Liveblog of final 2008 Presidential debate
by Joshua • Oct 15th, 2008 at 5:05 pm • 146 comments
Contributors, visitors and friends, please post your thoughts on the debate in the comments to this post. Hopefully we can get a lively discussion going.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 5:15 pm:
I expect Obama to continue avoiding risks, keeping a measured tone unless McCain’s attacks are really unfair. If I were advising McCain, I’d suggest that he doesn’t go negative, and instead unveils some policy suggestion that might make some sense, perhaps announce a surprising cabinet appointment or two. His negativity is starting to backfire. McCain can win with short, punchy, direct answers. With genuine empathy on the economy. If he can make Obama look like he’s filibustering and dodging the questions, he could come out of the evening with a win. If I were advising Obama, I’d consider announcing a major endorsement if he has one up his sleeve, there are lots of rumors about Powell. Or perhaps announce an appointment or very practical policy suggestion. Don’t let McCain steal tomorrows news if he does spring a surprise. Have a few of your own prepared to spring if necessary.
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 6:16 pm:
Enough with empathy on the economy. If we are going to be honest, the American people bear a significant responsibility for causing the damn recession. So I would want McCain to do something else. Enough feeling pain. Thats partially why we are in this situation to begin with. I want McCain to man up and say, “you know the government has been throwing money around like its beads at Mardi Gras. Butall of us citizens are going to have to change our way of life. Not just because we have to, but maybe because constant instant gratification isn’t exactly a positive thing to do.”
Look the man is down anyway and he needs to swing for the fences. Worst case scenario he loses. Oh well, he is already losing. Enough of trying to blow rainbows up everyone’s collective behinds; thats Obama’s gig. Be frank (not Barney), be blunt, be honest. And then sum and say “Its going to be a challenge, and not one that will be mitigated by hopes and dreams. We can do this, but let us be honest about what we have to do.”
He should do that, and quit calling us all his friends.
Comment by Billy Joe Mills on 15 October 2008 at 6:18 pm:
I predict this debate to be exactly like the others – an awful waste of time for people who are capable of accomplishing far more than hearing sweet nothings during a two hour period of time.
I encourage everyone to boycott the nonsense and to be more productive with their time.
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 6:22 pm:
Billy Joe ladies and gentlemen. Isn’t he full of sunshine, happiness and light?
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 6:33 pm:
The table positioning is interesting. McCain’s gesturing may be fairly limited by the table and he could look even less fluid. I think his “bad side” may be facing the camera. Also, its harder for him to continue his previous plan of ignoring Obama, not looking at him, etc, when sitting right next to him.
There is a risk to Obama, if there is a headed exchange, he risks looking like he’s trying to physically intimidate McCain if he isn’t careful w/ his gestures.
That said, at least with them sitting, we wont see Obama gracefully prowling around the stage while McCain shuffles.
Comment by Buck B. on 15 October 2008 at 6:37 pm:
I don’t think Obama being physically intimidating is a bad thing. You saw this during the last debate, where more than once he physically crowded McCain out. People dig that shit in a president.
Comment by Gordon the Gnome on 15 October 2008 at 6:53 pm:
You can say McCain’s gotta focus on policy, but the fact is he needs a Hail Mary. He knows it. His party is pushing for it. He needs a sound bite. I just wonder if we’ll recognize it as soon as we hear it.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 6:55 pm:
I wonder if he can deliver it. His delivery has been flat on most of his pre-canned zingers so far. What station are all of you watching on? MSNBC, the liberal news network here.
Comment by Andrew M. on 15 October 2008 at 6:57 pm:
Obama has no incentive to take any chances. At this point, his momentum is pronounced. He absolutely does not need this debate to close the deal with voters considering there’s still going to be 20 MSM newscycles and a lifetime left on the internet. Nevermind the roadblock of network television he’s attempting to purchase at the end of the month.
It’s hard to imagine what McCain can do tonight that could magically revive his campaign. If they’ve got anything left to attack Obama with, you have to believe it’ll come out tonight or in the spin room. If not, McCain will slowly start to fade.
