Brokaw Obama…excuse me, Barack Obama…and John McCain squared off in the second of their three Presidential debates. Tom Brokaw was the moderator, taking the baton from Gwen Ifill in the quest to elect Barack Obama.
Yes, it is 2 against 1, but such is life as a republican.
The candidates were asked what they would do to fix the current economic situation. Specifically, they were asked how retirees and older people could be “bailed out.” It was an interesting choice of words.
The candidates immediately got into it, deflecting blame for the current economic condition.
Obama began by saying that “this is the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.” He then added that “the last 8 years have been about stripping away all regulations and letting markets run wild.”
McCain countered by saying that “we need to keep all Americans’ taxes low, we should not raise taxes on anybody. I would let the Treasury Secretary buy up all the bad home loans in America.”
When asked who he would hire as Treasury Secretary, McCain said to Brokaw, “Not you Tom.” McCain mentioned Warren Buffett, and Obama supporter, and former EBAY CEO Meg Whitman.
Obama reaffirmed Buffett before lauching into the standard class warfare. He then continued to repeat the matra of cutting taxes for 95% of the middle class. It used to be 95% of all Americans. Now it is 95% of the middle class.
The next question dealt with the bailout, which McCain insisted on describing as a rescue. McCain mentioned how he suspended his campaign, as if that mattered. McCain then said that “the catalyst that lit this fire was Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.” He said it was “because of Obama and his cronies.” He pointed out how the democrats stifled fixing Fannie and Freddie in 2006. “Senator Obama was the second highest recipient of Fannie money in history.” “Some of us stood up against it, while others took a hike.”
Obama blamed deregulation. He claimed that he never promoted Fannie Mae, and that “Senator McCain’s firm lobbied for Fannie Mae.”
When asked if the economy would get worse, Obama backtracked and said, “I am confident about the economy.” He then offered a platitude about a “20th century regulatory system for a 21st century financial system.”
McCain kept emphasizing the need to “stabilize housing markets by buying up the bad loans.”
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/10/07/mccain-wants-to-spend-300-billion-more-to-buy-up-bad-mortgages/
The candidates were asked why either of them should be trusted to handle the economy. Obama blamed President George W. Bush for the increase in the deficit and national debt. Obama spoke of “investments, which means spending. Obama insisted he had spending cuts, but would not say what any of them were.
McCain mentioned his support of Campaign Finance Reform with Russ Feingold and CLimate Change with Joe Lieberman. He mentioned how he was bipartisan and Obama was not. He mentioned looking at the websites of Citizens of Government Waste and National Taxpayers Union. He referred to the 3 million dollar earmark that Obama secured for an overhead projector for a planetarium in Chicago.
Between health care, energy, and entitlement reform, Brokaw asked which was most important.
McCain said that they could all be worked on simultaneously. He said the words “my friends,” repeatedly, but spoke about the 1983 deal between Reagan and Tip O’Neill that saved Social Security.
Obama said that energy “has to be dealt with today.” He again repeated his goal of being energy indpendent in 10 years, which is fantasy. He tried to justify this fantasy by pointing out that “JFK said we could go the moon in 10 years, and he had no idea how to do it.” Obama wanted to “go through the budget line by line and eliminate programs that don’t work.” Somebody needs to tell him that the line item veto was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Obama then bashed tax cuts to businesses.
An elderly voter asked what sacrifices Americans should be asked to make.
McCain said that some programs would have to be eliminated. He spoke about some defense spending that is not working. Heaven forbid he mention wasteful social spending. That would take guts. McCain wants a spending freeze for everything except defense and Veterans Affairs.
Obama spoke about 9/11 and how we all came together. He even conceded that President Bush “did some smart things at the outset.” Yet he criticized the President for telling people to “go out and shop” at that moment. This is why Obama is an arrogant gasbag. He is armchair quarterbacking a situation of pure horror like the know it all that insists he would have done better. No, he would not have. Obama then spoke of how Americans “could save energy by weatherizing your home and buying American cars.” He then said he wanted to “double the Peace Corps.”
