Gothamist: McCain, Obama Meet in First Presidential Debate

soopaman

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:27:01 -0500

Obama had that stupid grin on his face the whole time. He got spanked.

moonbeam

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 23:22:08 -0500

holyfrijole said: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." 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.

jack9

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 17:38:06 -0500

"Obama brought of McCain's Spain gaffe" "Brought of"?

holyfrijole

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 17:35:22 -0500

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.

Jen S

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 17:29:38 -0500

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??"

BaxterJ

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 14:54:58 -0500

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.

sinisterteashop

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 14:47:17 -0500

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.

RevWaldo

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:02:21 -0500

#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?"

Qraymond

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:43:59 -0500

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...

grandzu

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:36:14 -0500

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.

Leon Freilich

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:07:19 -0500

"'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.

babyhitler

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 11:58:12 -0500

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.

airtech1

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 11:42:41 -0500

Ah, the toll of non-stop campaigning: McCain has aged considerably and looks even paler; Obama appears anorexic.

Felix Hoenikker

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 11:27:54 -0500

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.

S.D.

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:56:44 -0500

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.

santijose

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:35:52 -0500

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.

maevemealone

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:25:49 -0500

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.

Spiritof76

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:23:32 -0500

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.

iralarry

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:21:46 -0500

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.

Felix Hoenikker

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:15:07 -0500

Lots of rhetoric, little substance and specifics on both sides.

Outter Burrougher

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 09:35:50 -0500

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.

virgil

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 09:12:08 -0500

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.

jessecal

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 09:04:51 -0500

Geez- Does Michelle Obama have a big ass or what...?!

NannyState

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 07:46:27 -0500

McCain wheezed and geezed, Obama stammered and yammered, but Obama won because he's on the right side of history.

Toby von Meistersinger

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 03:43:43 -0500

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.