Personally, I’m more interested in what Schieffer will do. A debate where both candidates are sitting down makes it more difficult for McCain to use body language to drive his points home. He may try to compensate by flouting the rules more flagrantly then anything we’ve seen in the debates so far. After all the pressure on the media and the public’s relative dissatisfaction with not getting very concrete explanations from the candidates, Schieffer may be more forceful. It’s a fair possibility that if any major sound-bite comes out of this thing, it may be Bob stumping one or both of them.
If he stumps Obama, it fits into an emerging narrative about democrats putting the cart before the horse. If he stumps McCain, it may be the final nail in the coffin.
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 6:58 pm:
ABC or CBS.
Comment by Gordon the Gnome on 15 October 2008 at 7:02 pm:
Watching CNNHD. I’m addicted to those +/- audience response lines.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:02 pm:
BTW, Maddow and Buchanon are liveblogging at http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/10/15/1550252.aspx
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 7:04 pm:
Goddamn. I hate that. Creating jobs and Americans are hurting and angry. I hate that. I hate this namby pamby crap. Quit telling us what we already know and promise things you really can’t create.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:07 pm:
“we haven’t seen a rescue package for the middle class”
Great line.
Comment by Jbwestfa on 15 October 2008 at 7:07 pm:
Gordon, some of us don’t have CNN. We’re hurting, remember? Dar!
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:09 pm:
The first half of Obama’s answers have been very good, then he drones on until I need adderall to still be paying attention…
Comment by Jbwestfa on 15 October 2008 at 7:12 pm:
Everyone shut the hell up about Joe the plumber! Find a new fake working class man. Pete the painter. That’s fine.
Comment by Gordon the Gnome on 15 October 2008 at 7:13 pm:
Warren Buffett is a big name these days. I’d like to see an interview with him in the next couple of weeks.
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 7:15 pm:
I thought the whole point of Joe the Plumber is that he was an actual person who challenged Obama at a town hall.
Unrelated note. Exxon took a 9% drop today in the stock market, and the price of oil is dropping precipitously. That is without comment or of any real importance to the debate, but Obama brought up Exxon.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:17 pm:
McCain has good energy right now
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 7:19 pm:
GAHHHh. LINE ITEM VETO IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL!!! ARE YOU GOING TO GET AN AMENDMENT!?!?!
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:19 pm:
the line item veto is fucking unconstitutional
come on professor obama
Comment by Andrew M. on 15 October 2008 at 7:19 pm:
McCain sounds a bit harried.
Line-item veto was struck down as unconstitutional.
Comment by Gordon the Gnome on 15 October 2008 at 7:19 pm:
I think McCain’s been hanging around Palin too long. Sentence fragments, start-and-stop dialogue, off-topic rambling.
Good call on bringing up Exxon, James. Oil’s almost half off it’s peak and still dropping…who woulda guessed it’s old news already?
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 7:19 pm:
I guess the only thing is if McCain amends on calls for an amendment. That would be boldish.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:20 pm:
I would have liked to have seen Obama go into a constitutionalist mode, talking about how the administration has abused the constitution, and we need a pres who has a basic understanding of constitutional law.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:21 pm:
first canned line
Obama should say “well you voted w/ him 90% of the time, hard to tell you apart sometimes”
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 7:21 pm:
Slight zinger on “if you want to run against bush, you should have run four years ago.”
I agree about wanting to clarify the line item veto issue, but it might be so much legal jargon to joe six pack.
Comment by Gordon the Gnome on 15 October 2008 at 7:22 pm:
“If you wanted to run against Bush, you should have run four years ago.” Pretty funny.
Comment by Buck B. on 15 October 2008 at 7:22 pm:
Why would you propose a spending freeze in the face of recession? That’s econ 101.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:23 pm:
Great answer on bucking party line by Barry O
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:23 pm:
Josh, you find any published papers by Obama yet?
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:24 pm:
Always remember–using the word “but” in a sentence negates anything, no matter how nice, said previously.
