Live-Blogging The Debate: Obama Versus McCain In Mississippi

** Los Angeles, 7:47 PM **

The debate is over.

McCain closed on a military note, foreign relations, his POW experience, veterans.

Obama closed on a more domestic note, referring to his father, the American Dream, and the need to restore America's strength at home.

Apparently the Republicans are already cutting together an ad using the following phrases:

1.) He doesn't understand.

2.) John is right.

The first is a phrase repeated many times tonight by Senator McCain, who was referring, of course, to Barack Obama.

The second is from Obama, who on a few occasions agreed with Senator McCain in a magnanimous, presidential way.

So for those of you in swing states, get ready for:

He doesn't understand.

John is right.

He doesn't understand.

John is right.

He doesn't understand.

John is right....

 

The punditry is already in full swing, trying to determine who won this thing.

I think the more important question is: Did either of the candidates lose this thing?

And the answer to that question is no.

Neither man imploded. Neither made any huge gaffes. Neither wet his pants.

And this doesn't surprise me at all.

I guess the metrics that will matter are the polls over the next few days. Then again, how reliable are polls?

Will be interesting to see how the American people respond to this one. Will it move the needle one way or the other? Did either candidate change the game or gain substantial ground?

My guess is no.

And my feeling, once again, is that the only debate with the chance to have a transformational effect is next week's vice presidential debate. Maybe Biden pummels her. Maybe Palin implodes.

Maybe.

And if that one doesn't move the needle in a major way, then none of them will. And if none of them will, then the election is gonna come down to two things, more or less:

1.) Organization / ground game.

2.) Money.

 

At least, I think that's what it will come down to.

 

At any rate, folks. The first debate is in the books. The American people are left to cogitate.

This has been fun. My thanks to everyone for tuning in.

Your thoughts, as always, are welcome on the comment board below.

Who won? Who lost? And why?

Have a great night.

-BL

 

** Los Angeles, 7:29 PM **

A buddy of mine just emailed me: What's the difference between Bush attacking Iraq and Putin attacking Georgia?

I replied: Good question.

Somebody call Jim Lehrer and ask him to add that one to the queue.

 

** Los Angeles, 7:23 PM **

This whole sitting-down-with-Ahmadinejad-with-no-preconditions argument makes me want to drop-kick my television. McCain is misrepresenting Obama's common sense position.

Obama is correct: You can't defeat your enemies by giving them the silent treatment. You can't build coalitions and partnerships necessary to defeat global terrorism if you refuse to engage leaders you disagree with, or even maniacs like Ahmadinejad. It's one of the major lessons of the past eight years. It also happens to be a matter of simple logic.

Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.

John Kennedy said that. Obama has quoted the line many times before.

He should have just said it again.

Another thing he maybe should have said:

Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.

They're talking about Russia now. With Palin at his side, staring out at Russia from across the Bering Strait, John McCain must feel like he has a big advantage on this one....

 

** Los Angeles, 7:10 PM **

The battle of the bracelets. Unbelievable. The two candidates going back and forth about accessorizing. Obama with a pretty great comeback.

Actually, John, I've got a bracelet, too...

One can almost imagine how the volleying might continue:

MCCAIN: Jim, tonight I'm wearing underwear given to me by a soldier in Tikrit. He gave it to me---brand new underwear, by the way---and he said, "Senator, I want you to wear this on the campaign trail, and I want you to tell the American people to please...let...me...win."

OBAMA: Actually, Jim. I've gotta tell you, I'm wearing some underwear of my own. It was given to me shortly after I swished a three-pointer on my recent swing through the Middle East by a soldier named Jimmy Pomeroy, who happens to be from northeast Pennsylvania. His father is out of a job, and his mother needs health insurance. He asked me to wear it as a reminder that the next president of the United States should never commit American troops to battle without proper justification.

LEHRER: May I ask you, Senator: boxers or briefs?

OBAMA: Actually, Jim, if it's alright with you, I'd rather not disclose.

