Obama vs. McCain Wrap-Up: Thoughts on the Third Presidential Debate
** Los Angeles, 9:15 PM **
Forty-nine debates going back through the primary season, and if you're anything like me, you watched almost all of them. An act of total masochism patriotism. And now, at long last, we're done.
Joe the Plumber.
Insofar as the presidential debates are concerned, I feel like they were essentially consistent in nature. All three were wins for Obama. The first two, of course, are already a done deal, with Obama winning handily in the court of public opinion and poll numbers moving strongly in his direction. And I don't get the sense that John McCain changed the race tonight in his favor.
Joe the Plumber.
It's also true that none of the presidential debates were electrifying. None of them lived up to the hype---which would have been impossible, anyway. After forty-eight debates, going back almost two years, it's highly unlikely that either McCain or Obama would make a fatal gaffe or deliver the mythical "knockout punch" in tonight's contest.
In terms of pure hype and electricity, the vice presidential debate was clearly the most dynamic event, by far and away. And again, that's because it held the highest likelihood of a ghastly implosion, compliments of Governor Palin.
Joe the Plumber.
***And now here are the ledes in the initial debate reports from the AP and Reuters, both of which will have some impact on how the narrative plays out nationally over the next couple of news cycles:
The Associated Press:
John McCain assailed Barack Obama's character and his campaign positions on taxes, abortion and more Wednesday night, hoping to turn their final presidential debate into a launching pad for a political comeback. "You didn't tell the American people the truth," he said.
Reuters:
Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama battled fiercely Wednesday in their liveliest and most contentious debate, with McCain attacking Obama's tax plan, campaign tone and relationship with a 1960s radical.
Some other closing thoughts:
I find it interesting that Obama was the one who broached the topic of William Ayers. It was Obama who initially brought it out into the open, drawing McCain into a conversation about the latest round of heated character attacks. Why? Because Obama stood to gain from the conversation. As I said earlier, it was to Obama's strategic benefit to have a William Ayers and ACORN in this debate. And it was to John McCain's detriment. By talking about it, it helps put these peripheral issues to rest. It takes some of the heat out of them. A large part of the Ayers story has been derived from the rampant speculation and the lack of a proper clash: Will McCain say it to his face? Will it be talked about? And now it has been talked about. But it was Obama who said it first, to McCain's face. I score that for Obama.
And at the end of the day, the simple truth is that the American people are far more concerned about things like the economy and health care and energy policy, and other central issues that matter to their everyday lives. Period.
McCain didn't say "my friends" hardly at all tonight. Score that for McCain.
Joe the Plumber.
***And now the snap polls are rolling in, tracking the responses of undecided voters.
From the Talking Points Memo:
The first snap polls on the debate are out, and they're giving a resounding win to Barack Obama.
In the CBS poll of undecided debate-watchers, 53% say Obama won, only 22% say McCain won, and 24% say it was a tie.
The CNN poll was just read on the air, surveying all debate-watchers in general. It shows 58% saying Obama won, to 31% saying McCain won. Barack Obama's personal ratings are 66% favorable to 33% unfavorable, way ahead of McCain's score of 49%-49%.
Late Update: Some more numbers from the CNN poll were just read on TV. Obama was seen as stating his ideas more clearly by 66%-25%, was seen as the stronger leader by 56%-39%, and was more likable by 70%-22%. McCain did win in one category: He's the candidate who launched more attacks on his opponent, by a whopping 80%-7%.
Late Late Update: Independents, who made up 30% of CNN's sample, gave it to Obama 57%-31%, essentially the same as the overall margin for Obama.
I think I'll sign off here and leave the rest to you guys on the comment board. And I'll do my best to join the conversation as the night proceeds.
My thanks to everyone for tuning in once again. This has been fun.
Three weeks to go until November 4th. An eternity in the world of American politics, but we're getting closer.
Joe the Plumber.
