Presidential Debate Open Thread
I might comment a little. Maybe not. Go for it if you want. If you make a good comment, I’ll steal it and pretend it was mine.
2014: My “uh” count is up to 16.
2024: What’s with Obama’s constant interrupting? He’s looking off balance.
2137: Here are a few random thoughts on the debate… Obama got rattled. He was interrupting and his body language indicated that he was clearly flustered at being directly challenged.
Obama was clearly working very hard to link McCain to Bush at every step. He was reaching on occasion.
McCain did a better job managing his expressions and body language when Obama was talking, except that he kept looking over at a specific area. My guess is that he had a handler there.
McCain annoyed me with his talk about global warming and such, but I’m happy that he kept hammering government spending.
McCain did a good job of continually bringing up Obama’s record instead of his current campaign rhetoric.
Obama: “I have a bracelet too?” That was idiotic.
Overall, I think McCain won this one. It wasn’t a slam dunk, but McCain came off as much more seasoned and mature in foreign policy issues.
OK, who won? Here’s how this works… the poll is a sliding scale. The center option is a tie. Selecting McCain indicates a overwhelming McCain win. Selecting Obama indicates a pure Obama victory. Make sense?
Obama is looking Hillary-esque: Don’t you know who I am? *I* am supposed to be the next president. Stop arguing with me! Quit spewing facts! I want to talk about how bad America is!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2027 hrs
“My guy is kicking ass…and the other guy is doing terrible”
Thread over.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2037 hrs
I’m watching the Brewers game. With two beautiful (Conservative) women.
Posted by Steve on September 26, 2008 at 2040 hrs
ATV,
There is such a thing as cynicism beyond reason. Have you seen me criticize Bush? Yes. McCain? Yes. Walker? Yes. Green? Yes. Legislative Republicans? Yes.
You offer nothing when you enter the conversation with that attitude.
Steve,
I’m watching the debate with a gorgeous and conservative woman - my wife
Posted by Owen on September 26, 2008 at 2049 hrs
Obama is proving to the nation that he is just an empty suit.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2053 hrs
Has this thread proven me right, or wrong?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2058 hrs
Does it matter how I respond? You have already formed your opinion after a single comment.
Posted by Owen on September 26, 2008 at 2103 hrs
Their debate styles are very different, but I don’t think either of them is probably performing at their potential best.
McCain is coming off (to me) as less confident than Obama and the words dont seem to flow. He is spending too much time telling stories and not enough on policy (although I understand most people respond better to stories than I do).
Obama is (to me) reeeeeaally riding the pedantic edge. He needs to back off the preachy tone, stop talking over McCain and Lehrer. And I am tired of his hand gesture. It is distracting.They both pissed me off when Lehrer pushed them on how they will modify their proposed initiatives given the cost of the bail out. Their non-responses just screamed ‘not sure’ - which, you know, is reasonable given that this has all exploded in the last several days and the kind of prioritization Lehrer is asking about takes some thinking. At least Obama said (or seemed to say) he would still move forward on top priorities, but it wasnt a clear enough answer for me to know what he is giving up or delaying. McCain didn’t give a real answer that I could tell.
Obama has let McCain get him tense a few times. McCain rambles but so far his famed temper hasn’t flared up that I can tell. I think Obama responds with more policy focus but that might be my own bias.
Posted by hope on September 26, 2008 at 2106 hrs
Well, trying to pronounce Ahmadinejad pissed him off (but I can totally understand why, I cant say it either).
Posted by hope on September 26, 2008 at 2109 hrs
Good thoughts. I agree to a large extent.
Posted by Owen on September 26, 2008 at 2110 hrs
To me, it looks like a draw so far - no one has made an ass of himself. Isn’t that what we are waiting for? The point where one of them becomes unhinged or says something really stupid?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2110 hrs
McCain seems very pro Israel. He gets a thumbs up from me!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2111 hrs
I’ve been drinking every time that I hear “uhm” out of Obama’s mouth. If I slur my response, please forgive me.