 

** Los Angeles, 6:59 PM **

I feel like Obama is doing well on Iraq, reminding America of his early opposition to the war and tying it back in to the economy, talking about the $600 billion we've spent so far---and counting.

And now Obama is really hammering McCain on his early judgments on the war.

These arguments---for me, anyway---are powerful.

I also love how Barack Obama properly pronounces words like "Pakistan" and "Taliban" in conversation. Such a breath of fresh air after eight long years of "Packystan" and "Tallyban" and the dreaded "nuke-ya-ler."

At this point---after so many years of George W. Bush's mangled Texas vernacular---these kinds of things are enough to get me excited.

That's it. That's all it takes.

I'm really easy to please.

 

** Los Angeles, 6:40 PM **

Not that it matters, but John McCain is not wearing a flag pin on his lapel, and Obama is wearing a flag pin on his lapel.

Jim Lehrer is unblinking. His eyes are really starting to freak me out. (What did he drink before the show? It looks like shotgunned fourteen Red Bulls.)

Jim Lehrer is not wearing a flag pin, either.

My early feeling here is that neither man is landing unbelievable punches (yet). This debate has been cordial, and viewers, as they tend to do, will see things in the light of their own beliefs. Obama fans are gonna think Obama is winning. McCain supporters will feel the opposite.

But wait: Obama just used the phrase "orgy of spending" in talking about George W. Bush's historic spending splurge and growth of the federal government over the past years! Now we're getting somewhere. And then, doubling down on the sexual innuendo, Obama is telling John McCain that this has been "hard to swallow."

Spicy.

Oh, and by the way: If John McCain uses the "I've never been voted Mr. Congeniality in the Senate" one more time during this debate, I think I'm gonna puke on myself.

 

** Los Angeles, 6:24 PM **

I love how candidates write when they're pissed off. McCain attacks Obama, Obama writes. Obama attacks McCain, McCain writes.

When in doubt, write.

I'm sure that someone somewhere has studied debate body language and has determined, in a quantifiable way, that writing while your opponent attacks you is a good strategy. Projects strength. Determination. An unflappable demeanor. Et cetera.

Jim Lehrer continues to try to get the candidates to talk to one another, to look each other in the eye. It's sort of making me uncomfortable.

Is he gonna ask them to hug next?

 

** Los Angeles, 6:17 PM **

Jim Lehrer welcomes Obama and McCain onto the stage. Lehrer is bug-eyed and appears to be over-caffeinated.

A cordial handshake. Flashbulbs popping. Smiles.

Obama looks intense in answering the opening question about the financial crisis and Americans financial future.

John McCain opens by sounding a strong bipartisan note. He thanks the crowd and sends good wishes to Ted Kennedy, who is apparently in the hospital tonight, battling the cancer he was diagnosed with earlier this summer.

Did John McCain just call earmarking a "gateway drug?"

So Republican.

And so far this thing is entirely too civil, and they're agreeing with each other too much.

Am I wrong to want a cage match?

This week in politics has given me violent tendencies.

 


** Los Angeles, 5:55 PM **

Okay. Greetings, everybody.

We're now moments away from the first presidential debate in Oxford, Mississippi.

Olbermann and Matthews are volleying on MSNBC.

The stage in Oxford is set: blood red, with a blue stripe and a blue backdrop. A politically correct color balance.

I think I speak for most Americans in saying I'm ready to see these two guys square off after a tumultuous week.

The respective camps have been trying desperately to lower expectations all afternoon.

Back in a moment with more thoughts after the candidates step onstage....

 

** Los Angeles, 2:00 PM: Thoughts On The Election Hours Before The First Debate **

So. The proceedings will be proceeding as planned. John McCain has reversed course yet again, having decided early this morning that he would like to debate Barack Obama after all. Furthermore, the McCain campaign (which was supposed to be suspended?) has already taken out an ad in the Wall Street Journal preemptively declaring its candidate the winner of tonight's contest.

Puzzling.

This campaign keeps getting weirder and weirder.