-BL
www.bradlisti.com
www.thenervousbreakdown.com
** Los Angeles, 7:36 PM **
The immediate aftermath as I sit here watching on TV is the typical back-and-forth we've come to expect:
"McCain's belittling of the health exception for mothers on the abortion issue will come back to haunt him..."
"Obama was like a boxer utilizing a defensive strategy..."
"McCain was extremely passionate confronting Obama about his attack ads..."
"Obama passed on the opportunity to ridicule the qualifications of Sarah Palin..."
"McCain won on points as far as policy is concerned..."
"Obama was cooler than he has been in the previous two debates...."
"McCain's temperament became an issue as the debate moved towards its conclusion..."
And you?
Back in a moment with closing thoughts....
-BL
www.bradlisti.com
www.thenervousbreakdown.com
** Los Angeles, 7:29 PM **
McCain lost the coin toss on closing statements in the final presidential debate---the one he needed to win in a knockout. When it rains, it pours. Obama gets to play the final note.
** Los Angeles, 7:24 PM **
This might be an obvious point, but the difference in the candidates' eyes is remarkable---particularly when they're listening to each other.
You look at Obama's gaze, and you get a sense of calm.
You look at McCain, and it looks like he wants to snap your windpipe. Or, short of that, issue a swift karate chop to your midsection.
-BL
** Los Angeles, 7:16 PM **
My memory might be spotty, but this feels like the first truly substantive discussion of Roe v. Wade that I've seen in these presidential debates. Perhaps I'm forgetting something.
Obama is talking about common ground right now, and John McCain just inhaled loudly and audibly. I think it was McCain. My guess is that it was McCain. Maybe it was Schieffer. It sounded like someone inhaling nasal spray.
Like most people, I find the abortion rights issue difficult. Easy to understand, at least to some extent, both sides. That said, I'm rankled by McCain's repeated assertion that Obama is a supporter of the "pro-abortion" movement.
To be pro-choice is not to be "pro-abortion." That's an unfair framing of the debate. It's intellectually dishonest and unnecessarily divisive. It throws gasoline on a fire.
Lame.
-BL
** Los Angeles, 7:07 PM **
This is really turning into the Joe the Plumber debate. McCain has introduced Joe, and Obama has responded. Both men are addressing Joe the Plumber repeatedly. It feels absurd to me. But I suppose there has to be some sort of strategic rationale?
I've gotta believe that the American people are snickering in front of their television sets. Or getting nauseated. Or both. Especially Joe.
And now the gold-plated Cadillac thing just happened again. McCain just talked about a gold-plated Cadillac health insurance plan. I mean, I know what he means. Gold-plated Cadillac = good.
But really? A gold-plated Cadillac?
Has anyone ever seen a gold-plated Cadillac?
-BL
** Los Angeles, 6:59 PM **
I cannot believe that John McCain just tried to tie Obama to Hoover. This is Rovian. Pin your weakness on your opponent. Hoover, remember, was a Republican. And he was succeeded by FDR, the Democrat. That's a pretty flagrant accusation as we sit here on the heels of eight years of George W. Bush and Republican rule, mired in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
Pretty rich.
And now McCain is talking about Joe the Plumber again.
Sweet Jesus. Make it stop.
-BL
** Los Angeles, 6:52 PM **
McCain just looks angry when he listens. He looks angry. He may not actually be angry, mind you---I can't know what the man is actually feeling---but he looks angry. Too often, his body language does him no favors. Just sayin'.
And: Did we really just go from a conversation about energy policy to McCain bringing up free trade with Colombia?
-BL
** Los Angeles, 6:44 PM **
You could see John McCain preparing himself to do the Ayers/ACORN thing. You could see his eyes widening and his posture stiffening and his brain churning. He licked his lips a couple of times and went for it, cutting off Obama and Bob Scheiffer and starting in with it. An anxious moment.