Posted by Fuzz on September 26, 2008 at 2114 hrs
I heard Anything under 1000 uh’s is a victory for Obama.
I’ve been drinking every time that I hear “uhm” out of Obama’s mouth. If I slur my response, please forgive me.
No Fuzz see you have it all wrong.
If you slur your response you just say the computer has been drinking again!
Posted by Michael J. Cheaney on September 26, 2008 at 2121 hrs
McCain has been showing some cracks in the calm facade - the forced smile is kind of funny. I am going to smack Obama for the interrupting.
I don’t mean to throw any rocks here - but it occurs to me that as conversant as Mccain is about the Russia issue and as strong an opinion as he seems to have, it is really amazing that Palin couldn’t provide better answers to the follow up question about her “I have foreign policy cred because Russia is my neighbor” comment. A good politician can always take a tangent when their direct answer won’t be good. She could have jumped to discussing McCain’s Russia positions. I wonder if they didn’t brief her.
Posted by hope on September 26, 2008 at 2125 hrs
Oh, almost forgot - I am surprised Obama didn’t bring up the Keating 5 in response to the fiscal crisis questions.
Posted by hope on September 26, 2008 at 2128 hrs
What happened to Obama “destroying” McCain? I guess someone forgot McCain been through a few debates of his own.
McCain was clearly more composed. I wish he could have finished stronger, but he did well.
Posted by jimi on September 26, 2008 at 2143 hrs
I forgot there was a debate and no debate and than the debate was on again.
I was busy watching a great Brewers game. By looking at these posts I would say I made the correct viewing choice and you guys did not. Seth Mcclung has been awesome tonight. I just hope I don’t speak to soon now that the 9th has started
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2204 hrs
Outside of arguing semantics on Iraq, the policy differences between the two were hard to discern for anyone who doesn’t follow these two closely. They were largely a difference in degree (but that could be my own anti-McCain bias.
McCain’s argument for corporate tax cuts was infinitely more coherent and logical than Obama’s reason for wanting to raise them - except to say they weren’t high enough.
Obama’s interruptions reminded me of Al Gore’s huffing and puffing… Methinks the lady doth protest too much.
The problem for Obama is that he tried to have it both ways: in one exchange he set to clarify and expand his remarks from the fateful debate with Clinton re: meeting with Iran w/o preconditions exclaiming that his remarks were being taken out of context and manipulated by McCain, but in the next exchange declares that he was “only using the words that Kissinger used” (or something like that).
McCain pointed out exactly what Kissinger meant, and frankly, that McCain has known Kissinger for so many years whereas the only notable advisors Obama has are Wes Clark and Franklin Raines underscores Obama’s lack of experience.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2209 hrs
Mcclung was AWESOME…..He won the debate hands down
and Rickie’s Homers was just as big a wow factorPosted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2214 hrs
Drudge is polling a huge number for a McCain win
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2217 hrs
CNN’s poll goes hugely to Obama.
Which source is less partisan?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2223 hrs
When you watch it with the sound off McCain looks like some old guy chasing kids off of his lawn.
In isolation McCain didn’t do too bad. But his seething demeanor doesn’t play well against the events of this week, adding to the impression that he is out of control.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2355 hrs
The Wall Street Journal poll goes decisively to Obama. I wouldn’t say Obama was a clear winner, but McCain had to win and he didn’t beat Obama.
The real debate fun is on Thursday. 90 minutes of Palin is going to be the funniest thing on TV since Seinfeld.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 27, 2008 at 0741 hrs
They both wiffed on the economy. Obama showed credibility on foreign affairs, but McCain delivered a more coherent message (naïve, naïve, naïve) and does a better job with the anecdotes. I’m terrible at picking out what body language stuff the public picks up on (McCain’s disgust, Obama’s gesturing? I have no idea which matters). I’m of the McCain won, but not by enough to stem Obama’s momentum camp.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 27, 2008 at 0742 hrs
Owen,
Probably not. You’re as objective in a partisan debate as I am during a Badgers’ football game.
Some reading:
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/09/why-voters-thought-obama-won.html
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 27, 2008 at 1245 hrs
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