News Presidential Debate #3: Fireworks or Stale Bread?

[Ivan Seeking]

Here we are at last - the end of a very, very, very long road. I do believe this is debate #22 for Obama; don't know about McCain.

There has been a good bit of punditry about Obama baiting McCain to attack him. I heard one report that McCain had responded; saying that he would kick his a$$. Meanwhile, the Republican strategists seem to be split as to whether McCain should or should not go negative.

This may well be do or die time for McCain. If we are going to see fireworks, it should be tonight. But the face-to-face format does not lend itself to blind attacks.

Will we see fireworks, or just more stale bread?

 

[turbo]

I'm expecting McCain to blow up tonight. He is flailing and increasingly desperate while Obama keeps his cool. That speaks volumes about their potential values to the US in volatile situations. If McCain comes off as nasty, negative and dismissive as the ads he's running in Maine, he's going to turn off a bunch of fence-sitters who want an adult in the WH for a change.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

If I was a man of great desire
I would require death by fire.

 

[Gokul43201]

I'm expecting McCain to blow up tonight. He is flailing and increasingly desperate while Obama keeps his cool. That speaks volumes about their potential values to the US in volatile situations. If McCain comes off as nasty, negative and dismissive as the ads he's running in Maine, he's going to turn off a bunch of fence-sitters who want an adult in the WH for a change.

Recall the ABC Dem debate when Hillary got to attack Obama about Wright and Ayers? That was, reportedly, a huge win for her. Why should McCain doing the same not get him a big win too?

 

[GCT]

He is stupid and he is old , I expect to witness him at his sad deluded form tonight , Obama needs to bring a weapon in case McCain goes insane. Crazy McCain. I commend Obama for not being paranoid about McCain's mental stability or any of McCain's disciple's going after Obama during the debates.

 

[rootX]

He is stupid and he is old , I expect to witness him at his sad deluded form tonight , Obama needs to bring a weapon in case McCain goes insane. Crazy McCain. I commend Obama for not being paranoid about McCain's mental stability or any of McCain's disciple's going after Obama during the debates.

 

[LowlyPion]

Recall the ABC Dem debate when Hillary got to attack Obama about Wright and Ayers? That was, reportedly, a huge win for her. Why should McCain doing the same not get him a big win too?

Because it's old news. And the public is anxious about the state of the economy and the deterioration in the market again today.

Ultimately I think McCain realizes he has already lost and will choose not soil his legacy and choose instead to be a runner-up with dignity with some thought to heal the wounds opened by the campaigns.

After that optimistic projection now watch as he lunges across the table at Obama's throat.
(Talk about a Secret Service nightmare.)

 

[Evo]

I read that McCain doesn't intend to bring Wright up tonight, saying that it's more likely to hurt him on racial issues.

 

[ZapperZ]

I'll be seeing Kathy Griffin live during the last presidential debate tonight. I fully expect to be laughing my rear end off! So someone will have to condense what I missed in 20 words or less.

:)

Zz.

 

[LightbulbSun]

Why was his association with Wright relevant to begin with? It's not like Obama endorsed any of his crazy theories. I wish the public would focus more on what's relevant.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I fully expect to be laughing my rear end off!

We hope to be doing the same.

 

[Astronuc]

I read that McCain doesn't intend to bring Wright up tonight, saying that it's more likely to hurt him on racial issues.

The negative campaigning hurt McCain across the board apparently. It would seem voters for both parties and in between want to hear about issues and actions - not negative campaign adds.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/15/us/politics/15poll.html

The McCain campaign’s recent angry tone and sharply personal attacks on Senator Barack Obama appear to have backfired and tarnished Senator John McCain more than their intended target, the latest New York Times/CBS News poll has found.

After several weeks in which the McCain campaign unleashed a series of strong political attacks on Mr. Obama, trying to tie him to a former 1960s radical, among other things, the poll found that more voters see Mr. McCain as waging a negative campaign than Mr. Obama. Six in 10 voters surveyed said that Mr. McCain had spent more time attacking Mr. Obama than explaining what he would do as president; by about the same number, voters said Mr. Obama was spending more of his time explaining than attacking.

. . . .

I would hope the country has turned a corner in the political discussion.

 

[Evo]

Okay, McCin has gone down the tubes with "joe plumber". More than half the nation is probaby thinking to themselves how nice it must be to be able to buy their own business and feel no sympathy for him whining about not getting a tax cut. McCain is simply out of touch.

 

[LightbulbSun]

Mccain is losing it. The more he keeps talking, the deeper the hole gets.

 

[LightbulbSun]

Oh spare me the fake tears Mccain."Oh please Obama, please tell the public that those accusations are false."

 

[Pyrrhus]

Is this a debate about issues or feelings?

Lose with dignity McCain...

 

[LightbulbSun]

I swear Mccain is ready to break down and cry.

 

[lisab]

Obama just brought up the vile comments being shouted at Palin's rallies...

McCain's eyes are darting and he's looking like he's going to explode!

 

[LightbulbSun]

Mccain: I have stood up for you Obama. *weeping* And I don't like those t-shirts at your rallys. *weeping*

 

[mathwonk]

"all the polls show that senator mccains ads are 100% negative and that 2/3 of the america people think so, compared to only 1/3 who think that of mine."

"oh yeah! you are so full of 8888/// and your mama wears combat boots! how can you aCCUSE ME OF NEGativity!?>"
do we have to listen this **** to make up our minds?

i agree with those here who say mccain is losing it. his argument that he is not the most negative campaigner is itself so negative it gives the lie to his claims to all but the most biased observer.

