PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE #2 LIVE THREAD

10/07/08

[TornadoAlley3]

While the two presidential candidates, Senators John McCain and Barack Obama, prepare for their second debate on Oct. 7 at Belmont University in Nashville, Tom Brokaw gets to sift through questions submitted by you. In addition to queries from a group randomly selected by the Gallup organization, Brokaw will be fielding questions submitted online at mydebates.org, the site created by the Commission on Presidential Debates and Myspace. The focus of the town hall-style debate will be domestic and foreign policy, Brokaw's specialties.

[StarFan]

Where the heck is John and Cindy McCain? I saw them onstage for about 5 seconds.

He repeated what he did during the last debate -- high tailing it out of there instead of schmoozing. At the time I thought he was disappointed with his performance and wanted to run away.

Gergen on CNN said the candidates negotiated the terms of the debate thus we shouldn't put the blame on Brokaw (which is what the panel did). With a panel that includes Carville and Bagala, it's not worth watching. Just heard them say there is a generational divide and McCain looked his age tonight. Hmmm, wonder if they echoed those sentiments during the Biden/Palin debate.

Krauthammer said McCain won the beginning of the debate on the economy (huh?) and lost on foreign policy. He said McCain was well prepared during the first half but left an opening on when a President uses judgement to go to war which Obama took advantage of, effectively. Bottom line -- no knock out and so polls won't change.

[paul544]

Great point!

[TonyInOhio]

I thought it was interesting that the Luntz group seemed to indicate that McCain was winning on the economy, or the first half of the debate?? That would back up the Hotline poll that McCain has been polling well with voters on the economy

That is interesting, and potentially important. McCain's drop in the polls during September was tied to the financial crisis and potential recession. If McCain is actually hitting home on the economy, he's back on track.

[LegalEagle61]

I want to know who picked thew questions. They sucked! No real chance for McCain to bring up Ayers in that one, he did good, but no way were those questions from everyday citizens!

[LegalEagle61]

I want to know who picked the questions. They sucked! No real chance for McCain to bring up Ayers in that one, he did good, but no way were those questions from everyday citizens!

[floriduh voter]

"Brokaw just said Obama this is a question FROM YOU?"

Rush and Hannity need to delve into that Brokaw utterance.

[Osage Orange]

That's when I walked away...less than 4-5 minutes into it.

[JrsyJack]

I turned on MSNBC and watched their “undecideds.

To be fair to MSNBC, Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow personally vetted all the undecideds and have staked their journalistic integrity on their independence.

[Nam Vet]

How many, "I agree"s were there?

Nam Vet

[mylife]

I know! I was Stuned!

[Miss Behave]

Sadly yes, dougherty. Not long ago. He sure brought a lot of sunshine to the world.

[mrsmel]

There is no such thing as a black undecided voter. They don’t exist. Most undecided folks at these events are Democratic operatives. Didn’t everyone already know that?

I know that, indeed.

Anyway, excuse me while I take the issue up with Someone Who Has Far more experience than I.

If you mean the Lord, good idea. I'm doing the same, praying that the good folks in this nation are enough to keep it out of the tainted hands of an evil lying racist marxist America-hating liar like Obama.

[Rapunzel]

This is just like McCain said tonight in the debate, this is good versus evil. Good is McCain and for this country not Nobama and muslim and marxist rule which is the evil.

Hear what was not said.

McCain left so he would not PUNCH OUT that commie lib, nobama and bigfoot.

We must win and we will!

[Barnacle]

10-4 Good Buddy.

[rintense]

Five, I believe.

[roostercogburn]

Not to ruffle any feathers, but the only republican in our primary field this cycle who could have beaten BO was Rudy.
In a debate he would have ripped him to shreds. In a field of 6 or 8 it is hard to shine. But one on one he is great. And has so much more passion than either of these guys.
McCain is more conservative on some social issues, but Rudy is the stronger leader and better equipped to handle the economic issues as well.
And I always thought that Rudy would have been better on many conservative issues at the national level than he was in NYC just because almost all of the city is run by rats. More support in critical areas.

[valkyry1]

Well it might have been a bla debate to some but I think McCain definitely came out on top.

I dont think we will see an 0bama meltdown in a debate because he is smart enough to simply agree with McCain when he knows he is in over his head.

[CanadianMusherinMI]

matter of opinion. i think it is good to leave some things unanswered so they can be used later, between now and the next debate to discredit and show obama for the green behind the ears, lying POS he is. had he listened to the “mccain sucks, wont stick up, wont say....” WHELL, mccain was smarter than that, he waited. had he dumped all of this on obama when we wanted, it would have been buried and lost for good under the weight of this totally avoidable financial crisis. he did good. he waited. he will wait again. it will be OK. look up OODA loop.

[silent_jonny]

Honestly, I don’t think the debate changed ANYONES mind.

Exactly.

[comebacknewt]

I doubt if this debate changes many minds— what’s important now is the job situation and the stock market . . which McCain has little control over.

Agree.

A tie tonight is bad news for McCain since he is currently behind, but four weeks is still a lot of time in politics. Obama is the heavy favorite, but it isn't time to completely throw in the towel yet.