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.
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McCain just snapped at Brokaw?
“Fair”
That’s a word that scares me any time a politician utters it.
I’d suggest 1/2 of all small business revenue is affected, just as McCain said. And a small % of small business is affected. That too is true. Lying with statistics.
Is his tax cuts for businesses run under personal tax id, as opposed to incorporation?
No, shouldn’t cut CEO taxes, must raise them….tax rich…tax rich….
waiting for rebuttal…..
back to bipartisanship, holding hands, singing kumbaya
He figures that everyone on food stamps will vote Dem.
These a**bags are saying almost the EXACT same thing.
It’s over, folks. Wish it wasn’t.
Hey Barry, why don’t you just say it… “You’re Scr*w*d!”
“I didn’t win Ms. Congeniality in the Senate” say it McCain, you know you want to.
Oh ffs.. across the aisle cr@p.. McCain, ATTACK!
If a small business is making less than $250K they are barely getting by or are a one man business … no money for any other employees …
gayle…the lie detector should come with the optional electrodes to be attached near their cremaster muscles.
Well, I will still vote for McCain but the energy has just disappeared.
I am underwhelmed. So boring…
Too many drink cues….will need to raid stock in cellar
I wish McCheese would reach across the aisle and rip somebodies lungs out!
I don’t want bipartisan, I want what is right!
OUTSOURCE Congress that would save a bunch
McCain says this, but never gives a solution, well, beyond “reaching across the table”. He’s giving a Steven Covey approach to group problem solving methods. This is pitiful.
The problem with Social Security is that the federal government kept taking money from the fund for their own personal wishlist. That’s why it’s going belly up, Obummer. Doesn’t this guy get it?
BWAM! Never once actually proposed legislation for Middle Class tax cuts???
Can we get a fact check from the google experts?
Does anyone else feel like they are watching Willy Wonkas & his chocolate factory when Obama talks about what he would do?
I like your idea DesertLover, but connect it so they get a shock when the lie.
Our best days are ahead of us, says McCain. As long as we keep our eye on the ball in DC, I agree.
ugh…climate change…ugh
take a drink!
Ugh, who picked that lame climate change question?
Sherril Jackson-
sounds familiar.
roooooooolling my eyes. Climate change my buns.
Yipee, let’s try to actualize the climate myth…
I just love McCain’s sexy breathless voice, don’t y’all?
Green jobs…. what’s that, like a barista at Starbucks?
Greenhouse gases – gag me.
McCain sounds like he’s telling a fairy tale to a bunch of kids.. come on, please, pick it up Johnny. You didn’t even respond to Obama’s attack on your health plan..
McCain really did say he’d run his campaign however he wanted. I think we’re seeing it here in this townhall debate.
climate change makes me sick. Protect the borders. Build roads. Fund the military. Then get out of my way.
HEEEEEY…. McCain finally said something that makes A LOT of sense!!!
Nuclear Power! What a revelation.
…wait for it… here comes “Clean coal”
typical dumb college student worried about Global Warming BS …
The only green I care about is the buck.
Nuclear power creates jobs. The French do it… OMG…
I think the woman who stood up with a question for Barack that fingered both parties as causing the Fannie and Freddie/ economic crisis, is a candidate for green gardener plantation questioning.
McCain: “I was on Navy ships that had nuclear power.” Way to go. Keep pushing for nuclear power.
wow…another ‘biggest challenge of our time’…
nice pull away from Bush…keep pushing the fact that Bush isn’t running again, that I (McCain) am.
Nucular Fuel…good. Unfotunately this will take as much time as starting new drilling due to brain drain
Climate change= one of the biggest challenges of our time according to BHO. Please.
Mudcat Saunders is a moron.
Reagan won over the Reagan Democrats
Flimladd,
No that isn’t how Democrats work and they are Moderate and Conservative. You are wrong about Mudcat Saunders he has gotten more then one Democrat elected in Virginia. Obama has problems with Rural Voters, and McCain CAN’T take them for Granted. The stakes are too High.
No, far from it.
We have al Qaeda, an econonic crisis and cliamte change is one of the greatest challenges of our times? Heck, we can’t even get 10 scientists to agree on it.
Ingrid Jackson
$250 donation Democrat
http://fundrace.huffingtonpost.com/neighbors.php?type=name&lname=Jackson&fname=Ingrid
He got winded walking across the stage
The problem with social security, madicare, and all of the entitlements it that is is wrong to demand that your neighbor pay for what you want.
Thank you, Igrid. The govt should have nothing to do with the free market by forcing companies to supply green products. It is up to you, Ingrid, to create the demand for green products that companies will produce for you. And if you don’t work at a company that has green jobs, then it is up to you, Ingrid, to quit that job and find yourself a job in a business that is green. I understand, Ingrid, that landscaping is a great, green job.
