Early reactions to the debate while its still going on…..one hour in:
“First time I’ve seen Obama blushing and looking frustrated in a debate. McCain is getting under his skin.”
All of McCain’s Ads Have Been Negative?
We shouldn’t cast one another as bad people? You’re sitting across from someone who has declared you’re an honorable man ON THE CAMPAIGN trail. And told us to be not afraid of you. Cut it out.
I am impressed with McCain tonight. Obama is off his game, as they say.
McCain came ready tonight, he has Obama resorting to his stump speech answers and a bit unnerved, IMHO. And for the most part, he is not letting Obama get away with his endless dissembling.
McCain ate his Wheaties. He mentions old, washed-up terrorist Ayers and Acorn – destroying the fabric of our nation.
Obama gives his talking points about Ayers (I was eight years old) and ACORN (I represented them in a lawsuit with the Justice Department).
McCain better set the record straight.
McCain says he launched his political campaign in Ayers’ living room. Mentions Ayers’ 2001 regret that he hadn’t bombed more.
Well, was that enough, folks? What do you think?
I think it’s the best we can expect McCain to have done.
Video of the SCOTUS question and Roe v. Wade:
Video ends before McCain hammers Obama on his infanticide support.
McCain:
“That’s his record. He voted in direct contradiction to the feelings of mainstream America.”
McCain rejoinder to Obama — nails him on disingenuous “health of the mother” language/loopholes. Mentions that he and Cindy are adoptive parents, but that doesn’t mean we won’t continue to stand for the rights of the unborn.
Very eloquent. Good job, McCain. (See, who says I can’t say nice things about Mac?)
Tonight in the debate, Obama said, “The only involvement I’ve had with ACORN is, I represented them alongside the US justice department in making Illinois implement a motor voter law that helped people get registered at DMVs.”
That is a flat out lie.
As Katrina Vanden Heuvel, not exactly right-of-center, wrote in the far left Nation on February 23, 2008, “[A]CORN’s political action committee endorsed Barack Obama for President. … The endorsement reflects a belief that Obama – who worked as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago – understands that change must come from the ground-up, as part of a working coalition, rather than from position papers.”
Likewise,the Pittsburgh Tribune Review noted on August 22, 2008, that Obama’s campaign did, in fact, pay ACORN more than $800,000.00 for get out the vote efforts. Those get out the vote efforts have apparently included massive voter fraud in fifteen states.
Likewise, the Chicago Reader way back in 1995 reported,
In 1992 Obama took time off to direct Project Vote, the most successful grass-roots voter-registration campaign in recent city history. Credited with helping elect Carol Moseley-Braun to the U.S. Senate, the registration drive, aimed primarily at African-Americans, added an estimated 125,000 voters to the voter rolls–even more than were registered during Harold Washington’s mayoral campaigns. ‘It’s a power thing,’ said the brochures and radio commercials. … Obama continues his organizing work largely through classes for future leaders identified by ACORN and the Centers for New Horizons on the south side.
Obama flat out lied. Will the media correct him on this?
Video of McCain calling out Obama for saying it’s only McCain fans who are the racists and thugs:
Tonight’s Debate In Two Sentences
Senator Government: Spend, spend, spend.
Senator Blinky: You can’t spend your way into prosperity.
McCain scored big with the Joe the plumber exchanges, and with the campaign tactics exchange. Obama looked angry and stumbled repeatedly as he tried to cope with what he really told Joe the plumber –guaranteeing the replay of the clip again and again and underscoring Senator Obama’s flexibility when it comes to facts– and with what John Lewis said. Obama’s answer on ACORN was a jaw dropper and opens the door to the MSM, as does the Ayers exchange. McCain drove this home without going overboard. Repeatedly returning to Joe the Plumber was key for McCain, and by the last half hour Obama was petulantly telling Joe what the “right thing to do by his employees” was. John McCain then spoke directly to Joe and put a bright line around Obama’s “spread the wealth” line, and the “fundamental difference” between the campaigns. When Senator McCain slipped and called Senator Obama “Senator Government,” he scored when he didn’t even intend to. That’s the sort of thing that marks a great debate for McCain, when even his verbal flub advances the key message.