From the New York Times:

Mr. McCain spent Friday morning in Washington meeting with House Republican leaders and some of his allies in the Senate. He spent 15 minutes this morning in the office of Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, and was accompanied there by his top economic adviser, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, and his friend, Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina.

After 15 minutes the group moved to the office of Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the House Republican leader. From there, Mr. McCain returned to his campaign headquarters in Arlington, Va., about 10:40 a.m.

Shortly before 11 a.m., Mr. McCain's top advisers, Mark Salter and Steve Schmidt, came outside the headquarters for a cigarette break. "Give us five minutes," Mr. Schmidt said.

I like that last paragraph the best.

A cigarette break. Salter and Schmidt.

"Give us five minutes."

Five minutes indeed.

Political operatives.

You've gotta wonder what's going on inside the minds of guys like Salter and Schmidt right about now. On a purely objective level, they have an incredibly difficult task at hand. I almost feel bad for them. You've got a Republican incumbent in the Oval Office with historically low approval ratings and an American electorate that believes the country is headed in the wrong direction, 80 percent to 20 percent.

What to do?

Apparently you try to win the election by engaging in tactical stunts of a sensational nature. Conversation changers. Static and distraction. Political pyrotechnics. Curveballs.

You saw it in this week's abrupt campaign suspension and temporary debate delay request. The trip to Washington. And then another quick U-turn this morning.

And of course earlier you had the much-ballyhooed Sarah Palin pick, which appears to be growing more and more problematic every day. Even staunch right-wingers are beginning to see the writing on the wall.

Kathleen Parker, a conservative columnist for the late William Buckley's National Review, was exuberant about the selection only weeks ago, as the Republicans gathered for their convention in St. Paul.

Now, however, she is singing quite a different tune.

Writes Parker:

It was fun while it lasted. 

Palin's recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League.

No one hates saying that more than I do. Like so many women, I've been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I've also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted.

Palin filibusters. She repeats words, filling space with deadwood. Cut the verbiage and there's not much content there. Here's but one example of many from her interview with Hannity: "Well, there is a danger in allowing some obsessive partisanship to get into the issue that we're talking about today. And that's something that John McCain, too, his track record, proving that he can work both sides of the aisle, he can surpass the partisanship that must be surpassed to deal with an issue like this."

When Couric pointed to polls showing that the financial crisis had boosted Obama's numbers, Palin blustered wordily: "I'm not looking at poll numbers. What I think Americans at the end of the day are going to be able to go back and look at track records and see who's more apt to be talking about solutions and wishing for and hoping for solutions for some opportunity to change, and who's actually done it?"

If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street herself....

Only Palin can save McCain, her party, and the country she loves. She can bow out for personal reasons, perhaps because she wants to spend more time with her newborn. No one would criticize a mother who puts her family first.

Do it for your country.

The line about watching Palin's television interviews "with the held breath of an anxious parent" seems especially telling to me.

An anxious parent.

I suspect Ms. Parker is not alone among the conservative set. You're pulling for this woman. You're identified with her. You're a member of her party. You want to believe.

But the emperor has no clothes.

The emperor has no clothes.

The emperor has no clothes.

And to say so isn't elitist, nor is it sexist or even partisan.

It's honest. It's flat true.

To deny it at this point is to be among the crowd that stands by nodding while the emperor moves down the boulevard, naked as the day she was born.

 

 

An anxious parent...

Do you really think the British citizenry ever sat by like anxious parents while Margaret Thatcher held court during a press interview?

Okay, fine: Maybe if you were 95 when Thatcher first became prime minister, sure. Maybe then you might have felt like an anxious parent. Especially if, say, you were, like, Margaret Thatcher's mom or something.

 

My point is: If you feel like an anxious parent while watching a vice presidential candidate do a basic press interview, something is very, very wrong here.

We should never feel like anxious parents while rooting for the people who would seek the highest offices in the land. We should feel less like their anxious parents and more like, say, anxious students. Or how about just plain old anxious voters?

