Liveblogging the town hall debate: Zzzzzzzz
I don’t have any prizes to give away, but you get Special MM.com Bonus Points if your insipid question suggestion gets asked tonight.
As for drinking game proposals, I recommend taking a swig every time Tom Brokaw inserts his two cents after the citizens ask their questions. Apparently, the two campaigns agreed that he wouldn’t be allowed to do so — but he has since balked and said he wasn’t privy to the memorandum of understanding.
Second drinking game variation: Drink when Obama ties Bush to McCain again.
Here we go…
9:01pm Eastern. Tom Brokaw is on. He is as orange as an Oompa Loompa. Sen. Obama won the coin toss.
First question: Alan Schaefer. “What’s the fastest way to bail these people out?”
Obama gives his standard blame Bush, blame greed screed.
Expands bailout for the middle-class, fix health care, energy, blahblahblah.
Sen. McCain: “Americans are angry, upset, a little fearful…I have a plan to fix this problem. It’s got to do with energy independence, keep Americans’ taxes low…packages of reforms.”
Will he or won’t he talk Fannie/Freddie?
Prepare to be disappointed.
“We’re going to have to do something about home values…for retirees…I would order Treasury Secretary to renegotiate home loans.”
Oh, dear.
HE WANTS TO EXPAND THE BAILOUT. He wants to do what ACORN wants to do.
We’re Screwed ‘08.
He wants to make housing unaffordable to responsible, careful people.
I think I’m going to throw up.
What did I tell you? Yes, I called it:
It would be wise to dramatically lower your expectations of this debate. The town hall format lends itself to the worst pander-style, personal sob story politicking.
McCain is yammering about “greed and excess.” Nothing about Obama/Fannie/Freddie.
9:10pm Eastern. Obama is free to bloviate about his bogus tax relief plans Obama says “McCain is right” again about the housing loan modification proposals. Great. They agree: ACORN rules!
Next questioner: Oliver Clark asks the same question about how the bailout is helping people out.
Here we go: McCain mentions Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Mentions that Obama was second biggest recipient of Fannie/Freddie. Fannie and Freddie were the match that started this forest fire.
Goes back to his “stabilization” proposals.
Sorry, Mac, that’s not enough. He forgot to mention Jim Johnson, ACORN, etc., etc.
Obama attacks McCain as a “deregulator.” Obama puffs up his letter-writing “reform” efforts. Weak. “I never promoted Fannie Mae.”
McCain gets no follow-up.
Brokaw inserts his two cents. Take a swig. “Are you saying the economy is going to get much worse?”
Obama: “We’re going to have to coordinate with other countries” on further action.
CRIKEY.
Same question to McCain: “I believe it depends on what we’re going to do.”
He REPEATS his idea of buying up bad loans so people can renegotiate.
Next question: Teresa Finch. “How can we trust either of you when both parties are responsible” for this mess?
Take another drink. Obama’s just blamed Bush again.
9:21pm Eastern. McCain’s answer involves touting his work on “climate change” with Joe Lieberman.
Gag.
Next drinking game: When McCain says “reaching across the aisle.” Go. He’s saying a whole lot of nothing.
And another one: Take a swig every time he repeats Joe Lieberman’s name.
He keeps talking about earmarks — but, um, not about the ones he and Obama approved as part of the Crap Sandwich 2.0.
Obama’s talking about prioritizing spending. Blech.
Brokaw chastises both candidates about their time limits.
First Internet question: What sacrifices will Americans have to make?
McCain talks about eliminating government programs.
“We have to eliminate the earmarks.”
Except all the ones he just supported in the Crap Sandwich bailout!
9:30pm Eastern. Obama’s turn. He brings up 9/11. As a “tragedy.” Not as a murderous, evil attack by jihadists. But a tragedy.
I remind you of Obama’s compassion for the jihadists.
Drink up. He took another shot at Bush for telling people to shop and conduct business in the face of the 9/11 attacks.
Leadership from Obama: He recommends people weatherize their home.
No word about those tire gauges.
Brokaw: How would you break bad habits of too much debt and too much easy credit?
Obama: Yes, we’ll have to cut spending, but a scalpel, not a hatchet.
McCain: “Nailing down Obama’s tax proposals is like nailing Jello to a wall…likens Obama to Hoover…I am not in favor of reducing taxes for the wealthy…pitches $5,000 refundable tax credit for health care…”
9:37pm Eastern. Obama wants to break the rules he agreed to and respond to McCain. Brokaw stammers. He’s going to read the next question…no, he’s going to ask his own question: Will you give a date certain on reforming entitlements.
