As the Final Presidential Debate of ’08 Approaches
I haven’t decided yet whether I’m going to watch tonight’s presidential debate. After last week’s snoozefest, I have far better uses for my time, especially given how far behind I am in a number of endeavors.
Basically, John McCain needs to do two things tonight:
- Raise questions about Obama’s fitness to serve in a time of crisis.
- Shows he’s aware of the scope of the current financial crisis, knows how it impacts the average voter and has a workable plan to strengthen the economy.
He can’t appear too aggressive lest voters think his only plan is to attack his opponent.
Obama has not yet closed this deal. While the Democrat leads in most polls, people still have doubts about his ability to lead. McCain needs to play into those doubts while convincing undecided voter and even wary Obama supporters that he’s the man to take the helm in a time of economic crisis.
From the assassination of Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto last winter to the Russian invastion of Georgia this past summer, McCain has seen his political fortunes rise when there’s been uncertainty abroad. People trust him to handle an international crisis.
Tonight, he has to show that he can handle a domestic crisis as well.
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This just in: Democrat Ohio Attorney General ordered to release information on 200,000 fraudulent voter registrations.
200,000 phony registrations turned in by ACORN.
200,000 phony registrations covered up by the Obama supporting Attorney General of Ohio.
Is this still no big deal?
Comment by V the K — October 15, 2008 @ 7:17 pm - October 15, 2008
To a lot of people it is no big deal, and not a vote changer. I was listening to the radio today, form folks calling in it was apparent that the GOP is getting all the blame for the economy, and folks feel that the Dems are going to be better at fixing things. Elections aren’t won or lost on anything rational, so who cares about voter fraud? That’s just something the losers can use later to claim illegitimacy.
Comment by Hunter — October 15, 2008 @ 7:32 pm - October 15, 2008
Regardless of the polls, I’m still reluctant to think that Obama is going to win this thing. He’ll win landslides in the usual liberal enclaves but I’m not so sure that swing states are willing to take a change on a junior senator with record aside from the fact that he isn’t George W. Bush. In a way, such overwhelming numbers favoring Obama may even hurt him. Despite the liberal myth, there has never truly been a youth or black vote. Every election cycle, libs insist on trumpeting how their candidate has energized the youth and black vote. Truth is, they never turn out in the droves that they hope for.
Comment by Right Turn — October 15, 2008 @ 8:28 pm - October 15, 2008
Via LGF: Zombie has an interesting essay on the polls, the media’s exaggeration of support for Obama, etc.
http://www.zombietime.com/lefts_big_blunder/
Good news: Obama supporters and the media have been exaggerating Obama support. That means they could be in for quite a rude awakening.
Bad news: The above good news will put you in an “I refuse to believe the polls” type of denial mode. And that didn’t work out too well for Republicans in 2006, did it?
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — October 15, 2008 @ 8:36 pm - October 15, 2008
I am going to have to at least listen to the debate. Can someone tell me why is it off base for McCaiin to bring up the subject of The Right Reverend Wright and Obama’s close association with ACORN.
Comment by Swampfox — October 15, 2008 @ 8:50 pm - October 15, 2008
So, let’s see if I understand this… the Democrats have to register 200,000 phony voters in Ohio… because otherwise Republicans would steal the election, is that right?
Comment by V the K — October 15, 2008 @ 8:58 pm - October 15, 2008
So far, we’re off to a flying stop.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — October 15, 2008 @ 9:07 pm - October 15, 2008
What’s with McCain’s left cheek?
Comment by ThatGayConservative — October 15, 2008 @ 9:14 pm - October 15, 2008
c’mon….. shadoe can do it! rets row!
Comment by wendy — October 15, 2008 @ 9:20 pm - October 15, 2008
I think the polls are BS, who are these people who are supposedly polled? And I had no idea the voter fraud count was up to 200k, that’s outrageous!
Comment by Christie — October 15, 2008 @ 9:22 pm - October 15, 2008
Never mind the Presidential debate. The season finale of Project Runway is on! Really, what kind of Gay Patriots are you?!
Comment by Right Turn — October 15, 2008 @ 9:23 pm - October 15, 2008
The kind that don’t find stereotypes entertaining.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — October 15, 2008 @ 9:28 pm - October 15, 2008
TGC, lighten up.