The candidates were then asked how Washington could break its bad habits with regards to easy credit.
Obama criticized McCain’s tax cuts again. “It is tough to ask a teacher making $35,000 per year to tighten her belt when CEOs are living high on the hog.” He called an across the board freeze on spending “unfair.” He said that “McCain wants to take a hatchet, I want to take a scalpel.”
McCain then lit into Obama. “Nailing down Obama’s tax plan is like nailing jello to the wall. He has 5 or 6 of them, and will soon have anothyer one. Obama will raise taxes on 50% of small businesses, who will have to cut jobs.” Raising taxes and encouraging protectionism is what Herbert Hoover did.” He quoted Obama, who previously said that he would forego tax hikes if the news was bad. He turned to Obama and said, “the news is bad.” He then said, “I am not favoring tax cuts for the welathy. I am in favor of leaving them alone. Let’s not raise anybody’s taxes.”
The candidates were asked if they would demand a 2 year date certain to fix Social Seucrity and Medicare.
Obama danced by saying that he would not guarantee to do it in 2 years, but he would do it in his first term. He then shifted back to taxes, and repeated his 95% tax cut lie. He insisted that most small businesses make less than $250,000 per year, and would have their taxes cut. Obama complained that McCain’s tax cuts were “not fair,” repeating what Joe Biden said in his Vice Presidential debate Vs Sarah Palin.
McCain said, “Social Security is not that tough.” He pointed out that it required working together, and Obama “never took on his own party. He said that “Medicare was tougher.” He wanted a bipartisan commission. McCain then went back to taxes, repeating that “Obama’s rhetoric does not match his record.” Obama “promised a middle class tax xut while running for the Senate, but never proposed it upon getting elected.”
A stupid question was asked about climate change, and what could be done to fix it in 2 years. I wonder how the woman who asked it snuck into the hall. It is not a crisis, and it does not need to be dealt with this minute. The question kept McCain babbling about how loyal a democrat he could be on the issue, and kept him from talking about anything that mattered.
McCain did manage to talk about the need for nuclear power, but when you are behind in the polls, questions that run out the clock are not good in a debate. This question was so pro-Obama that I am shocked Brokaw did not ask it himself.
Obama kept insisting that he favored nuclear power. Nothing has been done on energy for 30 years, and McCain was there for 26 of those years. He voted 23 times against alternative fuels. Obama then said that drilling was “important.” He then said we could not “drill our way out of the problem.” He is rabidly anti-drilling, but clever about staking his position.
Brokaw asked if we needed a Manhattan Project of environmentalism.
McCain pointed out the Bush-Cheney energy bill that was loade dup with pork got a “yes” vote from Obama, while McCain voted against it. McCain then emphasized the importance of drilling to bring the price down. “We have got to0 drill offshore, and we have got to do it now.”
The candidates were then asked if health care should be treated as a commodity.
I resisted the urge to throw my keyboard out the window. Maybe the War on Terror is over, and mentioning Islmaofacism is unnecessary. Let’s talk about trees instead.
Obama naturally said he would “work with employer to lower premiums.” He also said that “nobody will be excluded for preexisting conditions.” Obama disagrees with McCain’s plan.
I disagree with pathetic excuse of a debate. Sarah Palin needed to shoot a moose outside to wake me up. This was a debate about nothing.
McCain pointed out that Obama’s plan is all about what government will do, which includes mandates. McCain is offering a refundable tax credit of $5,000. He dislikes Obama’s plan. Stop the presses. He said “we have got to give people choice in America. We cannot mandate it.”
Brokaw asked if health care was a privilege, a right, or a responsibility.
McCain stated that it was a responsibility, but that under Obama’s plan, people get fined for failing to comply. He also mentioned that the amount of fine was never disclosed by Obama.
Obama said health care was a right, and spoke about his grandmother dying of cancer at age 50. Obama insisted his plan did not have mandates. Again, this is not true. He then in the next sentence said that “you are going to make sure that your child has health care.” That is called a mandate. Obama wants government to “crack down on insurance companies that are cheating their customers.” Obama is so brave. I think it should be illegal to molest puppies, and those who do should be punished. Being crooked in business is already illegal.