Again: I want my president to be a person of elite intelligence. I want my president to be way smarter than I am. I like that. I believe we need that. I believe we should set our standards high. I want my president to be articulate and well-traveled and learned and well-spoken.

Plainly, to have a conservative columnist for the National Review admit that Sarah Palin makes her feel like an anxious parent tells you something about the state of things.

And if I were a right-winger, I would be praying for a Palin dropout myself. The sad truth is, this is turning out to be the worst vice presidential pick since Democrat George McGovern tapped Thomas Eagleton in '72.

Miserable.

 

And yet for weeks I've been telling friends that there is absolutely no way that Joe Biden can win the vice presidential debate on October 2nd in the court of mediated opinion.

"It's a no-win situation," I keep saying. "The bar for Sarah Palin will be so incredibly low that all she's gotta do is not wet her pants, and the press will come out of it saying she was amazing."

And it's true: Biden does have a very difficult job ahead of him in many ways. He has to forcefully repudiate Palin without seeming sexist or abusive. If he throws too many punches and voters feel like he's being ungentlemanly, they might well react in a negative fashion---never mind the facts or the actual policies or Palin's blatant incompetence or any of that stuff.

At the same time, Biden's gotta win. And he's gotta win overwhelmingly in order for the press to give him the nod. And he's gotta do so without putting his foot in his mouth, which he has a habit of doing. He's gotta make it about policy. He's gotta make the debate about the issues, and not about personalities. It's not about him vs. Palin. It's about his beliefs on policy vs. her beliefs on policy. That's it.

I'm sure Team Obama is working hard on debate prep for him, trying to come up with a strategy that serves their best interests. Then it will be up to Biden to execute.

 

And now, as I sit here, I find myself second-guessing my original assessment about Biden vs. Palin.

The more that I think about it, and the more that I hear from Palin, I think it's entirely possible that Biden, if he performs well, could absolutely run away with this thing. The possibility exists that Palin could be so far in over her head that even the most true-blue conservatives won't be able to lie to themselves as they watch her implode at the podium.

More to the point, her lack of mastery might be in such abundant evidence on October 2nd that the media might have no choice but to admit that she got stomped.

If that happens---emphasis on the word If---it could be a gigantic setback for the McCain campaign and possibly a knockout blow.

Another way of putting it: If Palin performs one week from now in the way she has performed in her interviews with Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric, the Republicans would seem to be in real trouble.

Which would explain why Salter and Schmidt were standing outside of McCain headquarters, taking a much-needed smoke break.

Give me five minutes indeed.

 

Then again, I might very well be underestimating the blind passion of The Right.

 

Carcinogenically,
BL

Comments

[walk0nwalls]

"What's the difference between Bush attacking Iraq and Putin attacking Georgia? "

Georgia shot first. That's the difference.

[brighterside]

When Barack states that McCain "is right" it throws off the talking points of McCain. How can someone argue against another person when they think your right?

Therefore, when McCain says that "he just doesn't understand" or that his "judgement is wrong" is really arguing against himself and that his just contradicting what he just stated.

I think Obama was right to affirm that John is right on various points. He then states his point of view and adds a little twist to the facts. Thats what made Obama so effective in this debate.

[Brad Listi - Huffpost Blogger]

Good point. Never thought of it that way.

[wm1066]

I don't think Obama knows how to debate....but so what, he will make a great president.
That said, it really annoyed me when he kept saying Mccain was right..He needs to take "debate 101".

[Brad Listi - Huffpost Blogger]

It also seems important to remember that the electorate is split, 45-45, more or less. Meaning 45 percent of people are righties and 45 percent of people are lefties, and the remaining 10 percent are the folks who decide the election.

Obama needs to get the folks who like him but who also like McCain, so maybe it's wise to be generous in that way, rather than attacking him repeatedly.

Obama already has the votes of the true blues; he's gotta get the purple vote in order to emerge victorious in November.

[BluePride]

McCain did sound like a big tattle-tale several times. I thought his refusal to lQQk @ Barack was to keep him from possibly igniting anger. His handlers must have told him NEVER look @ the O!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLv4mtwsRos

[Brad Listi - Huffpost Blogger]

You might be right.

