Obama vs MCCain Presidential Debate 7/10/08

[Count Chocula]

WTF is Brokaw doing? He's having as much success keeping these jokers on topic as I am herding cats.

[Xenophobe3691]

WTF? "Do you think Russia is an evil empire?"

Who picked these questions?!?

[Jon]

McCain knows where Osama is. All you have to do is put the cross in his box come November! sigh.

[Count Chocula]

Xenophobe: thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for your service.

What was the question?

Oh, oh, yeah...I'm for Israel! If Iran bombs them, I'll be very very mad. Really mad. Pissed.

[Guardsman Bass]

Obama just tried to outmacho McCain on "being tough" to Russia - yuck. He's also trying to act real tough on Iran, as well.

McCain is pitching his League of Democracies idea again. You know, because it just worked so well in the Cold War, particularly in the case of India.

[Jon]

I assume its the silly format of this 'debate' but I can't say either of them have put on very strong performances.

[Fleet Admiral JD]

McCain gets in the way of the script. Classic. Classic.

[Darth Wong]

Wow. McCain's closing statement was absolutely amazing. I have never seen someone say absolutely nothing with such conviction before.

[Enigma]

For a moment I thought McCain was doing a Bob Dole pose and a few times when he was touching his chest with his hand I keep thinking he was having a heart attack.

[Count Chocula]

Best thing Brokaw did all night.

[Fleet Admiral JD]

On another note entirely, Michelle Obama looks good tonight.

[Count Chocula]

Darth Wong:

Wow. McCain's closing statement was absolutely amazing. I have never seen someone say absolutely nothing with such conviction before.

Ah, but he is but a finger-on-the-doorknob spark compared to the double-Taser-shot charm of Bill Clinton, charmer supreme...

What a jumbled mess this debate was.

If I hear "reach across the aisle" again, I'm gonna puke in my mouth.

The CNN ticker showed that the ladies liked Obama over McCain; the undecided men seemed a little cooler.

Overall, neither candidate got a KO, but I'd give this debate to Obama on points. Me, I'm cooler on Obama but McCain didn't win any points.

One major negative: Obama was actually naive enough to answer a "Yes" or "No" question with a "Yes" or "No"

[CarsonPalmer]

I think this debate was certainly more interesting than the last one. I'll say that Obama definitely won on the issues, and I think managed to get in some better rhetoric. Both candidates were less reserved and taking a few more swings at each other.

My guess is that Obama will be considered to have won this debate (watching the post-debate coverage on MSNBC seems to indicate this), and I think some of McCain's aggressive rhetoric might just backfire.

[FSTargetDrone]

Anyone catch where McCain called Obama "that one"

Who voted for it? THAT ONE!" (points at Obama) that's going to get tons of play.

They are discussing this very thing on MSNBC this moment. Apparently the reaction was it was an odd thing to say and no one is sure what the intent was.

[ray245]

Darth Wong:

Wow. McCain's closing statement was absolutely amazing. I have never seen someone say absolutely nothing with such conviction before.

Ah, but he is but a finger-on-the-doorknob spark compared to the double-Taser-shot charm of Bill Clinton, charmer supreme...

What a jumbled mess this debate was.

If I hear "reach across the aisle" again, I'm gonna puke in my mouth.

The CNN ticker showed that the ladies liked Obama over McCain; the undecided men seemed a little cooler.

Overall, neither candidate got a KO, but I'd give this debate to Obama on points. Me, I'm cooler on Obama but McCain didn't win any points.

One major negative: Obama was actually naive enough to answer a "Yes" or "No" question with a "Yes" or "No"

Come on, the majority of the american people can only see things in black and white, if you tell them things in the world is actually in a grey area, their heads will basically explode. Hell, if Obama tells the audience that the world is grey, people or american audience will think that Obama isn't answering a question.

In a debate round...I don't think there is really time to debate with the audience. A dumb audience I may add...given the nature of those questions asked.

[General Zod]

Come on, the majority of the american people can only see things in black and white, if you tell them things in the world is actually in a grey area, their heads will basically explode. Hell, if Obama tells the audience that the world is grey, people or american audience will think that Obama isn't answering a question.

In a debate round...I don't think there is really time to debate with the audience. A dumb audience I may add...given the nature of those questions asked.

I think my irony meter just exploded.

[Count Chocula]

ray245 wrote:

Come on, the majority of the american people can only see things in black and white, if you tell them things in the world is actually in a grey area, their heads will basically explode.

Wait, wait...grey is actually a combination of black and white! Reach across the aisle with me! Can I get an "Amen?"

IMO, the best question of the night was the obviously nervous housewife-type asking directly, "How can we trust you with our money?" Talk about direct and to the point. Neither response was very reassuring.

[Darth Wong]

What the fuck makes that "nervous housewife" even think that the money she's talking about even belongs to her? She's been spending her childrens' money for years now, just as the whole country collectively has. And whatever excesses they accuse the government of, the worst fiscal stupidities have been committed collectively by millions of people: those oh-so-wondrous "Main Street" people that Sarah Palin wants to put in charge of economic policy.

