Debate: If Nothing Else, We'll Have Gotten John McCain Out Of Our System

I don't believe tonight's debate was determinative, unfortunately McCain needed more than he got, despite winning the overall debate. He lost the first portion on the economy despite being presented the ability to take a swing at Obama like a baseball sitting on a tee.

Why that matters is because the media and the country have been obsessing on economics for a week and that obsession will likely continue. So while McCain made Obama look like an amateur when it came to foreign policy, I'm unconvinced that longer, very substantive portion of the debate will be what viewers remember most.

It was a critical opportunity lost for McCain, one that he may ultimately come to regret. He showed up prepared to debate on foreign policy, yet allowed Obama to win the economic portion of the debate with nothing more than standard liberal demagogy about executive salaries and middle-class pain.

Were McCain genuinely conservative on fiscal policy, I doubt that would have happened. Were a more genuine conservative running as President for the Republicans, tonight's debate might have been a tremendous victory for the Right. As it stands, McCain's poll numbers have been going down and it's doubtful he did anything to reverse that trend.

It's a shame that so many establishment Republicans seemed committed to giving McCain his long desired chance to run for the Presidency, though to be frank, there were few if any better alternatives as campaigners go this time out. So he deserved the shot. But they got what they got.

What remains to be seen is if the McCain campaign can find a game changer in the weeks ahead. Much to my dismay, I believe they once again need one and tonight's debate wasn't it.

Comments

[SacTownMan]

Unfortunately we can't feed McCain with our own questions or tell him how to debate. There is no doubt that he isn't mister personality. This guy has been a determined, stubburn leader and followed his own beliefs and not wait on the fence and switch sides.

McCain was on offense all night. Barry had no answer for his requesting 900 million in pork.

You know Dan he isn't Reagan but more importantly he isn't Barry!

[mary]

I thought the questions and the questioner were terrible. I honestly think that both these men were not comfortable with "having at each other". Despite the prodding of the questioner both men remained gentlemen. I think watching a presidential debate is a very personal experience, similar to your vote. Though I watched with a large crowd I was amazed by the many different observations. Things that bothered others, didn't bother me. Things that bothered me, some of my friends barely noticed.

On the economy I did not feel that Senator Obama had the upper hand, rather I felt that John McCain had a greater grasp of both the subject and the task at hand. For the rest of the debate, it is difficult to beat John McCain on the history he has lived.

One of my friends who is staunchly against Obama made the comment that he had a better understanding of Obama now. He said he even liked him and that some day, with more experience under his belt, at a different time, he might make a great president.

[mj]

This debate is a draw. Both Obama and McCain stuck to their points and didn't make any mistakes that would doom the campaign.

"So while McCain made Obama look like an amateur when it came to foreign policy"
I'm going to have to disagree with you on that. Foreign policy was supposed to be McCain's big strength and Obama's glaring weakness. There wasn't anything that Obama said that made him look amatuer or like he had no idea what he was talking about. (see Palin with Couric for an example of what that looks like). McCain was trying to paint Obama as completely inexperienced, but Obama wasn't coming across as that. So McCain has been to more foreign countries than Obama. Ok. Is this now a requirement for President? Because if it is, then Biden beats Palin considering Palin just got a passport a year ago.

"He showed up prepared to debate on foreign policy, yet allowed Obama to win the economic portion of the debate with nothing more than standard liberal demagogy"

If McCain didn't realize that a major portion of this debate would focus on the economy, then he might not be ready to be President. You say it's demagogy, I say that Obama was making accurate statements about our economy.

We'll see how this affects the polls. The Biden v Palin debate is going to be brutal, if it even goes on.

[LOL]

"Were a more genuine conservative running as President for the Republicans, tonight's debate might have been a tremendous victory for the Right."

The critical oversight in your analysis is that a victory for the Right is rarely a victory for the country.

[LOL]

I would agree with your mj commenter tho. Especially on the foreign policy aspect of the debate. It was a draw. Both sides made their cases, which amounted to little more than party talking points. It seems to me the country is very divided on Iraq and the war on terror in general, and few will be swayed from the current stance on that issue.

[Scrapiron]

McCain dumped a train load of 'whoop ass' on Hussein and Hussein got so confused he could't remember his own name much less the name of the KIA soldier he wears on his arm for what proved to be political purposes and he shot political part down when he had to look to see the name on the braclet. GWB is an Einstein compared to Hussein.

