With respect to the prior debates, I spent a good amount of time criticizing the moderators after the debate. This time, I expect that Bob Schieffer will go into this debate believing that it is his opportunity to give McCain the chance to get back into the race. Everything tonight will be about that. He's already said that tonight's debate will have a clear winner. Given that Obama's strategy is to run out the clock on McCain, that must mean that Schieffer is going to give McCain a huge assist and the opportunity to bloody Barack Obama, or Schieffer is going to use his questions to do it himself. Here's my call on one question: "Senator Obama, why do you continue to claim that the Surge is a failure when all objective observers think it is wildly successful?"We shall see. Soon.
And before I forget, since the debate is at Hofstra, and I won't probably ever get the opportunity again, and even though he's not there anymore -- here's a shout-out to Ross!
OK, I'll liveblog it! All times are PM!
9:01. It's all domestic, so my predicted question is wrong.
9:04. Freddy Mae? And McCain is still stuck on his stupid mortgage purchase plan. He never learns, does he? And on the broader topic of his argument that Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac (and CRA) are responsible for this mess, two points: (a) if they were, he has nothing resembling clean hands, given his campaign manager Rick Davis' status on the lobbying payroll of FNMA, and (b) the argument is also just complete bunk [link added] - "Fannie" and "Freddy" didn't cause this mess, it's just an excuse to blame Barney Frank, Bill Clinton and the Democrats. Fannie and Freddy aren't perfect, for sure. But the argument is complete BS. IndyMac was one of the first banks to collapse, and it was created because Fannie's and Freddy's standards were too tough. Explain that one, Mr. McCain.
9:07. Gosh, this is boring. Obama running out the clock. Now, McCain is working on his attack - No, I don't want to ask Senator Obama a question. What?! That's cause he cannot look him in the eye. He says "you" about Barack, but doesn't look at him. Joe who?
9:09. That's cause Joe is watching Senator McCain's ads. Ouch! And now Obama is shredding him on the fact that Obama is a better tax cutter. Awesome.
9:11. McCain is incoherent, and makes absolutely no sense. He argues his talking point despite the fact that it bears no relation to anything. Barack is taking him to school very mechanically here.
9:13. McCain keeps tossing out the same nonsene. It's so apparent at this point. He's a weakling. And what's wrong with spreading the wealth? What the heck does he mean? (I know, it's his subtle "Obama's a communist" spiel, but wouldn't most people now like a bit of the wealth?)
9:14. Schieffer back with the line from both previous debates that you guys need to agree that we are going to cut back programs. That's so foolish. Obama is responding as he has to - I believe in pay-as-you-go, but I won't agree to a blanket statement, and a focus on the need to invest in America and how it will save us in the future. Exactly. "We are going to have to embrace a culture of responsibility."
9:17. McCain. Huh? Let me get in some talking points. Blah, blah, blah. "I know how to blah blah." He's so full of it.
9:19. Like I said already, just an old time technical schooling of McCain by Senator Obama. He's a bore, yes, but he's letting McCain make a fool of himself while Obama just looks cool, collected and competent.
9:20. I'm now on hold with the debate because all of the women in my house are fighting. This is a lot more exciting than the debate, but I don't think screaming and tears would go over well in the debate. Times will likely be a bit off for the duration, but I'll try to adjust on the fly...
9:22. I'm not President Bush. That was McCain's big shot there. Pretty flat, I think, although the press is sure to make a big deal about it. If handled right, it's the perfect setup for a devastating Obama ad tomorrow.
9:23. "Even Fox News disputes it." "On the core issues ... you have been a vigorous supporter of President Bush." But don't give him credit on torture - he doesn't deserve it, McCain's been a hypocrite on that issue, his votes and deeds not matching his words.
9:25. Schieffer screws the whole moral equivalence thing. Just as bad as my post from the other day. Now we get McCain's crocodile tears on the negative tone of the campaign. And it's all the fault of John Lewis. McCain's a baby, a schmuck and a liar. McCain can prove that Obama hit McCain hard on issues - those negative ads - so his accusing Obama of being a terrorist and teacher of sex to little kids is all ok. He's really playing the victim here? Can he possibly even come off as credible on this?
9:29. America isn't interested in our hurt feelings. Obama pointing out that McCain is a baby, and he's an adult.
9:31. Joe the Plumber again? And he's trying to force Obama to condemn and repudiate John Lewis? Isn't Lewis the guy McCain said is one of the 3 people he'd look to for advice at the Saddleback Forum?
