the two candidates would meet briefly at the beginning of the broadcast and then not be on stage together at any other time. It was smoother to have the two meet after Sen. Obama had concluded his turn. But if that was not the original plan, then Sen. McCain could have had a major advantage.

I hope there is a careful review of what happened.

Further update: The McCain people stated that Sen. McCain was still in his motorcade on the way to the site when the broadcast was going on.