A historic night: The first presidential debate of 2008
Scroll down for updates and liveblogging…Obama hammers Bush-McCain theme, McCain emphasizes — sigh — fighting against “climate change…with Sen. Clinton”…McCain hits his stride on the war, foreign policy, Obama’s no-preconditions bungle…Gaffe of the debate so far: Obama trying to respond to McCain on his military/moral authority: “I’ve got a bracelet, too!”
What a week, huh? The high-stakes presidential debate at Ole Miss starts at 9pm Eastern. Hang out here and share your thoughts. I’ll liveblog for as long as my stomach can take it.
Expectations: Low.
Ole Miss has a debate site here.
The moderator will be PBS anchor Jim Lehrer. The debate format:
– Each debate will have a single moderator and last for 90 minutes…
– During the first and third presidential debates, and the vice presidential debate, the time will be divided into eight, ten-minute segments. The moderator will introduce each segment with an issue on which each candidate will comment, after which the moderator will facilitate further discussion of the issue, including direct exchange between the candidates for the balance of that segment…
– Time at the end of the final presidential debate will be reserved for closing statements.
***
A reader proposes the first drinking game suggestion:
Michelle, how about a college-style drinking game tonight – where everyone takes a drink whenever Obama says “Bush” – in his laughably ridiculous ongoing effort to link McCain to Bush.
If you’re looking to get inebriated quickly, start drinking every time Obama says “Uh.”
Or every time McCain touts bipartisanship.
***
9:08pm Eastern.
First question on the need for solvency and security: Where do you stand on the economic recovery plan?
Obama: He’s reciting his bailout talking points…Oversight, returns to taxpayers, no CEO golden parachutes, help homeowners. Failed economic policies by George Bush supported by McCain.
McCain-Bush! Take your first swig, people.
McCain: Mentions Ted Kennedy being hospitalized. I’m not feeling too great about things tonight, but tonight I’m feeling a little better…touts bipartisan efforts to forge a bailout deal…Republicans and Democrats sitting down and negotiating.
Bipartisanship! Take another swig, people.
More McCain: This is the end of the beginning of the crisis. We’ve got a lot of work to do. Eliminate dependence on foreign oil.
Lehrer: Do you favor the plan, Sen. Obama?
Obama: We haven’t seen the language yet. There is constructive work being done there.
The question is how did we get here? Obama takes credit for warning about the problem.
McCain: Reminds that he warned about it, too. Says he will vote for the bailout. I’ve been heavily criticized for calling for the resignation of the SEC chairman.
He’s going on an anti-greed screed.
Obama: Attacking McCain for claiming the fundamentals of the economy are sound. Lehrer tries to get them to talk to each other directly. They won’t.
I agree with a commenter below. Obama is wearing too much make-up.
9:19pm Eastern.
Still on the economy.
McCain: We need to control spending. He’s talking about earmarks as a gateway drug. Refers to his friend Tom Coburn (also cited as a friend of Barack Obama). Obama has asked for $932 million in earmarks. Points viewers to Citizens Against Government Waste for documentation. That’s one of the fundamental differences between Obama and me.
Obama: Earmarks account for $18 billion in the budget. McCain wants $300 billion in tax cuts to wealthiest corporations and individuals.
McCain-Bush, McCain-Bush!
Bottoms up. Take another gulp.
McCain goes after Obama for $800 billion he supports in new spending. Obama says he’ll close corporate loopholes. Expand health care.
9:25pm Eastern. McCain is defending his business tax proposals. He really should challenge Obama on the Bush talking point.
Side note: Obama’s got a shiny flag lapel pin.
9:34pm Eastern. Sorry, tuned out for a moment there while Obama was burbling about building broadband lines.
McCain turns to defense spending. He’s recounting all his pork barrel fights.
I wonder if this debate will ever get to the stated focus: Foreign policy.
9:36pm Eastern. Another “Bush’s failed policies” line from Obama. What’s that now? 10?
