Debate liveblog!
Who is more respectable: Joe the Plumber, or Joe Sixpack? And which one would you want to be pull a lever in the voting booth?
In the first debate, John McCain said he opposes corn-based ethanol, then he came to Iowa twice, as if he might still win the state. He said it again. Maybe he’ll come back again, too?
George Wallace represents “the worst chapter in American history”?
How did McCain come to decide that “whipping his you-know-what” was equal to whining for ten minutes about campaign financing and ads?
That whole Ayers thing was bizarre. Sure, I’ve been sold on Obama since well before January, but I don’t think it’s just bias saying that McCain sounded like a conspiracy crank, as if he were accusing the President of a cover-up of Roswell.
Veeps: Nice move by Obama to turn McCain’s empty promise on Palin’s special-needs expertise (I mean, Sarah Palin is going to fix autism by herself? Palin? Really?) around in such a way that he actually steps into the issue. That McCain could only rejoin by complaining about spending demonstrates that he was totally outmaneuvered. I think it also demonstrates that McCain, if he wins, will ensure Palin remains powerless.
“Canadian oil is fine,” you betcha!
Joe the Plumber again? Being fined?! For healthcare?! Say it ain’t so, Joe!
“Joe! You’re rich! Congratulations!”
Obama talked directly to the camera all night. And why not, especially since McCain talked at Obama all night? It takes two to dialogue, after all…
What does Joe the Plumber think about Supreme Court appointments and abortion?
I think all the eloquent should be rounded up and forced to work in the coal mines for popcorn.
John McCain’s only education policy is to support charter schools.
Maria, commenting at Yglesias’s blog: “I think McCain may want to gay marry Joe the Plumber.”
Serious question: can reform really be accomplished without money?
Why does McCain say that Sarah Palin knows more about autism than most? Why would she have more experience than anyone else? Because her infant son has Down syndrome?
So what exactly does it mean to “look presidential”? I suppose there is a level of gravitas. Both David Brooks and Mark Shields are gushing over Obama’s presence right now. What else goes into it, though? Because whatever it is, I know McCain didn’t have it.
granted, I, too, have been on board for a while.
and, I realize that what mccain is wanting is to rally the base and get the journalists to say, this is a new mccain, he’s tougher, he’s hitting obama.
the problem i have with mccain is that because of ayers and because he has allowed palin to do what she is doing, i simply can’t trust him when he makes allegations about obama.
then again, for the voter who distrusts obama (because he’s black) and trusts mccain (because he’s white), i think mccain accusations might work.
by jeremy—Oct 15, 07:59 PM
But so what if they think it works? They’re not going to vote for Obama anyway.
by greg—Oct 15, 08:15 PM
true…
but, your just and eloquent s.o.b.
by jeremy—Oct 15, 08:17 PM
i believe the children are our future!!
by jeremy—Oct 15, 08:23 PM
yes, because lived experience is what it’s about.
obama has never been wined and dined by colombian diplomats in bogota so how could he understand latin america
by jeremy—Oct 15, 08:33 PM
5: I said that!
by greg—Oct 15, 08:37 PM
all i can really say is in the negative…
mccain smirked and blinked and licked his lips and looked utterly disgusted by obama (despite his gushing over obama’s performance at the end)
mccain is just too tightly wound and hardly ever seemed to answer the questions.
obama, however, was able to respond to attacks and have facts and figures at hands.
by jeremy—Oct 15, 08:39 PM
yes, you did, i was just too lazy to link to it :P
by jeremy—Oct 15, 08:40 PM
McCain also stammered through his closing statement, which should have been the easiest part of the night.
by greg—Oct 15, 08:40 PM
Amy Walter!
by greg—Oct 15, 08:44 PM
For the record, I think I probably know Bill Ayers about as well as Obama does. Interviewed him one the phone once, went to his reading, and went out with a group for coffee afterwards.
Clearly it was a short step from there to becoming a
librarianradical militant librarian.by laura—Oct 16, 07:11 AM
Laura pals around with terrorists!
by greg—Oct 16, 07:19 AM