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog/g/c3182f00-a01d-427b-811f-c8fc2c32cc27
McCain again pointed out that the size of the fine was not disclosed.
The debate then turned to foreign policy, thank God.
The first question was about American’s being peacekeepers.
McCain called Anerica, “the greatest force for good in the history of the world. We are peacemakers and peacekeepers.” He then brought up his experience. He said Obama “was wrong about Iraq and the surge, and was wrong about Russia. He does not understand our national security challenges.”
Obama then said that “he did not undertsand how we invaded a country that had nothing to do with 9/11.” He said McCain was “cheerleading to go into Iraq.”
I was hoping McCain would for once mention that had Obama been in power, Saddam Hussein would still be in power. I ask for way too much. All I know is Rudy Giuliani would take a brickbat to the pathetic arguments of the left. McCain is a gentleman, allowing him to lose honorably as the left thanks him and kicks him simultaneously.
The candidates were then asked about the McCain and Obama Doctrines on using force for places like the Congo or Rwanda, where there are no national security issues at stake.
Obama said there were “moral issues at stake,” and had the gall to bring up the Holocaust. Obama knows nothing abuot the Holocaust. He should talk to my dad, who backs McCain. Obama then said that we cannot go everywhere. The only thing everywhere all over the map was Obama’s position. I still have no idea where he stands on this issue.
McCain pointed out that Obama’s approach on Iraq would have brought the troops home in defeat, rather than victory. He then used the phrase “my friends” a few more times. McCain pointed out that he has a “cool hand at the tiller.” He criticized the mission in Somalia. He pointed out that we “withdrew in humiliation.” McCain emphasized that the key was whether America could “beneficially affect the situations.”
The next question was whether or not we should go into Pakistan to capture Al Queda detainees.
Obama went into his stump speech about how George W. Bush is to blame for Osama Bin Laden not being captured. He then lied and said Al Queda was stronger than at any time since 2001. No, they are not. Their plans have been severely disrupted. Obama then said we “cannot coddle Pakistan, led by a dictator.” Obama has no clue about why we needed to work with Musharraf. Yet he insists he wants to crush Al Queda.
McCain criticized Obama for his belligerence towards Pakistan. Working with a nation means working with them. Bellicose rhetoric towards them only pushes them away. McCain pointed out that “we need the support of the Pakistani people.” This is how counterinsurgencies succeed.
Obama tried to defend himself, saying that McCain is the one that has spoken irresponsibly on Baghdad and Iran. Obama then laced into Musharraf again.
McCain said that unlike Obama, he would not “telegraph his punches. I will act responsibly as I have my entire military career and Senate career.”
Brokaw then quoted a couple generals that said Afghanistan was lost. Can we get one moderator that is not a left wing partisan shill?
Obama repeated that we need to work with the Karzai government. Obama claimed that he talked to tough to Karzai. Again, he has no idea what he is doing. That is the wrong approach.
McCain cited General Petraeus, who actually does know what he is talking about. McCain pointe dout that Obama will “still not admit he was wrong about the surge in Iraq.”
The debate then shifted to Russia, and how to deal with them without having anotehr Cold War.
McCain made clear that we would not have another Cold War. McCain talked bellicose on Vladimir Putin, which is the same mistake Obama makes regarding Musharraf and Karzai. McCain did mention including Georgia and the Ukraine in NATO. However, blasting Putin will not help.
Obama said that we need to do more than provide moral support. We need to provide them with financial support. Obama insisted that he took a clear initial stand on Russia. This is not the case. He stayed silent. He also said American foreign policy was “reactive, and that we should anticipate problems before they happen.”
The candidates were asked if Russia under Vladimir was an evil empire.
Obama said that some of their actions were evil, which did not answer the question.
McCain sounded like an adult when he said “maybe,” and then clarified that comment. “If yes, we are reigniting the Cold War, and if no, we are condoning their behavior.”