Obama offered a pretty substantial response, carefully explaining both. Strategically, this is somewhat surprising to me. I was expecting a quicker pivot to the economy, to core issues. Then again, I suppose this is his attempt to take Ayers/ACORN off the table. Furthermore, his response to this question is almost certain to get replayed a billion times over the next news cycle. If he were too dismissive, too brief, it might not serve his interests.
Overall, I don't get the sense that Obama faltered much there.
-BL
www.bradlisti.com
www.thenervousbreakdown.com
** Los Angeles, 6:33 PM **
"Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you want to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago."
So sayeth John McCain.
Perhaps his most direct attempt to disassociate himself from the historically unpopular president he has voted with 95 percent of the time.
And now here it is. Finally. The "say it to his face" moment. McCain goes first. And he rationalizes the nasty tone that the campaign has taken by talking about his town hall proposal and how Obama reneged on the series of town hall meetings, etc. A repetition of his argument from a previous debate.
And Obama immediately pivots on it and starts talking about the economy and core issues that matter to voters.
This is the way it will go whenever stuff like this comes up. McCain punches Obama on character, Obama spins into economy.
McCain is getting a little feisty. Things are starting to pick up.
Back in a moment....
-BL
www.bradlisti.com
www.thenervousbreakdown.com
** Los Angeles, 6:18 PM **
Heartened from the outset by the rules of the game. Follow-up questions allowed. From candidates. From Bob Schieffer. This should automatically improve the quality of the debate tenfold, assuming it actually happens.
Obama is looking directly into the camera during his responses in the early going and directly at McCain while McCain speaks.
McCain is doing marginally well at best on these early economic questions.
Joe the Plumber? Worse than Joe Sixpack.
Why always Joe?
Why not Steve the Plumber? Or Bill? Or Jorge?
Come on, John. Branch out.
-BL
www.bradlisti.com
www.thenervousbreakdown.com
** Los Angeles, 5:54 PM **
A few minutes before the start of the debate, and early indications are that John McCain is going to take the bait and do the Ayers thing. Both print and television reports, sourcing people inside the McCain campaign, are confirming that the Arizona senator will "say it to Obama's face."
So here you go, folks. Here comes William Ayers and possibly Tony Rezko. And maybe Jeremiah Wright (though this appears less likely, as McCain declared Wright off-limits during the primaries).
I've gotta believe Obama is completely prepared for this line of attack and will be ready to pivot and counter-punch.
Whatever the case, McCain is desperate and will apparently be going for broke tonight. And this should make for a more interesting (and possibly less-than-inspiring) confrontation.
Back in a moment with more....
-BL
www.bradlisti.com
www.thenervousbreakdown.com
** Los Angeles, 4:39 PM **
Just read this piece by Terence Samuel over at The Root. An excerpt:
I'm guessing that the only real option for McCain is to go dirtier not cleaner, to convert his campaign over the next two weeks into a giant Obama Doubt Generation Machine, and I wouldn't be surprised if that conversion begins tonight [in the debate]. Look for a dramatically different John McCain in New York this evening from the ones we saw in Nashville last week and Mississippi three weeks ago.
And so we segue into the central questions at the heart of tonight's debate: How will McCain attack? How far will he take it? Which McCain will show up? Can he change the game?
Personally, I find it doubtful. I also think John McCain makes a big mistake if he assails Obama's character in hostile (or even quasi-hostile) ways. The Ayers stuff, the Jeremiah Wright stuff---neither option serves to benefit McCain's dwindling chances for victory. Bring that stuff up, and you give Obama an easy opportunity to make a strong counter-attack. The Dow dropped 733 points today. The American people don't want to hear a politician playing six-degrees-of-separation. They want to hear about plans of action for the economy. They want to hear their real concerns addressed.
Sure, a character-based line of attack would please the hardcore Republican base to no end---particularly its most unsavory elements. More importantly, though, it will diminish McCain's standing with independent voters and females in particular. These are the people who are ultimately going to decide McCain's fate, and they don't like it when politicians go baldly negative.