Obama won’t guarantee a date. Then segues back to his rejoinder to McCain on taxes. More anti-greed stuff from both candidates.
Back to citizen questions: Ingrid Jackson asks McCain about “climate change and green jobs.”
Prepare for more disappointment, people.
Drink, drink: “Joe Lieberman and I” kept on this issue.
At last, something I can support: McCain pushes nuclear energy, assails Obama for his opposition.
9:47pm Eastern. Brokaw is lecturing the candidates again about the time limits. Obama blames McCain.
9:48pm Eastern. McCain goes after Obama for his pork-laden energy bill vote. McCain says he’ll vote against the earmarks.
Except all the ones he just supported in the Crap Sandwich bailout!
Next question: Lindsey Trella. “Do you believe health care should be treated as commodity?”
Obama launches into his I Will Heal All stump speech.
McCain repeats his $5,000 tax credit idea. He made a hair transplant joke that no one laughed at. Cringe.
Brokaw question: Is health care a privilege, right, or responsibility?
McCain: “I think it’s a responsibility.”
Obama: “It’s a right.”
Well, finally, a stark, unequivocal difference between these two.
9:57pm Eastern. I feel like watching the Palin/Biden debate again. How about you?
Obama is rolling right over Brokaw. And Brokaw is letting him.
Question: Phil Elliott. “How will all the economic turmoil affect our ability to act as a peacemaker in the world?”
I am so sure this dude is “undecided.”
10:01pm Eastern. McCain lays into Obama’s failed judgement on foreign policy. “We don’t have time for on-the-job training, my friend.”
Obama is back to Bush-bashing. Drink. Now, we’re just rehashing last week’s debate.
Worthless.
McCain-Bush, McCain-Bush.
Sarah Palin was so much more effective at defusing this talking point in her debate.
McCain is doing…nothing.
Except: “My friends, my friends, my friends, my friends.”
McCain says he’ll bring home troops in victory and honor, Obama would bring them home in defeat.
Citizen questioner Katie Hamm asks about Pakistan.
McCain attacks on Obama’s invade Pakistan remarks.
Obama wants a follow up, in violation of the prior agreed-to rules.
Brokaw gets rolled again: “I’m just hired help here.:”
Obama: “You’re doing a good job, Tom.”
In. The. Tank.
Obama recycles “Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran” and annihilation of North Korea talking points. Like I said: This is just a rehash of last week’s debate.
Next…
10:23pm Eastern. Brokaw wants a yes or no: Is Russia under Putin an evil empire.
Obama blabs for 45 seconds without a yes or no.
McCain: Maybe. It depends on their behavior.
Terry Shirey, retired Navy chief. Question is about support for Israel. Would you be willing to commit to troops if Iran attacks Israel or would you wait for UN Security Council?
McCain thanks Shirey for his service. “Obviously, we wouldn’t wait for UN Security Council.”
Obama promotes sanctions.
10:30pm Eastern. Brokaw saves the most insipid question of the night for last from “Peggy in Amherst:”
“What don’t you know and how will you learn it?”
Obama immediately launches into his Dreams of My Father biography spiel. Talking up his mom again. Food stamps. Mentions Bitter Half Michelle Obama and the American Dream.
The stupid-meter is broken.
McCain ignores the question and gives his same wrap-up statement as last week: Country first.
10:34pm Eastern. Obama and McCain step in the way of Brokaw’s teleprompter.
One last whine from Tom: “You’re in the way of my script.”
Crikey. Thank goodness, this torture is now over.
11:16pm Eastern. I’m forcing myself to watch some of the post-debate commentary.
Disaster: Mitt Romney apparently wasn’t made aware of McCain’s new $300 billion housing entitlement plan. And Fred Thompson could barely muster up enthusiasm for McCain.
No mention of Ayers. No mention of ACORN. Not even the feeblest attempt to expose Obama’s radical roots.
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Trackbacks
- Mac and Cheese Debate; Obama’s Cabinet « Above My Pay Grade!