The candidates were then asked if they would commit troops to defend Isreael if Iran attacked, or if they would wait for the U.N. Security Council.
This was a gift question to McCain.
“We would not wait for the U.N. Security Council. Russia and China would be obstacles.” This was like the end of McCain’s speech at the Convention. McCain was dull until the very end. On this question McCain looked like he had down a 6 pack of Jolt Cola. He spoke about a dangerous Iran bad for the entire Middle East. “We can never allow a second Holocaust to take place.”
Obama then said that “we cannot allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon.” He keeps saying this is “unacceptable.”
I want every Jew in the world to understand that Obama speaks of Israel in cold, detached terms. He is not anti-Semitic, but there is no warmth. McCain truly and passionately supports Israel.
The question was about Iran attacking Israel, and Obama was babbling cost benefit analyses of energy prices. Obama then said he wants “direct talks with our enemies to talk toughly.” Obama then said “it may not work.”
No, Mr. Obama. It will not work.
Obama blamed President Bush over North Korea, saying failing to dialogue created the problem. Wrong again. It was Bill Clinton accepting dialogue at face value when the entire world outside of liberals understood that people like Kim Jong Il lie. Bill Clinton was naive, and so is Barack Obama.
The last question was “what don’t you know, and how will you learn it?”
It was a stupid question, and Obama said that he would ask his wife Michelle. Obama then said “it is not the challenges that you expect, it is the ones you don’t.” Absolutely brilliant. This guy is a scholar.
McCain said that what he did not know was what we all do not know, that “the challenges are unprecedented.” Thankfully, he will not consult Michelle Obama.
Overall this debate was a complete waste. Tom Brokaw should be waterboarded, or at least be forced to admit once and for all that he is a partisan liberal with no intention of being fair.
Both candidates were boring, listless, and lifeless, for much of the debate. McCain showed tremendous spark during the Israel discussion, but one fabulous moment cannot save an entire performance.
The debate was a draw because neither candidate was that terrific. A draw goes to the guy in the lead, which is Barack Obama. He stands for nothing, but all he needs to do is run and hide and the clock will run out soon enough. There is nothing republcians can do. John McCain will simply not go after him. He would rather be friends with Ted Kennedy and Russell Feingold.
Maybe Obama can destroy Congressional and Gubernatorial majorities the way Bill Clinton did. I would be ok with that if we were at peace.
We are at war, and America does not care. The slick talker with the easy smile and platitudes is ahead of the sober adult.
It does not matter who is right if they cannot market and communicate themselves. Obama is a talker and McCain is a doer. This does matter. The doer had better start talking passionately, and fast.
Sarah Palin gets it. When an anti-war heckler did his typical leftist thing, Palin shot back (figuratively, not literally) brilliantly by saying that, “My son is over in Iraq fighting for your right to be able to protest.”
McCain needs to get a spark. Get fired up. The way he talked about Israel needs to be how he talks about everything.
Obama and his smug “too cool for school” detached attitude is cocky and condescending, but unless McCain fights back, Joe Cool will slide and glide by. President Bush would never have let John Kerry get away with the eleitist garbage. McCain had better start getting tough.
I have tried my best, and I am throwing up my hands in despair. I cannot make John McCain want to win the election.
eric
“I have tried my best, and I am throwing up my hands in despair. I cannot make John McCain want to win the election.”
Yea, I feel the same disappointment.
But if we cant bang on McCain we can still bang on the few independant undecideds out there.
I dont think he was afforded a decent opportunity as the questions were really not choosen by anyone other than Brokaw and staff.
Nothing about how Obama seems to be connected to America haters so often.
Nothing about whos really to blame for this meltdown.
Just a simpleton like myself could of given Obama a harder time last night.
McCain missed an opportunity to call Obama on contradicting himself when he said our foriegn policies should be decided with anticipation.
Anticipation of what ? Getting our a$$es kicked ?
Unless he was refering to pre emptive action, which is what it sounded like to me it was something I dont believe he could of defined any better.
