Posted on 10/15/2008 11:36:55 PM PDT by andrew roman
Of the three Presidential debates, Senator John McCain’s best performance came on Wednesday evening in New York. He was feisty, spirited and spent a good portion of the proceedings on the attack – something many conservatives were hoping they’d see with less than three weeks to go before Election Day. In fact, during the face-off, on the great FreeRepublic.com website, the “live debate” thread saw many “Freepers” asking where this John McCain had been hiding all this time.
He was good.
To be sure, McCain seemed especially comfortable in Wednesday’s environment – seated around a discussion table with both Obama and moderator Bob Schieffer of CBS News. He was consistently Presidential throughout most of the presentation and appeared to have more of a command on many of the issues than he had in the past.
He was also aggressive without being disrespectful.
The problem, from a Republican standpoint, is that despite winning the debate on substance – which McCain has done in each of the three debates, and probably more so on Wednesday – Senator Obama was, too, fairly Presidential. He may have scowled on occasion, chuckled condescendingly during selective McCain comments and even got knocked back on his heels a couple of times, but he didn’t crumble and still managed to appear confident. Despite a succession of jabs from McCain that ranged from moderately effective to hard-hitting, Obama held his ground and didn’t do himself any immediate, game-changing harm.
That Senator Obama should take a wallop - on matters ranging from his endorsement of redistributing wealth to his past associations with an unrepentant terrorist and an America-hating pulpit squawker - is an entirely different kettle of salmon altogether. He, indeed, ought to take a whack … or three. Senator Obama is, frankly, wrong for the United States on so many different levels as to require a road map and socialist triptik.
To summarize, Wednesday’s debate will forever be known as the “Joe the Plumber” debate – named as such because of a now-infamous comment made by Senator Obama during a campaign stop in Toledo, Ohio last weekend. When questioned by a plumber named Joe Wurzelbacher about his tax plan, Obama commented, “I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.”
John McCain pounced on it.
Effectively.
What he did was plant a seed in the minds of Americans that could - I say could – begin to resonate with voters. It was essential for McCain to highlight Obama’s scheme of redistribution and class warfare tax hikes, which he did very well, thanks to Joe. One of the evening’s highlights occurred when Senator McCain sent kudos out to Toledo Joe for being (at least in the eyes of Senator Obama) so affluent, quipping “Joe, you’re rich. Congratulations.”
It scored big points.
McCain’s efficacy in throwing the tax issue out on the American table during Wednesday’s debate – with the help of the world’s most famous pipe doctor, Joe – and being able to contrast Obama’s “spread the wealth” vision with McCain’s “tax cuts for everyone” plan, could prove to be a slow simmering winner for Republicans.
Again, I say “could.”
A recurring weakness, however, for McCain is his inability – or his unwillingness - to move in for the foot-on-the-throat kill when presented the opportunity. Indeed, he was much livelier on Wednesday evening than he had been during the first two debates, but still found himself lifting the boot from Obama’s gullet on more than a few occasions.
For instance, I would love to have heard the word “socialism” used just once during the debate to describe Obama’s financial plan.
In addition, McCain did not dispel the nonsense still being peddled by Senator Obama - his so-called “tax cut for 95% of Americans.” It is such a patently false claim that the mind can’t help but be boggled at how such a hanging softball is not smacked into the gap for extra bases. Tax “cuts” cannot be offered to those who don’t pay the tax to begin with. That’s called welfare.
Also, Senator McCain (curiously) didn’t mention his new capital gains tax initiative – cutting it back from 15% to 7.5%.
Senator McCain was very strong on the abortion issue, advocating a culture of life – in strong contrast to Barack Obama. But McCain missed an opportunity to absolutely bury Obama by not reminding voters that Obama’s first action when elected President (by his own admission) would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act - a measure that, according to Senator Barbara Boxer of California, would supercede “any law, regulation or local ordinance that impinges on a woman’s right to choose. That means a poor woman cannot be denied the use of Medicaid if she chooses to have an abortion."
In other words, state and federal governments would be mandated to fund abortions with taxpayer money.
It was astounding to me how much Barack Obama denied having extensive ties to the dreaded community-organizing group ACORN, now belly-button deep in voter fraud allegations in many states, among other shifty things. It was good to actually hear the word ACORN mentioned in this debate at all. If nothing else, it put a bug in the collective ears of American voters, many of whom probably don’t know a whole heck of a lot about it to begin with. For that, Senator McCain deserves credit. Like “Joe the Plumber” and the taxation issue, the ACORN issue could – I say could – grow some legs for the McCain campaign as Election Day inches closer.
Unrepentant terrorist Bill Ayers was also brought up during the debate. The fact that Senator Obama’s political career was launched from this man’s living room in the 1990s – something denied by Obama – and the fact that both Ayers and Obama gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to ACORN are tidbits that were not expanded on nearly enough during the debate. Ultimately, however, that may be okay.
I am reminded of a line in the famous motion picture of many years ago called "Anatomy of a Murder." (I am a bit fuzzy on the specific details, but I remember enough to make the point). During a courtroom scene, a defense attorney (played by Jimmy Stewart), who is questioning a witness, says something that the Prosecutor (George C. Scott) objects to. After the objection is sustained, the judge turns to the jury and tells them to disregard the statement. Upon returning to his table, Stewart's partner asks him, "How can the jury disregard something they've already heard?" Stewart responds, "They can't."
Hopefully, McCain's "line of questioning" will be enough to trigger the American electorate - or at least a sizeable portion of it - to start "connecting some of the dots."
That Senator Obama is a world-class leftist - both in his views and in his associations - is something that must be pounded into the cognitive schema of the poll-going public before November 4th. His judgments must be allowed to come into question.
