Matt Yglesias

Sep 19th, 2008 at 4:25 pm

The Football Factor

People say they’d rather watch a football game with Barack Obama than with John McCain by a narrow 50-47 margin.

I’d be more interested in turning this issue around. There’s a swathe of the population for whom, even if you think McCain would be a better president, you’d still guess that socializing with an ornery old man would be unpleasant. Given that, what would be the best possible McCain-related social scenario. I’m thinking that watching a football game’s not a bad choice. One of the best things about football is its broad demographic appeal — black and white, young and old, etc.






66 Responses to “The Football Factor”

  1. fostert Says:

    I’d love to watch a game with McCain. I can feed him one beer and he’ll need a nap, and then I can watch the game. With Obama, I’d be engaged in intelligent conversation and miss the game.

  2. The Dean Says:

    Given that, what would be the best possible McCain-related social scenario.

    Hunting with Maverick, Dubya, and Cheney.

  3. Chris Says:

    I’d rather be a POW with Barack Obama. If I was a POW with John McCain, we wouldn’t only be tortured, but McCain would later say, “Oh, you weren’t tortured, under American law, but since I was a POW, I deserve to be president!”

  4. too many steves Says:

    And, as every literate American should know, even Nixon could be human when talking about football.

  5. rupert Says:

    Watch an NBA game with Obama and golf with McCain.
    Actually, I’d rather watch with Michelle Obama……

  6. bob Says:

    My 2 thoughts:

    1. Who would you rather go to a movie with?

    2. Who would you rather try to pick up ladies with?

    #1 is like football (no need to deal with the other person). #2 I just thought would be funny.

  7. djslippyb Says:

    C’mon, it’s got to be playing craps with McCain!

    And yes, that’s my third comment in the last two hours that references craps.

  8. bperk Says:

    I’d guess that McCain probably plays a mean game of shuffleboard.

  9. scythia Says:

    Given that, what would be the best possible McCain-related social scenario?

    1. Debutante ball.
    2. Happy Hour shot contest.

  10. Jamie Holts Says:

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  11. john w Says:

    To answer your question seriously (if foolishly), I think the answer has to be boxing. And I’m neither a boxing nor McCain fan, but given his passion for it, it seems it’d be the thing to do.

    I’d like to watch a regular season NBA game with Obama for much the same reason. Just to see what type of offensive and defensive systems he prefers, etc. Hell, I’d watch a repeat of the Olympic gold medal game with Obama. That was one hell of a game, and more entertaining than the standard NBA isolation style.

  12. dannity Says:

    I’d much rather play cards or shoot pool with Obama. That’s really the end all of casual social activities right there.

    I guess McCain would be fun to shoot lawndarts with, or something.

  13. Eric Says:

    Perhaps grab an early bird dinner with Johnny?

  14. Pete Says:

    UFC?

  15. nffcnnr Says:

    it would be fun to surf the interwebs with McCain. Show him the Google and the YouTube and the blogs. You know, those high-falutin’ tools we young whippersnappers use to point out his lies and document his flip-flops and gaffes.
    i would love to take Obama out on the disc golf course. It’s the only (sporting? athletic?) activity i think i could kick his ass in. That is, besides bowling.

  16. jimble Says:

    To be honest, Obama doesn’t seem to have much of a sense of humor so I’d much rather hang out with McCain while Obama’s busy running the country.

  17. Brent Says:

    Ugh. Every play would be the most transcendant, incredible play of our time. And you thought ESPN was over the top with hyperbole…

    “We’re all Falcons now.”

    “I would fire the chairman of the chains crew.”

    “Instant replay is the most transcendant issue of our time.”

    “We’re all Raiders now.”

  18. Comment Says:

    McCain is at his best when he is on shows like Leno – He comes off as funny in an old fashioned way.

    McCain would be funny on a cooking show. That Rachael Ray show seems a poor choice

    He would be hilarious on Iron Chef

  19. Ornery Old Man Says:

    I resemble that remark.

    And get off my lawn.

  20. Comment Says:

    Sports talk can be a negative for McCain – If you saw his interview on Espn a while back most of his references were very dated (Ted Williams etc)

    Obama has much better command of current sports

  21. cmholm Says:

    The only scenario to prefer watching football with McCain is if I can load him up with plenty of martinis. That’ll either keep him quiet, or get ‘em hollering like a freakin’ monkey.

  22. SHF Says:

    Brent, too funny.

  23. Flo Says:

    Sounds like Brent is watching with Chris Matthews…

  24. aleks Says:

    I bet McCain could give a mean guided tour of the best brothels in East Asia, Arizona and Washington.

  25. slag Says:

    One of the best things about football is its broad demographic appeal — black and white, young and old, etc.
    Are a lot of women very interested in football?

    I can’t think of anything I enjoy doing that I’d prefer to do with McCain than Obama. But I guess that’s how personality politics work.

    As for things I don’t enjoy doing: I’d rather go with McCain to a Creationist Museum and listen to all his stories of how he used to ride on the backs of dinosaurs as a youngster.

  26. In what respect, Charlie? Says:

    I’d love to watch a game with McCain. I can feed him one beer and he’ll need a nap….