Well, I’m coordinating efforts to elect Obama here in central Florida this last month. My main talking points are thus:
1: Even is McCain gets elected little of his domestic policy promises will come to pass. The House and Senate will be all the more Democratic, with large gains in both houses. In fact, little or nmothing will get done period, as the senate will have a Democratic majority, but not enough of one to avert filibusters. McCain will be less hamstrung in his foreign policy, but somehwat hamstrung just the same, and if he tries to start any more wars, or to ratchet up efforts in Iraq, he will be solidly rebuffed.
2: 75% of all net income gains during the Bush years went to the top 1% of earners. Most the middle and working class have seen a net decline. Food and fuel inflation on top of the negative savings rate have further exaserbated the resources of most Americans. If you love your children (I’ll be appealing to mostly older retired folks here in this area) and want them to get ahead in life, you’ll vote for Obama.
3: Deimperialization should be the number one agenda for all Americans. If you’re tired of giving your taxes, blood, and money away to foreign nations and multinational corporations (I’ll be appealing to older Americans protectionist nationalism), the best possible choice is Obama. Though he probably will not completely reverse the self-destructive course of American empire, public pressure will work better on the Dems than the GOP. John McCain will continue American imperial hegemony and therefore continue to paint that big target on our national rumpuss.
I figure if I can’t get them to vote for Obama, at least I can convince them to stay home. ;) Just kidding. I’m concentratin mostly on getting older registered Dems out to vote. I don’t normally work with the Dems, but this time I feel I have to. McCain and Pailn are dangerous at worst and useless at best. In times like these we need good sense and usefulness. Obama brings us both.
JMJ
Obama has no record of any such thing.
Both McCain and Palin enjoy records of successful endeavors.
Obama has a pretty good resume, at least in the sense that he seems to genuinely care about the greater good. Palin has and is nothing but dangerous in every sense of the word. McCain believes in domestic and economic policies that are proven failures. Obama, at least, stands for more of the same things I do, so therefore, he’s my guy. All the other stuff is nonsense as far as I’m concerned. And that’s what I’ll be reminding voters – this is not a popularity contest, it’s a partisan election.
JMJ
Oh, and I forgot to mention the fourth point I’ll be making to voters – stop worrying about terrorism! It’s nonsense. We’re the greatest power on Earth. We’re wasting our time fussing over a handful of bearded loonies hiding in caves thousands of miles away. They are no great existential threat to America in any way. The real threat to America’s future comes from within, and they are called Republicans.
JMJ
“Obama has a pretty good resume, at least in the sense that he seems to genuinely care about the greater good. ”
Yea, I have a resume` that says all that too.
Gimme a break.
The guy gets an “F” in math but his resume` says hes a nice guy.
Screw it, hire the man
“dangerous in every sense of the word. ”
This is where the talk ends when you start saying ubsurly ridiculous overstatements.
The bigger picture is how Palin ran her community/Wasilla and Alaska.
Thats how she got her ratings of 65 to 75% and I’m sure she didnt get them running everything broke.
Flim flam men are mathematical/linguistic geniuses.
But they’re crooks.
And thats what I think Obama is.
Palin has run a fiscally responsable Alaska for two years with one of the largest National guards and Coast guards in the country along with the single biggest park service.
Would you like to talk about how Obama contributed to a TWO TRILLION dollar deficit ?
Her track record clearly proves that she is a far more effective leader than Obama or Biden.
Ya know why ?
Because she actually has a record of accomplishments
“The bigger picture is how Palin ran her community/Wasilla and Alaska.”
Ah, yes. Wee wittle Wasillla. LOL!
She left the town 20 million dollars in debt. A complete hack and a failure. Yes, she’s popular in Wasilla. And Wasilla is full of ….
In my personal opinion, I must humbly assert, I am completely convinced the woman is dangerous. And I’m very rarely wrong about these thiongs.
JMJ
I do not just think the woman is “dangerous”! That could confer that I believe she is intelligent – and I am firmly convinced she is not an intelligent person! I really and truly believe she’s an idiot – and that is what makes her dangerous, IMHO.
