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Debate Reax
- Filed under: Presidential
- Date: Sep 27,2008
Finally, I finished watching my recording of the debate. I have avoided all commentary and internet sites until I was done seeing it for myself. In this day, that is a hard thing to do. Sometimes real-life interferes with politics, and last night was one of those times. Sorry.
Here is what I think in a nutshell: McCain had a solid night; it would be hard to argue otherwise. He did better than Obama. Not sure it will end up helping him all that much though. Certainly not a McCain knockout or an Obama flop. McCain may have made some inroads with the undecideds, and Obama solidified his base. It was a Friday night after all - I can't imagine many undecided people were glued to their TV.
The first two questions about the bailout went to Obama and I was not feeling well (even though neither one really answered them). McCain didn't look too good. After that, McCain took over. Obama was kind of behaving at times in a bizarre fashion, with all his interrupting and facial expressions, though nothing near Gore 2000 levels. The question on Iran was obviously the low point for Obama. I am sure he knew it was coming but it sure didn't look like it.
McCain in the next two debates has to make Obama look like the true leftist he is. He can't just say he is the "most liberal in the Senate." He is going to have to give specific examples and put Obama on the defensive again, which he did Friday night for the bulk of the 90 minutes. I would probably cool it a little on the "Senator Obama doesn't get it" lines. He probably doesn't get it, but McCain did start to look a little condescending after awhile. There is a difference between that and tough, and McCain has to get tougher. He is down a consistent 3-4 in the polls. He doesn't have anything to lose by getting more aggressive next time.
Two last notes. For the most part I thought Jim Lehrer did a good job. Except for when Obama looked to him for help and would say "let's move on." Secondly, I am sure most "flash polls" showed an Obama win. They always do; I can't remember a Republican ever winning a debate poll right afterwards. Now I am interested in what others out there are saying. I imagine there is a lot of "it was a tie" coming from the MSM.
More later as I see what others have to say. Plan on live-blogging the Palin-Biden debate.
17 Responses for "Debate Reax"
I thought it was pretty much a tie too, however what really irked me was CNN interviewing this woman who claimed to them that she was "undecided" before the debate and then "decided" after watching the debate that she was for Obama.
A simple google search of her name showed that she was an Obama supporter and even had a bio page on his campaign website.
I'd already lost a lot of faith in CNN when I discovered that they don't allow most of the comments made to appear which means they are purposely weighting the discussion. Discovering last night that they'd be that irresponsible in vetting someone by doing just a simple google search? Made me realize just how uncredible they are.
*end of CNN rant.
McCain did do better but it wasnt a 'game changer.'
I have one word for Obama; Grandious. More Later.
Obama wasnt being intentionally disrespectful of John McCain. He is just disrespectful of anyone he disagrees with. That’s the way the far left operates. If you disagree with them you are most clearly an ignorant savage and worthy of no respect from them.
It was close enough that supporters of either candidate could claim their guy won. Often in these things the body language is as important as the actual content. It will be interesting to see if Obama continues to interrupt McCain. Seems he is unable to let his opponent finish. He also seemed to have a goofy smirk a few times.
Ben says…
"McCain in the next two debates has to make Obama look like the true leftist he is."
I know Republicans love slogans and name-calling.
Here's the problem you have here, however…
On the two most important issues, foreign policy(Iraq) and domestic policy (economy)….the American people, by a 2-1 margin support the positions of the "leftist" candidate.
So doesn't that make Obama the centrist candidate?
Good people of Ohio! HELLO! I say this because it leads me
to my next sentence "John McCain is a Republican". I will
repeat this "John McCain is a Republican". He is not a NEW
party or a third party, he has been a memeber of the Republican party for decades. John McCAin is a Republican.
If Barak had said only this and nothing else to each question
as a commentator on television recently stated, he would
have easily won the debate. Doing the same thing over and
over and expecting a different result is the true definition
of you know what. If you want your grandchildren in Iraq
with our occupation, if you want to not worry about the
poor or the people with no healthcare, if you're pro baby
and not really pro all of life (for the death penalty and for
starting wars and killing millions of people), and if you're not really for the environemnt, then vote
Republican! I repeat for all of our sake, "John McCain is
a Republican". Thanks. Good luck to all of us and God Bless
America! Diana
I think Diana must be on Obama's campaign staff because what she said is pretty much all they've got, too.
Both candidates hedged their bets on the Wall Street payoff, which is disappointing to say the least.
Lehrer's getting lots of praise but the only plus I saw was the fact that he makes McCain look young.
I don't know about that Lehrer-McCain comparison…but they're both toadies.
So…what if your candidate, John McCain, had gone against the bailout, stonewalled it, making sure nothing was passed…. and then the DOW dropped two thousand points on Monday? What about that?
Would that have proved that ignorant GOP'ers got their way? Like this, "By gawd we'd rather the whole thing collapse than to give in on our pristine ideology."
Would you have taken that risk, larry?