- Liveblogging The Presidential Debate « Blog Entry « Dr. Melissa Clouthier
- Right Wing News
- Stupid Me, I Actually Paid My Mortgage | Bitter Knitter
- Webloggin » Insipidly Stupid
- A debate for the ages or a snoozefest?: The second Presidential debate; live hate-blogging starting at 8:45 p.m. | I'm Surrounded By Idiots
- PrestoPundit
- PrestoPundit
- Jonti.org » Blog Archive » Live-blogging the debate
- Bookworm Room » Debating whether to watch the debate
- Michelle Malkin » McCain wants to spend $300 billion more to buy up bad mortgages
- Worthless Debate « Debunking Stupidity
- Jules Crittenden » Gloves Off!
- I Could Have Had A V8 « Desert Martini
- Health Care BS - DEBATE: OBAMA REPEATS “HEALTH CARE TAX” LIE
- New Media Fallout » Debate fallout
- Reactions to Worst. Townhall. Ever. -UPDATED! | The Anchoress
- The Second Debate – Nicholas Fitzgerald
- Bear Creek Ledger
- A snoozefest, definitely. | I'm Surrounded By Idiots
- McCain, Obama Decide to Murder the Free Market: Read it at Lorien1973.Com
- PrestoPundit
- Debate #2: ALL You Need To Know | Democrat=Socialist
- Democrat=Socialist
- Obligatory (and official) Obama/McCain Debate II Thread « ChenZhen’s Chamber
- Presidential Debate Liveblogging! (Part Deux) « WitSnapper | The Blog
- Débat : John McCain a-t-il refusé de tendre la main à Barack Obama ? « Les 7 du Québec
- Consensus On Obama McCain Debate: McCain Didn't Get Needed "Game Changer"
- Some Jesus-loving, Religulous Christians on the McCain Obama Presidential Debate 2 | blogs4God
- An acorn that felled the tree or McCains socialist tendencies | sean808080 ohmbase
- O’Bama Campaign continues love affair with NBC « Get Clued
- miamipress.net | miamipress.net
- Cheat Seeking Missiles » I H8 DB8S
- monoblogue » Blog Archive » ‘Macaca’ part two?
- Michelle Malkin Judge rules Ohio Secretary of State violated federal election law; plus ACORN victim on tape | OBAMA ACORN
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Categories: Barack Obama, John McCain
Right Pundits
» Joe Lieberman: Fort Hood Shooter Is ‘Home-Grown Terrorist’Legal Insurrection
» Bruni de la Motte for Health Care CzarRiehl World View
» Obama: No Military Death Shall Go UnexploitedLegal Insurrection
» In The End: No Public Option, No Abortions, No Pelosi, No ReidThe Other McCain
» Paralysis by analysisThe Powers That Be
» Obama: ‘Don’t Jump to Conclusions’ About Ft. Hood; Immediately Jumps to ConclusionsLegal Insurrection
» NY Times Names Names
weatherize?
Double the Peace Corps…what?
tired of the 68 million acre thing … the contracts for oil leases are for a specific period of time … at the end if you are not using it you lose the lease … nothing new is needed for that … BS for the uninformed … as usual …
tired of the 68 million acre thing … the contracts for oil leases are for a specific period of time … at the end if you are not using it you lose the lease … nothing new is needed for that … BS for the uninformed … as usual …
McCain needs to do what Palin did. Point out that Bush is not part of this election.
“Sen. Obama wants to talk about Pres. Bush. Ladies and Gentlemen, clearly I am not President Bush. His term ends on January 20th and he is not running in this election. I am.”
O- believes in increased oil production, tries to remind the oil producers to use the millions of acres for oil drilling…oh yeah, known oil reserves not as accessible as in ANWAR.
How about oil shale?
and Mr. Bill O says this clown is a great debater…huh..then again what does that pinhead know.
Wow…johnny mac really took the gloves off tonight….put his mittens on!
Glenlivet on the rocks
Reach across the aisle = sip
bush’s fault = sip
21st century solutions = sip
Da** good debate
refill
Tom always sounds drunk.
Washington our model?? Piss Off!!!
I’ve found that if you cut out the first 30 seconds or so of each candidates turn, you get rid of the fluff. At least with McCain.
No, it starts with personal responsibility and not bailing out failure, Barry.
The oil companies lose the acres if they don’t use them?! The gov’t will confiscate the land!!!
It would be great if McCain would tear into Obama the way he did Romney. Why do I think that won’t happen?
How the hell does volunteership or the Peace Corps going to help us get out of the eocnomic mess we’re in?