Lehrer keeps hectoring the candidates to answer his question about how the financial crisis would change how they govern.
McCain says he’d call for a spending freeze on everything except defense and entitlements.
Obama’s babbling about something or other.
McCain goes after Obama on nuclear power, dependence on foreign oil…and CLIMATE CHANGE, “an issue I’ve been involved in for many years along with Sen. Clinton.”
Gag.
9:42pm Eastern. McCain is repeating his lines about cutting spending. Okay, I think he’s got his message across on that.
Obama: Bush-McCain! Bush-McCain!
McCain: Repeats his “I was not elected Miss Congeniality…I’m a maverick and so’s my running mate.”
Lehrer moves to the war. What are the lessons of Iraq?
McCain talks strategy, surge, praises Petraeus, we will come home in victory.
Obama pats himself on the back for opposing the Iraqi invasion, rattles off body count, claims al Qaeda is resurgent, complains about military spending.
9:48pm Eastern. McCain does well, finally, in attacking Obama on his surge flip-flops and not visiting the battlefront.
Obama’s answer: “I’m proud of my vice presidential pick.”
Joe Biden: Obama’s human shield!
McCain says “Obama doesn’t know the difference between a tactic and a strategy.” McCain recounts his visit to Baghdad two Fourth of Julys ago and how troops told him, “Let us win.” McCain gives a counterinsurgency 101 lesson. McCain points out Obama voted to cut off funds for the troops.
Very good fusillade from McCain.
Obama getting antsy.
McCain engages Obama on setting specific dates for withdrawal.
9:55pm Eastern. Lehrer turns to Afghanistan. Do we need more troops?
Obama: “Yes. I’ve said that for over a year now.”
9:58pm Eastern. McCain is “not prepared to threaten Pakistan as Obama said he would do…You don’t say that out loud…I’ve been to Waziristan…need a strategy…”
Sidenote: Email from reader Rich…
MM,
Overall so far…McCain is not quick enough on the uptake. Obama is more focused and clearly more prepared with the details and populist counter-arguments. McCain needs to respond quickly from two perspectives….1) What he would do moving forward, and 2) What he has done over the last 25+ years, esp bipartisan efforts.
Q1: Why did McCain say he has “spoken out” about Fannie and Freddie instead of talking about his introduction of legislation in 2003 to provide further regulation/oversight of F & F.
Q2: Obama immed answers a question of what he plans to cut during this financial crisis with a laundry list of his proposals for new spending programs. McCain misses an easy opening to say just that…”Obama was asked what he would cut and answered how he would spend”.
More later..
Rich
USMC (Retired)
Obama comes back at McCain for singing “Bomb, bomb, Iran.”
McCain returns fire with his record on Lebanon, Somalia, Kosovo. “I have a record of being involved in these national security issues which involve the highest responsibilities you can have…”
McCain recounts his Matthew Stanley bracelet story. Talks about troops, families, refusing to come back with defeat and dishonor.
Obama: I’ve got a bracelet, too!
He has to look at it…uhhh…to remember whose bracelet it is.
10:06pm Eastern. Obama attacks McCain on Afghanistan. McCain responds: “You would think if he were so concerned, he would have gone to Afghanistan.”
McCain wants a “League of Democracies.”
10:14pm Eastern. McCain takes a dig at Obama’s presidential seal…”I don’t have a seal yet”…
should have probably explained the joke a little…
10:15pm Eastern. McCain attacks Obama’s pledge to meet tyrants without preconditions.
Obama blusters on his preconditions/preparations line.
10:18pm Eastern. McCain is strong on North Korea.
Obama cites Kissinger.
McCain comes back: He’s known Kissinger for 30 years. Obama is parsing words.
10:26pm Eastern. McCain sounds forceful on Russia/Georgia. Obama follows up meekly.
10:30pm Eastern. Last question. What’s the likelihood of another 9/11?
