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Finally: Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama squared off against each other in the first debate last night. (Here's a transcript; video of full debate after the jump.) The debate's focus was on foreign policy, but moderator Jim Lehrer opened with a 1952 Dwight Eisenhower quote, "We must achieve both security and solvency. In fact, the foundation of military strength is economic strength," as a way to ask the candidates about their points of view on the economy recovery plan (also known as the bailout). Eventually, both said they felt a plan would be passed (they spent much of the time initially trying to boost their economic visions), but didn't really commit to supporting it.
On Iraq, McCain noted that he supported the surge but Obama said, "John, you like to pretend the war began in 2007 - you talk about the surge. The war started in 2003. At the time, when the war started, you said it was going to be quick and easy. You said we knew where the weapons of mass destruction were. You were wrong. You said that we were going to be greeted as liberators. You were wrong.” McCain: "The next president of the United States is not going to have to address the issue as to whether we went into Iraq or not. The next president of the United States is going to have to decide how we leave, when we leave, and what we leave behind."
McCain criticized Obama's approach to diplomacy as being naive, snapping, "We sit down with Ahmadinejad, and he says, 'We're going to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth,' and we say, 'No, you're not'? Oh, please." Obama brought of McCain's Spain gaffe, “He even said the other day that he would not meet potentially with the prime minister of Spain, because he — you know, he wasn't sure whether they were aligned with us. I mean, Spain? Spain is a NATO ally. If we can't meet with our friends, I don't know how we're going to lead the world in terms of dealing with critical issues like terrorism.”
Notably, Obama's running mate Joe Biden spoke with the press to boost Obama. NBC and CNN say that they asked Sarah Palin to speak on McCain's behalf, but she declined leaving...former mayor Rudy Giuliani to praise McCain.
Overall, many believe it was a display of contrasts. Politico noted McCain's aggressiveness and Obama's crispness, "In the end, McCain sounded most often like a trumpet, Obama more like a violin." The NY Times' TV critic Alessandra Stanley thought Obama seemed presidential while McCain was "more charming" if "choppy" while the Washington Post's Tom Shales found it "encouragingly civilized and not flawed with frivolous name-calling" (though it could have been more exciting). And NBC's political director Chuck Todd wrote both candidates left him impressed, but wondered "Who will the voters-viewers punish for what seemed like a completely tone deaf conversation between the two candidates on the economy. Neither candidate emphasized jobs and instead allowed themselves to get bogged down on taxes and spending, two issues that don't rank nearly as high with voters as other economic issues. Bottom line on the economy: they both need work."
Full debate:
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This was Kabuki theatre not a debate. These two morons, as the majority of American politicians, couldn't actually handle an actual debate, so we are forced to have these sound byte recitals.
McCain wheezed and geezed, Obama stammered and yammered, but Obama won because he's on the right side of history.
Geez- Does Michelle Obama have a big ass or what...?!
I was watching CNN's react-o-meter, and in general, as Obama spoke, the 3 lines indicating Dem, Rep, and Ind approval would rise gradually and stay above neutral. When McCain spoke, the Rep line would initialy jump, but would settle toward neutral as he spoke. The other lines tended to stay closer to neutral, and sometimes sink below. The independent line is the one that matters, and that seemed to my (biased) eye to be favoring Obama.
It seemed to me that Obama was doing well in being clear and persuasive, rather than inspirational but nonspecific, as he's often accused of. He also took several opportunities to point out areas where he and McCain agreed.
McCain, while touting his record of working with opponents, and achieving consensus, neither acknowledged the areas of agreement Obama pointed out, nor offered any of his own.
As for Biden vs. Palin: at this rate, if McCain ever does become president, it will be the last anyone ever sees of her. If he's somehow incapacitated, they just tell us she was never VP and haul out someone else to do the job.
I think this was the closest thing to an actual debate as we've had in a long time. Of course they aren't truly going to argue or whathaveyou, but they addressed a topic for more than a soundbite, I felt, and then actually responded to what the other was saying quite a few times.
Lots of rhetoric, little substance and specifics on both sides.
Mr. McCain used the, "I KNOW", words 18 times during the debate. On two occasions, 3 at a time in one shot. "I know how to heal the wounds of war, I know how to deal with our adversaries, and I know how to deal with our friends.", and "I know how to do this because I've been involved these issues for many, many years.", and "I know what our security requirements are. I know what our needs are."
People who say "I know" over and over again use this as a way to disguise the fact that they are highly unsure of what to do. It is akin to "trust me, I know." Mr. McCain did not provide us with the wisdom of all this experience. And considering his part in the administration of this country over his long career and especially during the Bush years, I am wondering how all that experience will play out if he were to win the election.
Track record is EVERYTHING. If he voted Bush 90% of the time, (verifiable fact) he will not change course as president. Just because he says he knows, means absolutely nothing to me. Obama represents a new generation. A generation that unfortunately sits on its ass and plays video games rather than reads the NY Times or Wall Street Journal but a new generation nonetheless. I feel more inspired to participate in what is happening via Mr. Obama and find no inspiration in Mr. McCain.