Nothing starts with Washington. It starts with the American people. Stay out of my life, Obummer.
Ut oh, a question Obummer hasn’t been prepped on. He’s uh, uh, uh ….
Where’s Sarah…where’s Sarah…where’s…
Yes, it’s a real word.
Just like my Mom said; Shouldn’t he have said winterize?
700,000 dollars creates quite a few jobs…
Anyone drunk…..yet?
Sharing the burden…
Class warfare ahoy!
If we still have a unified country in 2010. One that still upholds the Constitution and beleives in it. Not a country that is balkanized.
Income redistribution. I can’t stand this guy.
Um they might not be using those 68 million acres because there isn’t oil under them.
His appeals to the young. A new volunteer corps?
Then he brings up the Military as a volunteer corp!!?!?!?!?! The good Senator wouldn’t know the concepts of self sacrifice and belief in this great country if it bit him on the back side!
Earmarks account for about $18billion of our budget says Obama.. oh really.. so that $105billion of earmarks was mass hallucination??
The $30K teacher should be RENTING!
Teacher making 30K? What are they teaching, Pilates?
Don’t forget the very real possibility that a Democrat government would get so bogged down in trying to find things to prosecute Republicans for they would have no time left to do much of anything else. The Democrat Congress has already shown such a propensity.
Obummer disagrees with the freeze. Oh, boy, big surprise there, folks.
Nailing jello to the wall LMAO
McCain’s warming up… I think.
We’re screwed ‘08
I’ll take Palin/Jindal ‘12 or Jindal/Palin ‘12 for a 1000 Tom.
Flimladd,
They are Democrats that is how they VOTE for a Democrats. Hillary Clinton won them in the Primary, they are not repeat not Conservative Republicans. Ask Mudcat Saunders he thinks Virginia could tip for Obama. McCain who has (Mc) at the beginning of his name, like a lot of them do, needs to give them an option.. he needs to be Moderate. Not repel them.
Only teachers I know that make 30k are in the inner city catholic schools, and they ARE NOT union.
Nail jello to the wall? Like jello shot.
OOmpa Loompa, ROFL
(praying for an Ayers slip from McCain)
No, but I’m just about to grab a New Castle Brown Ale…
I worked at The Dept of Education back in 1989 for a year – there is absolutely no reason for this department to exist. It should be the first to go.
I wish Sarah Palin could tell McCain to “TAKE A HIKE, YOU’RE BLOWING IT” and take over this campaign.
I WANT to like McCain, because of the war experience, etc., but it’s VERY DIFFICULT!
Scary thought. Four weeks from tonight Obambi will be voted POTUS.
We’re Screwed ‘08
Michelle,
Don’t waste your time. I turned off the debate after BOTH candidates FAILED to answer the question. Obama lied about the cause (despite the videos) and McCain went off on a tangent about foreign oil?
I found myself yelling at both answers. My dog ran outside scared.
I wish Biden and Palin were the top of the tickets.
Get ready for Jimmy Carter’s 2nd term regardless who wins.
These two are both coming across as lousy debaters. As of now I don’t think it’s done either of any good, which I suppose is better news for Obama.
McCain mentioned Herbert Hoover was the last President to raise taxes during a crisis. Remember when Hoover was President?
Reducing taxes is good talk.. Much better..
All of us must make sacrifices? And Obama is going make us all make sacrifices fairly. We must cut the pie into smaller slices.
You Go, Mac…treat him like his the young inexperienced man that he is…
As long as there are good men and women willing to serve this great country and stand up for our Constitution and Old Glory we will be One Country!
tax cuts, tax cuts, tax cuts
repeat
tax cuts, tax cuts, tax cuts
Oy vey! McCain isn’t so bad, but Obama is putting me to SLEEP!
He may not have a teleprompter to rely on, but he must need a podium to lean on too. Obama’s BORING w/o those crutches.
C’mon McCain – get under Obama’s skin and rattle him. Really need Obama to get rattled and do something stupid.
Whoa, Brokaw is not giving BO the extra time!
Lay down the law Tom! Yeah!
Sorry, wasn’t around during the Hoover years, were you?
“Tom, can I respond to this briefly?”
i.e. “I want to break the rules we set.”
Good for Tom … for once … refused to let BO break in for another response afterwards …
Sorry, McCain just doesn’t sound like he’s into it.. he needs to get angry.
Tell Obama to STFU. Thank you.
