Debate: So apparently McCain doesn't know Jack ...

[Final-Fan]

I find it really interesting that McCain gave two apparently contradictory examples of preconditions:

Ronald Reagan wouldn't meet with Soviet Union officials until certain demands were met (glasnost, perestroika). This is consistent with the definition of "precondition" that I am aware of, which Obama subsequently spelled out.

Richard Nixon didn't sit down personally with the Chinese until Kissinger had done talks first. McCain didn't mention any concrete requirements here, just that Kissinger talked first. This is what Obama referred to as "preparation".

I know Kasz216 won't distort my words: Obama seems to intend to do as Nixon did.

Moving on, another thing I find interesting is that at the end McCain said that Obama said that "precondition means preparation", which is the exact opposite of what Obama was actually saying. I don't know what McCain was trying to say exactly, maybe that "precondition doesn't include preparation", which is consistent with other official usage of the word as noted in earlier posts.  [slight edit:] I think you'll agree that Kissinger's position, which follows, is much of a muchness with "without preconditions".