Originally Posted By Mr X Well, the debate is playing out in the background but all I can say while listening to it is...I feel so depressed because listening to it reinforces my original feeling that either candidate could win and I would be very relieved and happy (though I do prefer Obama for various reasons). McCain came across much better than I thought he would, and he makes some valid points (particularly slamming Obama on his lack of experience). But then there's Palin. What a horrible, frightening, utterly irresponsible choice McCain made there! She's just incompetent for the position, there's no ifs ands or buts about it. And lord help us all if McCain dies. Can't support the ticket..I just can't (I wouldn't anyway, since I prefer Obama...but it would've been nice to at least feel happy going either way)!
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << McCain came across much better than I thought he would, and he makes some valid points (particularly slamming Obama on his lack of experience). >> McCain repeated his lines about Obama's experience over and over again, but he really didn't have a valid point. McCain has a lifetime of experience in making bad decisions and judgments, many of those judgments are harming the United States today. I didn't see anywhere in the debate where McCain was able to make a valid point against Obama's judgment. I think the most telling moment of the debate was when the candidates were asked about how the current economic crisis might impact their plans and policies as president. McCain made an outlandish call for a governement spending freeze on everything except defense, veterans, and entitlements. Obama rightly pointed out that such a freeze would be taking a hatchet to an area where a scalpel is required. McCain's inability to respond to crises in any way except for kneejerk reactions is telling of the kind of judgment he will exercise as President. His off-the-wall reaction to this week's Congressional negotiations on the Wall Street bailout are a prime example of this behavior. On the flip side, Obama consistent appears to be calm, cool, and collected in all of his responses. He doesn't fly off the handle, is well reasoned in all of his strategies, and appears to be the more pragmatic of the two candidates. This is the experience that matters most. McCain reminds me of the incompetent boss that is always jumping around from one failed strategy to the next, waiting for something to stick. We've all worked for that guy at some time and it's miserable. Do we want that sort of sporadic and illogical behavior at the head of our government to inflict more pain and damage on the American people?
Originally Posted By dshyates "His off-the-wall reaction to this week's Congressional negotiations on the Wall Street bailout are a prime example of this behavior." I like his calls earlier this week for relief from the evil "regulations" on the banking industry. 4 hours later he was call for more regulations. Then he moved into "Off with their heads' firing mode. Then praised the guys he called for his head. Then he "suspended" his campaign, cancelled on Letterman to "rush" to D.C. only to NOT rush to D.C. and called for the postponment of the Presidential Debate 39 days before the election. Schizo musch? It appears to me that ANYTHING he does is "brilliant" to his supporters.
Originally Posted By mawnck One of the commentators noted that McCain kept repeating that Obama didn't understand something, which would be immediately followed by an answer that proved Obama understood it as well as or better than McCain did.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney Yeah, I agree Mr. X, I watched the debate as well and he DID come off better than I thought. The funny thing though is that foreign policy is suppose to be his thing and was EXPECTED to win, but Obama held his own. So if Anything, just the fact Obama stood up and many say BEAT him in these debates are very telling. And I said this before as well, I want Obama to win, really really win lol. But if McCain won instead, it would be heartbreaking to for personal and idelogical reasons, but it wouldnt be the end of the world either. BUT, with Palin pick, its hard for me to even REMOTELY get on board now. She is a train on the way to her first wreck soon. I cant believe there are still people think this woman is ready to lead the most powerful country on the planet. THAT'S scary!!!! Hopefully next weeks debates should be fuuuuun and if she can actually hold her own against Biden, I will be very surprised. She can barely hold her own against Katie Couric lol.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I attempted to watch it with as little bias as possible, and I thought it was pretty much a draw. I thought Obama was somewhat better on the economics issues and McCain was clearly better on defense and foreign policy issues. I’ve heard that Obama snickered at times though personally I didn't notice that. On the other hand McCain was rather condescending with his repeated claim that Obama didn't know the difference between a tactic and a strategy. Overall they were both really quite respectful of the other man; certainly much better than Gore's eye-rolling and sighing in 2000. McCain did a wonderful job of controlling the much discussed McCain anger. The man smiled more than Miss Texas in the Miss America pageant. Even when Obama was attempting to rip him a new one, McCain was not visibly upset and showed no anger. Although I thought the debate was more or less a draw, I believe it gave the advantage to McCain. I think a lot of people thought that there was no way McCain would hold up in a verbal one on one with the generally smooth Obama. Instead we found out that when Obama wasn't giving a scripted speech, McCain in fact was smoother in his presentation and more able to think on his feet. I think a lot of people also thought McCain would blow it by showing his anger just like Gore blew it in 2000 by showing disgust. Clearly McCain kept his anger in check. So I think because of the fact that McCain exceeded expectations and Obama did not; McCain comes away looking like a winner. Neither man scored a knock-out punch.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney LOL, all the pro-McCain people say McCain beat by an inch, all the Obama people say he beat by an inch---figures .