Obama tries to break the rules, after gettiing basted on his taxing policies, what a surprise!
Maybe he’s in the BUSH LINK DRINKING GAME….been practicing his answers before hand
Brokaw ain’t getting no respect so he’s decided to add his own questions. What the hell, why not?
Tom just asked his own question. That was no coda.
I can’t stand it! If I hear another “Bush’s fault” or “Greedy wallstreet CEO’s” Or “evil special interests” I’m going to throw my beer at the TV. Switching to Beerfest to keep my sanity.
Good on Brokaw for cutting off Obama and forcing him to play by the rules.
tax cuts are meaningless without spending cuts
I liked McCain holding Obama’s feet to the fire on raising taxes in a down economy.
Drop it. You’re just embarrassing yourself.
Tom wants to propose his own Social Security plan?? Wants it rubber stamped by them??
Ah, I think that should be 9%
Osama is going to take on entitlements… Yeah, sure.
That should be, “I CAN BREAK THE RULES ’cause I am the Messiah!”.
God, I am so pissed off by what both these people are saying. Do you notice what they aren’t saying? What does Obummer mean for the military? Is he going to cut military jobs and make sure that more military families are in dire straits? That’s the feeling I’m getting.
How is Obama going to stand up to Putin if he can’t stand up to Brokaw??
Obama talking about taking on entitlements?
Who is he kidding? He is all about entitlements!
The lady who asked one of the first questions – with short blond hair – loves Obama. Two behind her are smiling at him too. Undecided my a@#.
On October 7th, 2008 at 9:36 pm, Laree said:
Mudcat Saunders is a moron.
Reagan won over the Reagan Democrats because he pointed out in clear terms what the Democrats were, and what he was.
McCain is trying to be a Democrat and Obama is trying to sound like a Republican.
You have to draw clear demarcation lines between yourself and your opponent, otherwise it’s the media’s to decide, and we know what that is.
For the love of Pete! the old 95% fantasy!
Ask him how he’s going to pay for this Tax cut when %50 don’t pay any now!!??
Uh, Mr. Odumbo, tax cuts INCREASE revenue to the treasury. Have you not even looked at the charts? We had record revenues at the treasury after the tax CUTS.
LOL- it’s not often you see a grown man whine like that… Good job, Tom, in putting Obama in his place.
Anyone know of any countries out there that believe in free market capitalism? If so, please send me the contact info for a good realtor.
“We’re going to have to take on entitlements. We have a lot of work to do.” Vacuous bull****. I trust McCain much more on soc sec and medicare reform. He’s a realist. Obama has his head in the clouds.
McCain better bludgeon him with this one!
Only a few % of small businesses make more than $250k/year?
Anyone have any fast facts on that?
Is the $20mil/year business that employs 120 people a BIG business?
Next debate should have a lie detector machine attached to both of ‘em.
BO not answering SS question … back to the tax response he didn’t get to give … hope John nails the 95% crap since 40% don’t pay taxes you can’t give a break to them … DUH !!!
“I want to offer a tax cut for 95% of Americans”
And I want to offer each and every one of you a hundred dollar bill a day…but THATain’t happening either!!!
Lying sack of excrement
Is the $20mil/year business I work for that employs 120 people a BIG business?
Sure your taxes will go down Obama, sure they will. You believe that folks? So pray tell just where is all that spending going to come from?
What? McCain wants to give the taxes back to the people that pay them?
How about everyone drinks a beer when Obama says 95%!
Obama on taxes and entitlements. Class Warfare CEO like his buddy Jim Johnson and Franklin Raines.
Good, BHO is starting to blubber and stutter. Keep it up Mac.
My math is a little funny but how can you cut 95% of the public’s income taxes when 40% of people don’t pay income tax?
McCain only has to mention JFK… reduced taxes = increased revenue. It doesn’t work the other way around!
Oh please not let Obama get a first term…
95% of Americans aready don’t pay taxes!
Most well run small businesses make more than $250K and they EMPLOYEE people.
A CEO runs a company for the stockholders. It is up to the stockholders to decide CEO benefits, not the govt.
Did anybody notice that Obummer was out of time and tried to rebut McCain? Wow, rules don’t apply to him.
This guy is not living in the same 11 trillion dollar national debt reality that the rest of the country is. He’s a big socialist promiser for people to vote for. He’s going to be a disaster for this country.
More class warfare….
“I’ll answer the question, Tom”. Classic.