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.
• 
I am just thankful that McCain refrained from saying the word Maverick.
And now to bed — have a lot of work to do in the AM. ‘Night, all.
And what’s with McCain asking America for ANOTHER opportunity? Copping to serving Bush’s third term?
And what’s with McCain asking America for ANOTHER opportunity? Copping to serving Bush’s third term?
Well, I have to say McCain did a _little_ more addressing of the question before going into “vote for me” mode.
Well, I have to say McCain did a _little_ more addressing of the question before going into “vote for me” mode.
Okay, now that it is done, I’ll say that I think McCain failed. I won’t say that Obama won the debate, but I don’t believe this was remotely close to a game changer for McCain. He needs a miracle and this definitely wasn’t it.
Crikeys! He DIDN’T say “maverick” did he?
Crikeys! He DIDN’T say “maverick” did he?
>-how he could sit and listen to Rev. wright for over 20 years. AND then say he doesn’t agree with what he says.
Do you agree with everything your friends say or think? Are you going to quit being friend with them because you don’t agree. I have friends who are borderline neocons, but one issue isn’t going to get me to disavow my friendship with them or the fact they may have some very good ideas on other subjects.
I really think the pastor got a little over eager because he was a friend of Obama and with Obama’s star raising said some things he may not have said publically before.
>-how he could sit and listen to Rev. wright for over 20 years. AND then say he doesn’t agree with what he says.
Do you agree with everything your friends say or think? Are you going to quit being friend with them because you don’t agree. I have friends who are borderline neocons, but one issue isn’t going to get me to disavow my friendship with them or the fact they may have some very good ideas on other subjects.
I really think the pastor got a little over eager because he was a friend of Obama and with Obama’s star raising said some things he may not have said publically before.
Obama over McCain, 13-11, decision on points.
No knock out, no TKO, no big score or game changer for McCain.
Interesting at the end. Michele Obama joins in working the crowd and shaking hands and chatting to folks. Cindy McCain tucks her hands behind her back and speaks to no one in the crowd.
Interesting at the end. Michele Obama joins in working the crowd and shaking hands and chatting to folks. Cindy McCain tucks her hands behind her back and speaks to no one in the crowd.
I think Obama did better starting out, because he benefited from sticking to the format. I don’t think he got more from jumping the format than he gave up. As with the last debate, I’m hoping the polls receive Obama better than I did.
I think Obama did better starting out, because he benefited from sticking to the format. I don’t think he got more from jumping the format than he gave up. As with the last debate, I’m hoping the polls receive Obama better than I did.
“his connection to ACORN and the Weathermen.
-how he could sit and listen to Rev. wright for over 20 years. AND then say he doesn’t agree with what he says.
that property ‘deal’ he’ was involved in where the person who bought the land next to him NEVER built anything on his lot
As you can propbaly tell, I don’t follow politics very closely BUT I Need to know.”
And the Keating 5, sitting on the board of U.S. Council for World Freedom,an anti-semitic organization. Palin’s affiliation with the Alaska Independence Party. Does any of that bother you.
BTW Obama has no connection to the Weatherman, he knows someone who was a Weatherman in the 60s when he was 8. A man that most of the Democrats in Chicago know.
“his connection to ACORN and the Weathermen.
-how he could sit and listen to Rev. wright for over 20 years. AND then say he doesn’t agree with what he says.
that property ‘deal’ he’ was involved in where the person who bought the land next to him NEVER built anything on his lot
As you can propbaly tell, I don’t follow politics very closely BUT I Need to know.”
And the Keating 5, sitting on the board of U.S. Council for World Freedom,an anti-semitic organization. Palin’s affiliation with the Alaska Independence Party. Does any of that bother you.
BTW Obama has no connection to the Weatherman, he knows someone who was a Weatherman in the 60s when he was 8. A man that most of the Democrats in Chicago know.
Ah crap, just realized thanks to the commercial SNL is dark this week except for a news special Thursday. No fun!
Obama I’d say took this one, but by a narrow margin.
Ah crap, just realized thanks to the commercial SNL is dark this week except for a news special Thursday. No fun!
Obama I’d say took this one, but by a narrow margin.
