Or, we would if we could get someone of a differing viewpoint to spend any real time here. (DJLoo, where are you?!?)
Favorite line of the night: "I have a bracelet, too." I'll see your grieving mother, and raise you a mandate for change!
Actually, McCain would have had the funniest line, but he stepped all over it. Talking about a earmark to study bear DNA, McCain said "I don't know if that was a criminal matter, or a paternal one." Now, that's funny! However, his delivery was like he was reading it off a cue card, flat and without any sense of humor in his eyes. And speaking of eyes - WTF with McCain being unable or unwilling to engage Obama? Was he trying to show contempt for him - or hide it? Pettiness is unbecoming in a presidential candidate...
Guilty secret: I was disappointed to McCain didn't go off. He looked close, but pulled himself back in. There's always next time... My boss was talking about looking forward to the VP debate. I said of course he was, for the same reason that "Shark Week" is always a big hit on the Discovery Channel... Here's a preview of Gov. Palin on Thursday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww
I'm out of town until Tuesday. Behave yourselves, and play nice - or else! (Sounded pretty serious there, huh?) Miss me! ;-)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
As usual, Rachel Maddow is brilliant, doing a live post debate deconstruction. She is the right woman for the job, as she is hands down, the best online debater. I think Obama needs to be much stronger in the second debate.
Among the numerous reasons why McCain would be a terrible president are his hot temper, his associates, advisors and campaign workers, tax ideas, foreign policy, and honesty. Also very important is his questionable health, we would only be a burst blood vessel away from having a petty prom queen for president.
I don't know how Obama broaches the health issue, but the rest of McCain's flaws are fair game and Obama needs to get those points across in the next two debates.
One poll about the debate I saw, taken of only undecided, likely voters, show Obama won, 36%-29%. I have more contempt for the undecided voter than I do for rich republicans, but not as much as middle-class Republicans.
Finally, I have never looked forward so much to a debate as I am for the Biden/Palin showdown. I'm thinking of Punch and Judy, mixed with Fargo, and a scene or two from Secretary.
My view of the debate was that it was not a victory for either candidate. Both candidates showed strengths and weaknesses, but mostly strengths. McCain's main strength was his ease with speaking in public; he also scored a lot of points attacking Obama. Obama's strength was his thoughtfulness; he also parried most of McCain's attacks deftly, and turned a number of them back on McCain. McCain's main weakness was his dishonesty; anyone who had been following the campaign was aware of the places where he bent the truth. Obama's main weakness was his delivery; he isn't as polished a public speaker as McCain.
Looking at their capabilities as human beings, both seem to have what it takes to be president. But this election is not just about each man as an individual, it's also about each party and the philosophy that drives their polices. The GOP is in a state of turmoil and division; they're the wrong persons to whom to turn over leadership of this country. The Dems, at least, are not as bad.
I was able to see only the first half hour. I thought Obama did fine. It was a good first round for him (I hope).
McCain surprised me with his "cut spending" refrain. How can he keep that up and vote for the $700B on top of the Iraq war money he's approved over the years, too?
SNL opened last night with an amusing Palin skit. Biden needs to avoid looking like a hungry wolf delighted at his luck as he rips her apart (I hope).
I'm baaaa-ack...
And I'm bummed that I missed the debate, although depending on the timing I was either sleeping on a train or had just arrived in Amsterdam. I'm a lot older than the last time I visited there, and I felt it...geez.
But from the comments I've heard ABOUT the debate, it seems that there were several pointed comments about McCain's decisiveness. I heard these same comments when the whole Russia/Georgia thing happened a couple of weeks ago. Like, McCain condemned it right away and said we should do something and Obama had to research it. They made it seem like Obama was weak for not deciding right away.
Now, if you are someone who makes snap decisions, based on a mixture of knowledge and intuition (which is something I fight in myself), you know that there is stuff that you miss. Sometimes you make a decision that is not necessarily the best one, although it can turn out ok. I like someone who considers decisions carefully (but not in a Hamlet sort of way) and takes into account all the information possible.
I actually expect a president to do that. Not to say "oh, I didn't ask xxx about invading Iraq because I knew what he would say" or someone who reacts first and asks questions later. That is not a valued trait for me.
Excuse me, I have to go watch the debate on YouTube and get some sleep!
:)
Post a Comment