Fresh in from Dan (GayPatriotWest):
I think McCain won the middle third (but just barely), the last third by a larger margin.
He did a very good job distinguishing himself from W. He looked more at the camera than did Obama and seemed more confident in the last third or so. Used a lot more specifics. But, let me repeat the big takeaway (and you were the first to point this out . . . to me at least), McCain was plaing offense, Obama defense.
Finally, Obama tried to be Reagan-esque at the end, but talked our country down more than appealing to the best in us.
Finally, wish there were an um-o-meter to measure the number of “ums” each candidate utters. At least Obama won one.
My final thoughts: Can Congress pass a law to keep T. Boone Pickens off of my television?
And, if Senator Obama was TRULY “post-partisan”, wouldn’t he NOT have had a “spin room”?
And, can someone call Roger Ailes and let him know there is a new way of delivering news on cable? It is called high-definition TV. I hate having to watch CNN for these kinds of events.
Shadow’s final thought:
-Bruce (GayPatriot)
UPDATE (from Dan): Please note I tweaked my remarks a bit. I wasn’t able to watch the first third as I was stuck in LA traffic, so can’t comment on that. I thought McCain had a slight edge in the second third, seeming nervous at times.
Tried this in Bruce’s thread, but I don’t know if it vanished, or the spamfilter is holding it or what.
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McCain pwned Obama. Obama didn’t do badly. No major gaffes. No dramatic setbacks. He didn’t cry, which honestly I was almost half-expect to happen at some point in this campaign. His answers were semi-reasonable, most of the time. But he was very “me, too”. For the most part, he danced to McCain’s tune.
Example – When McCain talked about veterans and POWs, you knew he was being real. Because McCain *is* one – he’s lived it. He was speaking in an absolutely real way. When Obama talked about it, Obama was the lightweight trying to prove he was real… with a constant, barely-suppressed undertone of arrogance and anger at having to prove that. Same thing on many questions.
“I have a bracelet, too!” – That quote of Obama’s epitomizes his lack of balls; his lightweight (if not phony/pretender) status and his “Me, too – I can SO be President!” attitude. Who knows, it may ultimately be his epitaph. Let’s hope.
Exactly. He openly said that our standing in the world has gone down from when he was a kid. Even if it’s true – which, by the way, it is *not* – it’s a defensive, negative, icky approach to take with the American people. Maybe it works in Russia or someplace, I don’t know.
Obama ………………………”I have bracelet, too.” Obama was on the defense during the entire debate. And, his tone was like a preacher talking down to his sinful congregation. I can’t wait until Sarah is unleashed Thursday night against Biden.
Bruce, I swear that you have a dog from the same litter. My dog, Phillie, was a lab mix that doesn’t an ounce of fat. And, has never met some person she doesn’t like.
One area where Angry Bambi was very much on offense: claiming that Iraq is just a big distraction from Afghanistan and that, as President, He would get tough on both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Did anyone manage to hear him without spitting out their coffee?
I can’t immediately put my finger on why he seemed so phony and unbelievable, but it was… something. He did utter the words “kill bin Laden” and “crush al Qaeda”. But any President who meant it would have been way less defensive on Iraq, would have praised our success in Iraq and emphasized the importance of beating al Qaeda there, and *then* gone on to explain his broader vision for victory.
Come to think of it – Did Obama ever say the word “victory”, or was it just a lot of “Hey, nobody is talking about losing”?
Ah. Ed Morrissey knows why Angry Bambi’s talk on Afghanistan sounded phony to me:
One of the guys at Powerline has a very different assessment than I, emphasizing that McCain was unfocused in some places while Obama proved he could speak intelligently without a Teleprompter:
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives2/2008/09/021623.php
There were a few times when he had that Mussolini look.
Nice roundup from Hugh Hewitt:
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog/g/1e304fef-3b06-44ef-9b76-6b3122359016
Reminded me of something… I couldn’t believe it when Angry Bambi suggested we were having problems with Iran / increased Iranian might today, *because of the Iraq war… i.e., because we removed Saddam Hussein as a counterweight. He was within inches of suggesting that we should have left Saddam in power!