Mike Murphy, formerly an adviser on the Straight Talk Express of 2000, essentially agrees:
My advice, as usual, is probably the opposite of what his people are advising him. I say ignore Obama. The whole idea that McCain can score some zinger driven moment where Obama curls up in a sobbing ball and admits he isn't ready to be President is ridiculous. Presidential debates don't work like the last act in a courtroom movie. McCain doesn't need an insult zinger, he needs a clear rationale for his candidacy. McCain's once formidable "brand" has been so damaged by his campaign that his real problem isn't creating more doubts about Obama, it is erasing the many doubts voters now have about him. Tonight is his last unfiltered chance to repair that damage.
So really it seems like a no-win for McCain. If he fails to bring up Ayers/Wright, then Right-Wing Nation goes ballistic. Morale is shot. Tucker Carlson convulses. The Limbaugh-Palin set will be calling for blood on talk radio.
And if he does do the character thing, he sabotages his chances with his most pivotal voting bloc, the independents.
If I were advising McCain, I would tell him something along the lines of the aforementioned Murphy: Stare right into the camera, apologize for "doing things to win [the election] that [I have] spent [my] political life fighting against," and talk to the American electorate as though we are actually semi-intelligent adults. Try to be the McCain of 2000, and not the McCain of 2008.
As for Obama: Consistency is the name of the game. Continued steadiness and unflappability. He needs to play ball-control offense, essentially. Take shots at McCain when the shots are wide open, but otherwise play it close to the vest. Do no harm.
Essentially, Obama needs a repeat performance. Match what he did in the first two debates, more or less, and he should be fine. And frankly, it's hard to imagine him doing any different.
Time will tell.
Your thoughts, as always, are welcome on the comment board below.
Back in about an hour, shortly before the debate begins....
-BL
www.bradlisti.com
www.thenervousbreakdown.com
** Los Angeles, 1:55 PM **
Well, my friends, the third and final presidential debate is set to take place tonight at Hofstra University on Long Island. And once again, my friends, I will be live-blogging for The Huffington Post, starting at 9 p.m. EST / 6 p.m. PST. Please tune in for real-time commentary, my friends. And as always, please feel free to offer your thoughts on the comment board below.
My friends.
Tonight's contest is significant for a variety of reasons, not least of which being that it is the final debate in an exhausting and seemingly interminable election cycle, one that dates back more than twenty months. Believe it or not, we are approaching the end of the road. Counting both the Republican and Democratic primaries, the American electorate has now been subjected to an astounding forty-nine debates.
Which naturally begs the question: How can anyone still be undecided at this point?
I mean, seriously. You still don't know?
Frankly, I'm impressed by anyone who has managed to keep themselves fully insulated for this long. It would seem that one would be inundated somehow, whether one likes it or not. (Or maybe I'm misreading the situation entirely. Maybe the indecision is the direct result of inundation.)
Anyway. The state of the race heading into tonight's showdown is clear: Barack Obama is in the lead, maintaining a healthy seven-point advantage in the major national tracking polls. So naturally the pundits are doing whatever they can to ramp up the dramatic possibilities, billing tonight's face-off as John McCain's next-last-best opportunity to change the dynamic of the race and shift the momentum in his favor. Furthermore, the debate also offers Obama the opportunity to make some sort of catastrophic mistake that could lead to a reversal of fortune.
And so on.
At this point, my friends, I think we pretty much get the drift.
With this in mind, I'll keep this one short and refrain from speculation.
Back in a few hours, shortly before tip-off, to begin this evening's live-blog extravaganza. For now, my friends, you can whet your appetites with a sampling of what's being said in today's beastly and insatiable news cycle. Political junkies, rejoice!