I think the consensus here is really interesting. I’m a Republican (some of you may have guessed that) and I think Sen. Obama did much better than Sen. McCain.
I think the consensus here is really interesting. I’m a Republican (some of you may have guessed that) and I think Sen. Obama did much better than Sen. McCain.
dave w.:how he could sit and listen to Rev. wright for over 20 years. AND then say he doesn’t agree with what he says
Wright didn’t say those things for 20 years. The church taped Wright’s sermons on a regular basis. However, the news networks just played that one clip over and over again. If Wright had been saying this stuff “for over 20 years,” then there would have been lots of clips, not just one.
In a twenty year relationship where Wright did many, many good things, he also said a few things that Obama disagreed with along the way. I think most people can site an important relationship in their lives that is the same way.
As for the Weathermen connection, there is no relationship. He’s met a man a few times. There’s really no way to explain it any better than that, you either want to trust all the sources saying that or you don’t.
dave w.:how he could sit and listen to Rev. wright for over 20 years. AND then say he doesn’t agree with what he says
Wright didn’t say those things for 20 years. The church taped Wright’s sermons on a regular basis. However, the news networks just played that one clip over and over again. If Wright had been saying this stuff “for over 20 years,” then there would have been lots of clips, not just one.
In a twenty year relationship where Wright did many, many good things, he also said a few things that Obama disagreed with along the way. I think most people can site an important relationship in their lives that is the same way.
As for the Weathermen connection, there is no relationship. He’s met a man a few times. There’s really no way to explain it any better than that, you either want to trust all the sources saying that or you don’t.
I usually watch these debates on the ABC webcast… it’s fun because they keep the cameras rolling for 10-15 minutes after the end of the broadcast, and you get to hear some of the off-camera remarks made within earshot of a mike.
Tom Brokaw (paraphrased):
“You can see what we’ve been dealing with… I kept waiting for a trap door to open up. ‘We’ll just do two minutes, two minutes then one minute.’ Yeah, right.”
🙂
I usually watch these debates on the ABC webcast… it’s fun because they keep the cameras rolling for 10-15 minutes after the end of the broadcast, and you get to hear some of the off-camera remarks made within earshot of a mike.
Tom Brokaw (paraphrased):
“You can see what we’ve been dealing with… I kept waiting for a trap door to open up. ‘We’ll just do two minutes, two minutes then one minute.’ Yeah, right.”
🙂
Well there’s a shocker. The FOX News viewer poll has 86% sending a text message saying that McCain won. Now what I wonder about is the 1% who spent money texting to say they are undecided.
David
I missed it but McCain refused to shake hands with Obama at the end of the debate. Is this guy for real? Whether you like him or not shake his hand, be a good sport!
I missed it but McCain refused to shake hands with Obama at the end of the debate. Is this guy for real? Whether you like him or not shake his hand, be a good sport!
My wife was listening from in here at the machine. I watched, kinda sorta. From my perception, both of them fumbled a bit. But Obama did the best of the two.
And every time McCain said “my friends”, I wanted to reach through the screen and squeeze his head until it popped like a big greasy zit.
You guys are right. Tom shoulda just tossed the rules and gone all Russert on their áššëš.
Miles
My wife was listening from in here at the machine. I watched, kinda sorta. From my perception, both of them fumbled a bit. But Obama did the best of the two.
And every time McCain said “my friends”, I wanted to reach through the screen and squeeze his head until it popped like a big greasy zit.
You guys are right. Tom shoulda just tossed the rules and gone all Russert on their áššëš.
Miles
I saw the first hour of this, and it was just a repetition of the same old talking points from both sides. I almost felt bad for Tom Brokaw, as they ignored the time limits and spent almost as much time responding to each other’s points as answering the questions. (It was amusing to see this on BBC America where a graphic at the bottom of the screen showed the question, and quite often what McCain or Obama were saying had nothing to do with the question.)
And tomorrow it’s back to the increasingly personal attack ads. Sigh.
I saw the first hour of this, and it was just a repetition of the same old talking points from both sides. I almost felt bad for Tom Brokaw, as they ignored the time limits and spent almost as much time responding to each other’s points as answering the questions. (It was amusing to see this on BBC America where a graphic at the bottom of the screen showed the question, and quite often what McCain or Obama were saying had nothing to do with the question.)
