So is this the real John McCain?
No question the man who turned up last night did a better job than he'd done at the previous two debates. But here's the problem for McCain: he's either last week's guy, who seems to be on medication, or he's this week's guy, who seems to have been abruptly taken off it.
He gave the game away in his first answer when, in talking about the economy, he said that Americans were angry. But Americans aren't angry, they're poleaxed. They're terrified. They're afraid they're going to lose their jobs or their homes or their pensions. They're worried they won't be able to send their kids to college. If John McCain thinks they're angry, it's either because he's projecting, or else he's simply been going to too many of his own rallies.
As he smirked and blinked and raised his eyebrows, I couldn't help wondering what tonight's McCain seemed like to all those conservative pundits who'd been hoping a different McCain would show up. Is this what they meant? Is this the John McCain of Bill Kristol's dreams?
Whichever McCain shows up, some things stay the same. He's a towel-snapper. He can't land a joke. He seems old. (As Martin Short said on Letterman just after the debate, "The only time he doesn't have to pee is when he's peeing.") And he's an absolutely terrible actor. Every time McCain went into his Joe-the-plumber-bit, those undecided voters on CNN were unmoved. They were probably not saying barf, like some of us were, but that's only because they're not allowed to talk amongst themselves during the debate.
At the Time Politics conference this week, New York Times columnist Frank Rich asked, "Was there any way that the Sarah Palin choice might have played out differently?" CBS' Jeff Greenfield gave a wonderful answer. He said the question reminded him of a woman friend who'd said of her divorce, "We would have had a wonderful marriage if he had been a completely different person." Isn't that great? It's practically a Zen koan, not that I know what a Zen koan is. But one of the most remarkable things about Barack Obama is that he's the same person every time he shows up. And as for John McCain, a completely different person showed up tonight, and it didn't seem to matter.
Read more reactions to the Obama-McCain Hofstra Presidential Debate from HuffPost bloggers
I'm angry that we have a do nothing Senate that blames the President for doing nothing. I'm angry that President And our congress backed Trillions of dollars in loans for people who could never afford them. I'm angry that Barnie Frank spends years defending those loans and stonewalling changes until things fall apart and then blames the Republicans.
I'm more angry that Washington is clueless about controlling spending. First there is a $850,000,000,000.00 bail out. That was MY MONEY they gave to liars and cheats. Now in the midst of this crisis Obama wants to add another program (Health care) that will add $564,000,000,000.00 PER YEAR to government spending and the media does not report the real cost. (47,000,000 uninsured at $12,000 per policy from Obama statement at the debate).
I'm most angry that BOTH parties are more concerned about fixing the blame instead of fixing the problem. Both candidates lie and throw up smoke screens but neither will commit to the tough decisions we need to get us out of this problem. We need a leader and not a politician.
We should be marching (peacefully) of course in the streets demanding solutions from them. They need to get past the vitriol for they have for each other and get the jobs done.
McCain would make a terrible president as he would treat his job as president as he has his campaign, one can only imagine the terror, damage and chaos that would result in his presidency or perhaps worse if he did not make it through and Palin had to take over.
The McPalin ticket win would make an interesting doom and gloom Sci-Fi film but everyday it looks more and more like McPalin won't be coming to America.
McCain is still angry at Obama for something that happen nearly 40 years ago. He said in the last debate that he did not care about Ayer's, etc. We all know the next day Ayer's was featured in an attack ad on Obama.
NOW can you imagine how he feels about Vietnam - for holding him as a POW.
No one has yet made or spoken of that connection.
Wuuuuuuuuuuuuu, make the connection- WAKE UP AMERICA.
I am angry about two stolen elections
I am angry about an unnecessary war
I am angry about a son who has killed people in a foreign land
I am angry about that same son who has PTSD and physical injuries
I am angry that there is a presidential candidate that has consistently voted against supporting our veterans
But I am scared, too.
Scared that we could have a third stolen election
Scared for my other son who is joining the military
Scared of those people at the rallies
Scared of something I don't even dare say out loud
But it's a plus to have faith.
Stay positive, even when you think that you cannot.
We are never given more than we can bear.
Face those fears, look them in the face and then hand them over to Our Heavenly Creator. Senator Obama soon to be President Obama is well protected in more ways than one. Have faith in that fact.
With that I send love an prayers for you and your sons.
STAY STONG
OBAMA-BIDEN
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Instead, what I see in McCain is someone as scared, maybe more scared than most of us, mixed with desperation, anger, and contempt which culminates into a sad, bitter, old man who is grasping at realizing a dream wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy too late in the game.
And, when you take that and add it with being completely out of touch with average Americans, which was obviously indicated by his responses on Letterman last night, you have an absolute TRAIN WRECK. The guy is either a great actor or he actually BELIEVES that Sarah Palin is ready for the role of VP possibly POTUS, should something happen to him. His mantra was "I'm just so proud of her". What is he, her grandpa?
The one point I agree with McCain is that there is an abundance of anger out there. But, wow, we certainly disagree with out to remedy it.
McCain and the Tina Fey lookalike are totally out of touch, like characters in a bad sitcom. Imagine : ARE YOU SMART ENOUGH TO BE PRESIDENT, Thursday at 9:00 on the channel of your choice, KREP. Host Joe the Plummer hurls questions at this team. Their answers are side-splitting. Okay, maybe that's a little rough, but how many people watched their security evaporate while a select few walked off with millions after a short stint as CEO of failed companies.
To me, the most ridiculous statement that McCain made yet was that he'd balance the budget during his administration if elected. First of all, let's get real. He would be a one term president so that's four years. I don't think it is at all realistic to make a promise like that. Borrowing one of his phrases he should have said, "MY FRIENDS, we are going to owe a *&*% load of money when I take office. I'll do everything within my power and that of congress to get us back on the right track so we can solve our problems as quickly as possible.
'Nuff said. Visit http:myspace.com/sallystraight later today for more of my thoughts.
Sally Straight ---MyComments2
In fact, I think you'd have to be partially brain dead not to be angry.
Unfortunately, God is not running for President. We have to figure these things out ourselves, and our 'leaders' are just humans like us, who have also never suspected our entire economic system could collapse around our ears.
John McCain's anger though is the wrong response to the public's anger. Public figures need to demonstrate calm confidence, optimism, positive faith, and a commitment to figuring out the solutions. John McCain's reaction seems to be to join in the anger of the mob and pick up a torch. That does not help. And it certainly is not leadership.