Comment by Buck B. on 15 October 2008 at 7:24 pm:
Wow, McCain opposed the war in Iraq! Good to know.
Comment by Gordon the Gnome on 15 October 2008 at 7:24 pm:
When Obama said “you’re proposing 8 more years of the same,” that’s when McCain should have said “no, I promise to only run for one term”. THERE’S your sound bite.
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 7:25 pm:
Buck – That is Keynesian Econ 101. Not everyone agrees with Keynesian economics and many people think that it was only WWII that bailed the world out of the Depression, not widespread government spending.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:26 pm:
Town Hall thing is such bullshit. BO stood JM up, so JM had to be enormously dirty and petty.
Comment by Buck B. on 15 October 2008 at 7:27 pm:
Wow. I can’t believe he’s talking that was about John Lewis like that. What a piece of shit.
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 7:28 pm:
I hate this mudslinging crap. I really do. I know it is necessary and everyone does it. But crap.
And both sides are being enormously dirty and petty.
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:28 pm:
Yeah, Buck. I’ve heard it said that “it would be a mistake to apply Keynesian solutions to an Austrian problem.”
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:29 pm:
He just asked McCain if he could get him a tampon
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:29 pm:
It’s not necessary to sling mud. Carter was opposing Ford and he didn’t use it. He won.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:31 pm:
McCain is whining too much
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:31 pm:
Fuck Joe the Plumber, let me keep MY wealth. Pledge to lower taxes for everyone.
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:33 pm:
They’re cynical because they understand that both of you are the enemy, Barack, John, not because of anything else.
Comment by Buck B. on 15 October 2008 at 7:33 pm:
Even if you don’t think massive government spending is the way to pull the country out of recession, that doesn’t make a spending freeze right now a good idea.
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 7:35 pm:
The massive government spending up to this point hasn’t been doing a whole lot of good. And if spending wantonly doesn’t improve the situation, but only depletes the resources that might be useful at a later date, it sounds like an incredibly good idea.
Comment by Gordon the Gnome on 15 October 2008 at 7:35 pm:
Can’t pledge lower taxes for everyone. I’m no class warrior, but Bush lowered taxes on everyone during warfare, which is pretty much unprecedented. And then he cut them again and started a new war. Someone’s gotta pay for it.
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:35 pm:
No, please don’t work together, you’ll do something and that will be a disaster!!!
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:36 pm:
No, they don’t Gordon, end the war and don’t start any more pre-emptive wars. Simple enough.
Comment by Jbwestfa on 15 October 2008 at 7:36 pm:
Uh-oh. Laughing at him. Stop laughing at him, Barry!
Comment by Buck B. on 15 October 2008 at 7:36 pm:
Wow, McCain is going into tinfoil hat territory with ACORN and Ayers. Who the fuck is going to buy this?
Comment by Gordon the Gnome on 15 October 2008 at 7:38 pm:
Chicago Tribune is a Republican-leaning newspaper? I’m not so sure about that.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:38 pm:
Ayers as the centerpiece of mccain’s campaign, that’s a solid canned line by BO. We’ll delivered too
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:38 pm:
God, the UofI president supported terrorist, too? The Chicago Tribune? Heaven forbid.
ACORN is a detriment to Obama’s campaign, he needs to distance, fast.
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:39 pm:
Chicago Tribune used to the the chief GOP paper in the Midwest when I was in college.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:40 pm:
Tom might be right, maybe he should distance himself from ACORN
Comment by Gordon the Gnome on 15 October 2008 at 7:40 pm:
Awesome VP question!!
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:41 pm:
Drop that ‘g Barack, drop that ‘g.
Comment by Gordon the Gnome on 15 October 2008 at 7:41 pm:
The Trib must have changed quite a bit since then. My parents cancelled their subscription in 2003 because it was too liberal for them.
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:42 pm:
Pah, I find it fascinating that the pollsters reported that this supposedly stupid MILF from the sticks fought the experienced Senator from Scanton to a tie. Silly, silly elitest bastards.
