Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Live Blog: Debate #3

See you tonight...

7:33
An hour & a half away. This has been quite the day. Amy, GJ and I are certainly ready for a diversion.

A brief plug for the Obama muppet that I snagged from the web. This guy Dan Lacey has all sorts of interesting portraits on his blog. As for Grandpa Simpson, Matt Groening doesn't need any more money. I can snag that with a good conscience.


8:50
What a day. Minor surgery for our son this morning in a "sensitive area" that was supposed to have a recovery so quick that he would be rough & tumble playing by the afternoon. After 2 hours of him screaming in pain because he doesn't want to go to the bathroom, two parents and a grandmother have some shot nerves. We are hoping that some Tylenol kicks in to help the little guy out tonight.

On a related note, tonight's live blog is sponsored by....




9:02
Here's Schieffer....here we go. Roundtable format tonight...

In a flip on the red state/blue state dynamic, Obama shows up with a red tie; McCain in blue.


9:05
How to save the economy?
McCain: Stop home foreclosures. Obama: Middle class tax cuts.

"The Battle for Joe the Plumber"
McCain: Ohio plumbers support me. Obama's tax rates would be higher than McCain's.

Obama
: Tax cut for 95% of working Americans making less than $250,000/year. 3x tax relief for middle class families.

Will be interesting to see the fact checkers on this one.

9:15

McCain & Obama are battling for the votes from this treasured demographic.



9:18
Who is it again that has been in power for the past eight years that racked up these huge budget deficits that McCain wants to take a "hatchet" to?


9:25
Schieffer with a pointed question to both: Are you willing to say to each other's face what you say in your ads?

Mr. Erratic: Obama wouldn't agree to my format so I got nasty. Hits Obama on the John Lewis statement.

Mr. Pals Around With Terrorists: Americans aren't concerned with our hurt feelings.

McCain looks like his head is about to blow off.


9:32
Obama trying to take the high road with this negative ad question. McCain absolutely looks like he wants to rip Obama's limbs off.


9:36
McCain brings up ACORN and "that washed-up old terrorist" Bill Ayers in 10 seconds....

Obama diffuses it well (yes, this is from an Obama supporter): Ayers is not involved with my campaign and will not have a role in my administration. ACORN had people paid to register voters fill out bogus forms -- they are not associated with my campaign.


9:40
Running mate question...oh joy.

Somehow painting a person with a 32% favorability rating and the worst interview in modern history with a major media figure in a non-threatening environment is a stretch, to put it lightly.

Schieffer: Is she qualified to be President?
Obama: Let the American people decide.
McCain: Biden is qualified but he has been wrong on major issues.


9:57
I am a diehard Obama supporter. I have thoroughly enjoyed his books. I am drinking the Kool-Aid. Yes, I am biased.

Ok, now that that's out of the way. John McCain is done. Stick a fork in him. He is coming across in this debate and in this campaign as a cranky, out-of-touch, frustrated old man who has sold his patriotic soul to the hitmen of the Republican machine all for a chance at the White House. He is striking out. The polls show it. This debate shows it.


10:07
GJ & Amy just brought up the great point that Schieffer has asked the best, most direct & pointed questions of any moderator in the 4 debates (including veep).

Abortion: Would you support a Supreme Court justice that opposes your view of Roe v. Wade?

Great question.

McCain: No litmus test. Tries to beat up Obama for not joining the Gang of 14.
Obama: Roe v. Wade was rightly decided.


Summary:
There was no knockout punch on either side tonight. McCain was certainly more aggressive than in the past. Personally I don't think McCain's challenges affected those in the middle/undecided (who in the world are these people anyway?). McCain's body language was very agitated. Like him or not Obama still comes off as cool, calm, & collected.

MSNBC watchers: Obama won 3 to 1.
Fox fans: McCain won 4 to 1....and Obama pals around with terrorists.

Probably just depends on which one of these guys you relate to in the first place.

45 comments:

Anonymous said...

We had Joe Six-Pack, now we have Joe Plumber...

Chris

Anonymous said...

"Why would you want to raise anyone's taxes right now?" Why in the world does McCain belabor this point and defend the uber-wealthy? Does he not know that 99% of his potential voters make less than "Joe the plumber's" $250K/year?

Anonymous said...

"I know how to save billions of dollars in defense spending" So do i john...

Anonymous said...

Both candidates refuse to answer the "What proposed prgrams would you cut?" question.

Chris

Anonymous said...

I have to see this projector...

Chris

Derek said...

Wow, McCain going after Obama directly: "I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush you should have run for President four years ago."

There's one response that will knock this out of the park. Let's see if Barack tees it up....

Anonymous said...

Does anyone else find it peculiar that McCain's big theme these past few weeks is leading America in a new direction? How exactly does one do that by keeping in power the party that has run us into the ground the past 8 years?

