McCain As Good As Obama Was Bad

The Virginian ^ | 8/17/2008 | Moneyrunner

[moneyrunner]

About that debate last night:

I don't want to get to overheated about what occurred tonight, but I do think McCain had a clear and decisive victory over Obama. It all comes down to something that Phil Bredesen, the Democratic governor of Tennessee recently said about Obama: “Instead of giving big speeches at big stadiums, he needs to give straight-up 10-word answers to people at Wal-Mart about how he would improve their lives.” ... When asked "At what point does a baby get human rights, in your view?," McCain answered "At the moment of conception." Obama's answer here was flaming-dirigible bad:

Whether you are looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity is, you know, above my pay grade.

That spectacularly inept metaphor is going to haunt Obama throughout the rest of the campaign. News flash: There's not a job on the planet above the pay grade of the President of the United States.

[woofie]

Mr Obama its all above your pay grade

[Always Right]

Doubt it. It's hard to warm up to a man who clearly does not believe in conservatism.

You missed a good performance last night then. McCain came across as by far the most conservative candidate since Reagan. He made the Bush's look like far-left. It was pretty shocking just how conservative and desicive McCain was with his answers. Of course immigration was not mentioned, but on taxes, spending, attacking government health care, abortion, energy, defense, identifying the enemy as radical islam, McCain was shooting bullseyes.

[raybbr]

As I posted earlier:

"I will watch it later. One interview will not erase years of deconstruction of conservatism. I will always see McCain as a very watered down conservative. Heck, he WANTS to be known as a maverick - defying many aspects of conservatism."

You missed a good performance last night then.

Interesting that you called it a "performance". I wonder why?

[Ditter]

McCain has always been way down on my list because of his stands in the past. What I saw last night made me hopeful that he has been listening to us. Now if he will continue and DO what we want, as well as SAY what we want, I am extremely hopeful. He is our ONLY hope at this point BTW. His statements about Supreme Court Justices was excellent.

[nathanbedford]

I agree with everything you say, McCain was absolutely brilliant. His answers were crisp and clear and could not have been more conservative or more forthright. His anecdotes were compelling. He had the audience in his hand from the beginning.

Obama, on the other hand, sounded like he was dictating into my Dragon NaturallySpeaking software. He was stilted, hesitant, and too calculating by half. If one asks the question who did the better job, the answer is undeniable: McCain.

But if one asks who won the evening, that is not so easy to answer. The problem is that the two men had different tasks. McCain performed his task, he had to appear compelling. But Obama was not tasked with the same burden. Because this is a Democrat year for all the reasons we all know, Obama's job was merely to look like he could be a president.

Consider the debate in 1980 between Carter and Reagan. Reagan had merely to show the world that he did not have two heads because he was a conservative and the people, who were itching to get rid of Jimmy Carter anyway said, "okay, Reagan looks like he could be a president and that's what we wanted to know." End of story for Jimmy Carter.

But this time the conditions are reversed for the Republicans. We can only hope that the debates go as well as this forum. If McCain can stay within range of Obama through the debates, I think he might actually be able to win this, despite the formidable odds against him.

One last thought. I thought McCain came off because he was a man serenely in possession of himself, full of self-confidence because he had been through the fire, he has proved himself as a man and has grown so far past that game that he becomes beautifully transparent and attractive.

[bearsgirl90]

Above my pay grade will make some ad very shortly

For real. It'll be the next "catch phrase"/cop out.

[Aquinasfan]

I wonder if some conservative, pro-life Christians will warm up to McCain after this.

I have. It seemed to me that McCain poured out his heart last night, and his heart appears to be very big. As a POW, he refused preferential treatment from his captors as the son of a US admiral. As a father, he and his wife adopted a child from Bangladesh. These episodes tell a very important story about McCain's character.

I disagree with McCain's immigration ideas, but his devotion to the single most important public policy issue of our time, abortion, and his patriotism and support for the military, seem absolutely genuine. I now have far more confidence in him as a presidential candidate. My opinion of him now is that he will be better than both of the Bushes, and may even rise to the level of Reagan.

[Aquinasfan]

I thought McCain came off because he was a man serenely in possession of himself, full of self-confidence because he had been through the fire, he has proved himself as a man and has grown so far past that game that he becomes beautifully transparent and attractive.

Well said. A little insight into the purpose of suffering, too.

[stockstrader]

Do you know the difference between Obama, and Osama?

The more important question is: What do Obama and Osama have in common?

They BOTH have friends who bombed the Pentagon.

[TennTuxedo]

But if one asks who won the evening, that is not so easy to answer.

Actually it was very easy to determine who won the evening.

Firstly, you have to remember whom the target audience was. Secondly, you have to know what the expectations of each candidate was coming into the forum. Thirdly, the audience response to each candidates responses spoke volumes about how they felt about their answers.

