BARACK, SAVE JOHN McCAIN FROM HIMSELF! DO TOWN HALL MEETINGS WITH HIM!

In today's Washington Post David Broder argues that the currently nasty presidential campaign will get less nasty if Obama will simply agree to do a lot of town meetings with John McCain. Broder quotes McCain:

"When you have to stand on a stage with your opponent, as I've done in other campaigns, you obviously have a tendency to improve the relationship.... When you have to spend time with somebody, I think it changes the equation."

Really, John? You mean like this?



Or like this?



Give me a break. Broder and McCain may manage to turn this into a meme that's endlessly repeated in the media ("Senator Obama says he wants a civil campaign, but he refused John McCain's offer of a series of town meetings!"), but not only is "Save McCain from himself!" a ridiculous argument, the evidence of this primary season suggests that it wouldn't even work.

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(I see Michael Crowley of The New Republic already said this.)