9:32. Good, Obama takes it right back to McCain on why Lewis said what he said. (Should have mentioned Saddleback, though.) Again, Obama looks like the grownup, and McCain is a whining baby.
9:34. McCain is proud of those people at his rallies? He knows what is going on, and he's pretending that everyone is a great patriot. "I'm not going to stand for it...!" Geez, how long can McCain play this victim card? Obama keeps trying to get this to issues, and McCain keeps whining. And he's not the one who has a justified right to whine. What a joke.
9:36. Ayers. ACORN. They're destroying the fabric of America!
9:39. Obama listing the people that he trusts. And this says more about you than it says about me.
9:40. McCain won't give up his stories. He's not interested in Ayers, but he won't stop talking about it. He's an angry old man. Obama is reduced to laughing at McCain.
9:42. Tried to check in on TPM during this description of Joe Biden. Snore. But I can't get TPM to open up. Help me!
9:43. McCain on Palin as a reformer. Did I mention that McCain lacks any credibility? He's so proud of her. And Todd, too!
9:45. How does Obama thread the needle on being polite about Palin and succeed, yet McCain lacks the ability to even try to be nice about Biden. McCain is so incredibly tone deaf.
9:47. Can you give us a specific number on how much you can reduce foreign oil dependence? What kind of question is this? And what does McCain mean by implying that only extreme environmentalists want nuclear power to be safe? Did I hear that right?
9:52. McCain to condescend about Obama's eloquence. He's a nasty man. He's been coached to have a nasty hit in every sentence ("Senator Obama, who's never traveled south of our border"). Who told this guy that he needs to be consistently rude? Does anyone want that in a president?
9:56. Obama cannot help but laugh at what a schmuck John McCain has become.
9:58. What's with the freaky blinking thing McCain is doing. The bitterness is screwing up his physiology. I cannot pay attention to anything he says because he's giving me the creeps with that blinking. JOE THE PLUMBER IS BACK!!!
10:01. Barack talks to Joe now!
10:04. Joe, Joe, Joe! Joe the Plumber, Yes We Can!
10:05. Will Obama's health plan provide McCain with some hearing aids so he can actually respond to what is said?
10:06. It's all bad because the Democrats have been in control of Congress!
10:07. That includes you, Joe!
10:08. McCain won't apply a litmus test! He doesn't need to pander to the right any more 'cause Palin can hand him the right wing? Oh, I see, no litmus test, but someone who supports Roe cannot be qualified! McCain once again tries to have it both ways. What tortured logic. (Like how I got the issue of torture into the conversation about having it both ways?)
10:10. Joe the Plumber for Chief Justice!
10:12. Obama's a baby killer!
10:14. Am not. Stop lying about me. Obama is just destroying McCain on every issue that McCain thinks he can win on.
10:16. Don't listen to Obama. He's eloquent.
10:18. Something about teachers. I don't know. Talking, talking, what's he saying? Snore.
10:21. No tests for teachers!?! That's change we can believe in! I'm just completely baffled by McCain. What planet is he from? He really couldn't have meant that. Could he?
10:23. All I can think is that, when faced with a crisis, McCain will blink. And blink. Blink, blink. Aargh. Please stop blinking!
10:27. Thank you, we're nearing the end! Closing statements!!!
10:29. My dad and my granddad were admirals, dammit! Make me president!
10:30. McCain isn't wearing a flag pin, Obama is. Conclusion: Obama isn't patriotic!
10:31. Schieffer wasn't horrendous; by far the best moderator so far, although the debate was pretty boring. I still don't forgive the Wes Clark thing, but Schieffer was respectable here as someone who didn't make himself the center of the debate and was able to get some sort of exchange between the candidates.
Postscript: On CNN, Bob Bennett just said McCain was dignified. Republicans see the world differently, don't they? And on MSNBC, Andrea Mitchell-Greenspan is spinning the debate for McCain.
They just want to keep this as a race, but it should be over. It wasn't really close; McCain was nasty and malicious, Obama was level headed and smart. The talking heads keep saying this was McCain's best debate, but it wasn't, it was possibly his worst. His demeanor was awful, and I'm confident that people who watched the whole thing are going to agree. It's not about how many times you jab at your opponent, it's about what it shows about the knowledge and character and discipline and honesty of the candidates, and on that front, Obama blew McCain out of the water.
Tomorrow, once the polling on the debate comes in, just watch all of the talking heads change their minds and tell us how McCain lost because of his nasty demeanor.
UPDATE: Told you so.
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