Presidential Debate…who actually answered the questions?
Here’s your chance to spout off on the Presidential Debate tonight, it seemed to me that Tom Brokaw had no control over the debate and I was disappointed that the rules that were agreed to were not followed. It also seemed as if very few of the actual questions were answered, so when the transcript is done I’m going to be curious to see which candidate actually answered more questions.
I don’t think anyone’s mind was changed by tonight, I’m guessing as what usually happens is if you support Obama, you’ll think he won, if you support McCain, you’ll think he won. If you are one of the rare people out there that can look at both sides? Neither one did badly…
I also wish all of the media would stop the “undecided voter” farce. As previously pointed out, CNN was busted on this and they’d be much better served to be honest, if they really wanted people to take them seriously…
[...] Good thoughts on tonight’s debate: HERE and HERE. [...]
October 7th, 2008 at 11:51 pmI think that “That One” won this debate (again). If Obama continues on this streak with his cool, calm, intellect persona, he will win this election.
It’s too bad that McCain has nowhere else to go with his campaign but other than a smear rampage against Obama. Maybe he can’t have a challenging, progressive debate.
http://PoliticEye.com
October 8th, 2008 at 12:58 amI’m not sure who one tonight, but the audience was the real loser. This debate devolved into you said this, but I really said this, but you did say that, and on and on.
No one answered the questions. Everyone rose to the bait and we learned practically nothing about what one thing they would do today that would help those losing their homes, jobs, etc.
I was disappointed in McCain for his continuing attacks. I was disappointed in Obama in that he could not leave it alone and just tell his story and then had to get a few of his own in. I was expecting McCain to be aggressive given his standing in the polls and I suppose it could have been real nasty.
Both broke their own rules and could not stay within the time limits. Obama kept trying to rebut something McCain said (usually about his position or record) and finally bullied Brokaw into letting him. McCain pounces because you can’t let him do it without me doing it. Brokaw tried many times to control the flow.
No one learned a thing. Both failed to provide answers. And I got sick of “my friend”. I can see the Daily Show tomorrow giving us the “my friend” count. I’ve got news for John. He’s not my friend, but neither is Obama.
I’m leaning toward I wish I had not watched it.
I agree with Lisa – most won’t be able to look beyond their biases and will “I’m guessing as what usually happens is if you support Obama, you’ll think he won, if you support McCain, you’ll think he won.”
Neither did badly – ok. Obama made no major mistakes. McCain did not score any real points. Both appeared to try and be civil. This debate won’t change or help decide enough minds for McCain to make a move in the polls. Result – draw. But McCain has fewer big chances to make a big move.
October 8th, 2008 at 2:05 amPretty decisive victory for “That One.” The first debate was a draw, but this was no contest. McCain is desperate and throwing out everything he can think of. Obama did push Brokaw into letting him counter McCain’s misstatements, but I would be pretty enraged by that point as well if McCain were doing that to me.
McCain deserves our pity, not our votes. He’s not going to be remembered for the record and respect he worked decades to gather, but for clawing towards the presidency and allowing his former sleazy opponents who won the Republican primary for George Bush in 2000 by lying about John McCain to change the nouns and launch the disgusting attacks against Obama. He doesn’t care anymore who he has to ally himself with or what unpalatable things he has to say, he will do it. He’s thrown everything I respected about him away in this final, desperate lunge for the White House. Looking back, I can’t believe I voted for him in the primary.
“Sooner or later people are going to figure out that if all you run is negative attack ads you don’t have much of a vision for the future, or you’re not ready to articulate it.”
October 8th, 2008 at 2:38 am-J. McCain, 2000
I don’t think either canidate won. I was honestly bored watching it within 20 minutes and switched channels to watch something else.
Neither Obama or McCain have a clue how to fix the economy. Can we have a redo on the primary? I would rather see a Romney v. Bloomberg fighting it out over the economy then 2 empty suits when it comes to the ecomony.
The longer this goes on, the less I think of both Obama and McCain. Any good 3rd party canidates this year. Ross Perot would have a legimiate chance if this was the year he ran.
October 8th, 2008 at 8:37 amBecause ‘The other One’ didn’t offer anything new, then one must conclude that ‘That One’ came out on top.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:10 amThe fact that JM did not KO BO just puts BO further ahead.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:25 amSo sorry to SP, but congrats to JB.
While I’m sure both candidates reverted to their talking points at times, instead of answering the questions, it was clear to this observer that one candidate epitomized hope and energy, while the other was a sad relic of the past.
The instant polls showed that the American people overwhelmingly scored Obama as the clear winner in the debate. Hopefully the McCain campaign will proceed with some dignity and ratchet down the negative rhetoric. The American people need solutions, not nasty name-calling and hateful posturing.
I like the quote utilized above by “Debate Watcher”: “Sooner or later people are going to figure out that if all you run is negative attack ads you don’t have much of a vision for the future, or you’re not ready to articulate it.”
