NOW WE KNOW WHAT A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER DOES
Posted on 09/27/2008 6:52:05 AM PDT by vietvet67
Oxford, Mississippi — A few minutes after the debate between John McCain and Barack Obama ended here on the campus of the University of Mississippi, I asked close McCain adviser Charlie Black whether Obama had performed as McCain’s debate team had anticipated.
“No, no,” Black said emphatically. “I never expected Sen. Obama to spend the entire debate on the defensive, and he did. He did.”
Maybe there was a tad of exaggeration in Black’s verdict, but there was some truth in it, too. Obama was smooth, unflappable, and just a little off balance for much of the evening. Worse for him, he seemed inexplicably eager to concede that McCain was right on issue after issue. A candidate determined to appear congenial might do that once, or even twice, but Obama did it eight times:
“I think Senator McCain’s absolutely right that we need more responsibility…”
“Senator McCain is absolutely right that the earmarks process has been abused…”
“He’s also right that oftentimes lobbyists and special interests are the ones that are introducing these…requests…”
“John mentioned the fact that business taxes on paper are high in this country, and he’s absolutely right…”
“John is right we have to make cuts…”
“Senator McCain is absolutely right that the violence has been reduced as a consequence of the extraordinary sacrifice of our troops and our military families…”
“John — you’re absolutely right that presidents have to be prudent in what they say…”
“Senator McCain is absolutely right, we cannot tolerate a nuclear Iran…”
Add it all up, and Obama was undeniably, and surprisingly, deferential to a man who in the past Obama has said “doesn’t get it.” Moments after the debate ended, I asked David Axelrod, Obama’s chief strategist, whether Obama had simply been too nice (not a question one often gets to ask in these situations). “The bottom line is, I don’t think the American people want us to disagree just for the sake of being disagreeable,” Axelrod told me. “I think he made a very strong case, absolutely.”
Well, you wouldn’t expect Axelrod to admit that his guy messed up. But here’s a prediction: The next time McCain and Obama meet in debate, on October 7 in Nashville, start a drinking game in which you take a big swig every time Obama says, “John is absolutely right.” I’ll bet you get to the end of the debate without ever lifting a glass.
But Obama’s problem wasn’t just saying “John is right” too many times. He also let McCain control the discussion even when — especially when — the conversation turned to issues that play to Obama’s strength. The debate was scheduled to focus entirely on foreign policy and national security, but for obvious reasons moderator Jim Lehrer devoted the first half-hour to the current financial crisis. Polls show Obama with a pretty big lead on economic issues, and yet McCain was able to turn the discussion — ostensibly about the $700 billion bailout proposal — into an extended examination of federal spending and earmarks, two issues about which McCain has strong feelings and a good record. When McCain pointed out that Obama had asked for $932 million in earmarks — “nearly a million dollars a day for every day that he’s been in the United States Senate” — Obama answered weakly that yes, the process has been abused, “which is why I suspended any requests for my home state, whether it was for senior centers or what have you, until we cleaned it up.” Not his best moment.
When the debate came around to the topic of the evening, McCain outshone Obama on topics like Russia and Pakistan while hitting him over and over for his comments, made in earlier Democratic debates, that he would meet Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad “without precondition.” On Iraq, the two men fought to a draw, with McCain arguing that Obama was wrong on the surge and Obama arguing that McCain was wrong on the war. It seems unlikely they will change anyone’s mind about that.
The bottom line was that Obama did well enough, but McCain did better. A number of post-debate observers suggested that Obama might emerge the winner on these topics because he was able to stand alongside McCain and argue as an equal despite McCain’s greater experience. Maybe viewers will handicap the contest that way, but if they judge it straight, McCain will come out on top.
One odd thing about the debate was that it never touched on the fact that it almost didn’t happen. McCain’s go-to-Washington-to-fix-the-bailout-and-postpone-the-debate gambit was the talk of political insiders before the debate, but once the discussion began onstage, it nearly disappeared altogether. “Yes, I went back to Washington, and I met with my Republicans in the House of Representatives,” McCain said at one point. (How surprised those House Republicans will be to learn that they are McCain’s Republicans.) But after that brief remark, McCain never mentioned it again, nor did Obama.
Perhaps that’s because the fact that the debate was held, and the world didn’t end, showed that there was no need to postpone it, but the fact that progress had been made in Washington showed that McCain was right to abandon his debate prep to play a role in the bailout talks. Both McCain and Obama turned out to be half right and half wrong.
And in the end, what a mistake it would have been for McCain to have stayed away from this debate. Several hours before it began, when it was finally clear that there was going to be a debate at all, the Obama campaign sent an e-mail to reporters attempting to lower expectations for their man’s performance. Nobody paid much attention; it was, after all, an entirely unremarkable bit of pre-spin. But in this case, it turned out to be right.
— Byron York, NR’s White House correspondent, is the author of the book The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy: The Untold Story of How Democratic Operatives, Eccentric Billionaires, Liberal Activists, and Assorted Celebrities Tried to Bring Down a President — and Why They’ll Try Even Harder Next Time.