Holy Carp! everything is critical!!!!
THE SKY IS FALLING!!!
roflmao…
give me a break already.
Obama is going to sell us his economic “Everlasting Gobstopper” now..
I’m still waiting for the first cognizant thought from either one of these idiots.
How are we going to clean up the environment, McCain? Where are the details? Just generalizations. This is freaking pathetic.
These two really are trying to out pander each other, aren’t they?
Think I’ll go buy some stock.
Tieing your shoelaces in the morning is a challenge Obama
Hey, I thought this was the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and the greatest challenge of our time is carbon dioxide? Yeah, OK.
BO — numbers jargon and incoherent.
Good freaking God, when did this become the Dem primary?
Grow some balls and hammer this idiot!
at least he voted, and “present” wasn’t it..
also, they were filled with BS.
Jimmy Carter Redux
We have 3% of the worlds oil reserves because we don’t drill.
Big mistake there Obie. Global warming is man-made.
BS
The computer wasn’t invited for communications that was the Internet (TCP/IP to be exact and the ARPA Net)
Computers were build help solve complex math problems espcially dealign with encryption.
Ish ( BS in Comp Sci and grad student in Computer/Network Security)
Put your hand down, Obama. You are not in church.
Wish McCain would have said that!
O states nucular power is “one part”…
3% of reserves, 25% of global use…climate crisis and global warming ( start Algore chants)
Senators – what are your plans for enforcing lower emissions from factories in China and India?
Will you use the Seventh fleet and tactical strikes, or just lob a few ICBM’s??
Right now they are talking about the 9th district of Virginia flipping for Obama if that is the case the urban areas and the 9th rural district could tip Virginia for Obama- One of the Battle Ground States.
The computer was invented by gub’met scientists??? Nevermind Bell Labs or Charles Babbage.
What a tool.
So I guess, Obummer, instantaneous alternative fuels will make our economy run, right? No drilling whatsoever? What planet does this guy live on?
“We have 3% of the worlds oil…”
I think it’s more than that.
Is anybody here reminded of David Leisure and the Isuzu commercials whenever Obama is lying?
Is this a sneak preview of this weeks SNL opening skit?
Are we going to export wind to China?
I should have figured the town hall would be a snooze-fest. All Obama has to do is fail to crap his pants to be crowned the unanimous winner by the pundits.
have 3% of the worlds’ supply
using 25% of the world’s current supply.
More games with numbers.
Anyone investing in the stock market?
(have to change the dullness of this “debate”.)
Grrr, stop saying my friends!!
McCain’s getting sarcastic. Love it.
Did he just call Obama “That one”?
“that one” hahaah
how long til someone on the left calls that racist?
Tom wants garage industry to build a nuclear reactor? Did he just ask that?
Does anybody really understand what BO is saying? “This is a critical time, huh… look,… huh… you have to understand, this is not just critical time, but we have to come together…blah blah
ooo..just referred to Obama and ‘that one’…yikes..
Yeah, he did. Is that racist?
I think it should start in the private sector, and not Washington. Private sector that is where innovation comes from.
Tom asks if we should:
1) Fund a Manhattan Project to build a nuclear bomb
OR
2) Build 100,000 garages
WTF???????
What is he smoking?????????
All bumper stickers. Apparently people love those.
Started off good, now just blah blah blah. McCain should tag Palin and let her in the ring.
More health care, omg yawn!
Eliminate the corporate tax and see how many jobs are created and how much is spent on R&D. And the government won’t have to pick a winner to fund with tax breaks and incentives.
I’ll do it! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
The truth is that nobody knows how much oil we have in our territories. It’s a guess, & we haven’t been allowed to look everywhere we could. The Dems throw around numbers as fact, when they are only guesses based on limited exploration research.
gayle..stock market? Yep, my husband loves option trading..has lots of ‘puts’ at the moment..
I took “that one” as a parent talking to a child…
I don’t know is it?
WE really need to look at history.
Yes the Great Depression was bad but out of that gave us the Greatest Generation EVER. Who liberated Europe and freed countless people from the concentration camps.
We have gotten soft in this country. Would letting people who make bad decisions, take personal responsibility pay for it, be so bad?
My premiums have not doubled. Our copays have gone down. We have fantastic copay, thanks to a fantastic plan with a great employer. Thats what having a good job does.
He meets a lot of people without heath insurance because he hangs out with LARAZ!!
Any term of address other than “Our Prescient and Most Powerful Lord and Savior,” is, yes, racist.
Securitymom: Politicians will latch onto CLIMATE CHANGE as a political issue cause it will NEVER go away, thanks to solar cycles.