McCain: Less than it once was. Recounts teaming up with Joe Lieberman on formation of a 9/11 investigation commission…Bush opposed us…we reached across the aisle…long way to go on intelligence services…trained interrogators so we don’t ever torutre another prisoner ever again…America is safer today than it was on 9/11, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a long way to go…he really should tie the war on terror overseas — not just in Iraq, but worldwide — to homeland security…and what about border security…
Stop. Oh, my god, he just mentioned doing a better job on our borders.
Knock me over with a feather.
Obama: He’s talking missile defense. al Qaeda in 60 countries.
McCain should have covered that.
10:34pm Eastern. Obama credits McCain on the torture issue and then gives us his Big Idea for making America safer? “Restoring our standing in the world!” Making us more “respected!”
McCain: Obama doesn’t get it. If we fail in Iraq…it would lead to defeat…Americans will judge…right path or wrong path…this is the central issue of our time.
10:40pm Eastern. Wrapping up.
McCain: “I don’t need any on-the-job training. I’m ready to lead now.”
Obama is talking about his name. Filibustering about “investing,” “The Children,” etc.
McCain gets the last word: “I know how to heal the wounds of the war, I know how to deal.”
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Iraq. This is where Obama will tank.
nope navywife…not this week. I will next week though. Going up to Chicago for work.
please can we stick to foreign affairs!!!!!
Good comment from McCain about Iraq.
These are our choices as President of the United States? GOD HELP US ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD HELP THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA for what’s going to be left of this country when either one of these bozos takes office.
GOOD OFF ECONOMY ON TO FOREIGN POLICY.
I think he thinks it works that way.
That’s how lobbyists do it!
Victory and honor! Anathema to libs.
hippie moderator has to try to tie Vietnam to Iraq.
McCain’s experience is showing big time. Odumbo was community organizin’ while McCain was actually doing something.
I wish McCain would mention Obama’s attempt to delay troop withdrawls.
Methinks it’s about to come back to bite him in keester.
McCain doesn’t um, uh, aaand or say, let me be clear.
He just stands there and says what he wants to say. BO
preens and carries on like he’s working to become Mr.
Illinois. My platform as Mr. Illinois will be……….
Great Gen. Petreaus! I love Petreaus!
I wish I knew how to spell that …
Goooooooo Bradley effect!!!!
Good explanation about the deeper implications of the surge. Eat that crow, Obummer.
Fundamental…
::swig::
mad props to Petraeus and the fellas! Go, John!
Here come the Code Pink/MoveOn.org talking points.
Stood up in Illinois! Big freakin deal!
Politically risky??? You weren’t even in the Senate yet! IDIOT.
Politically risky to oppose war for Dem? HAH
Praising the troops, how is Obama going to react, he doesn’t agree, so no praising the troops. I I I was against the war I I I it is all about me.
How old is Obama? I’d google it, but I’m not trying to tie up my bandwidth even more.
Drink up folks. uhuhuhbama is about to do it1
I haven’t heard McCain say “my friends” yet. Did he? I missed it!
Did Obozo just say that it was politically risky for HIM to oppose the Iraq war while he was a Chicago pol?
The state senator in the Illinois legislature opposed the war. He was a nobody.
Obama “stood up” in front of a bunch of anti-war protesters. It took no courage at all.
47 years old
Obama is 47
Question: Just how many Mexicans are you willing to let in to the county next year?
But we’ve put AlQ to Iraq now, haven’t we?!!!
I guess we can “put Al Qaeda to rest” with humility. What a joker, Obama is.
47 patch
He’s still a nobody.
Hey BO … 6 years ago doesn’t mean crap … you weren’t a US Senator so you had no vote on going to Iraq … Geez …
OH HORSECRAP about Al Queida being stronger now than any time since 2001
We are fighting a war and must win. What don’t you get about that Obummer????????
Obama’s in his forties. Mid to late.
Obama was asked “what we have learned.” Is he saying that he learned that he was right?
What an ass.
Obama just lied about Al Queda’s strength.. They are weaker than ever..