[Scrapiron]

Read this and weep.

Bill Clinton blamed the Democrats for blocking reform of the mortgage giants, via Patriot Room:

Going very much against the media meme that the current financial crisis is all George W. Bush and the Republicans' fault, Bill Clinton on Thursday told ABC's Chris Cuomo that Democrats for years have been "resisting any efforts by Republicans in the Congress or by me when I was President to put some standards and tighten up a little on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac"

True. President Bush warned about reforming Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae 17 times this year alone. John McCain's reform bill was blocked by dems in 2005. Thank you, Bill Clinton!

[SacTownMan]

Could you wear a name tag on your wrist everyday and not know the name on it?

What a tool!

Me Too, Me Too!! Ohhhh wait I have this part down really good let me talk please, please!!

Now Now little boy not your turn yet you can put your hand down now!

You're not just nieve, you're dangerous!

[Dan Riehl]

"John McCain's reform bill was blocked by dems in 2005."

Yes, including Obama. SO why in Hell didn't McCain say so when that was the subject? I kept waiting for something, anything in that regard. McCain simply fired back talking pointsd about taxes when he was holding a Ace. I almost stopped watching after the first twenty minutes. Sure, McCain won the last hour - but first impressions mean a lot in these kinds of displays.

I'm not saying McCain is wrong on the issues, or that I could ever buy into Barry - but as a debate contest, McCain just didn't bring it like he could and should have imo.

[mary]

Dan, I really think that these two guys know that tomorrow they have their work cut out for them. I also think they truly respect one another and they are both gentlemen. Maybe it is me, but I try, even when I am entirely in the right, not to decimate my opponent when I know that I have to roll up my sleeves and find consensus with them in the coming days.

Even if Hillary had been the opponent I think we would have seen the same John McCain. He is who he is. Very consistent in a comforting sort of way.

[seekeronos]

/agree with Dan. I'm a bit disappointed McCain didn't lower the boom on the D's obstructionism over Fannie & Freddie.

[Spartan112]

He knew the name. He stumbled on it for a second, big deal. You guys didn't get nearly the "uh's" you were looking for but man can McCain blink like an SOB, the sign of a very untrustworthy guy.

He seemed scared of Obama all while trying to act tough, he would address him or even look at him.

[Carlos]

McCain looked like a feeble old man in funeral makeup. What an old geezer!!! It looked like it was waay past his bed time!

[mary]

Carlos, are you seriously going there? Barack colored his hair and forgot to listen for the timer. And then, if things weren't bad enough, barack borrowed Charlie Rangel's hair gel.

[Carlos]

I wonder what kind of makeup they put on the old man to cover up his liver spots and melanomas?? Sorry to break it, but that was one sad, tired little old man up there last night.

[Old Trooper]

Carlos, was it a beauty contest?

[WAHOO WILLIE]

Like I said before. Either way we get a democrat. The choice is between a moderate and a socialist.

[Carlos]

It's not a beauty contest but rather shows how old McCain looks even as he wants the most powerful job in the world. They don't let commercial pilots fly after 65, you know. Why ever would anyone want such an old, old man as leader of the free world?? Let's not forget that his running mate has little more to offer other than a view of Russia from her kitchen window.

[Philip McDaniel]

"...but man can McCain blink like an SOB, the sign of a very untrustworthy guy."
I noticed that too but I just think he was getting a bit emotional recounting a story...I don't remember which one but it didn't come across as untrustworthy to me -- essentially, been there, done that.

[mary]

I missed the blinking completely. That tells me that it is probably "just John McCain" and that is why it didn't register with me.

[mary]

Carlos, McCain kept telling you he was old, you didn't needed anything else. Barack, the day before looked very sexy with his shorter haircut and all the grey. That last minute decision to probably grab that package of hair color in the drug store wasn't a good one. Everyone knows that you never go darker, you always go lighter. And, what was up with all the hair gel and piling the hair in the middle, pee wee herman style?

[joeb]

I think McCain showed he is the more experienced. And personally it bothers me to think Joe Biden is just a heartbeat away from the Presidency. This is a man his own party turned down in Iowa in the primary.
And turned him down in a big way.
All in all it was a good debate. And even though Barry tried to rattle John's chain it did not work. McCain remained cool and calm. In fact, I think I heard Barry freaking out a couple of times. He is not black he is green. Green behind those big ears. Barry is all talk and no cattle. He reminds me of other pols who can spin a web of words and make a speech but is really an empty suit.