-BL
www.bradlisti.com
www.thenervousbreakdown.com
Andrew Romano of Newsweek, writing about the media's addiction to drama and the ridiculousness of premature comeback narratives:
Consider the evidence. When McCain unveiled a kinder, gentler stump speech yesterday in Virginia Beach---Bill Ayers was out, "scrappy underdog" messaging was in---both Politico's Mike Allen and Time's Mark Halperin decided to frame it as a potential "comeback" moment. Never mind that McCain had said the same stuff at last month's Republican National Convention. Over at the Drudge Report, Matt Drudge has spent the past week treating statistically insignificant one-or-two-point gains for McCain in the Rasmussen and Zogby tracking polls as "BREAKING" news; on Sunday, he led his influential site with the headline "READY FOR A COMEBACK." Finally, the New York Times' Adam Nagourney suggested yesterday that "news media's desire for a competitive race and tendency to find the 'underdog is surging' story line irresistible" could still shift momentum back to McCain." That sound you hear is the political press corps chomping at its collective bit.
Now, being a reporter, I'm all for a new narrative. But this is kind of ridiculous. The fact is, there's no data at this point to substantiate a McCain surge---and without tangible, quantifiable proof, the "news media's desire for a competitive race" shouldn't mean squat. Sure, the occasional survey has shown McCain as close as two or three points. But the average national polling gap between Obama and McCain has grown steadily from 2.3 percent on Sept. 23 to 7.3 percent today, and the Illinois senator's estimated lead in the Electoral College has expanded from eight votes to 190 votes over the same period of time. If the election were held today, Obama would win 313 electoral votes from states where he's ahead by an average of five points or more; he'd take an additional 61 from states where he's ahead by less. Any chatter about a McCain comeback should follow---not precede---a sustained reversal of these trends. That's why they call it reporting.
Chuck Todd at NBC News on what McCain would need to do to change the race:
McCain has to somehow accomplish the following: disqualify Obama without going negative. To do this, he needs help from Obama, but judging from the Democrat's previous performances, it's hard to predict that McCain will get help from his opponent.
From the Boston Globe:
John McCain will apparently take the dare in tonight's final presidential debate.After his campaign began attacking Democratic rival Barack Obama over his ties to 1960s radical William Ayers, McCain did not raise the issue during last week's debate.
Afterward, Obama told ABC News that he was surprised McCain didn't bring it up face to face. Obama's running mate, Joe Biden, was more direct, telling a campaign crowd: "In my neighborhood, you got something to say to a guy, you look him in the eye and you say it to him."
McCain appeared to take the bait yesterday. "I was astonished to hear him say that he was surprised I didn't have the guts to do that, because the fact is the question didn't come up in that fashion," McCain told a St. Louis radio station. "I think he's probably ensured it will come up this time."
Tony Blankley, conservative writer for the Washington Times:
The Obama campaign has raised to a high art the technique of politically intimidating people from commenting honestly about Obama. They play the race card dishonestly, and almost the entire deck from which they deal is filled with race cards and threats of litigation. Real racism is appalling, but the act of falsely charging racism undercuts the very causes of equality and tolerance.
Thomas Frank, writing about William Ayers for the Wall Street Journal:
For days on end, the Republican presidential campaign has put nearly all of its remaining political capital on emphasizing Mr. Obama's time on various foundation boards with Bill Ayers, a former member of the Weathermen, which planted bombs and issued preposterous statements in the Vietnam era. Some on the right seem to believe Mr. Ayers is Mr. Obama's puppet-master, while others are content merely to insist that the association proves Mr. Obama to be soft on terrorism. Maybe he's soft on anarchy and repudiation, too.
I can personally attest to the idiocy of it all because I am a friend of Mr. Ayers....Bill's got lots of friends, and that's because he is today a dedicated servant of those less fortunate than himself; because he is unfailingly generous to people who ask for his help; and because he is kind and affable and even humble. Moral qualities which, by the way, were celebrated boisterously on day one of the GOP convention in September.