-J. McCain, 2000
That is spot on and should be reflected in the remainder of the campaign by both sides in the presidential election and all candidates for elected office statewide and locally.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:26 amMark,
I am tired of “hope and energy” and “change”. I want action, I want solutions. I am sick of all this empty talk. Show me bills that Obama has drafted in the Senate to provide me relief and to the McCain nuts, show me the same thing.
Obama has been in the Senate for years and has not done jack to provide relief to americans struggling with this economy. So Obama voted on a bill or tagged along with someone elses idea and cosponsered something that was going to pass anyway. Big deal.
Obama hasn’t had the balls or the wisdon to draft his own legilation to fix anything. What makes you think he will do it as president. Spare us the BS about Obama providing solutions.
Neither of these 2 canidate has done it as a senator and neither likely will as President.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:37 amThe “hope and change” zombies don’t don’t care about substance. And you will never get solutions from obama. He dosen’t need to solve problems, just stand there smile, and make empty promises of granduer and prosperity under his reign.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:44 amDebate thoughts at my blog
http://rightwingprofessor.blogspot.com/
And not all the polls had BO winning, the biggest of all is Drudge and his poll has McCain winning 66-30. The big loser of the night is Tom Brokaw, who was horrible horrible horrible.
Does anyone else think that BO is one of those whiny brats who think the rules apply to everyone but him. “Excuse me Tom, could I get a followup here, excuse me Tom I ‘d like to respond to that, etc…”
October 8th, 2008 at 9:58 amMark, the instant polls are useless, they are skewed by the online community, so the only thing those polls do demonstrate is that those who support Obama are more willing to skew the system as far as voting over and over again than McCain’s people have. Every time one of these polls go up, the emails and postings begin to tell people who don’t normally watch/read that media source and in some cases have not even watched the debate to go vote so that they can “win”.
If one thing could come out of this campaign, ending giving importance to any of these instant non-scientific polls and dropping the fake “undecideds” for these panels would at least create a bit more honesty from the media the next time around.
It’s being done to create a false impression and as we’ve seen many times, the online community does not necessarily reflect the beliefs or thoughts of the rest of the country.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:59 amRightwing, I felt Brokaw did a horrible job in moderating the debate, he did not make them stick to the questions, or the time limit and I thought the follow ups being allowed demonstrated that even when rules are agreed upon beforehand, that Obama could not follow them. That however is more of a reflection on Brokaw, all he had to do was say, “no”.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:01 am# 11 rightwingprofessor Says:
October 8th, 2008 at 9:58 am
“The big loser of the night is Tom Brokaw, who was horrible horrible horrible.”
Anyone remember the bukaka statement brokaw made on the nightly news a few years ago?
What a dork.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:10 ampersonally i would like those 90 minutes back, please. who do i call for that refund?
that was a horrible debate. the rules were broken, the questions were ignored and i swear i was going to throw my laptop at the TV is McCain said “my friends” again. i think the count on that was at least 20 times. seriously?
brokaw was the loser in all of it … the man lost all control over the candidates and i think just really wanted to walk out and let the two of them go at it. which might have actually made for REALLY good TV.
October 8th, 2008 at 11:46 amI recorded it so I can watch it again later. I felt I got alot of information from it – and alot of it was subtle. Obama is clearly reaching out for moderate conservatives with his statements about international conduct. He made it clear he’d go into Pakistan if the Pakistan gvnm’t wouldn’t take Bin Laden out. That really surprised me.
He also spoke on the need for diplomacy.
He lost me on the government mandated health insurance. He stated the obvious, with regard to minors, that they deserve good health care. Of course, but for the government to develop an insurance program and require people to participate or they will be fined is not a concept that fits in with democracy. Not at all. That’s a very Socialist ideal. And that’s a deal breaker.
McCain didn’t miss it either – he brought it right back up, knowing full well that no conservative will vote for a candidate with Socialism playing a part in their agenda.
October 8th, 2008 at 1:30 pmObama has been in the Senate for years and has not done jack to provide relief to americans struggling with this economy. So Obama voted on a bill or tagged along with someone elses idea and cosponsered something that was going to pass anyway. Big deal.
Obama hasn’t had the balls or the wisdon to draft his own legilation to fix anything. What makes you think he will do it as president. Spare us the BS about Obama providing solutions.
October 8th, 2008 at 1:37 pm~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Obama was a senator for only 143 days before he put his hat in the ring for President. Since then he has been campaigning and debating, trying to make a change. How are we going to know what he can do if we don’t let him. Every man running for president has said what ever they needed to say to get elected for the job. The president can say what ever he wants even while in The White House, he is not the only decison maker. Why do ppl feel that the president has so much power.
I didn’t watch, but just finished reading a rant from a reluctant McCain supporter about when he dropped his mortgage plan onto the crowd.
There are a few 3rd party cadidates running.
Bob Barr (L)
Chuck Baldwin (C)
Cynthia McKinney (G)
Ralph Nader (I)
Too bad the media never pays any attention to them.