McCain accomplished more in just the first half of the debate than he did in the first two debates total, and the second half was just as good for him.
He didn’t hit hard enough.
He didn’t get in his face enough.
He promised to take it to Obama and did but not often enough.
He was ok… he was good in spots… but a couple of singles here and a double there is well short of the mult-homer ballgame he needed.
McCain lost his stumbling inability to talk about the economy and middle class issues.
McCain lost his lethargic attitude and got some energy.
McCain lost his “earmarks” rhetoric and gained some small-government rhetoric.
JOE THE PLUMBER’S ELECTION
CNN:
CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin brushed aside the issues of Barack Obama’s affiliation with left-wing terrorist William Ayers and the liberal group ACORN during a roundtable discussion on Wednesday’s Situation Room program: “Who cares about ACORN? Who cares about Bill Ayers? I mean, I just don’t get this. What is the point of raising that?” When CNN senior political analyst Gloria Borger countered by trying to show the relevance of these affiliations, that “he has given lots of different stories on Ayers, and that his affiliation with ACORN, as a group that they think now has been discredited,” Toobin went further: “But he doesn’t have an affiliation with ACORN.” When both Borger and host Wolf Blitzer both affirmed that he did have ties to the organization, Toobin backtracked: “…I stand corrected on that, but I just don’t see why that is going to move voters?”
MY FINAL TAKE: This was a lot better than the Brokaw debate. McCain seemed more improved than Obama over last time, but scored no knockout punches. This time McCain looked like he was having a better time; Obama’s smirking was unattractive, but his closing statement was strong.
As I said before, the big winner was Joe the Plumber.
No, there weren’t any knockout punches.
But John McCain was still standing at the end of the night — doubts about his fortitude adequately quelled — and Barack Obama ought to be wiping the smirk he borrowed from Joe Biden off his face.
Ace:
Again, on points, and on the subjects actually discussed, McCain won.
As he did the other two debates.
But he did not address Issue Number One — the subprime crisis, his attempt to stop it, and Obama’s refusal to do anything.
So he lost — again.
He can win on all the topics being discussed but if he cannot address the “Dark Star” in whose gravity-well the entire campaign spirals in, he loses.
He lost.
It was his choice.
Yay! After sleeping through the first two debates, Sen. McCain seems to actually care about this race again. But that’s to be expected; McCain only comes alive when he’s ten points down. How the man managed to win so many races for statewide office throughout his career will remain a mystery, at least to me.
Whatever the case, the bottom line is that McCain needed a total knock out in order to change the dynamics of the race, which means that tonight’s performance was probably too little too late. But I do think that McCain showed us what could’ve been if he had run a sane campaign upon clinching the nomination in February of this year.
McCain did something interesting tonight. He convincingly connected our government’s fiscal madness with our country’s economic problems. Because neither Barack Obama nor anyone else can claim to be a better spending hawk than John McCain, the Arizonan actually started to win over Ohio undecideds when he passionately talked about the need to do something about our massive government outlays that threaten to bankrupt the country. This is exactly the tack that Ross Perot took in 1992 when he was leading both Bush 41 AND Bill Clinton in the summer of that year.
But McCain wasn’t able to close the deal on the economy with voters because he just didn’t know how to connect all the dots.
It was great to see McCain defend Sarah Palin who has endured horrible sexist attacks by the angry Left.
UNREAL!!! Bob Schieiffer asks Obama, the trainer for ACORN, if Governor Sarah Palin is qualified!
Obama wants union agreements part of free trade agreements– which would not make them free trade agreements.
Good God. Obama just smeared our greatest ally in South America– Says he wants to hold Colombia accountable for violence against unionists.
The truth is– they have.It’s very disappointing that the media will give Obama a pass on this at the expense of the Colombian people.
Obama just lied about his votes on infanticide.
SICK.
Gianna Jessen knows the truth.
Born Alive Truth has more on Obama’s sick infanticide votes.Blah-blah-blah.