And tomorrow it’s back to the increasingly personal attack ads. Sigh.
Brian, I think they did shake hands. I even think McCain shook Michelle’s hand. One of the first posts was concerning the color of the ties of the candidates. Did anyone notice the colors of the clothing worn by the possible first ladies? Red and blue but who wore which outfit?
Brian, I think they did shake hands. I even think McCain shook Michelle’s hand. One of the first posts was concerning the color of the ties of the candidates. Did anyone notice the colors of the clothing worn by the possible first ladies? Red and blue but who wore which outfit?
You mention the Keating 5 – according to WSB’s Washington reporter Jamie DuPree, McCain was not one of the realinsiders in that.
10:03: 79 comments on this thread thus far. As of this time during the VP debate we had over 200.
More people were watching the VP debate, i’ll bet. Most people have pretty well made up their mionds re Obama and McCain; they wanted to see if Sarah Palin could stand up and remember her lines at the same time.
Posted by: James Tichy
Oh the Rolling Stones article! Here, let me roll my eyes.
And what did Mick and Keith have to say?
Seriously – Rolling Stone does good investigative journalism. Absent specific information to the contrary, i’m at least inclined to consider that the stuff they dig up may be correct.
Posted by: Jason M. Bryant
Again with the “He voted to increase taxes 94 times” lie? Really? That’s been proven wrong, it’s been responded to in a debate, why is McCain saying it again?
Because he figures there’s a good chance that that fact went right past a sizeable proportion of the public who might be undecided but leaning his way…
Posted by: Tim Lynch
There’s a huge difference between a nuclear power plant for a sub and one used to power a city. The differences in scale lead to large differences in the safety margin.
Yeah, the one n the sub can get by with a smaller safety margin.
Posted by: Rick Santman
So how much power does a Navy nuclear power plant put out, and why isn’t the government building nuke plants based on the Navy size and safety protocols?
Because the design wouldn’t scale up safely, though you could probably run a decent-size small town off the two reactors in the latest carriers.
Posted by: Mike
Did he just recommend people from TN get their healthcare from AZ? Just a hop in the private jet?
There was a Tank McNamara sequence in which Tank needed some minor surgery, and he went to the HMO, and they had him put on a jospital gown and go down a corridor – which turned out to be the boarding ramp for the chartered 747 going to the New Delhi hospital they were outsourcing their surgery to…
Posted by: Jason M. Bryant
I doubt that will be much of a problem. Delaware is solidly leaning towards Obama. Also, I don’t it will annoy people too much. He’s not slamming the people of Delaware, just the state government that made certain banking regulations.
Biden’s family – his son? – is involved in all that (i forget how, but i remember Clark Howard discussing it, and Clark sdeldom gets his facts wrong about things that affect the consumer), and i think he’s been a pretty big fan of banking-authored “banking reform” legislation up on the Hill, himself.
Posted by: Brian
How can a man who rotted in a prison, crashed multiple planes and set an aircraft carrier on fire know how to win a war?
In what way does “rott[ing] in a prison” bear on his qualifications to “win a war”?
And he didn’t set the carrier on fire; if anyone actually screwed the pooch on that on, as opposed to it being just a malfunction nobody could have prevented) it was an armorer; it was an accidental missile launch due to static electricity that hit his plane and started the fire.
Posted by: critter42
The only one I can comment on is the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier – two reactors @about 97MW each. Any bubbleheads have any stats on a sub’s setup?
I don’t know for sure, but a lot less – the “Enterprise” has eight reactors, because they hadn’t developed larger ones yet and used sub reactors. Also sub reactors are designed to be a lot quieter – they’re designed to be cooled by convection rather than mechanical pumps at lower power levels, which has to limit power output.
Posted by: Kevin
You called it. It’s happening…..
“It’s a free concert now!”
Posted by: Rick Santman
The winner of the election is likely to learn what he doesn’t know by having his nose rubbed vigorously in it.
A not-uncommon occurence, historically, for both Dem and GOP Presidents, actually.
