TWO HOURS LATER - MCCAIN VS OBAMA II - IMPRESSIONS

Townhall.com ^ | 8 October 2008 | Andrew Roman

[andrew roman]

Two words kept popping in and out of my head during the second Presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain – disappointing and tedious. Setting aside the fact that the proceedings seemed to drag and on at an agonizingly tortuous pace with little more than eye-watering yawns from my end to disrupt the monotony, this debate had the personality of a lima bean can. Add to it the fact that there seemed to be more passion exuded by Tom Brokaw, the moderator, when asking the candidates to step aside from blocking his view of the teleprompter than anything either of them said on stage, and you’ve got a first-class, bona-fide dud.

Specifically – and perhaps most important – tonight’s “non-debate” debate was not, to quote a phrase, a “game changer” from Senator McCain – and frankly, I was hoping it would be. While I certainly don’t think Senator Obama as the next President of the United States is a foregone conclusion yet, he clearly took another step closer to the Oval Office on Tuesday. If the poll numbers are to be believed, neither candidate will do much in the way of movement as a result of this debate. In short, it was not a great night for the Republicans – and it really needed to be.

There was one moment, I would have to assume, meant to serve as that “game changer” for Senator McCain early in the debate – a grenade lobbed in from left field that, honestly, stunned me and fell well short of its intended target (at least for now). McCain, seemingly from whole cloth, said that when he is President, the federal government would help stabilize the housing market by buying up bad mortgages and refinancing them for home owners at market value – to the tune of $300 billion.

What?

I’ll need more information on that one before I blow a bazooka through it.

My frustration with this particular presentation was that I found myself disenchanted on two fronts. First, early in the debate, I found myself screaming at the television even more so than I had during their first debate, probably because I was yelling at both Obama and McCain, and often for the same things. It seemed to me, primarily, that they were differing on the finer points of similarly held positions.

Despite an all-too-quick and truncated attack by McCain on the Democratic involvement in the current financial crisis – which, by the way, started off promisingly enough and had me thinking this was going to be a feisty performance by him - there was yet again more McCain pandering with fuzzy-middle non-speak about corruption on Wall Street, blah, blah, blah …

Huge mistake.

Entirely too much time was spent on selling bi-partisanship and extending arms across the aisle. It came across as weak and contrived and surely did nothing to endear McCain to anyone.

Second, the number of missed opportunities by McCain to slap back hard at Senator Obama was staggering. My slowly building disgust was fuelled not only by the lack of substance coming from the lips of Senator Obama – which is a given - but in the fact that Senator McCain was profoundly ineffective in countering him as I wanted him to be – and as I felt he needed to be to turn the tide.

Perhaps I’m in a minority here, but I am sick of listening to Senator Obama and the Democratic Party demonize those who provide jobs to a large portion of the American public. I am also annoyed that no one – especially Senator McCain – calls out Senator Obama and his ridiculous assertion that 95% of Americans will get a tax cut under his “save the middle class” tax plan. How on earth is it possible to get a tax cut when you don’t pay income taxes? A little more than 45% of Americans do not – repeat, do not – pay income tax. That means Senator Obama’s “tax breaks” will amount to a welfare payment to those who don’t deserve it.

Senator McCain, are you home?

Can someone also inform Senator Obama that to raise taxes on corporations, as he wants to do and says is somehow “fair,” results in customers and workers bearing the ultimate burden?

I know you’re in there, Senator McCain! Can someone (figuratively only) just slap Senator Obama across the kisser – or anyone else for that matter – who has the utter audacity to call the attacks of 9/11 a "tragedy?" They were an act of war. Period.

This must anger you, Senator McCain! Show it!

Is there anyone with even a remedial knowledge of how budgets work willing to spare an afternoon (or perhaps a weekend) with Senator Obama to explain to him that the ten billion dollars a month being spent on funding the war in Iraq is not – repeat not – being taken away from anyone or anything domestically? It is not being diverted from, say, emergency food and clothing needed for naked, emaciated children in our inner cities. That’s not how it works, Senator Obama.

Answer the door, Senator McCain! The bottom line is … John McCain wasn’t horrifically bad. True, he had me biting my bottom lip when he went on about the conspicuousness of global warming; He had me shaking my head when he once again hoisted his arrows at the “greed” of Wall Street; He induced stomach gurgles when he kept reminding us how much of a maverick he is, pulling names like Feingold and Kennedy out of his hat. (I kept a bottle of Tums next to my cream soda as I watched).

However, let me say, without reservation, that substantively, Senator McCain was the clear winner of this debate. The problem was … he just wasn’t as good as he should have been … and frankly, could have been.

