Well this seems pretty conclusive.
What were your thoughts on the debate? A lot of people are saying they were bored, but while I can’t say that I was exactly enthralled, I did find it more interesting, entertaining and watchable than the first debate. I thought that Tom Brokaw asked dumbass questions (“evil empire????”), and wished that he’d asked about a wider variety of issues. No questions on welfare, equal rights for anyone, maternity/paternity leave, reproductive rights, supreme court appointments, the war on (some people who use) drugs, education — the list goes on. I get that people are really concerned about the economy, but I think a whole lot of the topics I just brought up are a part of the economic situation, don’t you?
Then, of course, there’s the whole kerfuffle with John McCain calling Barack Obama “that one.” I too picked up on that immediately, it certainly shocked me a bit, and yes, I heard racism in those words. I thought Obama handled himself beautifully in that moment, and that McCain did not do himself any favors with whatever the hell that was.
What do you say?
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I say, “it’s President That One to you, Johnny!”
I wasn’t bored but that could be because I am a political scientist and the way that the candidates spin the issues has always intrigued me.
Hands down, Obama won this debate. Not even the conservative media can deny it nor can they even try to call it a tie as they did with the first one.
McCain came across as an entitled bully. He did not have any answer for how we will be called on to make sacrifices, his measly $5,000 for healthcare is not enough to actually purchase a year’s worth of healthcare, going out of state for healthcare will pretty much ensure that we will not get actual care as insurance companies will find the state with the least requirements to set up shop, and he came out with what I believe his true plan really is – to suspend spending on assistance programs. McCain has ALWAYS struck me as one who turns their back on the low-income folks when times get tough so that he and his friends/family can enjoy more of the pie. When he actually admitted that one of his first acts as president would be to suspend programs that millions of americans rely upon, I think it confirmed my worst fears about him.
Obama, though, actually talked about fairness, about fairly distributing our burdens. He did very well on health care as well.
I’m voting for “That One” and I hope these debates show undecided folks that they should as well.
He snubbed Obama’s offer of a handshake at the end too. I believe they had shaken hands, but nonetheless, there’s no excuse for that.
Dude, where are McCain’s advisors? He made all of the same mistakes he made in the first debate–he was condescending, grimacing and sneering and throughout the debate. He acted like he really shouldn’t have to be there–as if the whole debate thing was an inconvenient formality hoisted upon him by Obama.
Everyone knows that debates are mostly for undecided voters–and that the impression you give matters as much as what you say. It’s as important to have a calm, polite and professinal demeanor as it is to give thoughtful, intelligent responses. Think of Al Gore’s sighing during the ’00 debates, or HW Bush checking his watch in ’92. If you don’t seem likeable, the undecideds aren’t going to vote for you!
Not that I’m trying to offer advice to McCain or anything like that, I’m just surprised that he did so poorly. “That one!” ??? I mean, wow.
The one caveat about Brokaw is that he didn’t ask any really frivolous questions. Some were stupid, but they still had real-world import.
Other than that, Brokaw seemed really charmed by McCain and that was annoying.
I only saw ten minutes of it, and all I notice was that McCain’s face doesn’t move (botox) and I stopped watching when they were arguing over who had the better bracelet.
I had to go though, that’s not why I turned off the tv.
Oops, noticeD
Oh, this is another debate entirely. We Australians are so behind.
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