Thus far the blogging of the VP debate drew comments faster and more furiously than the Presidential debate. Let’s see what happens this time around. As always, I’m watching the broadcast on PBS. Comments below the cut line.
9:02: ” I have selected a long list of excellent questions that will not be answered…”
9:03: McCain in a red tie, Obama in a blue tie. Perfect.
9:03: Obama goes for the attack early.
9:05: I’m being reminded of the Underpants gnomes from “South Park.” “Step One, Bailout. Step two…(deafening silence). Step three: Profit!”
9:06: Huh? Energy independence? Uhm…okay.
9:07: I’m waiting for McCain to sit down on the step next to the guy. Maybe ask him to sit in his lap.
9:08: And McCain goes for a joke! It’s a missed bunt.
9:09: Here’s the problem: McCain is talking about wall Street cronyism, yet he has plenty of Wall Street lobbyists on his staff.
9:10: Obama continues on the attack. He’s trying to bait McCain into blowing his temper, get scolding, etc. It’s a gambit; if it doesn’t work, if McCain doesn’t respond to the attacks, Obama going to look as if he’s endlessly carping.
9:12: The questioner is looking for specifics. Let’s see if he gets them. And now McCain fires back at Obama, referring to “cronies.” Obama is going to have to spend time defending himself rather than getting specific.
9:14: Smart. Obama speaks to the question first rather than responding to McCain’s charges.
9:15: And yet politicians ARE pointing fingers.
9:18: How do we trust you? Good question.
9:19: This could wind up being a major question because Obama tends to be a history and facts wonk while McCain does better in connecting with people on an emotional level, and trust is an emotional question.
9:20: This would have been the question for Obama to talk about hardscrabble roots or some such, the notion that “I’ve known hard times, I’m on your side.”
9:21: No, he has NOT been a consistent reformer. He has been consistently self serving. Read the Rolling Stones article.
9:22: They’re both blowing this opportunity. This is the kind of question that Bill Clinton would have knocked out of the park. Say what you will about Clinton, but he has tremendous personal charisma and you would have seen it on display for this question.
9:24: he could work on all three at once? NOW he can multi task? He couldn’t even campaign and work on the economy at the same time.
9:25: Every time he says, “My friends” I keep flashing back to “The Music Man” doing “Trouble.”
9:26: Yeah, but JFK had to die to give us the impetus to get to the moon.
9:27: Brokaw is trying his best to rein them in for time.
9:29: That air force tanker was actually a pork barrel project that he managed to push past through Carter’s objections. And there was a lawsuit involved as well because of European involvement that made its construction unfair competition for Americans.
9:30: OBAMA mentioned 9/11 first? Cripes.
9:31: Still, the comment about going out and shopping “not being the kind of call to service we were looking for” is kind of funny.
9:32: Clean coal technology is a myth. Unless there’s a new scientific breakthrough, it’s never going to happen.
9:33 If Bush says Wall Street got drunk, I’d take his word for it. With his history, he’d know.
9:34 I wonder if either of them will talk about putting Wall street on a 12 step program.
9:35: Obama should say, “I know Senator Obama worked with Herbert Hoover and knew Herbert Hoover, but I assure you I’m no Herbert Hoover.”
9:37: I keep waiting for them to follow the “West Wing” format and basically say, “Screw the rules, we’re just going to talk back and forth.”
9:38: Social security is the third rail of politics. If they talk about reforming it, they’re in trouble. “The straight talk express lost a wheel.” Nice. I’m sure he was waiting for the opportunity to use it.
9:40: Obama is steering the question away from what Brokaw said.
9:41: I’LL answer the question. Oh, snap.
9:41: Oh God, another frakking commission.
9:42: Look at the record? Keating 5.
9:43: McCain tries to distance himself from the Bush administration. Smart. Let’s see if Obama tries to tie him right back to it. Meantime he follows the West Wing scenario, advocating nuclear fuel just as Vinick did. Again, let’s hope a nuclear meltdown doesn’t happen to keep the scenario going.
9:45: Is EVERYTHING one of the biggest challenges of our time?
9:46: YES! Obama finally hits the nail in talking about the fact that McCain has been there for so long and hasn’t accomplished any of the things he talks about.
9:47: God, I just wish that Brokaw would just say, “Look, do you guys just want to toss the rules? Because if you do, let’s take the gloves off and go and I will go ‘Meet the Press’ on both of you.”
9:51: No. the health care in the congress is one of the most generous policies ever. They have all the stuff that we have slowly lost over the years due to the insurance companies.
9:52: Notice that Obama is no longer (a) stuttering at the start of questions and (b) saying “Senator McCain is absolutely right” about anything.
9:53: Why does no one point out that $5000 won’t get you health insurance?