    Whoa…just for starters, I would hope McCain would have enough class to offer to bring the beer.

  27. garth Says:

    Beer pong with McCain – I bet he’d actually pretty funny during a drinking game (”you little jerk,” etc.).
    Saturday at the pub watching English Premier League with Obama – he’ll be our most soccer friendly pres, and I’d like to put him to the test.

  28. Neil the Ethical Werewolf Says:

    Maybe I’d rather be tortured with McCain. Apart from that, hard to say.

  29. Hector Says:

    I’d rather do whiskey shots with McCain than Obama, I think.

    McCain, as far as I know, is not a creationist.

  30. minderbender Says:

    Slathering on make-up like a trollop.

  31. cminus Says:

    I would definitely rather watch football with Obama than with McCain. I think that the Cardinals’ decent start is entirely an artifact of the general crappitude of the NFC West, while the Bears, despite suffering from their own crappitude on offense, have the defense and special teams to make for a pretty good game.

    I’d rather gamble with McCain than Obama. When Obama gambles, he tends to win, so I think my chances of walking out with more money than when I started are better with McCain.

  32. alkali Says:

    This is an easy call — McCain. If you don’t know offhand how many houses you have, your seats at the stadium must completely rock. Lots of love to Barack, but I am not going to watch a Bears game through binoculars at cold-ass Soldier Field.

  33. Braden Says:

    Yeah, context matters. There’s no way I’d be caught dead with John McCain while standing in line at the DMV.

  34. Mary Says:

    McCain likes strippers so I would say that sleazy strip club Archibald’s on K Street where McCain has spent many a night.

  35. Richard Steven Hack Says:

    Well, as episode two of Terminator showed last week, you don’t want to play pool with the Caminator – she cleaned out the best pool player in the bar. Helps to have a computer brain and optical system that can analyze angles with mathematical precision…

    Of course, they were also a little distracted by her cleavage-baring camisole and hot pants, and her “Hi! I’m Cindy! I’m new in town!” flirting…

  36. lobstakilla Says:

    what would be the best possible McCain-related social scenario

    Joking about his senility while having a drink with someone young and very good looking who is interested in me. Hey it’s McCain related and it’s a social scenario.

  37. sidereal Says:

    what would be the best possible McCain-related social scenario

    Going out for a night of sleeping around with our wealthy girlfriends while our disabled wives hang out at home.

  38. Strega Nona Says:

    “I would fire the chairman of the chains crew.” Nice!

    Also, my wife is asking this of her friends: Who would you trust to babysit your kids. Hands down, no one wants McCain around ‘em.

  39. aleks Says:

    # In what respect, Charlie? Says:
    September 19th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
    I would hope McCain would have enough class to offer to bring the beer.

    I think we can judge from the campaign he’s run that he would not.

  40. Fishdeath Says:

    How come I’ve never heard McCain analogized to Cotton from King of the Hill?

  41. sidereal Says:

    Speaking of McCain (vs Obama) and kids:

    Cutest picture ever. Also one of the funniest comment threads ever.

  42. rapier Says:

    I’m guessing McCain doesn’t know anything about football. I mean what does he know about? Name one real thing he seems to know about? So why should he know about football.

    Now Obama probably doesn’t know much about it but what he knows he knows, if you get my drift.

    Bush knows how to needle people, and that’s about it. It’s said he loves baseball and knows about it. Few know that the players he hired formed the core of the steroid users in baseball. I wonder if he knew that at the time. I think not, consciously. he liked muscle mass guys however. Go with it where you may.

  43. SqueakyRat Says:

    OK, but who’d you rather hook up with, Joe Biden or Wasilla Barbie?

  44. Schmuck Says:

    I can tell you that I’d rather play basketball with John McCain, because I’d probably win.

  45. Glazed Donut Says:

    I’m just glad they didn’t ask about strip poker.

  46. Angry Sam Says:

    McCain likes strippers so I would say that sleazy strip club Archibald’s on K Street where McCain has spent many a night.

    Hey, maybe he was just playing pool at Fast Eddie’s!

    Anyway, there isn’t any activity I’d rather do with McCain than with Obama. That includes flying fighter jets.

  47. simpson Says:

    A funeral?

  48. Bruce Moomaw Says:

    It’s MUCH more interesting tht the same poll showed that people preferred Obama as their child’s teacher by 55-44. Could it possibly be that the fact is now definitely sinking into the public’s consciousness that McCain is a dumbbell (and a self-indulgent, arrogant one)?

  49. Bruce Moomaw Says:

    That second part of the same poll is available, by the way, at http://news.yahoo.com/page/election-2008-political-pulse-teacher .

  50. Trevor Says:

    Rather go to a good party with McCain. I’d look like Tyrone Power and leave the grimacing cadaver to his own devices.

    Not that I go for that sort of thing – but I’d rather see a snuff film with McCain, too. Unlike Obama, he wouldn’t feel the need to pooh-pooh it.

    Would rather play poker with Obama. I think you could bluff him early on and I’d hate to lose to that cocksucker McCain.

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