You mention the Keating 5 – according to WSB’s Washington reporter Jamie DuPree, McCain was not one of the realinsiders in that.
10:03: 79 comments on this thread thus far. As of this time during the VP debate we had over 200.
More people were watching the VP debate, i’ll bet. Most people have pretty well made up their mionds re Obama and McCain; they wanted to see if Sarah Palin could stand up and remember her lines at the same time.
Posted by: James Tichy
Oh the Rolling Stones article! Here, let me roll my eyes.
And what did Mick and Keith have to say?
Seriously – Rolling Stone does good investigative journalism. Absent specific information to the contrary, i’m at least inclined to consider that the stuff they dig up may be correct.
Posted by: Jason M. Bryant
Again with the “He voted to increase taxes 94 times” lie? Really? That’s been proven wrong, it’s been responded to in a debate, why is McCain saying it again?
Because he figures there’s a good chance that that fact went right past a sizeable proportion of the public who might be undecided but leaning his way…
Posted by: Tim Lynch
There’s a huge difference between a nuclear power plant for a sub and one used to power a city. The differences in scale lead to large differences in the safety margin.
Yeah, the one n the sub can get by with a smaller safety margin.
Posted by: Rick Santman
So how much power does a Navy nuclear power plant put out, and why isn’t the government building nuke plants based on the Navy size and safety protocols?
Because the design wouldn’t scale up safely, though you could probably run a decent-size small town off the two reactors in the latest carriers.
Posted by: Mike
Did he just recommend people from TN get their healthcare from AZ? Just a hop in the private jet?
There was a Tank McNamara sequence in which Tank needed some minor surgery, and he went to the HMO, and they had him put on a jospital gown and go down a corridor – which turned out to be the boarding ramp for the chartered 747 going to the New Delhi hospital they were outsourcing their surgery to…
Posted by: Jason M. Bryant
I doubt that will be much of a problem. Delaware is solidly leaning towards Obama. Also, I don’t it will annoy people too much. He’s not slamming the people of Delaware, just the state government that made certain banking regulations.
Biden’s family – his son? – is involved in all that (i forget how, but i remember Clark Howard discussing it, and Clark sdeldom gets his facts wrong about things that affect the consumer), and i think he’s been a pretty big fan of banking-authored “banking reform” legislation up on the Hill, himself.
Posted by: Brian
How can a man who rotted in a prison, crashed multiple planes and set an aircraft carrier on fire know how to win a war?
In what way does “rott[ing] in a prison” bear on his qualifications to “win a war”?
And he didn’t set the carrier on fire; if anyone actually screwed the pooch on that on, as opposed to it being just a malfunction nobody could have prevented) it was an armorer; it was an accidental missile launch due to static electricity that hit his plane and started the fire.
Posted by: critter42
The only one I can comment on is the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier – two reactors @about 97MW each. Any bubbleheads have any stats on a sub’s setup?
I don’t know for sure, but a lot less – the “Enterprise” has eight reactors, because they hadn’t developed larger ones yet and used sub reactors. Also sub reactors are designed to be a lot quieter – they’re designed to be cooled by convection rather than mechanical pumps at lower power levels, which has to limit power output.
Posted by: Kevin
You called it. It’s happening…..
“It’s a free concert now!”
Posted by: Rick Santman
The winner of the election is likely to learn what he doesn’t know by having his nose rubbed vigorously in it.
A not-uncommon occurence, historically, for both Dem and GOP Presidents, actually.
In California in ’07, I got health insurance for $107 a month from Aetna. It wasn’t the best insurance, but it at least covered going to the dentist and such. It wasn’t an HMO plan either.
Of course, I am single with zero dependents.
As far as McCain on the war, as I recall, he did separate from Bush in regards to torture, which is entirely appropriate and correct. Of course, I am sure Obama is opposed to torturing prisoners, too…thank God.
BTW: I picked up Sir Apropos of Nothing last week at the Peace Corps volunteer library. I plan on tackling it when I finish this short story collection I am working on. 😀
In California in ’07, I got health insurance for $107 a month from Aetna. It wasn’t the best insurance, but it at least covered going to the dentist and such. It wasn’t an HMO plan either.
Of course, I am single with zero dependents.
