The Last Presidential Debate 10.15.08 @ 9PM

[aggieAXO]

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.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by aggieAXO

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

[ajuhdg]

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!

[RU OX Alum]

no matter who wins I won't like the vice-president

[MysticCat]

I do think it was McCain's best debate yet except . . .

We watched it on CNN which had a split screen most of the time. The looks on McCain's face when Obama was talking were priceless, and not in a good way for McCain. It was almost like he was trying live up to the characterization of him as an angry, erratic old man. One of the pundits on CNN (can't remember who) said afterward that he looked an old Mr. Crotchety who's always yelling "Get off my lawn, y' darn kids!" It not look presidential.

And I have to comment on this as well: At one point I asked my wife if there was something wrong with McCain's dentures. I don't know that he wears them, and there's nothing wrong with wearing them, but his speech at times sounded like someone whose dentures aren't fitting quite right, and I didn't think it was helping his image of the candidate in his 70s with Sarah Palin as his running mate. Ten or fifteen minutes later, my 11-year-old came downstairs to get something before bed. He watched for a couple of minutes and then asked, "Is something wrong with McCain's dentures?" Yes, I laughed.

As for McCain going after Obama, that didn't play well with CNN's Ohio focus group. Their dial-meter readings dropped off noticeably when McCain did that. Same thing with Joe the Plumber. As soon as those words would come out of McCain's mouth, the approval would drop off markedly.

It was McCain's best debate, but as someone said, too little too late, and it was aimed at the wrong people. It played well to McCain's supporters -- it energized them and injected some much needed enthusiasm for the McCain campaign. But they aren't the people McCain needed to reach -- he needed to reach the independent/swing voters who are still deciding. Going on the attack about Ayers and acting like he can't control his anger don't help him get that group. (ETA: And he needed to try and convince some who are planning to vote for Obama to change their minds.) To those people, McCain "going on the attack" didn't look bold and decisive; it looked, well, erratic, angry and irrelevant to what people care about (the economy). Meanwhile, what looked like Obama's "smugness" to McCain's supporters looked, I think, like self-control and coolness-under-pressure to others.

All the polls I saw were showing the perception that Obama won hands down. I think we've hit the point where most people were seeing McCain (and Obama) through the lens of the opinions they'd already formed.

[LeslieAGD]

I'd like to see a "Miss America" style debate. You get two minutes to answer a question and your competitor is in a little soundproof booth so you can't hear their answer. If you don't respond to the actual question, you don't "move on" (ie - you get skipped for the next question). No going back and commenting on previous responses!

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by LeslieAGD

I'd like to see a "Miss America" style debate. You get two minutes to answer a question and your competitor is in a little soundproof booth so you can't hear their answer. If you don't respond to the actual question, you don't "move on" (ie - you get skipped for the next question). No going back and commenting on previous responses!

as long as there is no bathing suit competition...it sounds like a fine idea....

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I do think it was McCain's best debate yet except . . .

We watched it on CNN which had a split screen most of the time. The looks on McCain's face when Obama was talking were priceless, and not in a good way for McCain. It was almost like he was trying live up to the characterization of him as an angry, erratic old man. One of the pundits on CNN (can't remember who) said afterward that he looked an old Mr. Crotchety who's always yelling "Get off my lawn, y' darn kids!" It not look presidential.

And I have to comment on this as well: At one point I asked my wife if there was something wrong with McCain's dentures. I don't know that he wears them, and there's nothing wrong with wearing them, but his speech at times sounded like someone whose dentures aren't fitting quite right, and I didn't think it was helping his image of the candidate in his 70s with Sarah Palin as his running mate. Ten or fifteen minutes later, my 11-year-old came downstairs to get something before bed. He watched for a couple of minutes and then asked, "Is something wrong with McCain's dentures?" Yes, I laughed.

As for McCain going after Obama, that didn't play well with CNN's Ohio focus group. Their dial-meter readings dropped off noticeably when McCain did that. Same thing with Joe the Plumber. As soon as those words would come out of McCain's mouth, the approval would drop off markedly.

It was McCain's best debate, but as someone said, too little too late, and it was aimed at the wrong people. It played well to McCain's supporters -- it energized them and injected some much needed enthusiasm for the McCain campaign. But they aren't the people McCain needed to reach -- he needed to reach the independent/swing voters who are still deciding. Going on the attack about Ayers and acting like he can't control his anger don't help him get that group. (ETA: And he needed to try and convince some who are planning to vote for Obama to change their minds.) To those people, McCain "going on the attack" didn't look bold and decisive; it looked, well, erratic, angry and irrelevant to what people care about (the economy). Meanwhile, what looked like Obama's "smugness" to McCain's supporters looked, I think, like self-control and coolness-under-pressure to others.

All the polls I saw were showing the perception that Obama won hands down. I think we've hit the point where most people were seeing McCain (and Obama) through the lens of the opinions they'd already formed.

I had the exact same reaction to the split screen -- it did NOT do McCain any favors. And I agree with everything you posted above, I also read that fivethirtyeight.com article this morning and agree with it, too.

[NutBrnHair]

The split screen also showed Obama smiling & laughing when McCain spoke.