The fact is that no candidate can really say the truth to the American people, which is that they should stop being so goddamned selfish and short-sighted, and realize that they have to all make some collective sacrifices in order to get the country back on the right track. And since nobody can say the truth, we'll never know how close to the truth either one of them really is. What we can say is that McCain has demonstrated slavish adherence to the Reaganomics theory, and a continuation of those policies would be pretty much the worst thing you could do.

[Ender]

What the fuck makes that "nervous housewife" even think that the money she's talking about even belongs to her? She's been spending her childrens' money for years now, just as the whole country collectively has. And whatever excesses they accuse the government of, the worst fiscal stupidities have been committed collectively by millions of people: those oh-so-wondrous "Main Street" people that Sarah Palin wants to put in charge of economic policy.

The fact is that no candidate can really say the truth to the American people, which is that they should stop being so goddamned selfish and short-sighted, and realize that they have to all make some collective sacrifices in order to get the country back on the right track. And since nobody can say the truth, we'll never know how close to the truth either one of them really is. What we can say is that McCain has demonstrated slavish adherence to the Reaganomics theory, and a continuation of those policies would be pretty much the worst thing you could do.

About the only bright point of tonight was that that question actually came up: We are boned, what are you going to ask us to sacrifice? Both of them dodged it, but still, nice that someone knew to ask it (though it was a survivor of the last time this shit went down)

[Count Chocula]

Darth, quite true. Nobody forced millions of dipshits to take on debts they couldn't repay...they just provided the means for idiots to fuck themselves over. Too bad the dipshits are suffering worse than the enablers...see the thread on tha AIG executive retreat. Damn, that burns me!

Perhaps Congress does represent stupid Main Street - selfish and shortsighted. If gaining a seat in Congress means pandering to the lowest common denominator, it's no surprise the Reps and Senate are as clueless as Americans whose job is NOT to understand consequences.

[Metatwaddle]

The CNN snap poll is in, and it is good.

Obama 54% - McCain 30%

Obama won 54-43 on "stronger leader", 65-28 on "more likable", 57-25 on "more intelligent", 60-30 on "more clearly expressed", 50-37 on "answered questions directly" and +14 (the specifics weren't given) on "cares more about problems of questioners". McCain won 63-17 on "more negative" and +16 on "seemed like a more typical politician".

All of these numbers were only during the debate, of course, not in general.

[Uraniun235]

WTF? "Do you think Russia is an evil empire?"

Who picked these questions?!?

When the Republican Party's own Dear Leader referred to Russia as an "evil empire", the notion of someone asking that question is slightly less non sequitur.

I didn't watch the whole event (I caught fifteen minutes and that was enough for me even if I did have to get to class) but when you get past the wording I think it could be a good question; does the candidate see Russia as a nation of human beings with its own interests and ambitions, or does the candidate see Russia as a 'force of evil' which demands opposition from 'the forces of good'? If it's the latter then odds are I probably don't want that candidate in office.

[General Zod]

When the Republican Party's own Dear Leader referred to Russia as an "evil empire", the notion of someone asking that question is slightly less non sequitur.

I didn't watch the whole event (I caught fifteen minutes and that was enough for me even if I did have to get to class) but when you get past the wording I think it could be a good question; does the candidate see Russia as a nation of human beings with its own interests and ambitions, or does the candidate see Russia as a 'force of evil' which demands opposition from 'the forces of good'? If it's the latter then odds are I probably don't want that candidate in office.

Well, McCain was harping on the whole "America is the greatest force for good in the world" nonsense throughout the debate. I think he said it like 3 or 4 times; from what I remember Obama at least didn't come out and flat out say that Russia was evil.

[Patrick Degan]

I just finished watching the debate via C-SPAN's archived video, and my immediate impression is that Obama actually showed a bit stronger in this event than in the first debate. Worse for McCain —he showed stronger in McCain's preferred format. He was quicker in response when he got his openings, definitely had it all over McCain on healthcare, especially when talking about the death of his mother and how she spent her last months in hospital fighting insurance companies (thereby personalising the issue), and did well mocking Bush's keep-shopping prescription for 9-11.

Obama did not get in the knockout blow, but then, he didn't have to —that's what McCain needed to do. Obama can win these debates simply by not losing. Events are spiraling out of McCain's control and the longer the present financial chaos continues, the less he's going to be seen as the man to change that situation at all, since he is inevitably tied to the party in the White House. This is why Obama doesn't really have to go for the kill when he can sit back and watch his opponent flail in the tar pit as he sinks. He merely has to show himself as confident, cool, and already considering options for dealing with the problems facing the country. In other words, acting presidential. He doesn't make mistakes like looking at his watch or visibly sighing at the Gimp's bullshit and maintains his image. McCain, by contrast, sounded increasingly patronising as he continued addressing the audience as "my friends" and several times slipping back on talking points when he wasn't outright lying about Obama's positions.

In short, the victory in this engagement is awarded to Obama on points. McCain gained no advantage whatsoever, and if the punditry do try generating a buzz for the Gimp, it will not last the week. Especially with the next financial disaster coming around the corner.

[Adrian Laguna]

So, McCain wanted this type of debate? Did he not think of how old and withered he looks when he has to walk around the same stage Barack "springy step" Obama does?

Anyway, I started liking the format after the two candidates started to bend and break it. It was cool because they sort of really went at each other, and McCain was making silly side comments and Barack using his wonderful body language. Made for great theatre, which is all debates are good for, really.