As far as McCain on the war, as I recall, he did separate from Bush in regards to torture, which is entirely appropriate and correct. Of course, I am sure Obama is opposed to torturing prisoners, too…thank God.
BTW: I picked up Sir Apropos of Nothing last week at the Peace Corps volunteer library. I plan on tackling it when I finish this short story collection I am working on. 😀
Interesting post from The Nation:
Full article at http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters/369738/not_the_senator_but_that_one
I have this funny feeling that McCain referred to him as “that one” because he blanked on his name.
PAD
I have this funny feeling that McCain referred to him as “that one” because he blanked on his name.
PAD
I’m just commenting because PAD whined about too few comments.
Uhm…no. Not at all. But thanks for giving it the worst possible interpretation. I was simply making an observation that the VP debate garnered three times the response, which I thought was kind of interesting.
I doubt that will be much of a problem. Delaware is solidly leaning towards Obama. Also, I don’t it will annoy people too much. He’s not slamming the people of Delaware, just the state government that made certain banking regulations.
You’re missing the point. He’s unnecessarily handed a wedge issue to his opponents. If they have any brains, they immediately leap on this 11th hour gift and start saying, “Barack Obama complains about the lax corporate laws in Delaware…the state represented by his running mate, Joe Biden!” You can bet Biden’s gonna be asked about it, and the pundits will be tossing that around. Why give his opponents fodder? It was dumb and I could see in his face even as he said it that he knew he’d screwed up, but it was too late for him to reverse course.
PAD
I’m just commenting because PAD whined about too few comments.
Uhm…no. Not at all. But thanks for giving it the worst possible interpretation. I was simply making an observation that the VP debate garnered three times the response, which I thought was kind of interesting.
I doubt that will be much of a problem. Delaware is solidly leaning towards Obama. Also, I don’t it will annoy people too much. He’s not slamming the people of Delaware, just the state government that made certain banking regulations.
You’re missing the point. He’s unnecessarily handed a wedge issue to his opponents. If they have any brains, they immediately leap on this 11th hour gift and start saying, “Barack Obama complains about the lax corporate laws in Delaware…the state represented by his running mate, Joe Biden!” You can bet Biden’s gonna be asked about it, and the pundits will be tossing that around. Why give his opponents fodder? It was dumb and I could see in his face even as he said it that he knew he’d screwed up, but it was too late for him to reverse course.
PAD
I don’t think he was serious about the “whined” comment, PAD. It struck me as pretty tongue-in-cheek.
TWL
I don’t think he was serious about the “whined” comment, PAD. It struck me as pretty tongue-in-cheek.
TWL
>>How can a man who rotted in a prison, crashed multiple planes and set an aircraft carrier on fire know how to win a war?
>In what way does “rott[ing] in a prison” bear on his qualifications to “win a war”?
Exactly! We keep hearing about his vietnam story and we keep hearing him say he knows how to win wars? How does he know any such thing? We didn’t “win” Vietnam and he was a prisoner for the majority of his tour. I don’t remember him having anything to do with Gulf War I in leading troops. He keeps spouting empty slogans that have no facts to back them up. He was nearly last in his military class, for gosh sakes.
He actually would have washed out of his class if it weren’t for his family connections, going above the heads of the teachers and officers who wanted to drum him out.
PAD
He actually would have washed out of his class if it weren’t for his family connections, going above the heads of the teachers and officers who wanted to drum him out.
PAD
You know, it’s funny. Most of my TV-watching is, to some degree, casual, even when it’s something I’m very interested in, like the debates; I’m usually watching it when I’m at the computer or drawing board, and even during these live blogging sessions, I haven’t noticed something that I noticed last night when I was listening to it on the radio:
These two guys put A LOT of padding in their answers, often not even answering the question at all. They’ll start off thanking the citizen for their question, explaining why the topic they asked about is important, and often substituting an explanation of what their opponent did in the past instead of saying what they’re going to do to address the issue in question. I wonder if it was always like this, and I never noticed it because it was TV, and only now because listening on the radio forced me to focus more on the substance of what was being said.
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And yeah, I noticed the “That one” line by McCain too. I thought that odd, and wondered if he was just stumbling in choosing his words.