9:54: cross-state insurance won’t work. NY people can’t go flocking to Ohio for health insurance, because in many states the state governments supplement the medical programs (the HIP program, for instance, is supplemented by state taxpayer money.) If the state governments see people flooding in from other states whose taxes aren’t going into the pot, how likely are they to continue supplementing the programs?
9:56: Oooo. Obama finally brings the personal aspect in.
9:57: Hah! He brought up McCain voting against children’s healthcare. I was wondering if he would.
9:58: Obama just stepped in something and he knows it. Biden’s from Delaware.
9:59: Obama can use this question as a major opportunity to link McCain to Bush when it comes to damaging our ability to act as peacemakers.
10:01: Obama was wrong about the surge. And McCain was wrong about every aspect of the war.
10:02: Not really answering the question, but he’s jabbing back at McCain at least.
10:03: 79 comments on this thread thus far. As of this time during the VP debate we had over 200.
10:05: I agree with McCain: It requires a cool hand at the tiller. Unfortunately his is anything BUT a cool hand. That’s the problem.
10:07: “Your young men and women are my first priority right after our nation’s security.” Which would make them your…second priority.
10:09: Except the problem is that more troops in Afghanistan will likely not lead to much except more deaths of civilians which is going to pìšš øff the people there and further inflame hostility toward us.
10:11: Actually it’s “speak softly and carry a big stick,” which is a West African saying that Roosevelt quoted.
10:13: YES! YES! And notice he said “speaking softly, ” the correct quote.
10:15; And we’re back to McCain’s secret plan to get bin Laden. He keep saying that. He has a secret plan. Has he shared this plan with anyone?
10:16: Brokaw is going to give Saturday night Live a field day.
10:18: Oh my God, McCain said that Obama was correct about something. Is that a first?
10:19: McCain’s right, I doubt we’ll have another cold war with Russia.
10:20: We’ve been SHOWING moral support for Georgia. It didn’t mean jack.
10:21: Yes. Obama jumps on the moral support opening. The question is, where do we get the money to provide financial support. And Obama already said the first thing he would cut would be money designed for foreign support.
10:22: As opposed to anticipating something AFTER it happens?
10;23: Gee, I would have thought McCain says Yes.
10:25: Ooooooo. the Jewish vote is listening carefully.
10:26: Aw, c’mon, are we back to the preconditions thing?
10:27: So Obama is basically saying that we want to take steps to make sure Israel isn’t attacked by Iran. Which is fine. But WHAT IF IT IS? That’s the question. If the steps fail, what then?
10:29: He never answered the question.
10:30: Obama deflects the zen question with humor and switches to his stump speech.
10:31: I could see McCain saying, “I don’t know how we will survive if Obama is elected, and I intend to never have to learn it.”
10:34: Except the great honor of his life was to put himself first. Again, read the RS articles.
CONCLUSION: I think both of them got good shots in. To my mind, Obama gave the better performance, albeit narrowly, but I’ve no idea if anyone who is undecided would have been swayed one way or the other.
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Well, nobody’s thrown a punch yet. Given the last few days of ads, I was wondering.
I’m afraid to jinx this, but I think this moderator might actually call them out on not answering questions.
I’m afraid to jinx this, but I think this moderator might actually call them out on not answering questions.
Underpants gnomes. Perfect!
Underpants gnomes. Perfect!
I’m paraphrasing, but “nice to see you at a town hall meeting?” Maybe valid, but after his argument that the reason his campaign has been smearing is because Obama didn’t agree to those town hall meetings earlier in the year…seems like an unnecessary dig.
I’m paraphrasing, but “nice to see you at a town hall meeting?” Maybe valid, but after his argument that the reason his campaign has been smearing is because Obama didn’t agree to those town hall meetings earlier in the year…seems like an unnecessary dig.
Junket? Obama needs to use more interesting language. The AIG executives didn’t just go on a “junket”, they went on a company paid vacation, including expensive spa treatments. The word “junket” isn’t worth much. Paint a picture, dude.
Also, the first question was specific, and both candidates are super general. That’s the stuff that makes me pull my hair out.
Junket? Obama needs to use more interesting language. The AIG executives didn’t just go on a “junket”, they went on a company paid vacation, including expensive spa treatments. The word “junket” isn’t worth much. Paint a picture, dude.
Also, the first question was specific, and both candidates are super general. That’s the stuff that makes me pull my hair out.
McCain gets props from me for a relatively serious answer (as serious as one gets in this format, anyway). The “my friends” is starting to bug me, but there’s some decent specificity.
Wow…a joke…good going grandpa Munster
Wow…a joke…good going grandpa Munster
Ask McCain why he didn’t pick eBay’s Meg Whitman as his running mate.
Ask McCain why he didn’t pick eBay’s Meg Whitman as his running mate.
Did he just call them out?!
Did he just call them out?!
Wow — he’s still claiming that suspending his campaign was a GOOD thing? That’s not going to convince anyone, I suspect.