Comment by Jbwestfa on 15 October 2008 at 7:43 pm:
The editorial board of the Trib almost always endorses Republicans.
Comment by Katie on 15 October 2008 at 7:43 pm:
A role model to women????
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:43 pm:
That wasn’t a tie
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 7:43 pm:
The “cutting the taxes who need it the most” is such a goddamn joke. In terms of what they actually pay, the middle class doesn’t pay a whole lot in income taxes, but in payroll taxes. So if Obama wants to help, cut payroll taxes and ignore the income tax.
But he won’t do that, cause no one ever focuses on the payroll taxes cause no one ever has to fill out a tax form for it.
Such crap.
Comment by Katie on 15 October 2008 at 7:44 pm:
John McCain does not have a platform on developmental disabilities. He should not talk about it.
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:44 pm:
Ooops, cronies, watch out, Josh, they’re coming for YOU.
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:44 pm:
Right, Prescott, payroll tax is the silent killer.
Comment by Jbwestfa on 15 October 2008 at 7:45 pm:
Uh, what work has Sarah Palin done on special needs besides have a baby six months ago with them?
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:45 pm:
I support the 3 iraq’s solution, how bout yall
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:46 pm:
The experts called it a tie, Josh. The online polls varied according to who read them. CNN had her losing by 2-1, Drudge had her winning 3-1.
McCain is right, spending more is crap. He needs to stop wanting to use government to do things, too and we’ll be all set.
Comment by Buck B. on 15 October 2008 at 7:47 pm:
Oh. My. God. Oil is motherfucking fungible.
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 7:47 pm:
The canada line was good, relating to NAFTA.
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:47 pm:
Canada is our largest supplier of oil–great point on NAFTA.
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:48 pm:
God Damn it, quit talking about fossil fuels and start thinking 21st.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:48 pm:
Maybe the looney tune experts in Ron Paul land, and dont even try to cite online polls at Drudge. Rational objective observers would not consider that a tie
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:50 pm:
NUKE, Barack, say the word.
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 7:50 pm:
“Senator Obama. You have been hitting the oil companies really hard today. Exxon, a company you specifically called out, dropped 9% today, and helped lead to the massive drop in the Dow today. Would you mind telling us why you are enjoying so much beating up on one company to the detriment of the US economy?”
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:50 pm:
McCain should beat Obama up a lot more about NAFTA
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:51 pm:
I disagree, Josh, I believe, though, that you might not be a neutral interpreter.
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:51 pm:
and by the way, before you start talking about RP, remember, he predicted this collapse, too.
Comment by LT on 15 October 2008 at 7:51 pm:
John McCain is acting like a 72-year-old baby. Whaaa, no town hall meetings. Whaa, t-shirts at your rallies. Whaa, your ads hurt my feelings.
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:51 pm:
and you just invested in the stock market…how’s that going, anyway?
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:52 pm:
“look at” was a good hit by JSM
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:52 pm:
Great, captain red fucking herring
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:53 pm:
hey, I didn’t call anyone a looney tune, just mentioning a few things….
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:54 pm:
Hmmm. Maybe people should only buy cars they can afford?
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 7:54 pm:
Pssssssstttt…Senator Obama. The car industry has ALWAYS BEEN GETTING HAMMERED. Seriously. Let them die. We have been propping them up for years. They made their bed with their crappy union relations. Make them lie in it.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 7:55 pm:
And Prescott loses Michigan
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 7:56 pm:
oooohhhh…recession minus free trade is depression. Not bad.
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 7:57 pm:
Seriously. At some point, you have to look at the board and realize that what you have been doing is not working. And you know what? The car industry has been a loser despite all of the propping up. Some things are more important than winning elections. Getting one more sick industry off the federal teet would be one of those things.
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:57 pm:
Well, whether you lose Michigan or not, if you ignore the Invisible Hand, it’ll punch you in the nuts.
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 7:59 pm:
Aieeeeeeee Health care info online….
No, no, a million times no…..