No crushing blows but a good showing by McCain.
McCain/Palin Communications Director – Jill Hazelbaker
ARLINGTON, VA — McCain-Palin 2008 Communications Director Jill Hazelbaker issued the following statement on tonight’s Presidential Debate:
“John McCain won tonight’s debate with strong, clear straight talk about setting a new direction for our country and fighting for working families. He outlined a specific, bold plan for creating jobs, helping those near retirement, keeping people in their homes, curbing spending, lowering health care costs and achieving energy independence. He vowed to fight for ‘Joe the Plumber’ every day he is President and he affirmed his belief that we shouldn’t raise taxes just to ‘spread the wealth.’ While Barack Obama is measuring the drapes and campaigning against a man not even on the ballot, John McCain demonstrated that he has the experience, judgment, independence and courage to fight for every American.”
See author page
McCains got my vote. God bless America!
It’s easy for us armchair debate coaches to point to examples of where McCain should have done this, or said that.
But to me, there is no question that this was McCain’s best performance so far.
I fully realize that Obama gained stature JUST by showing up and being on the same stage with a man like McCain.
But McCain did take it to him tonight on a range of issues important to the campaign.
Despite ALL the bad news lately, McCain has been edging up ever so slowly in the polls. If he keeps that same rate of increase over the next 19 days he can very well WIN the election.
I’m glad the debates are over and we don’t have to listen to any more of Obama’s meaningless empty promises or his evasions on who and what he really is.
Now, we can all get back to educating our friends and family about who the REAL Obama is: A SOCIALIST TOO LIBERAL FOR AMERICA!!!
Ask your friends, if they think the last eight years of Bush have been a failure, would they like to see something WORSE? If so, vote for Obama!
That scalpel that The Obamessiah kept talking about at the beginning of the debate? Well McCain took it in hand like a surgeon and used it to carve up that empty suit and his radical leftist policy positions into tiny little pieces. It was a sight to behold. A thing of beauty.
So, who do you like for 2012? Palin? Jindal? I’d like to see Bobby Jindal run.
“I’m glad the debates are over and we don’t have to listen to any more of Obama’s meaningless empty promises or his evasions on who and what he really is.” (Mike)
I wish this would be true. Just to think that on the 29 of October, he will be airing on television for 30 minutes… an ad that will cost him 2 millions, makes me sick.
McCain did a very good job tonight. Obama lied shamelessly in people’s face tonight when he said that his campaign wasn’t launched in Ayers’s living room. He also lied about clean coal, nuclear and off-shore drilling, and many other things.
I can’t stand the idiot. Sure hope he doesn’t win. If he does, I will consider moving out of Canada, I do not want a socialist/communist neighbor that will become a terrorist’s sanctuary. No way! It will be the downfall of North America. Hope Americans will wake-up before elections day!
@Fit fit:
Well, of course McCain/Palin will be up for re-election unless of course McCain decides to only serve one term.
In that case, I would be open to Palin/Jindal or Palin/Steele. Either one. Not necessarily in that order.
I would love to see the Republican side elect the first female VP, then the first female Pres, then the first black VP, then the first black Pres. That would set the Lib heads asplodin’.
Oh, by the way, there are still questions lingering on the thread from earlier today.
I’m sure you’ll wanna man-up and clean up those crumbs.
Maybe this time you won’t dodge.
By way of Lorie Byrd:
RE: Aye Chihuahua’s “I would love to see the Republican side elect the first female VP, then the first female Pres, then the first black VP, then the first black Pres. That would set the Lib heads asplodin’”
You’ve got me chuckling on that one. Great visual image of Keith Olberman blowing a gasket!
Aye,
Your question was so stupid that I did not realize you were serious. My apologies. I kicked in my share last year and that share grows all the time as my career advances. I expect to keep paying in greater and greater amounts in the years to come and I think the idea that I would stop trying to earn more because of it absurd. I’ll probably max out around $100,000 (todays dollars) in annual income. If I were to keep increasing beyond that, I would still expect the amount of contribution to increase progressively. I have no problem with it and again the idea that it would prevent me from trying is completely absurd to me.
