Posted on 09/27/2008 5:05:36 AM PDT by kellynla
For Barack Obama to win last night’s foreign policy debate, he only had to avoid losing. He almost made it.
Both Obama and McCain handled most of the economic questions well. Obama’s rhetorical skills served him best in answering moderator Jim Lehrer’s question about the financial bailout package now before the congress. Obama outlined specific points -- such as the need for oversight, assurance that the taxpayers are protected and help for homeowners -- that he wanted to see coming out of the negotiations this weekend.
McCain did less well, lacking specifics in his answer. One of McCain’s problems on the bailout -- which has affected all the Republican negotiators -- is that he’s not made clear what he would or wouldn’t support. At one point he appeared to say he’d vote for the negotiated bill, though no one knows what it will contain.
But even on the economic questions, Obama seemed uninformed, even ignorant. At one point, questioned about how he would deal with the financial crisis and future government spending, Obama said he’d go through the budget “line by line to see where we’re not spending money wisely.” But our Constitution doesn’t allow the president to do that: there’s no line item veto.
Most importantly, Obama’s answers were almost nonsensical. Lehrer demanded to know how each of the candidates would pay for the cost of the financial crisis bailout. What would they cut to pay for it?
McCain’s answer was to cut earmarks and waste in defense spending. Obama countered effectively by pointing out that earmarks amount to only about $18 billion, and the bailout may cost $750 billion. McCain wants to cut ethanol subsidies and what he considers other government waste. All of that adds up to far less than the probable cost of the bailout.
(Excerpt) Read more at humanevents.com ...
The link is NOT to this article.
As of Saturday morning, the MSM is spinning this as a Obama win because he...”held his own”.
Be interesting to see if Palin “holds her own” whether that will be a “win”.
Not likely.
Obama’s specific points were John Mccains!
Did anyone of the rats care about oversight when they were scamming? I can only hope that Mccain lays into him like a lamb going to slaughter come the economic debate. I hope Mccain names names, and makes them famous like he promised with earmarks.
The line that “It’s Obama’s election to lose” is getting old.
The pundits across the spectrum are locked on the same damn theme.
Im just wondering how long the Dems will employ this losing strategy. They keep running far left candidates. Arent there any sensible middle of the road moderate Democrats who are not as contraversial? This which ever way the wind blows brand of politics is a bust. Its like a who’s on top now, popularity contest. There doesnt seem to be anything learned from mistakes made.
I don’t know how anyone with the IQ of a fruit fly could honestly think that The Messiah won that debate.
The line that “It’s Obama’s election to lose” is getting old.
I read in one articles that Obama had “anger issues” and he took a very “NON partisan” stance when he and McCain meant with the Pres. and others to talk about the bail out deal. Does not sound like he can reach across to both sides like he claims he will to me.
Have you voted in the NYDailyNews poll?
They’ve got Obama 2 to 1.
I did not see debate - how many “uhhhs” did b.hussein say?
The only poll I’ll be voting in and the only poll that matters is on 11/4.
Hold is own?! What the heck does that mean? That he didn’t turn into a jellyfish on stage before our eyes? that he didn’t scream like Michelle? What?
My liberal friends acknowledge this morning that BO won the opening 10 minutes but badly lost the rest of the debate.
McCain was superb in coming back to major themes throughout the evening - ‘Sen Obama fails to understand, dangerous, naïve etc etc
I thought that the questions were lousey...and Jim saying “talk to each other” served no purpose. These men were stating their views to the American people...not each other....hardly a roundtable.
Managed to sit through the whole thing without throwing anything at the TV set. Not easy, Lehrer just naturally makes me nauseous.
To my eyes McCain won. McCain responded to questions and addressed real issues. 0 engaged in platitudes. I don’t think it will make any difference to his infatuated supporters though. To quote a co-worker “Barak is just so cute.” I fear that’s about average for the political depth of his supporters.
Moment that caught my eye:
A list of national security issues was being summarized and wrapped up by McCain, and I said out loud (to the TV), “Don’t forget the borders...” And not 2 seconds later McCain DID add at the end, “...including the borders” to his list of security concerns.
THANK YOU SENATOR MCCAIN.
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