My opponent agrees with my 80% of the time. I wonder then, can I count on his vote?
Good to know McCain “won” the debate.
Yes he did.
However, what does it matter?
The Damnocrat’s criminal vote fraud machine - aka Acorn - is hard at work stealing the election and negating the votes of millions of REAL voters. And it looks like they are now going to get BILLIONS - that’s right BILLIONS of our taxpayer money to keep committing their crimes?
Tell me the debate victory means something.
This article wants it both ways. You cannot be smooth, unflappable, and off-balance. Why not just say he was a little off-balance and leave it at that? No, he has to be totally in control, but just a little out of control. Who buys this crap?
boom!!!!!!!
going to see more and more of these all weekend.
Obama was simply awful
I HAVE A BRACELET TOO
If Obama agrees with McCain 80% of the time, how much of the time does that mean he agrees with Bush? Sounds like he’s more of the same. We want change, Mr. Obama.
That phrase doesn't make a bit of sense.
We counted 11 times when Obama said he absolutely agreed with McCain.
Not that I need Obama’s affirmation and validation of McCain but it’s a good reason for a lot of Obama clingers to vote for McCain.
It’s hard for Obama to say we need change while admitting McCain is right about so many things. Unless Obama was lying, of course...
Okay ... if Obama agrees with McCain 80% of the time and McCain agrees with Bush 90% of the time, that would mean Obama agrees with Bush 85% of the time.
Obama was smooth? What planet are you living on?
Every other word out of his mouth was “uh” while John McCain spoke clearly and deliberately and appeared presidential. McCain may not be a great orator, but Obama without his teleprompter is annoying to listen to, at best. Obama is anything but presidential. In fact, he remains cold, distant, aloof, and arrogant. He was anything but likable!
Not any Bracelet but a Dead Soldier’s Bracelet he didn’t respect or know the name of.
Pray for W, McCuda and Our Troops
Obama seemed to be pursuing the office in an extended desire to fulfill a boyhood dream. He showed me no real calling other than serving personal ambition.
If everyone recalls, most people believed that Obama would "dance circles" around McCain in a debate.
Now the liberals are trying to change the rules for scoring of the debate.
I wonder if that was the same email that encouraged everyone to watch the debate on CNN?
I'm very worried. Obama did not stutter and go "uh" too much, and spewed out lots of trivial details, as if he actually knows about foreign and economic policy. We are a few weeks away from electing out first communist President.
Strangely I actually thought McCain did very well on the economic side of the debate. He managed to tie Obama to the spending abuses, and threw out many zingers.
During the debate, I mentioned this to my wife. "How many times has he said, 'I agree with John'? That's a mistake." My other initial impression was that John seemed like someone who has dealt with real life situations, whereas Obama seemed aloof and smirky. My wife mentioned that too.
I thought this would resonate with the undecideds, but I noticed that in Luntz' post-debate focus group that the majority went with Obama. I don't know if this is attributable to the small sample size.
If I was Mcain on the question of federal spending, cutbacks and things we don’t need to pay for, I would have started with abolishing the IRS, doing away with the ATF, the DEA and several other enforcement agencies. Hell, the first two alone would save billions of dollars. I would have also countered Obama’s claim of affordable college for everyone. Sorry, somebody has got to get their hands dirty now and then besides the immigrants that will do the jobs americans don’t want to do.
Well, you have to consider the subject of the comment. lol.
Barry was singing his usual BS (Barbara Streisand) in practiced, habitual syle, and never missing a note, but his repertoire was missing a few songs. ; )
However much I despise the infanticide kid, his blizard of banality has an appeal to some people. His demeanor is calm and assuring to some people, even if he speaks in platitudes. His style is more important than his substance. And his style works well on TV --when he's scripted.
Last night, though, he looked distant and smirky, which may alienate some of the undecideds.
syle = style. Ha.
Obama was baiting McCain like Buster Douglas. McCain took it easy on Obama. He should have shut Obama down.
Its much easier to sit on the sidelines and criticize. I though McCain was in top form and true to his nature. I must say, he went after Obama more than I thought he would. Also, he controlled the debate.
I agree with you. That is the most important single aspect of the last two and all future Presidential elections. ACORN is not the only culprit, just one of the most organized.
Jeffhead,
That’s a good summary in your link. Thanks. I’m going to put it as one of “my links” on my homepage for future reference.
Amen...those who follow the rules and work hard to pay their own way find it VERY difficult to tolerate the notion that any other able-bodied person cannot, and should not, do the same - especially when they know that the tax dollars they are providing the free-loaders could have lessened the loads on their own backs.
You weren’t watching the debate. Obama was very controlled and seldom used the ‘uh..uh..’ hesitancy bit.
If that was McCain in top form last night, it’s only going to get worse.
With all this guy (Obama) is involved in, it is clear that he is an abject enemy to this nation and its foundational institutions.
If McCain agrees with Bush 90%
And Obama agrees with McCain 80%
That means Obama agrees with Bush 72%
Which means Obama = small change!