It’s not over by any means … I just wanted more of a “Hell yeah!” taste in my mouth at the end of that day.

I walked away with an “Uh, okay.”

[mtntop3]

The worst error of McCain, repeated again tonight, was to let go unchallenged the continuing assertion of Obama and the Democrats that the eight years of the Bush Administration are responsible for all the woes of the world.

There are literally thousands of accomplishments by the Bush Administration - the most important ones being the successful defense of this nation against terrorists since 9/11; and the liberating of two countries whose regimes were some of the most dangerous and murderous in history.

It is the Democrats who brought on the financial crisis by not reforming (or do away with) F. Mae and F. Mac but, instead, to do nothing but attempt to make Bush - and this nation - lose the war in Iraq and thus hand over the world to Islamic terrorism.

[nathanbedford]

I would love to accept your reasoning because it is so reasonable but, alas, we are not in a season of reason. People who are afraid simply do not vote out of reason or nuance.

What happened last night on television was utterly devastating. Too late, the McCain campaign began this week to do what it should have done months ago and began exposing Obama for the dangerous radical he is. The American people tuned on their televisions and did not see a radical, they saw a man who outwardly appeared presidential. Indeed, he appeared (and in a television debate appearances are everything) more presidential in many respects than did McCain himself.

Watching television, the American people will choose to believe their own eyes and disregard all of the related and uncoordinated attacks as the mere chaff and clutter of every campaign. They are concentrating on only one thing: the financial crisis which McCain has now bungled it for a second time. His half-baked mortgage proposal has succeeded only in shearing off a fragment of his base.

Turn out the lights, the party is over.

As conservatism in this election is reduced to some of the Mountain states and the old Confederacy, as all of the branches of government are denied us, the question for conservatives will be, how do we save the movement and survive the nuclear winter to come so it can save the country?

[floriduh voter]

Relistening. Now Obama’s talking about pre-emption yet he bashes Bush endlessly re: Iraq.

[mtntop3]

Indeed. And may we always be true to His.

[DiogenesLaertius]

I think McCain is pulling an eisenhower. Be amiable, bipartisan, and experienced.

Meanwhile his proxies tear Obama a new one.

I’ve watched spending in swing-states, Obama is way ahead which makes me think McCain’s saving it up for a big push near election day.

Lets hope he pulls it off. I want a surprise Pennyslvania victory that will make liberals saddened and push McCain over the top elsewhere.

[HawaiianGecko]

    Tonight convinced me that McCain is a boy scout and really has no choice to recover in the next four weeks.  Unless of course Bin Laden brings down the Sears tower or something similar.  And since President Bush has killed or maimed most Al Qaeda types in Iraq, I doubt they are capable of picking their noses let alone a fight with the US.

The real clue to the winner on November 4th will be the stock market at closing time this Friday.  Wealthy investors are smart investors.  Normally they wouldn't sell in a panic and in fact would probably start dollar cost buying right about now.  My bet is that they will start selling this week. Thinking that selling for something is better than waiting for Obama to completely kill the market.

Regardless of what he claims, Obama was raised by an ideological liberal, was a community organizer which is a euphemism for an ideological liberal, attorney for ACORN and freely admits in his book that he learned how to manipulate the system simply by not acting like an angry black man.

Hold on to your billfold.

[1035rep]

The Muslim sucked. My mother tried to watch him, she could barely stand watching him. She says no way that Obama will ever be president. I happy to say, My mother is always right.

[Don_Ret_USAF]

When the energy item came up. McCain could have added that the energy produced by wind, sea or batteries would not be adequate suppliers to produce steel. This is one reason why you need high producer's of electricity such as Coal,Gas or Nuclear to run those electric furnaces. We need power plants that will help keep the steel jobs in the USA.

[roamer_1]

The unfortunate, cold, TRUTH of the matter in 2008 is that the People do not want a President, they want a SAVIOUR.

If that were true, Palin would not be the big attraction. People want Conservatism.

We need to abandon this socialist traitor, get behind the House Republicans, demand a new Contract with America, and push HARD for Conservatism in the House and maybe the Senate. Change the control of the House leader to Pence, and hopefully a majority, and we have done a whole lot to save ourselves.

[mtntop3]

And McCain, and the Republicans, do nothing but allow Obama and the Democrats to, unchallenged, set false premises about Iraq and the eight years of the Bush presidency.

That is a huge mistake.

If Obama gets power, we will see nothing but “investigations” and “findings” on the Bush presidency by the Democrats that will attempt to destroy the Republicans forever.