In that regard, I think Senator McCain may have been more successful than, perhaps, the main-stream-media masses are giving him credit for. Indeed, he did quite well on Wednesday evening performance-wise, but he may - I say "may" - have gotten enough of America sufficiently curious as to what all of these things surrounding Senator Obama are actually all about.
I'm not giving up.
Thre was asubtle remark made by Sen. Obama that was overlooked by everyone.It was when he said softy”I don’t mind paying alittle more in taxes”That tells a lot
Like I said before the debate started: All McCain has to do is plant a few seeds and start a narrative tonight without beating Senator Government over the head.
Then let the campaign ads and rallies do all of the heavy lifting in the last few weeks.
He scored on this bombing run. Regardless of what the pundits say. He’s planted the seed of Barry as a far left hack job.
Now he just has to finish him off. Even then, it’ll be a hard won victory. But a win is a win. McCain can pull this off.
He energized his base tonight. Just read FreeRepublic.
good points...I believe the $160 million in ads for the last few weeks should do the trick.
In the way that, say, Jimmy Carter was presidential.
People seem to think that one is "presidential" if they wait their turn in a debate.
I went into this expecting nothing and couldn't get over what a WUSS Obama sounds like. No wonder women are going for him, they seem to like neutered men these days, don't like "personal attacks" and hate women who are good looking ala Palin.
I did not watch the debates because I feel its not a good representation of who is a better person to be elected to office, I can agree it has some merits but its like looking at a schoolyard fight and picking the winner by how much he bleeds.
To me it all boils down to the persons history, there is obvious reasons why McCain is better suited for Presidency and obvious reasons coming from out of the woodwork every day why Obama is not qualified.
Circumstantial evidence will win the election, we are giving Obama a rope and as the saying goes...
“I believe the $160 million in ads for the last few weeks should do the trick.”
The NRA is going to let loose too.
well said.
the emasculated man wins voters in leftyville.
good post....this debate was the first I liked
but ...I swear....Ihave public speaking experience
I modestly believe I could best mac in a debate...he simply refuses to close and hammer
he just gets in his pokes and then grins and quits
when Obama declared a surviving abortion was an “infant”...damn what an opening....missed
that was just one several
and why he leaves Wright....Obama’s biggest vulnerability off the table kills me
Huckabee or Gingrish would have already put Obama away debate wise...
now it’s up to turnout, the RNC, Sarah and the 527s or Obama screwing up.
McCain rocked.
He took the fight to Obama and Obama was defending the indefensible.
Joe the plumber has exposed Obama for what he is.
This nation owes that man.
McCain made sure the nation knew what Obama told him.
Obama tried to dodge what he said. But he cannot.
It’s on tape for the country to see.
Talk radio will be on fire in the morning.
CHARGE!
Is the $160 million in ad money true? Granted I live in Northern Cali but for the past few days all I see are 0bama ads.
Up until now I haven’t seen really any ads by either candidate, but it seems to be a lot of 0bama.
Is McCain waiting until there are 2 weeks left?
I am so tired of being told one thing during this election, getting excited or hopeful, and then finding out it was not true.
The quality isn't optimal as I only had tools/time/skill to make an animated gif of my concept and my software for that left a few smudged words. PLEASE, someone with better ability make this into a YouTube video or pass it along to McCain to make a commercial along this line. I'm going to mail it to Rush and Hannity, where it may or may not get noticed. McCain has a GREAT health care plan, but as Rush says it's hard to explain numbers with just words. I think average folks can understand something like this and I think it can fit into a 30 sec web or TV ad. Obama is hammering his health care lies. After people see this Viagra couldn't keep him up.
I missed the original airing of the debate (go Phillies!) and just watched the replay. Wow. Obama absolutely killed himself with that looking down and chuckling routine while McCain was speaking. He did that several times. I have never seen that before from a candidate. The arrogance was so thick in the air you could cut it with a chainsaw.
Whew....
Watch McCain surge after this performance.
Didn’t mean to sound like a downer in my last post. I believe McCain kicked butt tonight.
I just want to see some shock and awe in the ads soon.
This pic needs a boat anchor (nautical theme) around the neck.
Good notes. I think a lot of people were hoping McCain would overplay his hand here. I was watching the debate on NBC (I think... maybe ABC) and they had their fact checking guy who came up with McCain mispronouncing Joe Plumber’s last name (groan), but THEN I was SHOCKED. They actually SAID OBAMA LIED ABOUT HIS DEALINGS WITH ACORN. They fact checked him saying that his campaign donated $80k to them. I almost fell off the couch when I heard it.
It was right then that I realized that McCain had actually built a base to work with. ACORN and Ayers will probably be enough. I would like to see a mention of Odinga, but it’s hard for the public to wrap their head around Obama campaigning for a Muslim theocratic anti-Christian genocidal leader.
I was just straightening the kitchen, listening to the repeat of the debate on the radio. Without any visuals, I’d have to say that McCain sounds FAR better than Obama. Obama sounds more defensive and “careful” than I remembered from the first viewing.
I am thinking that if anyone read the transcripts only, it would be even CLEARER that McCain comes out on top.
However, it is apparent that Obama talks rings around McCain; he just keeps on blabbing and blabbing.
I agree with you. Now it is up to the rest of us to share with the world the followups to McCain’s points tonight.
I’d like to thank McCain tonight for giving us the line “Senator Government.” That phrase describes Obama perfectly! The slip was an honest one, and a correct one!
Send Senator Government back home!
Less Spending NOW! Lower Taxes NOW! McCain / Palin NOW!
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