Derek said...

"When it comes to economic policies essentially what you are proposing is the same thing as the past eight years."

Thank you, Mr. Obama.

Anonymous said...

Quote of the year by obama; "Even fox news disputes it..."

Burn!!

Anonymous said...

Does it seem like McCain is really stretching here by trying to get the sympathy vote and have people somehow feel sorry for him? I think this has the potential to backfire tremendously...

Roamin' said...

Hey there-
Seems like Mccain is REALLY on the attack. Obama comes back with "Non-erratic" straight talk

Roamin' said...

What T-shirts?
Can I get one???

Roamin' said...

Since when do Acorns "destroy the fabric of democracy" i can see the paint on my car but democracy;)

Derek said...

Raleigh is the city of acorns.

Anonymous said...

Acorn is going to single handedly unravel the fabric of our democracy?

Roamin' said...

McCain continues the Ayers attack. If this guy is so bad, why is he a free man?

Roamin' said...

Knock this one out OB-ABY

Derek said...

Ok, Obama, Joe Biden is a good guy but can he see Russia from his house?

Roamin' said...

True, But Deleware might as well be another country. It IS located on the DelMarVa peninsula

Anonymous said...

I love McCain's tactic. "It's not the fact that Mr. Obama chooses to associate himself with a man who said he wishes he'd bombed more buildings.." No of course, it's not that at all...

Chris

Roamin' said...

Climate control? Climate change-phew, thank god McCain is there to keep the topics straight- I would hate to hear about his 13 vehicles and how the Park Avenue's AC went out in the Hottest summer in Phoenix

Anonymous said...

"Canadian oil is fine.." How about, 'no oil is fine since it leads to environmental pollution..'

Roamin' said...

Is Mccain trying to make Obama look out of touch (He's never traveled south of the border). What about the previous question and his running mate doesn't even have a Passport. has she ever traveled south of the 40th Parallel?

Derek said...

McCain is such a sh*tty debater. His body language is awful. He just rolled his eyes at Obama and looks like he is going to blow his top.

Stick a fork in him. He is done.

Roamin' said...

Obama just laid out an incredibly comprehensive plan to get america off oil, go green, and McCains response is "Obama wants to talk to Chavez without preconditions"??? Did this guy take his meds?

Roamin' said...

News Flash Mccain- Double your Vitamin D intake and help prevent Altzheimers (sp?)

Roamin' said...

Mccain on child obesity- "throw all the kids in a North Vietnamese tiger cage for five years I'll tell you what..."
BTW- Joe Plumber- drink!

Roamin' said...

Mccain mentioned the VA keeps records online-Surely some hacker out there can get McCains med records since he wont give them up.

Roamin' said...

McCain must know about the "Gold-plated Cadillac insurance policy" Personally, um, uh... Never heard of it

Derek said...

Do you guys see this debate like I do?

McCain is a cranky, frustrated old soul who is about to be hooked off the stage.

Anonymous said...

Roe vs. Wade.... Now we're talking Bob Schieffer..

Anonymous said...

Derek, I agree, McCain is really stretching and is coming off pretty desperate in my opinion

Roamin' said...

Drink if Obama says "legal, but rare"

Anonymous said...

"Joe" in Ohio must be the happiest guy in america right now.

"Honey, you hear that?! They're fighting over me again! And you said I'd never amount to anything..."

Chris

Anonymous said...

"We need to change the culture of America..." What, so we can go back to sticking our heads in the sand?

Come on John, lets re-open the Scope monkey trial...

Roamin' said...

I think McCain is very much the ornery attack dog with a splinter in his paw. Obama is not the type of person to kick him when he hurts so I basically agree with Y'all

Anonymous said...

I agree. I think McCain is probably lashing out by design as it's his only chance right now. He's hoping that Obama will take the bait and say something reckless.

Anonymous said...

chris, good point... How long do you think it'll be before ol' Joe cashes in on some "Joe the plumber" t-shirts, bumper stickers, bobbleheads and baby bibs?

Roamin' said...

"Health" of the Mother??
McCain is trying to make everything an argument- he LOSES badly on that comment

Derek said...

Obama bringing up the common ground point about abortion. Good response.

God, I wish this issue did not keep coming up every four years.

Derek said...

BTW, I found a picture of Joe (9:15).

Derek said...

Good answer from McCain on education, I have to hand it to him.

Derek said...

As long as you pay teachers peanuts, we're not going to make any inroads in education.

Roamin' said...

summary:
McCain tried to "heat it up" and did it to himself. Obama's responses show that he is truly "cool as a cucumber". I call it a draw, but can be swayed either way depending on your definition of victory (ever heard that before?)
Later everybody

Derek said...

Cheers folks!