President Bush, in truth, has been one of America’s greatest Presidents. His faith is rightfully in God - and that Faith will see him through whatever evil he may encounter.

[LucyJo]

Sending a hug to your 24 yr. old son. He is thoughtful and wise beyond his years.

[HawaiianGecko]

    "We were told to get with the program with Bush because Kerry and Gore were so scary. We got millions of illegals and government largesse/high taxes out the wazoo regardless."

I don't normally call a Freeper ignorant, but that sentence is certainly a vote in the affirmative.  Here's a paragraph out of USA Today in 2003:  The law is enforced only in fits and starts. Beginning in the late 1990s, enforcement plummeted. In 1998, immigration authorities arrested about 14,000 illegal immigrants at worksites. The next year, arrests dropped by 80% — and kept on dropping, according to a study by Congress' non-partisan Government Accountability Office. In 2003, there were just 445 arrests, the GAO reported.

Since all federal income tax brackets are lower under Bush than Clinton and capital gains tax rates are lower under Bush than Clinton, and immigration enforcement plummeted more than 80% under Clinton, just how is this statement anything but foolish?

[dixiechick2000]

“It’s not over by any means … I just wanted more of a “Hell yeah!” taste in my mouth at the end of that day.

I walked away with an “Uh, okay.”

The McCain that I know will not give you a “hell yeah” moment.

The debate I saw was one that in several segments handed Obama’s hat to him.

What is up with all of this negativity?

This election is a referendum on Obama.

We need focus...please.

[jddqr]

Hell of a choice. Socialist vs. Socialist.

[Texas4ever]

cHOICE AMERICA OR FRIGHTENING, LIAR WITH A LOT OF SECRETS

[Cindy]

Video: "DANGEROUS" (Added October 5, 2008)

CBS NEWS.com: "MORE BOGUS OBAMA DONORS SURFACE" (October 6, 2008)

ONE NEWS NOW.com: "PRO-OBAMA, MUSLIM-LED VOTER REGISTRATION IN MOSQUES" by Chad Groening (October 6, 2008)

DANIEL PIPES.org - blog: "Bibliography - My Writings on Barack Obama's Early Years as a Muslim" by Daniel Pipes

AMERICAN THINKER.com - blog (FOX NEWS.com): "TEACHER SUSPENDED IN OBAMA VIDEO SCANDAL" by Thomas Lifson (October 6, 2008)

AMERICAN THINKER.com - blog: "UTTERLY CHILLING VIDEO OF OBAMA FREIKORPS" by Thomas Lifson (October 5, 2008)

CNS NEWS.com: "WILL JOURNALISTS FINALLY GET THE RECESSION THEY CRAVE?" -Commentary by Dan Gainor (October 6, 2008)

stepping back in time...GovTrac.US: "Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005" May 25, 2006)

Video: "Barack Obama & Friends - Sean Hannity Special" (Added October 5, 2008)

Video: "Barack Obama & Friends - Sean Hannity Special - Part 2" (Added October 5, 2008)

Video: "Barack Obama & Friends - Sean Hannity Special - Part 3" (Added October 5, 2008)

Video: "Barack Obama & Friends - Sean Hannity Special - Part 4" (Added October 5, 2008)

Video: "Barack Obama & Friends - Sean Hannity Special - Part 5" (Added October 5, 2008)

Video: "Barack Obama & Friends - Sean Hannity Special - Part 6" (Added October 5, 2008)

ZOMBIE TIME.com - zomblog: "Obama's 'bitter small-town Americans' speech at Getty fundraiser: good, clear audio file now available here!" (Added April 12, 2008)

Link (mp3)

FOX NEWS.com: "OBAMA AND GUNS: TWO DIFFERENT VIEWS" by John R. Lott, Jr. (April 7, 2008)

[Post no. 7] - ARCHIVES - Topic: BIDEN & OBAMA (aka B & O) (October 6, 2008 -- Click Here.)

[dixiechick2000]

That is too harsh.

It’s a Marxist Obama against a Populist McCain.

I’ll choose the latter every time.

Not to mention the Thatcher like wonderful creature known as “Sarah”. ;o)

[jddqr]

:)

I hope and pray that Palin remains uncorrupted by McCain’s philosophies.

[dixiechick2000]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2100191/posts?page=137#137

[dixiechick2000]

Frankly...right now...I think she’s calling the shots. ;o)

She’s a populist, too...but she’s more conservative than McCain.

She’s been working in a very conservative state, whereas he’s been in liberal Washington, D. C.

Lordy...I love a woman who hunts wolves in helos!

Just imagine her potential with libs. ;o)