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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BO… there’s a whole burgeioning industry in electronic medical records… get a clue
Good, differentiates that he votes against the “alt fuels” bills because of earmarks attached….I’ll back that up.
Lindsey Trella…TN Family Business Ctr executive director??? She’d be local enough.
http://www.tnfbc.org/
Dumbass just said the majority have health insurance.
Obama will lie about health care the 850 Billion took care of his Health Care spiel.
McCain should hit him with and where is the money going to come from to pay for your plan.
He called him that one. Because he knows Obama is a fraud just like anyone who is honest enough to admit it.
this sucks
And if he does someone like Soledad O’Brien will wash them for him…
now there’s a unique idea, think either would show up?
please don’t touch my medical care – I’d be dead if the govt got into the mix.
I have never had a life threatening mistake because I have to fill out a form & most are already computerized. At least those I go to (not the free clinic).
can someone tell me..is our healthcare system really that bad? I’m not trying to be sarcastic here, I’m asking because my family has been blessed with good health and I haven’t had to deal with it much…when I do, it doesn’t seem so bad.
Healthcare is an insurance scam! Go talk to your doctor and ask about your care in a cash-and-carry basis! Watch the government take over healthcare so that we have a Freddie Doc disaster in a few years.
Do I see a small glimmer that McCain has started to hit his stride a little bit. Obama’s yammering about health care without answering the question particularly so I look forward to McCain’s response.
Lindsey Trella – closest name match for donations is Philip Trella – Nashville – GOP donor – about $3000. Source: Huffington Post donor search database.
Thanks Mookie… keep ‘em comin’
BO misrepresentation … the reason for eliminating the cross state boundary is to allow people more options to shop for coverage …
On October 7th, 2008 at 9:45 pm, Laree said:
Mudcat is good at getting rural voters who want to live off the government.
Reagan Democrats were sick of being taxed to death, having inflation beat the cr*p out of them, and Carter being limp while hostages were held for hundreds of days.
Reagan pointed out what Carter was in clear terms, and pointed out what he stood for.
McCain is running a “me too” campaign. Anyone in marketing knows what I mean there. He is trying to be Walmart, when there already IS a Walmart.
McCain should be Target, not Walmart.
But he is not and he will lose.
That would be nice, but there’s no on up there without any cohones.
The CantCureStupid health care fix:
Do NOT pay bills for illegals!!!!
Duh.
Health records online? Is he nuts??
Obama, I notice you like to use the word ‘fundamentally’. Let’s talk about your associations with terrorists.
Can both senators tell me whether they will or will not make it mandatory to buy into health care if I don’t want health care?
I’m from the government and I’m here to help. Head for the hills.
He’s not gettin his ass kicked. Just ask any Democrat; they’ll tell you.
Big government healthcare blah blah blah…
Would businesses rather have help with healthcare
or
higher taxes?
gayle said:Next debate should have a lie detector machine attached to both of ‘em.
Do you need emergency health care?
Just go to a hospital ER and get er done.
It’s the law!
Doesn’t taking your health care across state lines violate the Mann Act.
Yes, Obummer, let’s just control healthcare too since it’s doing a bang-up job of managing medicare/medicaid, right?
These questions are sooo pedestrian and uninspired! Snore!
Here is where the computer was invented – during WWII – Colossus. It was invented to beat the Nazis’ encoding machines.
It would be interesting to view the bumper stickers from the alleged “Undecideds” leaving the debate….
Choice??? McCain said Choice!! Obama doesn’t do choice! He only does chump “change”..
Lame joke. Did he forget they’re not allowed to laugh?
If you really are in dire straits, you can get the best treatment here. The Insurance companies and Medicare/Medicaid have made life miserable for physicians though.
I read somewhere that processing the paperwork makes up 20% of medicare costs. I don’t know how accurate that is though.
Across state lines for Health Care tax credit for your health insurance, with the ability to choose on the open market. Interesting idea.