October 8th, 2008 at 2:14 pmI at first thought nothing happened and that benefited Obama, as he is trying to run out the clock. I do think upon reflection that McCain got him pretty good a few times, small cuts, and we will see if there is an impact.
October 8th, 2008 at 2:17 pmTina,
“Since then he has been campaigning and debating, trying to make a change. How are we going to know what he can do if we don’t let him.”
Obama has had the time to make a difference. He chose not too just like most politicians in DC. They go there and get a fat paycheck and a big pension and do nothing but spend our money.
It is not my fault, Obama as an ivy league lawyer, that he doesn’t have wisdom or the experience, to come up with important legislation. Don’t give us some crap that just because he ran for white house 143 days in that he couldnt draft policy or legislation from the road if he wanted too. Maybe he could cut back on one of his daily trips to the gym or the basketball court. Why hasn’t he drafted legislation now based on his presidential promises? What are we paying him for than in the Senate?
You are telling me he isn’t smart enough to pick up the phone and have his legislative aids put together the first draft for his review.
Obama can write legislation as a Senator. He can’t do that as President. Yet when he has had the chance, he does nothing.
October 8th, 2008 at 2:25 pmTina – to a great degree, the presidency has accumulated too much power (now called the imperial presidency), because congress as a whole allows it. Many reasons for that, but what they get out of the deal is that they can keep their jobs by, among other things, blaming their inaction on whoever is president. “Well, we just couldn’t help it, the prez forced our hands… he’s just so powerful, etc etc.” They give up their responsibilities enumerated in the Constitution in order to keep their jobs. If they actually fight for anything or state definitively what they want to see changed, they fear the electorate, or the press. The only congressman with a really good health care plan is Dennis Kucinich. And what happens to him? He is mocked continuously, without most of the media ever explaining his ideas or legislation he sponsors. The Blade likes to make fun of his appearance (like any of them resemble Clark Gable). We have a few good men and women in there fighting for us, but most of them just want to hang on to their jobs during this depression.
Many think the imperial presidency started with Bush Sr., and I tend to agree, because he was actually the one in power during the Reagan years (not Nancy).
October 8th, 2008 at 2:28 pmI thought the debate was largely a draw, and I scored it 3-2-19 (Obama-McCain-tie). Both candidates largely stuck with talking points, neither candidate made an serious gaffes, and Brokaw’s otherwise emasculated role as moderator was punctuated with a few whines about the candidates ignoring the clock.
However, momentum is still with Obama, as McCain did not succeed in outperforming Obama.
As an independent voter, and someone who believes both candidates are inadequate for the monumental tasks facing this country, I will end up pinching my nose and voting for one of these flawed aspirants.
Last night’s debate, however, answerd few questions for me.
October 8th, 2008 at 2:43 pmI thought the debate was largely a draw, and I scored it 3-2-19 (Obama-McCain-tie). Both candidates largely stuck with talking points, neither candidate made any serious gaffes, and Brokaw’s otherwise emasculated role as moderator was punctuated with a few whines about the candidates ignoring the clock.
However, momentum is still with Obama, as McCain did not succeed in outperforming Obama.
As an independent voter, and someone who believes both candidates are inadequate for the monumental tasks facing this country, I will end up pinching my nose and voting for one of these flawed aspirants.
Last night’s debate, however, answerd few questions for me.
October 8th, 2008 at 2:44 pmI thought the debate was largely a draw, and I scored it 3-2-19 (Obama-McCain-tie). Both candidates largely stuck with talking points, neither candidate made any serious gaffes, and Brokaw’s otherwise emasculated role as moderator was punctuated with a few whines about the candidates ignoring the clock.
However, momentum is still with Obama, as McCain did not succeed in outperforming Obama.
As an independent voter, and someone who believes both candidates are inadequate for the monumental tasks facing this country, I will end up pinching my nose and voting for one of these flawed aspirants.
Last night’s debate, however, answered few questions for me.
October 8th, 2008 at 2:44 pmYou can say that again, Mike.
Say, Professor Right Wing, I’m coming over to ferret out the truth.
Muddy
October 8th, 2008 at 2:58 pmtruthseeker,
The power of the presidency ebbs and flows. The term “Imperial Presidency” was coined by liberal historian, Arthur Schlesinger, to describe the Nixon presidency. It was inaccurate. Congress and the Democrats dictated the tempo of the 1970s. No Republican that was in control would have proposed a guaranteed minimum income for every American. Nixon did just that with his Family Action Plan.
Nobody would have ever called the Ford or Carter presidencies, “imperial” Congress was in total control of both of those presidencies.
Reagan took control because people agreed with him. Bush 41 lost it when he was bullied into tax increases by Democrats in Congress. Clinton was controlled by Congress as is Bush 43. We need a stronger individual to be president.
Obama will be eaten alive just as Carter was. Obama, like Carter, is terribly naive. McCain is wise in the ways of Washington. You can run as an outsider as much as you want to. You have to understand how Washington works to get things done. You can’t change the way Washington works. It’s like trying to make water run uphill. You can’t defy nature.
October 8th, 2008 at 5:17 pm