Final Debate: McCain's Deer In The Headlights Moment (VIDEO)

McCain mentioned "Joe the Plumber" almost constantly throughout the final debate -- even tying him into an attack on Obama's health care plan. But the move led to a "deer in the headlights" moment for the Republican.

"Joe, Senator Obama's plan ... If you are out there, my friend, and you have got employees and you have got kids, if you don't get a health care plan that Sen. Obama mandates, he is going to fine you," McCain said.

"I'm happy to talk to you, Joe, too, if you're out there," Obama responded. "Here is your fine: Zero."

McCain interrupted, asking "Zero?" He stayed frozen in the same position, blinking his eyes in confusion, as Obama continued his answer.

"Zero," Obama said. "You won't pay a fine because as I said in our last debate, and I'll repeat John, I exempt small businesses from the requirement for large businesses that can afford to provide health care to their employees who are not doing it. I exempt small businesses from having to pay into a kitty."

Obama then ripped McCain for proposing to tax the health care benefits individuals will receive from their employer -- a winner for him in past debates.

The Washington Post Fact Checker confirmed Obama's response:

McCain was wrong to state that small businessman "Joe the Plumber" would end up paying a fine if he refused to provide his workers with health insurance. Under the Obama plan, small businesses are specifically exempted from a requirement imposed on large companies that they contribute to a national health fund if they fail to make "a meaningful contribution" to their employees' health care costs.

Comments

[Ky77]

03:45 PM on 10/22/2008

peggyleg- Have to say I agree with you. Yes, we for sure have our issues here in America, but there's no other coutry as great as the U.S.A. I am immensely proud to be an American, and would never change that for ANYTHING. In addition, while it can sometimes be costly for needs and or services here in our great Nation, at least we are free and being free is something I cherish and value. Besides there isn't another country in this world that affords their citizens the opportunities that are afforded to us here in U.S.

[OzLT]

06:48 PM on 10/16/2008

$12K for health insurance!!!!! Je-sus. I am so glad I live in a country with universal health care! I am sorry, but I just don't get why you guys don't stage a bloody revolution to get something as basic as proper health care.

[peggyleg]

10:41 AM on 10/17/2008

We don't have universal health care OzLT, because we are not a socialist or communistic country. Our constitution does not give us, as Americans, the "right" to health care. It is our responsibility, as citizens, to provide that for ourselves. Alot of people get insurance through their jobs, which is part of their overall compensation.

What country do you live in? Cuba? They have universal health care there, but no freedom of speech....hmm, let's see, universal health care, or freedom of speech?

I'll take the freedom of speech and America over ANY country in the world.

McCain/Palin '08

[thankfulcanadian]

11:44 AM on 10/17/2008

I will never understand American's fear of PROPER health care.

I think that it's absoulutely INSANE that someone should have do declare bankruptcy because they get cancer. Or that someone would be DENIED coverage because they have a family history of cancer or other disease.

As a Canadian, I found McCain's comment that "If you like Obama's health care plan, you'll love Canada or England" completely ignorant.

In 2004, CBC television held a special feature program where Canadians voted on who they thought was "The Greatest Canadian Ever". http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/

Guess who won? - Tommy Douglas, the "father" of the Canadian Health Care System. http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/top_ten/nominee/douglas-tommy.html

Canadians would NEVER give up our health care system. This was proven in the last Ontario provincial election when the incumbent Conservative Party floated the idea of partially privatizing health care. They were promptly voted out of office.

cont'd

[thankfulcanadian]

11:45 AM on 10/17/2008

In the Canadiain health care system, health insurance companies still make money hand over fist, because our provincial health care plan does not cover dental care, prescriptions, vision care, out-of-province/country medical coverage. These must be either provided by your employer or purchased from an insurance company.

What is covered is all visits to a family doctor, hospital, emergency room, surgeries (major and minor), diagnostics (x-rays, CT scans, MRI's), disease treatments (cancer, MS, ALS)

Check the earnings of Manulife Financial, Green Shield, SunLife - all are "extended health care" providers in Canada. They employ thousands and are doing just fine. So the argument that insurance companies would go out of business is flimsy.

If this makes Canadians "socialists", that's fine with me. As long as you're comfortable sharing the longest unprotected border with "socialists"

[thankfulcanadian]

12:23 PM on 10/17/2008

Why did mine, and the other posters comments about health care get deleted?

[ExpatNL]

06:30 PM on 10/16/2008

In a country of educated, intelligent, and decent people, Mac Palin would get about 1 percent of the vote. Even if Obama wins, America is going down the tubes with idiots like that for citizens.

[Commie]

06:20 PM on 10/16/2008

Just give him his own reality show now.

