Tonights Debate was McCain's Farewell

I'm really tired of commercials for clogged arteries, but tonight's debate brought new meaning to clogged drains. Joe the plumber, a blue-collar worker and one of McCain's friends is really concerned about Obama's tax plans. He's afraid that as a small business owner, he won't have saved enough income to pay for the service he provides.

McCain on the other hand, especially the one he kept pointing at the camera, refuses to acknowledge that his tax plan will reward the wealthy and rob the middle class. Obama kept reminding him that even though he isn't George W. Bush, he voted for every Bush policy and helped to create the trillions of dollar debt we now are forced to repay.

But how?

Is Joe the plumber going to toss his monkey wrench into the ring and file Chapter 11, or is he going to China to make toxic toys?

McCain promises that the $5,000 dollar check you are going to get is going to help you afford the same kind of health insurance that he and Obama enjoy. However, he didn't tell you that part of the premium will be taxed -- leaving you $2,500 -- for a policy that may cost as much as $12,000 a year. Obama wants to lower your premium, and let you choose any doctor you want -- he even wants to throw out any discrimination or discrepancy that might arise due to a pre-existing condition -- meaning you won't be denied even if you have or had cancer. That's one out of three of us.

Clean energy incentives, like wind, solar, and hydrogen made the most sense in tonight's debate, but I found it confusing that, while McCain claimed he supported renewables, his running mate, Governor Palin, had already taxed the oil companies in Alaska. Like her, he would welcome carrying Teddy Roosevelt's Big Stick across the lower 48. Drill Baby Drill! That's no sound of a miracle.

Call it foolish or just plain dumb. Bob Scheffer's mother would not have approved McCain's lack of eloquence when he wasted time questioning Obama about his association with Bill Ayers. Excuse the expression, but they should have called "Roto-Rooter: that's the name and away go troubles down the drain."

My friends, Obama won tonight's debate. Joe the plumber just got his license revoked by a sub-contractor, a republican, who claimed that he lost his house because the loan from the bank collapsed due to his having faulted on his mortgage payment and that a guy named Freddie stole his and Joe's truck.

Go figure! No we don't want four more years of the same -- but it's going to take at least six to stop the bleeding. Does anybody know a doctor named Dan?

Follow Nancy Chuda on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Silverloxie

Comments

[penpal]

My comment is from Kathleen Hall Jamieson who heads the Annenberg School of Journalismat the University of Pennsylvania.

Her comment relates to your observation that “Obama won the debate”. In Kathleen’s opinion, conclusions about debates should not be about who won but rather which of the candidates was able to help the viewer understand what they were about, how they would solve our countries problems, etc. Using that test, Obama was more specific whereas McCain relied more on appeals to people’s emotions. Obama’s demeanor was infinitely more presidential, more in charge and conveyed, at least to this viewer, a comforting ability to be able to handle major problems.

Although Kathleen would point out that we all filter messages through our own prejudices I think she would conclude that Obama was the better of the two in meeting her tests. At least in my mind writes Jerry the accountant.

I

[Cookie100]

Joe is NOT registered to vote!

Here's the real Joe:

Joe the Plumber:

Turns out that Joe Wurzelbacher from the Toledo event is a close relative of Robert Wurzelbacher of Milford, Ohio. Who’s Robert Wurzelbacher? Only Charles Keating’s son-in-law and the former senior vice president of American Continental, the parent company of the infamous Lincoln Savings and Loan. The now retired elder Wurzelbacher is also a major contributor to Republican causes giving well over $10,000 in the last few years.

What a "coincidence"!

http://www.eisenstadtgroup.com/2008/10/15/joe-the-plumber-wurzelbacher-related-to-charles-keating-oop

[CellaD]

Nancy Chuda's brilliant post has it right! Her recap of the candidate's exchange about health care highlights Obama's plan for lower premiums and provision of health care for all including those with pre-existing health conditions. McCain never said a word about this very significant fact that likely will effect all families.

[CuriousCat]

Perhaps the most poignant line of the night was how our government has "mortgaged our children's future".

The failed policies of the last eight years have left us massively indebted to Japan, the Saudis and China, who have loaned us exhorbitant amounts in order for us to sustain our oil addiction at home and military prowess abroad.

The intolerable cruelty of placing this debt burden on the backs of our children will have consequenc­es...

In 1946, Harry Truman said "A nation is only as healthy as its children."

What have we done to ours?