My guess is that McCain is going to make a lotta eye contact next time around. It'll be a staring contest.

[LeawoodKansas]

Where's Sarah?

[BluePride]

I found Sarah:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59mOukUZNUo

[Brad Listi - Huffpost Blogger]

Hiding.

[Hadrian3]

Can someone get a message to the Obama campaign that next time McCain draws his Maverick card to call him. He wasn't nominated by the Maverick party; he was nominated by the Republicans. He is running because the Republicans chose him as the Republican candidate. He has eight years of Republican incompetence to rope to the ground. He rode that horse and is trying to pretend it was some other cowboy in the saddle. Didn't George W. Bush run on the Compassionate Conservative platform. That dog never did hunt. Because the dogs of war swallowed him whole. Now another old dog promises he's different, can hunt, can take charge. Same dog. Won't hunt.

[Brad Listi - Huffpost Blogger]

Lots of nice animal references here.

I think you should start preparing some good polar bear lines for next Thursday.

[SAMyles]

During the debate, McCain came off as grouchy and obdurate, while Obama come off as dignified and presidential. Obama would look McCain directly in the face when addressing him, whereas McCain would not look Obama in the face. McCain seemed dismissive of Obamas comments, whereas Obama would agree on compatible issues, showing a level of respect of his opponent and confidence in his ability to lead, and truly cross party lines. After the debate, Obama was the first to reach out to shake McCain"s hand and Obama and his wife walked clear across the stage to address McCain and his wife. I must say that I was very disappointed in McCain"s behavior tonight.

[Brad Listi - Huffpost Blogger]

You gotta wonder if McCain is offended that he's losing to a 46-year-old wunderkind. Maybe it's similar to George H. W. Bush's reaction to Bill Clinton in 1992.

[CatchFraze]

I have seen 'Maverick' and believe me senator McCain you're no Maverick !

[Brad Listi - Huffpost Blogger]

Mel Gibson, ladies and gentlemen.

[castanea]

Did anyone catch McCain saying he wouldn't want the federal government taking over health care because those decisions are between a family & their doctor? Sounds like he's just been to a Planned Parenthood rally.

[Brad Listi - Huffpost Blogger]

Heh.

Planned Parenthood should use that soundbite to create a 527 ad.

[UCSD101]

Obama, next debate Do Not continue to say, "I agree and I think".

[Brad Listi - Huffpost Blogger]

I agree. I think.

[grata2ude]

I disagree. I think this was Obama showing that he respects other opinions and can work across the isle.

McCain the foreign policy expert did not name the right Secretary of State going to Korea. He said it was Madalene Albright. He got the name of the new Pakistan President wrong and Obama correctly pointed out that Ali Khamenei is the most powerful leader in Iran.

Obama won hands down.

[nowalnuts]

I think McCain made some pretty huge mistakes and was caught in enough lies for one debate. It really seemed like when Obama was speaking that McCain heard the first word or two, then spent the rest of the time Obama spoke trying to form and remember what he would say without listening to Obama at all or where the direction in the conversation had shifted to. It made the crap that came out of his mouth sound even more absurd.

[bryanphoto]

Dear Senator Obama, stop praising John McCain. Stop it. stop, stop stop, stop. And one last thing, stop.

[kcherche]

I'm currently 35k feet in the air watching a feed of the debate. My ears are bleeding from McCain's elderly teeth whistling while he talks. I need new headphones.

[mommadona]

"HA!"

[Brad Listi - Huffpost Blogger]

Do his teeth whistle when you listen to him talk through headphones?

[mommadona]

McCain and Bush...McCain and Bush.....repeat as needed - apply directly to the forehead.

Yea!

When listening to McCain
Remember
He is the PRESIDENT of the INTERNATIONAL REPUBLICANS
Seriously
http://www.iri.org/board.asp

[Lagniappe]

Obama is representing American public-McCain is representing HIMSELF!