Politico reporter Michael Calderone offers his thoughts on tonight's debate moderator, Bob Schieffer, and how the format may lend itself to a more substantive (and combative) exchange:
Schieffer wasn't available to talk to Politico, but he has sent signals that he's heard the grousing and intends to hold Barack Obama and John McCain accountable. If the candidates don't answer questions, he recently told the Hollywood Reporter, "I'm going to call them on it."Schieffer---and viewers---may also benefit from a format that is more likely to prompt real exchanges between the two candidates. Instead of standing at competing podiums (as in the first debate) or wandering around a town hall stage (as in the second debate ), the candidates and the moderator will be seated together.
"The 'Knights of the Round Table' format is better," CBS's Jeff Greenfield wrote in Slate on Monday. "It's much harder to deliver well-worn talking points when you're sitting right next to your opponent and a moderator than when you're at a podium, which invites bloviation. It permits Schieffer to look into a candidate's eyes from just a foot or two away and press him for an answer."
David Lightman, writing for the Miami Herald, pretty much refutes that entire assessment:
Not only does the format discourage talk about details, but also on the stump, on their websites and in their ads, the campaigns have shown little desire to get too precise...
''The debate format doesn't lend itself to detail or complexity,'' said Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University.
Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., is the site of the third and final debate. McCain and Obama will answer questions from moderator Bob Schieffer of CBS.
Schieffer says he'll press for specifics, but historians say he's got a tough job, because candidates tend to be vague, even in tough times...
''The candidates know the whole point of these debates,'' [Zelizer] said, ``is to say one or two things that can be replayed the next day.''
Tom Bevan, writing for Real Clear Politics:
Here are three things McCain must do to walk away from tonight's debate a winner:
1) Be genial but aggressive. The Obama campaign has been effective at portraying McCain as angry and erratic - often with help from McCain himself. McCain has to be on the offensive at all times tonight, but he has to do so with a demeanor that won't turn voters off. According to recent polls, McCain is already seen as the "more negative" of the two candidates, so his task is to present himself as the "Happy Warrior" while hitting Obama with solid shots on his record.
2) Draw stark contrasts. McCain has failed thus far to draw the kind of ideological contrasts that typically resonate with voters. With the financial crisis dominating so much of the discussion, McCain has less freedom to make the traditional liberal vs. conservative critique on other issues like abortion or gun rights without appearing to go off topic. But Obama handed McCain a golden opportunity this week by being caught on tape telling a plumber in Ohio that his economic plan seeks to "spread the wealth around." That phrase that neatly captures for McCain the attack that Obama is a liberal income redistributionist who wants to take from the haves and give to the have nots.
3) Make his case. McCain needs to do more than pepper his responses with reasons people should vote against Obama. He needs to offer people---specifically those in the large swath of Middle America---reasons to vote for him. Voters see McCain as vastly more experienced than Obama, and more qualified to handle issue of national security. But Obama has surpassed McCain on the crucial question of who voters trust to deal with the economy and who voters think understands their needs and problems. McCain is the one who needs to answer voters' doubts tonight that he is up to the job of looking after their economic interests as well.
George Stephanopoulos assesses the debate for ABC News:
Obama has to do what he's done in the last two debates: be reassuring, counter punch when necessary, but basically lay out his policy plans.
McCain has a much different challenge. He does have to draw some blood in the debate but if he goes too negative he will reinforce the perceptions that have been built up over the last couple of weeks that he is the candidate on the attack.
A majority of Americans believe McCain is mainly attacking his opponent 59 percent versus only 26 percent who say this about Obama, according to the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll.
The McCain campaign is looking for something dramatic he can do to pull this out. Could McCain pledge to serve only one term? Could he challenge Obama to more debates? Could he announce a bi-partisan cabinet? Those are all conceivable long balls but there is not a whole lot he can do at this point to change the race dynamic with only one debate left.
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This $42k thing is getting old. Voting 'for' the $42k tax was involved in the repeal of the 'temporary' tax cuts that benefitted GWB's friends more than anyone else. What is not stated is that there was supplemental legislation to eradicate that tax that affected the $42k-ers.
Usual stuff. Political BS.