[WileECoyote]

Buckwheat got spanked by Butch last night.

[Spartan112]

"I missed the blinking completely. That tells me that it is probably "just John McCain" and that is why it didn't register with me."

I had never noticed it before...it was constant. I also have notice the left side of his face looks particularly haggard over the past couple of weeks. The presidency is a strain on healthy men, and this is how a campaign is effecting McCain?

[Lala]

I didn't watch. I heard that Obama called McCain by three different names - John, Tom and Jim. Is that right? Also, Obama stuttered a lot and kept interrupting McCain.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

""...but man can McCain blink like an SOB, the sign of a very untrustworthy guy.""

Hmmm, I noticed the same thing about john edwards 10 years ago...thought the same thing. But then, john edwards never spent any time being starved for nutrition. Amazing, the things being denied nutrition, living with poor lighting and being smacked in the head can do to the eyes.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

"Barack, the day before looked very sexy with his shorter haircut and all the grey."

Thus the reason for a large number of female votes.

[Fred Beloit]

Wow, mary: "One of my friends who is staunchly against Obama made the comment that he had a better understanding of Obama now. He said he even liked him and that some day, with more experience under his belt, at a different time, he might make a great president [of Russia?-FB]."

I suppose this friend of yours can sing "Obie, I Hardly Knew Ye". Obie would have to demoonbat himself completely before I could ever vote for him, even for the office of mailman. Did your friend never hear of Ayers, Rev Wright, the mad-eyed radical priest from St. Sabina's, and the rest?

And carlos/chris/Boob asks, with a really cute double question mark, "Why ever would anyone want such an old, old man as leader of the free world??"

I'd like to answer that question, Boob. Why? Because everything we know about BO indicates (1) that he is a far-left radical who has far-left associates and a far-left wife, (2)who strongly dislikes whites and hates America and its history, (3) who has no accomplishments except that he won elections after having arranged for his two opponents to be taken out of the election, (4)who looks at the U.S. and sees failure, misery and poverty and nothing else, (5) who wrote two mediocre books about his unaccomplished self, and (6) who wants to be our Commander in Chief, but has been and continues to be disasterously wrong about the Iraq war.

[dm60462]

I miss Duncan Hunter.

[Lala]

As I said, I didn't watch the debate, but I picked this up from a blog. Interesting.

(1.) “Well, I think Senator McCain’s absolutely right that we need more responsibility…”

(2.) “But John is right we have to make cuts.”

(3.) “Well, Senator McCain is absolutely right that the earmarks process has been abused”

(4.) “He’s also right that oftentimes lobbyists and special interests are the ones that are introducing these kinds of requests…”

(5.) “Now, John mentioned the fact that business taxes on paper are high in this country, and he’s absolutely right.”

(6.) “Senator McCain is absolutely right that the violence has been reduced as a consequence of the extraordinary sacrifice of our troops and our military families.”

(7.) “And, John, I ~~ you’re absolutely right that presidents have to be prudent in what they say.”

(8.) “Now, Senator McCain is also right that it’s difficult. This [Iraq] is not an easy situation.”

(9.) “Senator McCain is absolutely right; we cannot tolerate a nuclear Iran.”

[Jack Okie]

Given the left's meme that McCain is a senile loose cannon warmonger, I think the McCain camp has made a conscious decision not to appear too aggressive. It's part of the "people want us to stop shouting at each other" tack.

[Jack Okie]

Another point:

If McCain had named the names of those actually responsible for the financial mess, it could have derailed the negotiations underway in DC. As satisfying it would have been to us, deferring the specifics until later was smart. There are two more debates in which McCain can call them out.

[WileECoyote]

Barry's chief advisor can tell us all about it from his days at Fannie/Freddie.

[seekeronos]

"--- Carlos, was it a beauty contest? ---"

Unfortunately, that is EXACTLY how about 85% of the people who might think about voting this November are going to look at it.

Of course, of those 85%, they are pretty much already sold on who they will be voting for - with the bulk of people under 50 years of age going for Obama, and those 50 and over trending toward McCain.

I really really really wish that third party candidates had equal access to these debates and an even chance at airtime in general.

Both McCain and Obama are highly unsatisfactory to me, and to a lot of people (I'd say about 20% - 25% of the populace) who would really like to see some more options than the establishment candidates.