 

[LightbulbSun]

Obama is owning Mccain. This is the nail in the coffin. I'll be shocked now if Obama loses this election, shocked.

 

[Pyrrhus]

Obama is owning Mccain. This is the nail in the coffin. I'll be shocked now if Obama loses this election, shocked.

Depends. Jeb Bush still in Florida?

 

[Astronuc]

McCain finally brought up Ayers and Acorn. McCain overexaggerated the matter about Acorn.

Obama responded to it splendidly to McCain's issues about Ayers and Acorn.

Touché


And McCain is now making up stuff about Ayers and Acorn.

 

[LightbulbSun]

I know Karl Rove is a good strategist, but christ does Rove even realize that the strategies he used for Bush is not applicable in 2008?

 

[Astronuc]

Now it's why is your VP better than his if they were to become president?

 

[LightbulbSun]

Now it's why is your VP better than his if they were to become president?

And I thought this debate was about domestic policy.

 

[mathwonk]

this is like watching georgia play georgia southern, for those of you who know what that means.

if you do not: imagine southern cal vs harvard.and on the voting front: let me say, do not underestimate how offensive and motivating this mccain campaign has been to the brethren in georgia.

 

[LowlyPion]

Mccain: I have stood up for you Obama. *weeping* And I don't like those t-shirts at your rallys. *weeping*

What tee shirts? What do they say?

"Old Navy" ?

Does McCain think those are about him?

 

[lisab]

WOW!

McCain: We need a lot more research into autism.

Obama: But if we freeze spending like you propose, we won't be able to do that.

SNAP!

 

[LightbulbSun]

Mccain hates the Middle East big time. I think he would even acknowledge that he'd nuke the whole region.

 

[LightbulbSun]

Mccain: DRILL! DRILL! DRILL!

 

[Astronuc]

McCain is totally wrong on nuclear. We are not going to build 45 nuclear plants right now! It is physically impossible, even if we had the cash sitting in the bank - which we don't.

There are a number of licensing submittals before the NRC. Several pressure vessels and large components are on order, but those plants may be started in the next 2 to 4 years. They will each take 5-6 years to bring on-line, and tie up people building those plants. Then we might get others started while those plants are being contructed.

The biggest problem is that we don't have enough people who have been qualified at the grade for nuclear. That's going to take some time to qualify enough people.

Recycling doesn't contribute to new energy. It just deals with the back end - and that is certainly something that needs to be worked out.

 

[LightbulbSun]

I laughed at the same time Obama did when Mccain brought up Obama meeting with Chavez without any preconditions.

 

[LightbulbSun]

Mccain is talking to Joe The Plumber now.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Is Joe the Plumber the same guy as Joe Sixpack?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

McCain seemed to do well in the beginning, but he has definitely taken a dive... uh oh, there's Joe the Plumber again... worms go negative...

Anyway, he is often coming off as grumpy and mean. And like LisaB noted, his darting eyes make him look very deceptive.

Just now he corrected McCain about good ole Joe. McCain looks stunned!

 

[LightbulbSun]

Mccain: Congratulations Joe, you're rich!

But I thought he was Joe The Plumber, and not Joe the billionaire?

 

[mathwonk]

which chavez was that? cesar? the grape boycott guru from the 60's?

 

[LightbulbSun]

Does anyone else notice that Obama and Mccain are sporting ties that represent their opposition's party?

 

[Evo]

Ha, McCain caught in a lie. He just said he wouldn't appoint a Supreme Court judge because they supported his views on overturning Roe V Wade, and it was on The View, that he stated that he would appoint a judge that supported his views on overturning Roe V Wade.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Uh oh, now McCain is going for his base with abortion. He already has his base.

 

[mathwonk]

this is surreal, i am reliving the 60's watching mccain. women used to have a very tough time regarding abortions, and some of those women were my friends.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Yeah, I think McCain really hurt himself on that one.

The womens track went highly negative. And I wonder how many people were aware of the potential for 3 SC appointments.

 

[Astronuc]

McCain "Congratulations Joe, you're rich." Sounds a bit sarcastic.

Obama explained that small businesses are exempt from penalties on health insurance. Large companies, which can afford insurance should provide insurance.


It's interesting that McCain can sit there are proclaim - "I'll (we'll) cut spending" - followed by "I'll give you $5000 for toward your health insurance." With 47 million without health insurance would represent 20 million families or about $100 billion. And McCain wants to balance the budget?

 

[LightbulbSun]

So now the woman's health during pregnancy is an extreme position John? What the hell is he on tonight?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Wow! In regards to education, Obama just scored a sustained 100% with both men and women. I think that is a first in any debate.

 

[Astronuc]

How the heck does McCain expect to give the same opportunity he had or Cindy McCain had in education?! Cindy Hensley came from a wealthy family. McCains family can't be that poor if his father was an admiral.

 

[LightbulbSun]

Wow! In regards to education, Obama just scored a sustained 100% with both men and women. I think that is a first in any debate.

Agreed. This election is all Obama.

 

[mathwonk]

this seems to be the most revealing debate yet, and by far the best moderated. i may be biased, but it seems to reveal that mccain is a scripted idiot and obama is a very flexible and articulate future leader. it is hard to imagine the undecided voter who would tilt to mccain after this debacle.

 

[tribdog]

Does McCain think he is more buff than he really is? He looks like those guys on steroids strutting around. Can he straighten his arms?
I can't vote for someone who is not pro choice.