Joe has the American Dream. Why would he dream and strive to make more only to have it taken from him? In order to get city, state, and other general contractor work, Joe the Plumber will be hiring union plumbers. They get their health insurance through the union. It is deducted from their paychecks. Union plumbers cost Joe a lot more money than scabs, but a lot less money in law suits because they know how and why to do things the right way. Joe now knows that neither one of these guys have a clue and he is really, really worried.
The bank bailout worries Joe, too, because he knows that the population has just had more wealth taken from them and they won't be able to afford to hire him.
http://ewebsmith.com/Finance/playboys.html
Joe is an all american have you heard is comments today? he is proud to be american and i agree.. this is a great country where else do you have freedom of speech,freedom to do whatever you want.... dont let obama make this nation into handout and bring socialism..
go mccain!! go Palin!
How Obama won the John Lewis issue
http://newsone.blackplanet.com/elections/john-lewis-vs-john-mccain/
How Obama won the Ayers issue
http://newsone.blackplanet.com/elections/top-5-ayers-counter-attacks/
What debate were people watching last night? I was watching the Presidential debate between Senator McCain and Senator Obama. I thought McCain did great and Obama looked out of place. But as has often been said, it depends on whether or not you are a Democrat or a Republicand, And, you certainly can not rely on the news media for the truth. It is a matter of record, Congressinal Record that is, that Obama voted to rasie taxes on people making $42,000, and McCain voted against it. Why can't Obama man up and admit his mistakes and tell the truth.
obama for socialism.. exercise your right.. vote mccain!!
This debate was just like the debate the Batman had with the Penguin on Adam West's Batman show.
The penguin was harsh and negative and attempted to pain Batman as a mysterious character who should be feared, while Batman was cool and collected
Watch it Here
http://newsone.blackplanet.com/elections/mccain-the-penguin-vs-obama-as-batman/
See Brad Listi's Profile
Heh. Hilarious.
I can't believe the nuclear power line McCain had, "he wants it safe" , like safe nuclear is a bad thing....
It's as if he's throwing the fight....
This crisis in America-This election- Who ever wins, wants a recount, lol
See Brad Listi's Profile
It's called doubling-down on a losing hand.
McCain bungled his inaccurate and unfunny line about hair transplants tonight, and instead said, "except for those people who have the gold-plated Cadillac insurance policies that have to do with cosmetic surgery and transplants and all of those kinds of things." Half the people on a heart transplant list for example will die without getting one, either because there's not an organ available, they don't have insurance, or their insurance refuses to pay. Now that McCain has put his foot in it (again), I hope he'll spend his last three weeks in the public spotlight advocating organ donation and pushing for inclusion of vital-organ transplant coverage in all health insurance. Then again, this is a guy who scoffs at the "health" of women, so I'm guessing he really meant to scoff at transplants too.
See Brad Listi's Profile
McCain is notorious for ill-timed humor. Years ago, he made a joke in public, on microphone about Chelsea Clinton's appearance. This was when she was an adolescent.
Not surprising that he would lack tact and sensitivity when talking about reproductive rights, health care, etc.
While Obama performed like a steady, thoughtful, articulate leader, McCain performed true to his form as a 'maverick'...but not a leader. I haven't read many comments about this obvious misfit of office to person in McCain's personality. He has never been a leader. He didn't lead as a child, a student, a soldier, a husband, or a senator. He is, by his own description, a maverick who cannot lead his own party when it is in a majority, let alone a coalition. Nation first? It's always been McCain first.
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Joe the Plumber.
Is Joe the Plumber also Joe Six-Pack? Like, he's Joe the Plumber from 9-5, then after work he's Joe Six-Pack?
Is he Cup of Joe Joe in the morning? Maybe Joe Late Night TV in the evening? Joe Football on Sundays? And maybe Joe Lawn Mow every other weekend in the summer?