At least it was good that Lehrer tried to get them to engage each other rather than just reciting their speeches. Didn't really look that good that McCain had problems several times pronouncing the names of foreign leaders.
I think a bit of the anticipated Nixon/Kennedy aspects came out. McCain was so disdainful of Obama and as nobody but me seems to have noted, was blinking at an amazing rate. Liars blink a lot and McCain was blinking furiously even when not speaking. If McCain wasn't actually lying, it was belying his simmering temper. His uncontrolled snickering was distracting and immature. I think it was a more or less a tie but over all tips to Obama as coming out better than expected.
its going to be a close race, like it or not. The one thing was can all do come Nov. is to VOTE!!! We cant let this happen again. There will be more pain with McCain.
I thought Sen. McCain came off as "Same Old, Same Old" politics. IMO, he had no answers only cheap attacks on Sen. Obama.
Of the Two, Sen. Obama's answers were more reassuring on all topics from teh Economy, Iraq and Afghanistan.
One odd highlight for me was Sen. McCain attempting to twist Sen. Obama's stand on going after Bin Laden and Al Queada. Pakistan may be an Ally in the "War on Terror" but Sen. McCain refused to say he'd go after him in Pakistan on account that Pakistan is our Ally. Sen. Obama made it clear that if they see Bin Laden, they go after him.
Seemed an odd position for a "Maverick" like Sen. McCain.
I watched the debate in Hi def.
BO was caked in makup...looked like a tranny whore.
JMc was bloodshot and looked almost embalmed.
I was a bit bothered that JMc wouldn't directly face BO when speaking or being spoken to, but instead stared forward with a hapless grin.
Ah, the toll of non-stop campaigning: McCain has aged considerably and looks even paler; Obama appears anorexic.
man the only reason this race is close is because of Bush and the fact that Obama is black. If Bush didn't fuck up everything then Obama would never be there, however bush fucked up america so badly that a democrat had to surge ahead. Now then a democrat should have taken this election easily but since he's black he gets a lot more scrutiny thus there is a balance of Bush against McCain and Obama being black. I would say that Bush is the bigger negative but tell that to the good old boys in the bible belt.
"'UNCERTAIN" VOTERS
Will these be watching the debates
Or do they think of them as din?
They have just one concern on their plates
And that's the color of Obama's skin.
I guess Obama appeared caked in makeup since he didn't spent thousands on it like McCain.
The 72-year-old was recently made TV-ready by makeup artist Tifanie White who's worked on So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol.
McCain paid the 2002 beauty-school grad $5,583.43 for her services, according to the Federal Election Commission.
Lehrer did a solid job, much better than what we usually see at these debates.
McCain, as I expected, was strong once he got settled in. But as nannystate pointed out, "Obama is on the right side of history" so McCain was fighting uphill.
McCain stayed on offense most of the debate, but nothing really stuck.
Obama didn't take the bait, landed a few solid shots, and won the debate (at least according to the snap polls).
Usually at the end of a debate, I feel like we've all lost something. At the end of this debate I felt like there had been a substantive discussion between the two sides of the country.
I'm not sure I'll feel that way after the VP debate...
#3 - You make that sound like a bad thing.
My question for McCain: "In the year 2000 you ran for the Republican nomination against George W. Bush and lost. Did the Republican majority make the right decision at that time? If they thought you weren't the man for the presidency then, what makes you right for the presidency now, eight years later and running with basically the same record?"
McCain paid the 2002 beauty-school grad $5,583.43 for her services, according to the Federal Election Commission.
And she made him look like the Ghost of the Cold War. What a spooky evening last night. So glad it's over.
I think most Americans barely watch the debates, especially on a Friday night. They're either half asleep, or half drunk, but certainly not fully paying attention. And then they listen to soundbites the next day.
I try to imagine which man I'd be more proud of speaking in an international forum: in-the-midst-of-a-heart-attack John McCrankypants, or you're-an-asshole-if-you-don't-vote-for-me Cool Barry O.
What I'd really appreciate in the debates, in addition to the 5-minute response, is a punch in the face by each candidate. "Is he going for open or closed fist, Jim??"
When Obama agreed with Hillary Clinton during the primary debates, people assumed it was because their platforms were so similar.
When Obama agrees with John McCain during these debates, what's the excuse then? I believe there were 8 instances where he said "I agree with John" or "John is right."
Well Obama, that may have worked well in the primary, but there's really no excuse for that when you're debating against someone who is supposedly on the wrong side of everything.
"Obama brought of McCain's Spain gaffe"
"Brought of"?
holyfrijole said:
from dictionary.com:
di·plo·ma·cy
–noun
1. the conduct by government officials of negotiations and other relations between nations.
2. the art or science of conducting such negotiations.
3. skill in managing negotiations, handling people, etc., so that there is little or no ill will; tact: Seating one's dinner guests often calls for considerable diplomacy.
Obama had that stupid grin on his face the whole time. He got spanked.