The thing that stood out most to me was body language. Early on in the debate when Fox had the two of them on split screen and McCain said something that obama didn’t like you could tell that obmam was clearly steamed. His head movements, his nostrils seemed to flair, he began looking to someone in the audience and back to the podium and back to the audience in quick jerky movements, like a chicken moves it’s head.
I thought, wow! what an angry man. I wish I had that on tape.
I noticed that when McCain was scoring points Obama would put his hand up to gain attention and force his turn.
Rude.
Okay, I averaged. Either way, small change.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Mr. Pitney makes good points, but I think his last sentence is an accurate assessment. (”There are more debates to come. Perhaps McCain is holding some one-liners in reserve.”)
If his opponent should consider that those are missed opportunities and try to capitalize on them in future debates, McCain can hit him with them then.
Would this do?
After all the Democrats ran to the cameras and mics to state that "McCain should not have come back to Washington" and "McCain's presence just messed everything up..." I wanted McCain NOT to make even one 'work with the Democrats' 'reach across the aisle' 'working hard with the Democrats' remark! He seemed to make several. That, in my opinion is way too generous to enemies who hate you and stab you in the back. I wanted McCain to state flat out that he was standing with the House and Senate Republicans against this (Liberal-Democrat) Paulson bailout and the money going to groups like ACORN and such.
Yes, to completely shut Obama down with facts about Dodd, Franks and Obama's involvement in the whole problem. Then then take the opportunity to spell out the true way out of this mess as if he were Rush or Levin: plain spoken truth in terms we can understand.
McCain said the United States is the worlds biggest exporter. That is not true.
Every other word out of his mouth was “uh” while John McCain spoke clearly and deliberately and appeared presidential.
You can thank Annapolis for that, “uh” is not in the vocabulary there. Neither is “ya know” and other space fillers just put in to make noise while developing an answer.
Jack
I wish, with all my head and heart, that McCain could have spoken to Obama and the watching nation what the above group beg him daily to say...what they explain in simple terms that could put this guy away...to expose him, what he secretely intennds to the light for all to see.
In my opinion, McCain was too much "working hard with the Democrats" "reaching across the aisle" [while the Democrats in front of cameras and mics stating MCain was in the way and should not have been in Washington). McCain had the opportunity to tell us that he was with the House Republicans and Senators that are opposing this bailout bill that gives funds to left-wing groups...expose Paulson as a liberal Democrat...make the case that if the taxpayers get a return on investment, they'll never see a dime of it because it will got to new spending programs, etc.
I wanted to hear McCain state plainly that Biden speaking for Obama said NO to coal plants "let the Chinese build them". I wanted McCain to say we can drill (and refine) our way out of the problem while researching alternatives. I wanted McCain to challenge Obama's "I'm for offshore drilling" as a offshore so far offshore where there is no oil. I wanted to hear McCain either declare that he is for "The Fair Tax" or "Flat Tax" to shut the door on all this droning on about 'tax-cuts for the wealthy'. I wanted to hear McCain do the Rush-Levin-Gingrich clear explanation that business/industry don't pay taxes, they just pass the cost along...until they become too high and regulations force them overseas...and NOT punish them as Obama wants. I wanted McCain to explain that eliminating the corporate taxes and capitol gains tax and other would bring back investment and a booming economy to the U.S.
Basically, I wanted McCain to a Rush-Levin-Hannity on Obama. I know that I have to smack myself on the back of the head to wake up and realize that neither McCain nor Sarah Palin can say those things.
People here keep on harping about how Obama was conciliatory, but they don’t think about what “working hard with the Democrats” and “reaching across the aisle” means. McCain was being conciliatory. What kind of debate is that? And you’re right, not all of the voters are Rush listeners. That isn’t Limbaugh’s problem (an opportunity for him at worst). But it is clearly is for conservatives who think the MSM and the other forces of the left are irrelevant.
I think hardly any conservatives are foolish enough to sit out this election, much less vote for Obama at this point. But we’re fighting for the hearts and minds of people who either have no ideology or don’t know that they do, i.e. independents and undecideds. They are the only votes left, and McCain isn’t talking to those people.
This close to the election (less than 40 days), I really wonder just how many people are left truly "undecided"?
I'm NOT a McCain supporter. I'm an anti-Obama voter that is pro-Palin. I'm a Reagan Conservative I suppose in probably an Independent category because of all the RINOs and Country-Clubers that have removed 'conservativism' from the Republican party.
Everyone that I know, family, friends and neighbors (conservative or liberal) have their minds made up by now: Obama or McCain. I can't find an undecided anywhere among people I know or are related to. It seems to me that those would have to be under a rock or completely out of the country in 'nowhere' Africa or South American jungle.
All I can figuer (or tend to believe) is that: 1.) we just don't know and polls aren't accurate and that mad-up minds will blow the pollsters and MSMs away come election day...OR 2.) the polls are accurate and we're screwed unless something really big or unforseen happens.
Look at the poll numbers on that question and find out.
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