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:00 pm:
McCain’s doing a better job trying to speak directly to the people, though it seems really artificial
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 8:00 pm:
Odds that there will be two articles on Joe. Who joe is, where joe is from, who joe thinks is going to win the world series?
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:00 pm:
Obama needs to put this fine thing to bed. He used the same attack on Hillary. He should be ready for it
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 8:01 pm:
Hey…I am stone cold sober. No mention of my friends, so no drinky drinky for me!
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:01 pm:
http://www.john.mccain.justgotowned.com
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 8:01 pm:
So, some people have to pay the fine and others don’t under the same conditions? Doesn’t that punish a business for being successful and growing?
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 8:03 pm:
Obama’s standard approach to answering a question. Definitive answer. Then just talk and talk until the audience drifts off.
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 8:03 pm:
I hate to say this, but I think McCain needs to retire. I don’t think he’s healthy enough to make it through his first term (and this is from someone only 16 years younger than he is).
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 8:04 pm:
Yay, McCain got the point….punishing success is a bad, bad thing.
Comment by Gordon the Gnome on 15 October 2008 at 8:04 pm:
Any time you give a special break to someone, it can also be interpreted as punishing everyone else. So every time they’re talking about giving something extra to small business, does that mean they’re punishing big business?
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:04 pm:
Prescott, you’re spot on about Obama droning on too long
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 8:05 pm:
OHHHH…nice freudian slip. “Senator Government.”
Comment by Buck B. on 15 October 2008 at 8:05 pm:
Senator Government! Awesome!
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 8:06 pm:
Oh, transplants aren’t covered? Nice to know.
Fuck it, allow young people who are healthy to opt out of business providing them insurance, take it as pay and invest it. It’ll lower health costs all around.
Comment by Tom on 15 October 2008 at 8:07 pm:
That’s right, Gordon, the government shouldn’t be giving small business anything, either. Hands off.
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 8:07 pm:
Oh crap. Roe v. Wade. Its like the new third rail of politics. Everyone has a position, but no one wants to do anything about it.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:08 pm:
Here’s a rachel maddow/ pat buchanon live blog: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/10/15/1550252.aspx
meant to link it earlier, and i think i forgot to
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 8:08 pm:
McCain is not doing bad with the justice issue. “I voted for people I didn’t agree with because they were qualified, not because I agreed with them.”
Comment by Buck B. on 15 October 2008 at 8:08 pm:
I’ve very surprised to learn Obama voted against Breyer. That doesn’t sound like him.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:09 pm:
He’s waffling all around on this
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:09 pm:
He wasn’t there for Breyer
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 8:09 pm:
Who is Joe the Plumber?
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/15/who-is-joe-the-plumber/
Comment by Buck B. on 15 October 2008 at 8:10 pm:
That was a fucking joke, Josh.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:12 pm:
I think Obama wanted to vote for Roberts, but didn’t think he could politically
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:13 pm:
sorry i didnt get your joke funnyman
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 8:14 pm:
I think the present vote issue was good for McCain. It is not something easily explained away. Obama might have had a reason for it, but it won’t play easy.
Comment by niki on 15 October 2008 at 8:14 pm:
McCain’s creepy smile = extra creepy when Obama is talking about abortion.
Comment by Gordon the Gnome on 15 October 2008 at 8:15 pm:
Tomorrow’s headlines: “McCain is pro-life, Obama pro-choice”
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:15 pm:
I love this common ground argument on abortion – this is the future.
Comment by JayBandit on 15 October 2008 at 8:16 pm:
i hope you all noticed the obama didn’t mention nuclear power at all…he is hopelessly ignorant if he thinks solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal are the only way
mccain needs to stop raising his eyebrows in disgust, makes him look like an asshole
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:18 pm:
WHO DO YOU ALL THINK WON?
I think the media will call this a draw, standard “McCain needed a game changer, and this wasn’t it”
On the silly CNN dials it sure looks like Obama won, but we cant put much faith in those.