Comment by Right Turn — October 15, 2008 @ 9:32 pm - October 15, 2008
“The kind that don’t find stereotypes entertaining.” says the one who hasn’t met a stereotype about liberals and Dems that he didn’t love and repeat endlessly. Thanks for the laugh TGC
Anyway, I thought some of you might enjoy this.
http://www.dixienet.org/rebellion/2008/08/obamas-temple-secret-revealed.html
Comment by Dave — October 15, 2008 @ 9:35 pm - October 15, 2008
McCain has had cancer surgery on his left cheek. Would you like to know why he can’t use a computer keyboard, think back to his five years at the Hanoi Hilton.
Comment by Swampfox — October 15, 2008 @ 9:38 pm - October 15, 2008
Let’s see- the two things you wanted McCain to do- he didn’t address Obama’s leadership in crisis, although he did talk about Obama’s policies in a crisis when he talked about how Obama would raise taxes and stop free trade and turn a recession into a depression.
I think McCain did show his awareness of the current crisis, notably by going to Joe the Plumper over and over again. He still though didn’t make clear conservative arguments that voters would understand.
I’d also like to point out that other goods came of this debate- Obama showed that he favors solidarity over labor leaders in Columbia over free trade and our allies, and that he thinks judges should judge on fairness and not the US Constitution. Will avarge voters pick up on these ideas- no, but that’s too bad, because they are important.
Comment by A Conservative Teacher — October 15, 2008 @ 11:11 pm - October 15, 2008
I guess I am one of those supporters that the FOX news panelists said are discouraged.
Gentleman John McCain just cannot deliver a knockout punch. The judgement issues associated with Obama’s associations and the lack of examination of his socialist views cannot seem to get the traction they deserve. This tsunami of bad economic news is the October (and September) surprise that candidates fear.
I read all the conservative blogs about this poll and that poll and how polls are wrong as shown by polling numbers of previous candidates during such and such election year.
To me it all seems like re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic or German military strategists move troop non-existent troop battalions deep in a bunker while the Soviet Red (or in this case, Blue) Army rolls through the streets above.
At this point, the Project Runway finale seems more relevant.
Comment by LCRW — October 15, 2008 @ 11:23 pm - October 15, 2008
I think while McCain stuttered and spluttered tonight, he did land some very good blows that will plant doubts about Obama’s readiness in people’s minds.
Unfortunately, he missed more such opportunities than he hit, but still, he did plant, or reinforce, some important doubts.
Comment by American Elephant — October 16, 2008 @ 12:53 am - October 16, 2008
McCain has a disorganized thought process and he muddles his answers. That’s why he has lost every debate. Points that he should make at the start of an answer, he’ll bury halfway through. He routinely includes subjects that have no business in a given response, often in scatter shot fashion. Then there is the question of tone, which has also been a problem. McCain is just a very poor debater.
The Clinton-Obama debates were much more competitive and they agreed on nearly 95% of the issues! I know conservatives cheered the long drawn out Democratic primary, but it laid the groundwork for Obama and helped to clear obstacles he would’ve otherwise had to clear in the general election. And the idea that Clinton Democrats would break with Obama was always bunk. Obama is now polling nearly 90% of Democrats in key battleground states.
Comment by Erik — October 16, 2008 @ 12:57 am - October 16, 2008
Contrary to your fantasies, I don’t love you.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — October 16, 2008 @ 2:53 am - October 16, 2008
Obama during the debate: “Sexuality is Sacred”.
This is actually a strain of thought from Wiccan and Pagan belief. “As each person is an aspect of the gods, whether male or female, our sexuality is sacred, however we manifest it.”
So, according to this philosophy… Folsom Street Depravity … sacred. Bathhouse barebacking and bugsharing: … sacred. Middle school janitor drags a 12 year old girl into the broom closet … Sacred.
Comment by V the K — October 16, 2008 @ 5:23 am - October 16, 2008
He meant heterosexuality.
Comment by Attmay — October 16, 2008 @ 11:51 am - October 16, 2008
TGC, my only fantasy about you is that you will be able to channel your hatred in a productive manner before you hurt others and perhaps in time finding healing so you don’t hurt yourself. Oh, and reading lessons might help too.
Comment by Dave — October 16, 2008 @ 12:03 pm - October 16, 2008
So, Dave, are you still maintaining that left-wing hatred of Sarah Palin is mythical? Did you ever come up with any examples of C-h-r-i-s-t-i-a-n Pridefest’s where people joyously called for the death of all teh gheys. Still waiting for proof on those items.
Comment by V the K — October 16, 2008 @ 12:26 pm - October 16, 2008