Presidential debate #1

[[serious]]

I figure I'm not the only one watching right now, what's your take on how it's going down?

Who do you think has won? (will add a poll after it's over)

 

[Nathan45]

I watched about 30 minutes of it then decided it was mind numbingly boring.

Please inform me if either candidate makes a major gaffe.

 

[RacismIsBad]

McCain is being plain disrespectful. "Senator Obama doesn't understand this... Senator Obama doesn't understand that..."

 

[Nathan45]

anyway from what little I watched:

McCain is nuts for suggesting a "freeze" on all "non-military, non-entitlement" spending. Obama was right to call that a hatchet-job.

I wish Obama would say something new and interesting, rather than repeat the same non-controversial populist talking points he's been giving ever since he seemed like the frontrunner. I kindof miss the days when he was the unknown underdog, where his job was to say something that gets your attention and makes you remember him.

Now, he's the frontrunner, so his sole aim is to not put his foot in his mouth... He has a very risk-averse campaign style.

 

[Vylo]

I think Obama wins by a slim margin but that's probably the symbol over my head. Pretty even so far.

I'm still in shock there was no question about whether or not to do the bailout, but what to do after they spend the money.

 

[Nathan45]

I'm still in shock there was no question about whether or not to do the bailout, but what to do after they spend the money.

that was the first question, and they both basically implied they'd support a bailout in some form by going full speed ahead into arguing the details of the bailout.

 

[Vylo]

Hmm, I was doing a couple things when it started, but it seemed to me like they glazed over whether or not to do it.

 

[Rotator]

"Obama doesn't understand" is totally appropriate, because he doesn't. Oh and by the way, we're 85 min. in and Obama has 38 "uh"s and "eh-eh-eh"s.

 

[tosety]

I think it's a tie so far, with each one appealing to their base.
McCain wasn't nuts for suggesting a freeze, that's exactly what the far right wants to hear, and non-defense, non-entitlement.... is there anything other than pork-barrel that doesn't fall into those?

 

[Nathan45]

Hmm, I was doing a couple things when it started, but it seemed to me like they glazed over whether or not to do it.

McCain said he'd "like to" vote for the bailout bill, when asked if he would vote for it. Obama pretty much concurred, although i don't recall a direct statement. eitherway, arguing the details of the bailout bill pretty much implies that you'd support it in some form.

 

[Staccato]

The moderator in this debate leaves an awful lot to be desired. McCain always seems to get the 'last word' on a question. Obama isn't allowed a rebuttal to McCain's final points as they have to "move on to another question", but McCain is allowed to talk over Obama and the moderator in order to rebut Obama's final claims.

And yes, the choice of questions is quite poor. Admittedly this concentrated on foreign policy but do the questions really have to be on issues that the candidates have already elucidated, at length, their positions on elsewhere? Why not throw a curveball or two in there to actually force the candidates to break from pre-rehearsed rhetoric.

Not impressed with it at all. I hope the other debates are of higher quality

 

[Staccato]

"Obama doesn't understand" is totally appropriate, because he doesn't. Oh and by the way, we're 85 min. in and Obama has 38 "uh"s and "eh-eh-eh"s.

Because that's really important.

It took McCain three attempts to pronounce "Ahmadinejad".

/pedantry

 

[Nathan45]

I think it's a tie so far, with each one appealing to their base.
McCain wasn't nuts for suggesting a freeze, that's exactly what the far right wants to hear, and non-defense, non-entitlement.... is there anything other than pork-barrel that doesn't fall into those?

oh i don't know, maybe -- half-completed years-planned infrastructure, half-completed years planned scientific research projects, education, energy issues, environmental issues ... do i really need to list all of the stuff the government funds that, even if you want to cut it, should be phased out rather than just hatcheted with a "freeze"? I mean, when we talk about a "freeze", are we talking about someone's government funded payroll?

 

[Rotator]

The moderator in this debate leaves an awful lot to be desired. McCain always seems to get the 'last word' on a question. Obama isn't allowed a rebuttal to McCain's final points as they have to "move on to another question", but McCain is allowed to talk over Obama and the moderator in order to rebut Obama's final claims.

And yes, the choice of questions is quite poor. Admittedly this concentrated on foreign policy but do the questions really have to be on issues that the candidates have already elucidated, at length, their positions on elsewhere? Why not throw a curveball or two in there to actually force the candidates to break from pre-rehearsed rhetoric.

Not impressed with it at all. I hope the other debates are of higher quality

<staff edit> Lehrer is doing a much better job than I thought he'd do. if either man doesn't answer the question and starts on a rote answer, Lehrer cuts him off and reminds him of the original question.

 

[stumpjumper]

I think that McCain was incoherent at best.

 

[Staccato]

Lehrer is doing a much better job than I thought he'd do.

Seeing as I'd never heard of the guy he's doing a better job than I thought he'd do too. But it's still terrible.

if either man doesn't answer the question and starts on a rote answer, Lehrer cuts him off and reminds him of the original question.

Cuts them off if they start a rote answer? Are we watching the same debate? Every word out of the mouths of the candidates has been so pre-rehearsed and polished the glare is almost blinding

 

[Staccato]

Katie Couric: "Both non-committal on how they will vote on the 'bailout bill'...a lot of things that were familiar".

Pretty much sums up the last hour and a half for me.

 

[RacismIsBad]

I felt they were pretty even on foreign policy, Obama was better on domestic policy.

 

[tosety]

good point, but what's a "freeze" anyway? zero spending or zero increase in spending? quite vague, so it makes us conservatives happy without actually committing to anything that isn't easy to back away from or compromise out of
I would call it a great way for a conservative to start a budget negotiation,
lots of room for compromise

oh i don't know, maybe -- half-completed years-planned infrastructure, half-completed years planned scientific research projects, education, energy issues, environmental issues ... do i really need to list all of the stuff the government funds that, even if you want to cut it, should be phased out rather than just hatcheted with a "freeze"? I mean, when we talk about a "freeze", are we talking about someone's government funded payroll?

 

[Ginny]

"Obama doesn't understand" is totally appropriate, because he doesn't. Oh and by the way, we're 85 min. in and Obama has 38 "uh"s and "eh-eh-eh"s.

I don't think there is anything wrong with saying someone doesn't understand something...and I am truly trying to not be biased...I think it started off okay...although I found it utterly embarrassing and ridiculous that Jim was so "in your face" trying to get them to start bickering. I mean, c'mon, requesting that they literally look at one another? He just wanted crap to hit the fan under his watch.

If I were an Obama supporter, I would think he did an okay job as far as debates go....As a Republican, I also think that McCain did "okay". I do feel that McCain's experience really came through tonight. If you go in knowing who you already support, of course that will not impress you as an Obama supporter. If you don't have a clue, I think McCain was more impressive. Resumes do count. Sorry.

As far as saying "uh" and "em" a lot, does it matter in the grand scheme of things? No. People will somehow notice it and I bet if you were to google it tomorrow someone somewhere would be writing a 2 page article on it.

I did get tickled at McCain....how he kept laughing to himself anytime he disagreed.....but then Obama started doing that at the end, too.

One thing my husband noticed right off was the amount of make-up that Obama was wearing.

That's all I have for now.