I love Obama’s call to service
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:19 pm:
Interesting response on the grids to parents needing to do more
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 8:19 pm:
We already spend more money than any other country per capita, yet you demand more, Senator? There is a lot of pie in the sky stuff, but I have a hard time seeing how it is done feasibly.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:20 pm:
Prescott keeps playin’ his “we cant afford it” blues number.
Comment by Gordon the Gnome on 15 October 2008 at 8:21 pm:
I agree, Josh, they’ll say that McCain didn’t create his game changer.
If he becomes president, Obama will certain have to make nuclear power the centerpiece of his energy policy…too bad he can’t say so now without scaring off a good chunk of his liberal base.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:22 pm:
The lovely Rachel Maddow had an interesting observation:
Rachel Maddow:
So far, I think McCain’s “health of the mother” snipe is probably the most consequential moment of the debate — if anything i’ve seen thus far is going to live on and haunt one of these guys, it’s that.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:22 pm:
Agreed on nuclear power
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:25 pm:
Why cant someone fucking figure out that if 9000 DC kids transfer, all the good schools will be a lot more fucked up, and more people would apply if they thought they could actually get to a good private school. We cant just put all the kids in poor schools in rich private schools and call that the answer. And you cant transfer all the kids who would rather be in a good school. What about leaving all of them behind?
Comment by Buck B. on 15 October 2008 at 8:25 pm:
WTF? Palin’s kid has Down’s Syndrome, not autism. McCain has made a lot of stupid mistakes tonight.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:25 pm:
How much does McCain rabidly hate Obama. More than Clinton even?
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 8:25 pm:
Who won: Schaeffer. After the abonimation that was the last debate, Schaeffer ran a tighter ship.
Based on the score card, per issue:
Economy: They are genuinely flummoxed. That is fine. Basedon their approach, they could get a job on Wall Street.
Education, Energy, most everything: They just preached the same old same old without addressing the genuine barriers to obtaining that. So yawn. (Obama just mentioned that the children are our future. I would have paid more attention but I bought the world a coke.)
Both of them got dirty in the middle there.
Foreign policy: McCain played it better by capitalizing on the whole ‘unilateral treaty renegotiation’ as a negative for obama.
Obama was more eloquent.
I enjoyed the Senator Government comment.
Result is me incredibly depressed because neither of these guys demonstrated the intellect or the fortitude necessary to preside over the most pressing issue which is the systematic rework of the global economy.
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 8:27 pm:
DAMNIT HE SAID MY FRIENDS. EVERYONE TAKE A SHOT.
Comment by LT on 15 October 2008 at 8:31 pm:
Agreed on nuclear power. Why does McCain always seem to imply that the only way to to ’serve our country’ is through military service?
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:31 pm:
Sort of a weak closing by BO
Great closing line!
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:32 pm:
Someone should explain to John McCain that sticking out your tongue like you think you’re MJ isn’t presidential
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 8:33 pm:
Michael Jordan is the man. You take that back.
Comment by James Prescott on 15 October 2008 at 8:33 pm:
Besides, MJ presided over the NBA for years. So to an extent, it is presidential.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:34 pm:
Obama’s body language was a lot better, too much blinking, eye rolling, and grimacing.
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 8:36 pm:
Thanks to all for participating, I’ll ask again for those who didnt weigh in, who do you think won?
Comment by Buck B. on 15 October 2008 at 8:44 pm:
I thought McCain was a complete asshole and can’t imagine him as president.
Comment by Andrew M. on 15 October 2008 at 9:00 pm:
McCain angry, McCain smash, McCain the strongest one there is.
Obama can’t look anything but calm compared to him. People want to feel safe and comforted, Obama made it seem like they would be under his administration.
He just seems more certain on the most important issues, right or wrong. He stood up to everything McCain had to throw at him.
Hand to God, you’ll see this line floating around “Two senators went head to head Wednesday night during one of the most heated elections in memory and John McCain blinked.”
Comment by Joshua on 15 October 2008 at 9:10 pm:
and blinked and blinked. Thanks for the comment Andy :)
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