Why is it that McCain/Palin can imply Barrack pals with terrorists when McCain pals around and jetted off on vacations with a criminal who did time such as Keating? Its Bush who's actually palled with the family of a terrorist when housing the Bin Laden's at his home when our country was attacked! Barrack's limited association with Ayers on a board along with other members some of the republicans, pales in comparison to what the other two did! Barrack knows McCain isn't Bush physically but McCains voting record of 90% along with Bush is hard to argue. If McCain thought he could do better and his plan was so great, then why didn't he win the last time he ran? Its because people just don't have enough faith in what he says. I think people, all people are so fed up with whats happening to their lives over the past 8 years under Repulican rule, there is no way, no matter how honest McCain tries to protray himself and possibly is very sincere, it doesn't matter what he promises. People want things to change so bad, they can't stand to take another chance on another republican rule.
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Well said. I hope you're right.
I was glad to see that even a republican who is desperate can forget that there is such a thing as split screening during programming. Tonight I must say that I will not remember if McCain was talking to me the middle class voter I will only remember the facial expressions, snorts in the mic while obama spoke, the sighing , interupting , anger flashes and the fact that he continued to deviate from the issues. Another thing I thought was interesting was his high regard for Gov Palin. This was not for the independants but for his base. Everything is for his base so all this says is he is worried, very worried about losing the votes that should in a normal election be his. I know there is a racist undertone in america, sad but a fact. But I think hat after Mccains performance tonight Barack should pick up enough of a lead that undertone or not he should be our new president come January.
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McCain's body language, at the very least, is terrible during a debate. The wide eyes, the grinding jaw, the shifting in his seat, the rapid blinking. Hasn't this guy watched his own tapes? Not a reassuring performer.
Clearly, Obama kicked McChange's derriere. CNN is rolling out their poll numbers now and they are significantly in O's favor across all categories.
I'm a CNN watcher, because I believe that they are generally more down the middle than most other outlets (I know plenty of folks on either side of the spectrum would disagree).
Here's my beef: CNN is slanting things more and more to the McCain camp. It's subtle stuff, like cutting away from someone making a pro-Obama point after three McCain points from others. Letting statements ride like (and I paraphrase, at best) "Obama's been coasting on his lead in the polls for too long."
They keep trying to point out that it's closer than their own polls suggest, etc., etc.
Am I paranoid?
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Maybe. But the fact is that media stand to benefit from a close race. If Obama begins to run away with it, where's the drama? The media have a vested interest in making this thing close.
I am excited and can't believe myself. Please someone pinch me.
Was that Hillary Clinton I saw on CNN and FOX saying "President Obama"? I haven't seen any surrogate of Obama stumping for him as elegant and concise as Senator Clinton today. She was right on the money. I am glad to see democrats are coming around to change this country for us middle class, our kids and grand kids.
Good on you Senator Clinton ! You completely turned my opinion of you. I am not sure if this is possible but I will definitely donate some money to pay your campaign debts.
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Didn't see Hillary today. Will have to go scour YouTube.
I really liked the ring of that too.
My doctor told me he heard a good recommendation for the stress of these election weeks - three times a day, just say to yourself aloud "President Obama." :)
cnn flash poll obama wins
Isn't anyone else mad about how much money our government takes from us? Why do we have to have a huge government running and taxing us to death? I'm sick of it all. I'm sick that our country is so divided. I'd like to see the whole lot of D.C. politicians replaced by people who know how to run a business successfully. The economic mess we are currently in is not the sole responsibily of one man. It is the greed of many,
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Big.
WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!! ALL Three major media channels CNN, FOX, and CSNBC with attendees at the dial say OBAMA WINS!!!!!
WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!! Obama, 3 for 3 !!
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Democrats: 4 for 4.
Biden won too.
Look at Hillary holding down Barack on CNN...you go girl!
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Hoosier Radical: You gotta get out there and knock on doors in Indiana! I'm a Hoosier myself. Went to high school there. Nothing would make me happier than to see that place vote Obama this one.
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