The Last Presidential Debate 10.15.08 @ 9PM
 

Thoughts...

I personally think it was McCain's best debate yet!

I'm still really impressed with Obama's debate performaces. I'm glad he defended himself when McCain spoke about negative ads.

Results? I'm guessing 50/50. I saw no real overall winner! McCain won the first half, Obama defeated John in the last half!

McCain seemed to think that Joe the Plumber would make more than $250K a year. I seriously doubt that.

When they were talking about the crazies at McCain/Palin rallies and Obama pointed out that Palin never stopped and corrected people who yelled "terrorist" or "Kill Him", McCain didn't defend her. He said that he has made a point to always stop that kind of talk when he hears it.

Obama said that 100% of McCain's ads were negative. I think that's wrong. I saw one that wasn't.. that touts the McCain/Palin "Maverick" line. I don't think that one mentions Obama at all.

McCain was right that Obama's ad about stem cell research simply says "stem cell research" and not "embryonic stem cell research" which really is a key distinction to those who oppose the embryonic stem cell research. I've never heard anybody complain about adult stem cell research.

Those are the main discrepancies I picked up. They were definitely more lively in this one.

Nothing new for me either. I, of course, think McCain smoked him. He stayed on top of every topic, and seemed to listen to EVERY word BO said, and corrected it when necessary. Obama sounded like the same 'shell' of a man I've thought he's been this whole time. No substance to him.

Did anyone here Dennis Miller on O'Reilly? He sounded a little hopped up on something, but it was still funny.

I just looked at them both while they were looking into the monitor. BO really makes me think of Bush, blahblahblah, I don't really know what I'm talking about, but I'll pretend like I do, blahblahblah. McCain really gave me comfort, but maybe I'm just an 'ageist' and think the older male thing is more presidential. Did y'all catch the snip at BO about 'if you wanted to run against Bush, you should've done it three years ago!' that was funny.

Polls, Polls, Polls
 

Waiting on the polls...

Are there any reports out?

Wow! That's the first... Barack Obama reminds you of George Bush! Gee....I see SOO many differences.

I laughed at McCain's comment about running against Bush, because it was a possible come back I have thought of since the very first debate. I was just waiting for John to say it!

Far and away McCain's best debate. He finally won tonight in my opinion instead of just having both candidates get bogged down, but despite the fact it was a win, it wasn't the knockout he needed. Too little, too late. If we had that John McCain the whole campaign he wins with a decent margin, but finally showing up at the last debate won't turn the tide. McCain has fought back from being behind before, and I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think it was enough.

Actually a plumber who owns a plumbing business and employs several plumbers can easily exceed this amount. I believe that is what the 'Joe Plumber' was referring to.

I agree that this was McCain's best debate yet but I don't believe that he smoked Obama. Obama stayed very cool and collected when challenged and I like that. I think that McCain accomplished his goal of 'going after Obama' so to speak pretty effectively. I loved the format and I think that both candidates were able to speak to some of the false accusations that are being said about them. My humble opinion is that this will help McCain in the polls but not enough to overcome Obama's momentum.

McCain did very well. AAAAAAAAAAAH if only he hadn't picked an arch-conservative as his running mate! Palin can NOT be allowed to become President, and if McCain wins, she'd be one heartbeat away.

Meh. Connecticut isn't exactly a battleground state, so it's not like my vote counts. :rolleyes:

Oh, and I forgot the highlight of the debate.

Now Republicans have a nickname to call America's new big-tax, big-spend overlord:
SENATOR GOVERNMENT. Funniest mis-speak in politics I've heard in a long time because, well, it fits.

CrackerBarrel--I have to admit, I laughed at that too!! Only because the mistake was convenient for John at that moment.

I listened to the first half of the debate while driving to an event, and I had a really hard time following McCain. Maybe it came across better on TV, but on NPR it sounded like he couldn't keep his thoughts straight. I much prefer Obama's style of debating, which is very calm and deliberate. McCain's style reminds me so much of George Bush, with his giggling at his own jokes and periods of veryfasterratictalk mixed with the slow, condescending pandering.

I was tired of hearing John McCain whine about how BO did not repudiate Lewis' words. Get over it. Move on. And the thought of Palin becoming president scares the h**l out of me.

I guess I am the only one that heard "breasts of fresh air"...McCain was doing fine early on but midway thru the debate right after Obama explained Ayers and ACORN and kept it moving, McCain looked like he got angry because he couldn't fluster Obama. I didn't listen to too much of the policy because it was all stuff we heard before but a big thing I noted was McCain's inability to explain a lot of finer points like on education and taxes and seemed a bit whiny at times as if he was saying 'Well what about this one?"

I did enjoy Obama telling McCain that if he wanted words with Lewis...call him...BUT I must admit I enjoyed McCain telling Obama that if he wanted to run against Bush he should have ran 4 years ago....LOL...he was getting all feisty and stuff...LOL however that was his last good moment.

Worse yet, he had to have lost a lot more votes in explaining his stance on abortion.

Also was it me or couldn't McCain NOT adequately explain how Palin would be good in running the country should something happen to him?

...at least he shook his hand at the end but McCain looked very angry and Obama looked very presidential and it showed...McCain is not the kind of guy I want sitting at the table with a foreign leader when talks break down and he decides to have a hissy fit.

If nothing else after this is over these guys could start a kindergarten line of political books and movies:

Sarah the Lipsticked Pitbull

Helen the Hockey Mom Goes to the Polls

Joe Six Pack and Raiders of the Lost Vote

Joe the Pandering Plumber

speaking of....here is Joe the Plumber

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081016/...oe_the_plumber

LOL at 'Joe the plumber'.

I guess I'm just not into the whole Obama 'relief' promises. I would say that I'm decidedly upper-middle class, but I know that when you are 'helping' out one group another one will suffer. I don't believe in leveling the playing field in this instance. I don't think that we should be giving hand-outs or 'sharing the wealth' as Obama is preaching. I have a real problem with having to fix other people's lives, because of there own poor decision making. I know (for all you bleeding heart liberals) that not everyone could help what was happening to them, but why are there lines around the corner the first day of the month at the Social Services building. Then the next day, those same people are lounging around outside, doing NOTHING. 'Welfare to work' is a crock of isht.

Sorry for my morning rant, but encountered a guy early today who's on SSD. His reason for being on SSD: 'I get mad. I can't be at a job, because I'll just get mad and walk off.' I see how BO's wanting to help with tax relief, but I just don't think that he sees the domino affect of it all. Raise tax on big business --> big business moves jobs overseas to save money --> unemployment rates increase. This is a very bare bones hypothesis, obviously there is more to it than that. Linked to what we talked about in the other thread, just because you can afford it, why do you have to pay more? Why should I work harder? I'll just stay in my station.

I also think that's why he seemed almost smug and flippant when McCain asked him questions. He had a 'whatever, I've already won' attitude to me. There are people who really take his 'associations' whatever they may be seriously, I was disappointed to see his attitude. I just can't believe that people are so gung-ho to put a 47-year-old, junior senator in office. Do you ever wonder why Chavez has supported BO? Because, he's a pushover, easy to manipulate!