AlQ to rest, to REST. Damn, he really needs to stop with the UHs.
hic
well he is 47 going by that fake copy of his birth certificate, they posted on the Daily Kos.
I was just wondering if he is older than my parents are.
If Al Queda had 8 terrorists in 2002 and now they have 11, does that mean Al Queda is as strong now than they were in 2002?
And 25 million people are free right now….plus that $79 billion is their money!
Where did he get that info on Al-Qaeda? All I’ve been hearing lately is how weakened they’ve become! WTH?
Got him on the surge.
How can Obummer keep saying he’s right about Iraq? There he is saying we’re spending 10 billion a month in Iraq. This from a guy who hands out freebie pork like it’s candy.
Have to use military wisely. What are people like my husband, peacekeepers?
I am writing in PALIN for president.
YES… Obozo has been wrong about Iraq all along, and McCain is hammering him for it.
Got him on the surge. I know I just said that… but that’s just too good.
he can’t keep up
What a joke, a foreign policy debate between a no nothing slimy Chicago thug politician with no accomplishments to his Senate name, against a war hero with decades of experience.
McCain on a roll…
Interrupts Lehrer…
nice..
Defer to Biden…oh boy.
Hit ‘em hard John!
My guess about Obama raising his hand all the time is that he’s doing it deliberately because McCain *can’t* do the same thing.
*Smack!* Pwned on that one, BHO!
“The next President has doesn’t decide whether to go to Iraq or not” awesome
Hahahahahahahaha BIDEN
I am really proud of his vice presidential selection too you know that is why Bill Clinton is going to vote for McCain
You tell ‘em, John. BO is bragging about the gaffe-o-
matic.
He’s leaning on Biden! & He just said McCain is “absolutely right” again.. I’m loving it..
Obama is losing it. HAHA.
Ha ha ha. Oblamma is proud of Biden? That was pretty funny.
What does Obummer keep wanting us to “look” at? How many times has he said look?
So what! We are winning!
BHO should move on…he’s going to dig himself into a hole
Not a tactic, you ignorant stooge… it was a STRATEGY!!! Look it up, Obozo…
now he’s stepping in it
What a wanker.
He keeps calling him “John.”
Wahhhh, I was right about Iraq, wahhhh. Even though nobody tested me or asked for my vote. Wahhhhhh. Damn idiot.
Surge was about containing the damage? What is this idiot all about?
We WERE greeted as liberators, idiot!
oh no he didn’t
no, you moron, we WERE greeted as liberators!
Obama 2003, At the time when the war started, I was planning law suits against banks that wouldn’t give sub prime loans.
Why does O sound angry when McCain has him on the ropes???
BURN!
W00t!!!
McCain said there was no history of violence between Sunni and Shia? Really?
How we use our military….best equiped?
Tactical vs Strategic…
Welcome to Command and General Staff lecture!!!
BAM! Another smackdown from Johnny Mac.
Tactic and a strategy… what’s the difference Obie? Uh, um, er, um.
He’ll soon call him “cracker” if he gets agitated enough.
He’s channeling Michelle.
How can this lefty know squat about the military?
I can’t say it enough. I can’t stand this guy. How dare he tell a military veteran that he would be a better CIC. He makes me sick.
I love it
McCain is clearly dominating this.
He’s going to trip him into saying we’re winning the war!
Yeah, that’s a primary requirement for president…who
can raise his hands above the shoulders. You tell him
John! Tell him about the troops Bet McCain never
neglected to see troops if he couldn’t get a photo op.
O is such a baby!!!!!!!!!
Snap, did John McCain Just tell Obama he doesn’t understand Military Strategy? Kick him he won’t give those troops any praise. NOT A TATIC.
Love the difference between the tactic and strategy. Love that comment by McCain.
McCain giving a lecture. Officer to layman. Great!
“Thats not true” What a great argument.
O just muttered “That’s not true”…real presidential…
he’s freakin now