JMJ
There you go Jersey, cheating and playing games like a little boy.
I put the focus on her whole career, not just Wasilla, you conveniently left out her being governor of Alaska.
You can say whatever you want, I know you’re hooked on mental masturbation, I get it. This statement proves it;
“And I’m very rarely wrong about these thiongs.”
The facts dictate that the woman has insurmountable accomplishments next to Obama.
Obama was instrumental in this countrys 2 trillion dollar debt and you want to bring up a 20 mill debt in Wasilla that has been cleared as she was governor of the state ?
(Watch out for the table)
A patriotic thing to do, Jersey, and I commend you for trying to register voters. I was quite bemused by a “voice” on television this morning concerning voters… She lamented the fact that minorities and poor people are being targeted by Republican scare-tactics. She said that many people will be afraid to come to the polls because they fear being questioned about their residency…others won’t come to the polls because they may have to show an ID… still others may not show up because they fear people will serve them with outstanding warrants… Let me take a McCain comment about Obama’s threat to Pakistan and apply it here, “Sure, there are a number of fraudulant voters who are ineligible to vote, or who have registered in a number of places, and are criminals, but you don’t say this OUT LOUD”…
I haven’t seen any evidence of that in recent times, Eagle. I think it’s a bogeyman invented by the right to rile up the anti-immigrant rabble. I think the left also overdoes it with the voter ID issue. I understand the slippery-slope argument (that could be be construed as, or lead to, poll taxes and such), but I don’t think it’s a serious problem any more or less than I think illegal voting is a serious problem. These are pseudo-issues.
JMJ
Its only a psuedo issue when its you in the headlights right ???
Acorn is far out of the psuedo realm at this point and coming to light as not only a bunch militant socialist con men but also connected to F&F in promoting sub prime mortgages.
Eagle, have you ever heard Jersey speak to people ?
If he tried to register you, yould probably get a nose bleed if you didnt check the “D” box
:-)
As far as I know, there hasn’t been any substantial Democratic voter fraud since 1960. Among the GOP ranks, there was apparently substantial fraud in 2000. By substantial, I man fraud that actually changed the election results.
The ACORN matter seems to be confined to a bad apple ot two down in Nevada. So, I’m not concerned by it. If it’s more widespread, then they should clamp down it, and apparently they are anyway.
As for them being “militant socialists,” that’s just goofy. But you cons are easily riled by such hyperbolic paranoia, so whatever floats your boat…
Also, Micky, I’m not a Dem, so I don’t register them. I’m just helping to bring out the already registered voters in FL because I believe it could make a difference down here, and the best hope we have to undo the damage done in the past some-odd years of the laizzez faire crooks known as the GOP is to replace them with the opposing party. For now.
JMJ
Typical lib, or whatever you are.
You’re even lucky after all your arrogance that I tossed some humor your way and you still didnt get it.
If you’re pushing Obama I guess it would only make sense for you to convince folks to register dem, right ? (right)
Whatever you consider substantial is irrelevant.
It goes to character. Obama has defended these scumbags in court, donated to their organization as they are backing him also.
Organizations with an agenda should not be allowed to register voters.
PERIOD
Ontop of the fact that they were pressuring banks to issue sub prime loans.
! or 2 bad apples in NEVADA?????
Crust o mighty they’re being investigated right now in almost all the battle ground states. WAKE UP !!!
The only problem with your last paragraph is that its the dems that did the most damage up untill now.
A one party dem state is going to reverse all the damage the dems have done to our economy ?
Now I know you’re high
Do actually think the same laizzez faire crooks Pelosi and Reid are gonna come after Frank , Dodd, Schumer and Obama for their assistance in pushing this disaster forward ?
Please dude get real
And oh by the way, Democrats added 20 Million in funding to the bailout plan for Acorn
The candidates have a major difference in their leadership styles: McCain tends to say, “Follow me because the other guy can’t get it done” while Obama says, “Follow me because I can get it done.” Ideally, the candidates should say, “Follow me because i will help you get it done” … in any case, of the two of them Obama demonstrates a better leadership mentality