I’m more offended at the way my money is spent and the inabilty of the government to control it’s budget. Eight years ago there was a budget surplus and a five trillion dollar deficit. Because of deficit spending, we now have doubled that debt in just eight years. Think about that… as much debt that was taken on during the entire Twentieth century in only eight years. About half of this is owed to the Chinese.
I know you guys always forget this but I am not a Democrat (I will never register with any political party). I miss Newt. I respect Republicans like SC Gov. Sanford who keep their word as budget hawks. Unfortunately they are a rartiy in the party these days.
Beauty Incarnate
@Fit fit:
Was it my question that was “stupid” or your comprehension level?
Did you even read my question?
Obviously not.
Here it is again:
You’ll notice that my question had nothing to do with your income.
Wanna try again?
We agree about wasteful gov’t spending. It’s outrageous what OUR dollars are being spent on.
Do you REALLY think that things will be better with Obama in the White House and the Democrats in charge of Congress?
If so, you haven’t been reading the plans that Obama has for YOUR money.
Have you read Obama’s tax plan?
Six of the seven “Tax Credits” that he lists are not “Refundables” as he calls them, AT ALL.
What do you call a tax refund to someone who didn’t pay any money in? It’s not a “credit”. It’s not a “refundable”. It’s a handout.
I don’t know who has referred to you as a Democrat. I know it wasn’t me.
Although, you have to remember that you’re carryin’ the water for them so it’s easy to see your similarities.
Personally, I am an American. I am neither Democrat nor Republican.
I AM AN AMERICAN!
I vote for what is best for my country and for my family and if you read back through my posts you’ll find that I have bashed the Republican side just as much as the Democrat side.
This doesn’t exactly inspire confidence
Why not fitfit? You don’t think the govt’s got enough money? I’m thinkin’ they’ve got more than enough…just not spending it wisely.
@Fit fit:
Actually, it does inspire confidence.
The gov’t has more than plenty of OUR money.
They need to be more wise with their spending habits. Isn’t that the same thing you said in post #9?
Nudnick.
No, the government does not have plenty of money. It is ten trillion in the hole. That kind of thinking is one of the reasons why.
Wrong again Fit, just as you were with the idiocy you stated about what conservatives would do if you gave us money. But YOU and others like you demand that I give more and I do not get a say on where it goes, so then why should you? Not unexpected from you though.
No, the real problem is government must shrink and shrink now. Bloated, redundant agencies, no oversight, oppressive and combersome laws/regulations, billions spent on illegal immigrants, billions more spent bailing out democrat fundraisers (Freddy and Fanny former execs work for who?), and a desire from the left and moderate republicans to spend more on ever failed welfare state idea are but a few of the problems.
Notice, defense and foreign trade are not on that list, nor is interstate commerce. We are taxed at every level and sometimes face multiple taxes for the same thing. Regulations, operating fines, and cumbersome licenses hamper our growth. Government is not the answer, it is, in many cases, the problem. You want the national debt gone? fine, but we need to cut non-defense and non-operating agencies in at least half. Government in America is not designed to be a national socialist welfare state. If THAT is the “change” the terminally corrupt Obama desires, we are in for Hell.
Track the manufacture of anything and you will rack up so much in taxes/licenses/fines/etc that you wonder how it could ever be profitably produced.
Government is far too big and Obama promises nothing but more with his nightmarish holistic socialism.
@Fit fit:
WHY is the gov’t in the hole?
WHY?
Because of poor management and wasteful spending.
Your solution is to elect the least experienced, least qualified, most Liberal Marxist/Socialist candidate to ever run for the Presidency and embrace his plan to “spread the wealth” and spend trillions more.
Hence the questions I have posed to you a couple of times now:
You know what’s really odd?
You’re STILL dodging.
If you truly think that the gov’t doesn’t have enough money and “spreading the wealth” is a great idea, then surely you have sent in some extra.
Right?
One my favorite gaffes during the debate was after McCain talked about school vouchers & Obama came back with “…in the other 50 states…”