Someone once opined that the Dems and GOP are two heads of the same bird, like one of those Romanov Eagles:

http://www.freakingnews.com/Two-Headed-Eagle-Pictures-31767.asp

It's just not a good idea.

There is a broad swath of people whose ideas and desires are completely unrepresented, even while there are candidates whom those people could support, if they were given a chance to be heard.

A full debate with McCain, Obama, Chuck Baldwin, Bob Barr, Cynthia McKinney, and Ralph Nader --- and moderated by Dr. Ron Paul would be something I'd give a kidney to hear.

[Ernie Wilkinson]

I'm a Canadian with no dog in this fight, but I think McCain clearly won, and I taught Social Studies Debates and Acting
Fundamentals both after I got out of Stanford. It seems to me, you have a hyped radical left man , Obama, who the MSM refuses to vett. He was a long term friend and associate of an unrepentent terrorist named Bill Ayers, attended for 20 years an anti-American church with a preference for the Anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan, played Chicago style politics with Daley and a convicted felon named Rezko, was backed at University by strange Pro-Islam people with names like Khalid, actively supported a Marxist radical cousin in Kenya named Odinga, whose forces burned down Christians in their churches and who made a deal with the Muslims to set up Sharia Law, who fasted on Sundays, self-admittedly, while at Columbia, whose father and step-father both were Muslim and whose mother and father were radical socialists, whose admitted mentor was a card carrying Communist operative in the unions named Frank Davis, and whose tactics in community organizing and now campaigning were taught by his Chicago mentor Alinsky, self proclaimed revolutionary who dedicated his book to Lucifer, who travelled to Pakistan when he was a student at Columbia when Americans were advised to stay away during the Iranian hostage matter, who voted against allowing a baby to live after surviving an abortion, even inventing a techy name for her - need I say anymore? I could go on if you liked, BUT HAVE AMERICANS LOST THEIR BLOODY MINDS? You have a War hero in McCain who everyone can both know and trust and you are as a people so deluded as to take a chance on the above man being an idealist when you know in fact nothing about him because he was never vetted? Time for a Reality Check! A friggin wake up call!!! May God have mercy on the world!!!

[seekeronos]

"--- May God have mercy on the world!!! ---"

He already has had mercy.

Most people seem to want to reject His mercy though.

[joeb]

Michael Savage had a slip of his tongue last night on his radio show. It made him laugh and it made me laugh too. He called McCain quote "A white in shining armor".

[tally]

I thought Jr looked like he wasn't ready for prime time, McCain cleaned his clock. But, I'm just a moderate.

[SacTownMan]

Sparky says;

"You guys didn't get nearly the "uh's" you were looking for but man can McCain blink like an SOB, the sign of a very untrustworthy guy."

Yea even Xerxes's handlers finally got the need for him to cut back on the "uh's".

He was "well rehearsed" but clueless. He seemed like a little whiny bitch with his constant attempts to interupt to make points. The split screen was great to show him pissing himself like our resident trolls here tend to do.

The moonbat talking point about "McCain is old" was predictable even from the sock puppet, sorry I mean "Carlos".

McCain didn't blink as much as the troll queen. You may be right though because only a retard would trust someone that can blink like this. Now this is blinking!;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0O0wl_UaU8

[Fred Beloit]

Well, I guess the Moe/Llama has had to "go back to Kos and Huff for further instructions" as Temp used to say. Nice clip, Sac.

[Fred Beloit]

Excuse me, wrong troll. I should have said Agent 112, whom Sac calls Sparky, not Moe.

[hdtv]

I noticed McCain's blinking. It stood right out. And then after I noticed McCain, I make an effort to check Obama. While McCain's eyelids were in a constant flutter on every answer, Obama's were not. Obama still blank a bunch during some questions, but no where near McCain. I also noticed on the side shots or when nobody was talking neither was blinking at a high rate.

I also noticed at the end, there were two points where McCain seemed to lose his track of thought. He was obviously tired while Obama seemed just as energetic as he was at the beginning.

I didn't see any clear winner. I'm not sure how one even claims victory for a debate, particularly without huge gaffes or radical events. If poll results are a measure of success, then since McCain gained no ground and Obama seems to keep gaining ground, I have to say Obama won. I mean what else matters? I do know two of my McCain leaning friends now are planning to vote Obama.