Originally Posted By DyGDisney >>>McCain did a wonderful job of controlling the much discussed McCain anger. The man smiled more than Miss Texas in the Miss America pageant. Even when Obama was attempting to rip him a new one, McCain was not visibly upset and showed no anger.<<< Smiled-smirked: Potato-potatoe!!
Originally Posted By ecdc >>LOL, all the pro-McCain people say McCain beat by an inch, all the Obama people say he beat by an inch---figures .<< And polls and focus groups conducted with undecided voters immediately following the debate showed that a majority thought Obama won. A lot of others thought it was a tie. Very few actually thought McCain won.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Opinion is a funny thing. It was a very small sample, and nothing was done to make sure it was a representative sample. Yes, they were "undecideds", but had their last presidential vote been for a Democrat or a Republican? At the present time 85% of Republicans plan to vote for McCain while only 78% of Democrats plan to vote for Obama. Clearly, there is a larger number of undecided Democrats out there than undecided Republicans. It is only reasonable that the undecideds would skew towards Obama. Source: <a href="http://www.americanresearchgroup.com/" target="_blank">http://www.americanresearchgroup.com/</a> For what it's worth Newsweek Magazine, which is not exactly the National Review, declared McCain the winner. Source: <a href="http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/09/26/mccain-won-but-will-it-matter.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.blog.newsweek.com/b...ter.aspx</a>
Originally Posted By ecdc <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/27/debate.poll/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITI...dex.html</a> And now a poll sampling all viewers says Obama won.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan I thought, overall, it was a draw. Both men seemed prepared, "presidential" and reasonable. I can't imagine much in this particular debate changed anyone's mind.
Originally Posted By mele Unless one of them came out in a clown outfit or picked up a podium and threw it across the stage, if their minds are made up, no one is going to change them during these debates.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder You know, I think I'd have to admire a guy who would have the confidence to show up to one of these things in a clown suit.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<You know, I think I'd have to admire a guy who would have the confidence to show up to one of these things in a clown suit.>> Just wait for Palin... ;-)
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I couldn't watch Friday night (had a gig), but I watched the tape yesterday and I thought it was pretty much a draw too. Both men came off pretty well, I thought. The polls are interesting showing more people thought Obama won, but I think in the larger picture that even a draw is effectively an Obama win, given that this was the (primarily) foreign policy debate (where McCain is much stronger than on economics), and especially because Obama is currently leading. If you're leading late in the game, you're fine with trading baskets. If you're behind you need better than that.
Originally Posted By hopemax Okay, I didn't know which Sarah Palin thread to put this in, I decided this one. Road Trip listed Dan Quayle in his list of CP candidates that we "survived." And has repeatedly stated that she "is only the VP." Besides the risk of the President dieing in office, sometimes the President is simply unavailable. I offer you this. <a href="http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/VP_Dan_Quayle.htm" target="_blank">http://www.senate.gov/artandhi...ayle.htm</a> "A similar gap between Quayle's backstage activity and the public perception of him developed in foreign policy matters. In late 1989, when President Bush and Secretary of State James Baker were flying to a meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev at Malta, an attempted coup took place in the Philippines. Quayle presided over the White House Situation Room, coordinating American efforts to ensure the survival of Philippine President Corazon Aquino's government. When those in the Situation Room had reached a consensus to provide air power to keep rebel planes from taking off, rather than to bomb them as Aquino had requested, Quayle called Air Force One and had Bush awakened to present their recommendation. Quayle prided himself on his crisis management, but since the activity took place away from public view, and since he could not publicly brag about his role, only "a small spate of welcome stories" appeared." How confident do you feel in Sarah Palin's ability to do something like this?