If something does not work on a small scale, it usually won't work on a large scale. I know people who have not talked
to their relatives right up until the end, unless the
relative does what they want. They end up mortal enemies
to the end of their lives. If we don't talk to leaders
who won't do what we say, things will never get better.
A little attention goes a long way with humans. We all
love it and the more you get to know someone the quicker
barriers can come down.
"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" is a phrase
that keeps popping up in my mind. We need to make sure
that America is not developing a personality disorder in
that it's our way or the highway. That seems to be what
Republicans buy into and this is interesting. I wonder if
they run their families that way also. Just a thought.
hey…uh …um..er.a like I said um…if you need me give me a call, I'll be right over here.
That's all I had to hear.
Each candidate should say what he thinks is best, Reverend. I don't know what's best but it seems to me that congress is shooting this through at the suggestion of your friend George Bush, amid a lot of mushroom cloud talk. Maybe it's the right thing to do, maybe not, but I'd like to see the candidates take a strong stand one way or another.
Even Barney pretty much said the bill sucks.
Ratings were down for this debate. Good for the Obumbler it was on a Friday.
Diana said:
"If something does not work on a small scale, it usually won't work on a large scale."
Let me guess: you are for Socialized Health Care. What makes you think that if Heath Care on a smaller welfare level won't work why it would work on a larger level? Follow your own advice.
Ben, I disagree with you about McCain sounding condescending with the "Senator Obama doesn't get it". That is a very catchy line. It reminds me of Ronald Reagan's "There you go again" line. That line killed Carter.
As far as the bailout goes, my worry is that if we pay the 700 B to 1 Trillion to do this, what happens if that does not work. Then we are doomed. I say let the companies that made poor decisions have the same fate as anyone else who gambles for the big win.
No, I am not for socialized health care. We need something
in between. We have great minds and hearts in the United
States. When we use them we come up with all kinds of
great ideas. Th Democratic party is diverse and everyone
does not buy into all ideas. It's best not to think on
a blanket level but to judge on a one on one as each
idea is put forth. If it does not work on a small scale
it won't work on a large scale.
Dear Editor
Our beautiful soon to be Vice President Sarah Palin is the best future leader for this nation, not Senator Barak Obama. Our beautiful soon to be Vice President Sarah Palin is also would be better at leading our nation in the future after a McCain Presidency than Senator Barak Obama would be in leading our nation in the future starting in January 2009. There are great reasons our beautiful soon to be Vice President Sarah Palin would be a better future leader than Senator Barak Obama. The greatest reason for our beautiful soon to be Vice President Sarah Palin's is ideology. Our beautiful soon to be Vice President Sarah Palin is conservative in that she is pro life, marriage, guns, low taxes, low government spending, small government, unintrosive government, traditional and judeo Christian values, Bible reading and prayer in our public schools, and military spending. Senator Barak Obama is a liberal who is anti every thing that I have described that our beautiful soon to be Vice President Sarah Palin is pro about or for. A second reason that our beautiful soon to be Vice President Sarah Palin is superior is because of experience. As a governor she has two years of executive administrative governing experience that Senator Barak Obama does not have. A final reason that our beautiful soon to be Vice President Sarah Palin is superior is because of political accomplishments. When our soon to be beautiful Vice President Sarah Palin came to office she accomplished 3 major things which are as follows: she showed great leadership in the 3 following areas: government reform, the state budget and the economy, and wise use of natural resources. She reformed government by standing up to the big oil companies by breaking up the monopoly on power and resources. She insisted on competition and basic fairness which ended the control that the oil companies had on the state, and thereby returning control of the state back to the people. She also stood up to the special interest and lobbyist, and produced major ethics reform. She lead well in the state budget by generating a surplus which came about by vetoing a half billion dollars of wasteful spending, ending the abuses of earmark spending by congress, and by getting rid of the private jet, the chef, and the chuffer. Economically under her leadership she brought about the largest private-sector infrastructure project in North American history. She also suspended the state fuel tax, and when oil and gas prices went up dramatically, and filled up the state treasury, she sent a large share of that revenue back where it belonged - directly to the people of Alaska . On natural resources she has shown great leadership by beginning a nearly forty billion dollar natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence. When the last section of the pipeline is laid and its valves are opened, will lead America one step farther away from dependence on dangerous foreign powers that do not have our interests at heart. Senator Barak Obama has done nothing, so please vote John McCain for President and give to our beautiful soon to be Vice President Sarah Palin the opportunity that she deserves leading the nation into the future after a John McCain presidency. When our soon to be Vice President does lead the nation as President after a John McCain presidency. She will be the greatest President that we have ever had. Finally she is smarter than Senator Barak Obama
Thank You
John Warren
Oh dear. I could not tell right away if the last post was
trying to make a joke or not. Anyhow, you can't be pro
life and pro war and pro gun and pro dealth penalty at the
same time. But Sarah is pro baby. At least that is something.
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