That, and “I have a bracelet, too!” have to be Obama’s top ‘loser’ moments in this one.
Check out my blog- I second some of the analysis on there, except I think it was a much stronger win for McCain, although you had to listen and think, and not just watch the debate. I really don’t care how they looked without a teleprompter- I picked up on the fact that Obama has a lot of thoughts and ideas about government, but McCain has a lot of experience and leadership in government. That’s the person you elect President.
Shadow! What a cute poopy.
Amen!
My impression: Obama was taken to school. McCain seemed presidential, obama borderline unprofessional. I was reminded of Al Gore 8 years ago gasping and sighing every 2 seconds, but without the command of the issues. Yes, Obama held his own, he had talking points, but he SOUNDED like he was rattling off prepared talking points.
I may be forgetting something, but it seems to me McCain had all the good soundbites, Obama all the bad ones.
“Senator, I know Kissenger, and youre no kissenger”. and “you can’t SAY that…out LOUD!” vs Obama’s “I have a bracelet too!” and “John is right”
OH! I’m not even sure who I’m listening to, but they just mentioned that Obama’s new foreign policy test is “the children of the world”. A childish statement of childish policy from a childish politician.
Filter!*
(*said the way Seinfeld says “Newman!”)
#12: Lucky for the Republic that children may not vote.
You know what I can’t stand.. when people say we alienated our allies or that countries aren’t working with us anymore.
NAME THEM
Now I certainly understand that Anti-Americanism is ebbing and flowing in the Elite of the world, and that various working class groups are being propagandized to hate us.
That always happens when the United States has an aggressive , interventionist policy. AKA.. when the US is LEADING and asking others to follow. That raises the resentment.
You then have to consider what exactly is it that Obama is going to do to “restore’ America’s global leadership?
To be a leader in international relations and galvanize other countries to join us in some effortwould mean that we’re acting in an aggressive, interventionist way.. the very behavior that everyone says is the cause of why they hate us.
I think Obama is over his head plus is a little arrogant if he thinks that foreign nation’s foreign policies are going to be revamped because he’s Presidnet.
What was all the smirking about!!!!
I think Shadow will brighten up next week when Sarah gives it to Joe.
If “the children of the world” is the new standard, then I can name 2 countries where the children love us more than ever before and love to interact with our troops: Iraq and Afghanistan.
Anyway, I thought of another reason why Angry Bambi’s macho belligerency on Afghanistan seemed phony to me. An obvious, “d’oh!” reason. Isn’t he supposed to be the Left “anti-war” candidate? Why would I believe that such a candidate wants to expand any war, anywhere? Angry Bambi just lied to me for 90 minutes straight.
Anti-Americanism was the method Chirac, Villepin, and Schroder used to divert their electorates away from the collapse of their socialist systems. It was much easier to blame the Americans than it was to admit their economic policies were sapping the lifeblood from their countries.
Now with Sarkozy and Merkel, things are remarkably different.
I love these comments…I roared when Nobama said, oh I have a bracelet too..me too Mommy, me too….and then struggled to remember the soldier’s name..
Nobama as usual talked out of every side of his mouth.
The only thing I wish McCain had said was that he doesn’t support the 700 billion bail out as written but he indicated that he wanted the House GOP to have input.
then again NObama didnt’ give his position on the bailout and kept saying me too when McCain made a point…
I agree with the comment above that Nobama has ideas about governing (bad ones at best) but not a clue as to what to do. He really reminds me of the Robert Redford character in the movie “The Candidate” who once elected said “now what do I do”
he scares me to no end and plus he gets bored easily..so what happens when the party of campaigning and has to actually govern. I pray he never gets that chance ever!
#15 Vince,
Excellent points! I wish McCain would make them. You should send them to the McCain campaign. Republicans really havent had good comebacks to those oft-repeated stinkers.
And of course what he will do to regain their respect is to make America weaker.
V the K as to your comment #15 you got it spot on again:)
now, as said, would someone send these comments to McCain and hey let Sarah use them next week with Motor Mouth Joe.
How long will it be before more money is required, Is this just a short term fix ?