[Commie]

06:28 PM on 10/16/2008

(John)

[madtom]

05:41 PM on 10/16/2008

Being a POW does not give a presidential candidate an excuse to be an idiot.

Perhaps he is a hero, but he is certainly out of his depth as a candidate for president.

Let's get over the easy-to-memorize Republican mantras and look at who has the intellect and temperament to make a good President of the United States.

The only candidate in the race who meets that standard is Barack Obama.

[osgirl]

05:22 PM on 10/16/2008

This is what you get for hiring a campaign head advisor Schmidt -- who cannot graduate in college (Political Science in Delaware)because he cannot pass the Math courses. I guess McCain is uncomfortable hanging out with academically brilliant people.

[dora rice]

05:16 PM on 10/16/2008

To make fun of a guys eyes who was a POW for 5 years and had to sit mostly in the dark is shameful and shows what the far left is up to and in what direction they are going.

[HRH]

05:39 PM on 10/16/2008

That was forty years ago. FORTY! No only is making fun of him, just commenting on the obvious, which is scary, especially considering who would be his replacement if he were elected POTUS. Scary, it's downright terrifying!

McSame is an old man with a history of cancer and Gawd-only-knows what else. He has been failing physically before our eyes these past several months.

McBush's refusal to release his medical records speaks for itself. (Allowing a few hand-picked reporters to view unnumbered pages of medical records for a few hours without allowing any note-taking or photos doesn't count as releasing medical records.) What is he hiding?

[Squigibo]

05:39 PM on 10/16/2008

Boggle

[SixBlocksAway]

05:10 PM on 10/16/2008

I think Joe's 15 minutes of fame are going to be a lot longer than he bargained for with all these skeletons tumbling out of his closet!

[DrBillo]

04:40 PM on 10/16/2008

McCain is acting more like Palin-little smiles and winks and dumbfounded looks--I thought he was supposed to be her mentor!!

[doctordoubt]

05:16 PM on 10/16/2008

Well mental works

[Mark99]

07:14 PM on 10/16/2008

He is. "Ya can't fix stupid."

[NHGranite]

04:30 PM on 10/16/2008

All the blinking and winking and tongue twirling still makes me wonder about Tardive Dyskinesia: "Features of the disorder may include grimacing, tongue protrusion, and rapid eye blinking" from use of certain medications.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardive_dyskinesia

[Nova16]

04:27 PM on 10/16/2008

McCain vetted his pal "joe, the Plumber" as well as he did Palin. Joe,whatever, has no plumber's license, doesn't own a plumbing business, owes back taxes. McCain in his campaign today is still extolling the virtues of Joe, whatever, in order to score points on this ignorant matter. There is something fishy about McCain's use of him as a model in his talking point. Other venues are blogging and commenting about a possible connection. This is another example of McCain's desire to make points regardless of the truth of the situation.

[white mende man]

04:22 PM on 10/16/2008

Zero? Yes John Zero.

[Squigibo]

05:40 PM on 10/16/2008

what, his I.Q.?

Oh the taxes, my bad.

[AnHonestAnswer]

03:40 PM on 10/16/2008

McCain is out of his element. It's like a kid trying to explain to grandpa what is going on in the world now.

Thank you.

[SecretSauceTV]

03:56 PM on 10/16/2008

Yeah that was a great moment - check out how McCain really felt during that moment and the rest of the final debate with Barack Obama! Hidden microphone recorded all!

McCain's Brain #5: The Final Debate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9Cq-KlvdXE

[liberalOrgonian]

03:26 PM on 10/16/2008

I was really hoping the debate last night would give us some new info to think about. But once again John McCain went on and on attacking Barack Obama on issues he and the educated world knows to NOT be true. Again and again Senator Obama had to try to educate Senator McCain. We all know John's campaign has become the dirtiest, most negative in history. John McCain along with Sarah Palin has become their campaigns worst enemy. John's old brain, unwilling to show any understand leaves him incapable of being a leader for this country. Obama'a health plan is not that complicated and he did a excellent job of explaining it again. Hopefully McCain (after 3 times) now understands Barack's health plan and most of Americans taxes will go down.
Last night became another repeat, attack, attack. John McCain is reminding me of a bulldog, continually nipping at Barack's heals. I guess that makes a Bulldog and a pit bull as possible (hopefully not) pres and VP.
I praise Barack Obama for the way he has handled himself in the mist of all these attacks. He could have spoke of the ethics of these 2 running against him and the continual lies from McCain, Palin and now Mrs. McCain.
Let's hope this year proves Rovian campaigning proves NOT to work anymore. Let's turn the page on John McCain's kind of campaigning lies and untruthful attacks.

[bigfated]

03:19 PM on 10/16/2008

Hey, John: Pretty lame description of your running mate! We know she's a loser.....so you can say it!