I would respectfully disagree. I believe it was understood that by both participants going into the first debate that the Wall/Main Street bailout/rescue would transcend foreign policy. This was not an arbitrary decision based on Lehrer’s inherent bias.
Lehrer’s pointed question to both candidates as to what they would NOT be able to accomplish as a result of this market meltdown was brilliant, because even though neither candidate was willing to answer it, the answer was so self-evident and obvious to undecided viewers that it did not require a direct answer - and that is devastating to Obama. With apologies to Rick Pitino, a tax cut for “95% of Americans making less than $250,000” is not going to be walking through that door anytime soon.
That’s strike one.
Next because of McCain’s recent aerial acrobatic manuevers on the Wall/Main Street bailout/rescue, Obama was not able to line up McCain in his sights as “McSame” and was therefore unable to even attempt, much less convince, undecided voters that they “can’t afford four more years of George W. Bush”
Strike two.
Finally, as Obama kept saying “I agree with John”, Senator McCain kept hammering the Illinois Senator about “what he doesn’t understand”. He then emphatically reminded undecided voters that this old comfortable shoe is “ready to be President on Day One without on-the-job training”.
Strike three. Innning over.
I’d say McCain scored a run, and Obama went down 1-2-3. That makes it about a 3-3 ballgame going to the 7th inning, as I see it.
“With apologies to Rick Pitino, a tax cut for “95% of Americans making less than $250,000” is not going to be walking through that door anytime soon.”
here’s what bugs me everytime I hear this stupid 95% figure.
A huge chunk of americans don’t pay!
I think it’s as high as 40%. DON’T PAY!
How is he going to “cut” for 95% when so many DON’T PAY?
And then he’s going to hit the ones who consistently pay more than their fair share even harder?
How do you get a cut from zero?
And when are republicans going to offer rebuttal to this crap?
Brilliant? Hardly. Actually, Lehrer was throwing Obama a softball on that question, which he had answered a few days ago. He essentially gave the same answer last night. Lehrer was trying a "gotcha question" on McCain. It didn't work.
September 22, 2008--Obama: Bailout likely to delay spending programs
"WASHINGTON — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says the prospect of a massive government bailout of the financial industry means that he probably would have to delay the spending programs he has called for during his campaign. Obama said he would likely have to phase in those programs, telling NBC's "Today" show in an interview aired Tuesday that the nation's tax revenues would play a role in any budget decisions."