Wow — he’s still claiming that suspending his campaign was a GOOD thing? That’s not going to convince anyone, I suspect.
I’ve heard about them before the crisis.
I’ve heard about them before the crisis.
Actually, it looks like so far Obama is NOT going to defend himself, but is going to give a specific answer.
Oh — wait. Never mind. He did the specifics first, though.
Oh lord, the mortgages aren’t the major problem it’s those freaking security swaps which need regulated!
Oh lord, the mortgages aren’t the major problem it’s those freaking security swaps which need regulated!
“Some of us… some of us tried to warn…”
You mean like the Arizona senator who claimed, even as the banks started to collapse, that “the fundamentals of the economy are sound”?
“Some of us… some of us tried to warn…”
You mean like the Arizona senator who claimed, even as the banks started to collapse, that “the fundamentals of the economy are sound”?
Aaaand McCain’s on the attack. He’s not answering Oliver’s question at all, so I’m glad to see that Obama is.
Interesting fact: McCain is wrong about Obama getting more F&F money than he does. Obama gets more money from the *employees* of Freddie and Fanny, but board members and investors don’t count as employees. Those board members and investors, the people who actually run the company, have given McCain 10 times as much as they have given Obama. All told, McCain has gotten much more F&F money.
Aaaand McCain’s on the attack. He’s not answering Oliver’s question at all, so I’m glad to see that Obama is.
Interesting fact: McCain is wrong about Obama getting more F&F money than he does. Obama gets more money from the *employees* of Freddie and Fanny, but board members and investors don’t count as employees. Those board members and investors, the people who actually run the company, have given McCain 10 times as much as they have given Obama. All told, McCain has gotten much more F&F money.
I feel really bad saying this, but McCain’s walking reminds me of my grandmother when she’s really out of breath and is having trouble walking.
Still, I give him credit for walking around so he can get near the other people in the room; although I hope they aren’t to creeped out by it.
Puts on Superman suit…look up in the sky…its a dead bird….no it’s a falling plane…no it’s McCain coming to rescue us from his deregulation !
Puts on Superman suit…look up in the sky…its a dead bird….no it’s a falling plane…no it’s McCain coming to rescue us from his deregulation !
Nice dig, referring to a 20th-century system as “archaic.”
Prove the letter McCain! You were telling us how good we had it 2 weeks ago. He’s full of crap.
Prove the letter McCain! You were telling us how good we had it 2 weeks ago. He’s full of crap.
Did anyone else see the person in the background with the wide open darting eyes?
Did anyone else see the person in the background with the wide open darting eyes?
Definitely a good question (“how can we trust either of you?”). Obama’s only sort of answering it — he’s essentially arguing how we know who we CAN’T trust.
Definitely a good question (“how can we trust either of you?”). Obama’s only sort of answering it — he’s essentially arguing how we know who we CAN’T trust.
McCain does better in connecting with people on an emotional level, and trust is an emotional question.
True (at least on the latter), but I’m not sure he’s going to get much here by going on an all-out “Obama = liberal” attack.
Hmm, getting to answer first can be a big advantage. Obama says, “McCain voted for 4 out of 5 Bush budgets.” Then McCain says he has a record of reform, but that has to found weaker when he’s not even denying that he voted with Bush.
And yep, McCain is saying exactly the thing that Obama just said he’d say. Obama just robbed all the power out of his statement.
Hmm, getting to answer first can be a big advantage. Obama says, “McCain voted for 4 out of 5 Bush budgets.” Then McCain says he has a record of reform, but that has to found weaker when he’s not even denying that he voted with Bush.
And yep, McCain is saying exactly the thing that Obama just said he’d say. Obama just robbed all the power out of his statement.
Oh the Rolling Stones article! Here, let me roll my eyes.
Oh the Rolling Stones article! Here, let me roll my eyes.
If you’re watching on CNN, the focus group ratings at the bottom of the screen go flat every time McCain makes a personal attack. The attack strategy has been completely ineffective so far.
If you’re watching on CNN, the focus group ratings at the bottom of the screen go flat every time McCain makes a personal attack. The attack strategy has been completely ineffective so far.
I just saw McCain wander across the screen in front of the moderator and it reminded me of a scene in a comedy sketch where the old confused person walks in front of the speaker and blocks them from the camera.
I just saw McCain wander across the screen in front of the moderator and it reminded me of a scene in a comedy sketch where the old confused person walks in front of the speaker and blocks them from the camera.
Senator McCain, stop calling us “your friends!”
We need to reform the entitlement programs! Up yours McCain, you war mongering idiot you are spending 6 billion a month in your war and you want to keep going. He just lost Florida.
We need to reform the entitlement programs! Up yours McCain, you war mongering idiot you are spending 6 billion a month in your war and you want to keep going. He just lost Florida.
What happened to “Drill, baby, drill?”