McCain solidified himself with manny Evangelicals and likely gained a large number of their votes due to his performance in this forum.

[varyouga]

Bambi is gonna be getting smoked in the debates. Lets see those polls.

[Issaquahking]

Just goes to show, the more I know thug”. about the guy, the less I can stand the sound of the "anointed one".

[edzo4]

it is very difficult for a democrat to give a straight answer, because the dems are so fractured into little groups like gay rights activists, anti-war activists, environmental activists, abortion rights activists etc etc etc that every time a democrat has to answer a question they have to run through a mental checklist of how they should answer so that they can offend the smallest group of their voters

[Issaquahking]

?

Just goes to show, the more I know about the thug, the less I can stand the sound of the "anointed one".

[Issaquahking]

?

Just goes to show, the more I know about the thug, the less I can stand the sound of the "anointed one".

[raybbr]

answer a question they have to run through a mental checklist of how they should answer so that they can offend the smallest group of their voters

Sounds like a lot of republicans too. Think of McCain, Bush and Huckabee re amnesty for illegal aliens.

[nathanbedford]

Firstly, you have to remember whom the target audience was.

Obviously, the target audience was the whole of America that was watching CNN. Because the Forum was sponsored by Rick Warren, I would assume that there was a larger than usual evangelical component to that audience but the target is the whole television audience which vastly outnumbers evangelicals who were watching.

Secondly, you have to know what the expectations of each candidate was coming into the forum.

I have already done that. Obama merely has to show that he is presidential timber. McCain must overwhelm Obama's performance. This is true if you believe that this is a secular democratic year like 1980 was set up for Ronald Reagan.if you do not except that premise,of course you will come to a different conclusion.

Thirdly, the audience response to each candidates responses spoke volumes about how they felt about their answers.

The audience in the auditorium is a self-selected group of evangelical conservatives. Of course they're going to favor the conservative. I too was overwhelmed by McCain's performance. But then I am also a conservative. But this audience doesn't really matter, the vast television audience matters much more than a few hundred people in the auditorium.Assuming the audience was liberally salted with Obama supporters, (this could be I do not know) you are right, McCain performed better. That was never my point. I fully accept that McCain performed better.

McCain solidified himself with manny Evangelicals and likely gained a large number of their votes due to his performance in this forum.

I wholeheartedly agree. But the point of my post is that the great mushy middle of America does not march to the same drummer as we do. And they, not we, elect presidents

[edzo4]

Sounds like a lot of republicans too. Think of McCain, Bush and Huckabee re amnesty for illegal aliens.

actually i think that is just pandering to the media the majority of their voters are against amnesty

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

Obama's answer here was flaming-dirigible bad:

"Whether you are looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity is, you know, above my pay grade".

[TennTuxedo]

"Firstly, you have to remember whom the target audience was.

Obviously, the target audience was the whole of America that was watching CNN. Because the Forum was sponsored by Rick Warren, I would assume that there was a larger than usual evangelical component to that audience but the target is the whole television audience which vastly outnumbers evangelicals who were watching.

While the entire country could watch, the primary target was Evangelical voters. Thats why Obama took part in this forum. Otherwise, if it were just for the entire country only, he would have passed on this forum.

Secondly, you have to know what the expectations of each candidate was coming into the forum.

I have already done that. Obama merely has to show that he is presidential timber. McCain must overwhelm Obama's performance. This is true if you believe that this is a secular democratic year like 1980 was set up for Ronald Reagan.if you do not except that premise,of course you will come to a different conclusion.

Make no mistake about this election. It is a referendum on Obama, not a referendum on McCain. Obama failed in tying McCain to President Bush-that was the DNC's aim and they failed.

Thirdly, the audience response to each candidates responses spoke volumes about how they felt about their answers.

The audience in the auditorium is a self-selected group of evangelical conservatives. Of course they're going to favor the conservative. I too was overwhelmed by McCain's performance. But then I am also a conservative. But this audience doesn't really matter, the vast television audience matters much more than a few hundred people in the auditorium.Assuming the audience was liberally salted with Obama supporters, (this could be I do not know) you are right, McCain performed better. That was never my point. I fully accept that McCain performed better.

Most Evangelicals are conservative, but Obama , the DNC, and the media seem to think that the Evangelicals are ready to divided and conquered by Obama. Thats why Obama took part in this forum. The DNC believes that by taking part in this forum they can split the vote, and prove that Obama is a Christian.

McCain solidified himself with manny Evangelicals and likely gained a large number of their votes due to his performance in this forum.

I wholeheartedly agree. But the point of my post is that the great mushy middle of America does not march to the same drummer as we do. And they, not we, elect presidents

As I pointed out, the goal for Obama and the DNC was to divide and conquer the Evangelicals. They believed that they saw an opportunity to squeeze into the fold and split the Evangelicals. There was no other goal or reason for Obama to take part in this forum other than that.