Yeah, no kidding. This is boring. Beyond boring.
Say it Mclame… thank God!
I don’t know, but even if he was, you wouldn’t hear about it. As I said, all he has to do is fail to literally crap himself to be held on high tomorrow morning on the news shows. And even if he did, it would probably be explained away as Obama’s own “change that he needed.”
Hair transplants. Tee-hee.
Did McCain just say that one way to reduce health care costs was to put medical records online? So they can be hacked like Sarah Palin’s e-mail account?
Brilliant plan there, Maverick…
I agree with choice. It spurs more competition rather than big gubment mandating what program you should be on.
I don’t think it is. I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 1996 – was self employed with basic insurance. I had a surgery on Thursday to remove a lump. Friday, found out it was cancer. Following Tuesday had cancer removed and spent a week in the hospital. Insurance paid most everything. Had outstanding care.
Nationalized healthcare – shudder to think about when they would have gotten around to treating me.
This option might not be perfect, but it can get much worse.
I’m wondering how much of medicare costs are associated with fraud.
OH MY GOD A RIGHT
Where is that located in the Constitution Osama? waiting…..
Health Care a right?
BS
Where is that in the Constitution?
A RIGHT?
Well, I stopped watching after McCain’s answer to Teresa’s question. If I heard him mention “reaching across the aisle”, “bipartisan” or any combination of the two I was going to lose the delicious dinner my wife made.
John, my friend, the only thing I want you reaching across the aisle to do is strangle the nearest liberal.
At least there’s the Troy/FAU game.
America is a rich country?? We are in debt up to our eyeballs!
Of course Obama thinks health care is a right. That’s why we can hand it out to everyone with no consideration of quality of that care.
There he goes again…fundamental. Everything is fundamental. Must be his favorite Ivy League word.
health insurance is a right now…i need a copy of that new constitution.
“A country as wealthy as ours….” that is trillions in debt and has a plummeting stock market.
Fundamental. Fundamentally. Fundamental.
Geez, get a thesaurus.
fundamental this, fundamental that..
Is Obummer secretly a European? This healthcare as right is European. This is ridiculous. HEALTHCARE ISN’T A RIGHT.
Will this man stop with the promises and the lies and get real already?
This is one of the most boring f****** debates I’ve ever watched.
The one with the big ears can’t answer a single question put to him, in my mind.
They Grey haired guy, if he uses “my friend” one more time I think I’ll puke.
The subject of the current economic condition and national security has not been addressed to my satisfaction!
Health care–barf! If America goes broke most of us won’t have it. I am sick and tired of hearing this crap.
McCain, why hasn’t he addressed BHO’s record more forcefully? BHO has none.
BHO said health care should be a right! Where is that in the Constitution?
God, two losers! No passion. No substance.
Maybe someone should ask, “What’s your plan to get the Senate cafeteria to not operate at loss?”
Then they can move on to Healthcare.
I think you can find a copy of the communist manifesto online.
Our health care is so bad that people are sent from all over the world to have their lives saved by our technology & medical training, & usually from countries that have socialistic healthcare systems.. Go figure..
SCHIP…what crapola
Everything’s online… When you call up a help desk and get a guy in India…
It’s not a bad idea…
If healthcare is a right !!!! BULL
My right begin where your rights end and i have the right to be responsible for myself not you
Maybe someone should ask, “What’s your plan to get the Senate cafeteria to not operate at a loss?”
Then they can move on to Healthcare.
hey BO … that was the SCHIP that the whole country rebelled against … but there are idiots that just believed the dipstick
Will you promise not to beg for a doctor when you get critically ill?
mccain should hit him on his association with the hospital building and improvement board odee was on in his state
Of course it’s a right. Everybody is entitled to everything. That’s the Democrat way. And Obama is entitled to be president.
Privilege! Health care is not a right. Dip.
Health records on line don’t reduce errors per se…it may allow easier access, but HIPPA firewalls make it very tough to access…something as a provider I’m familiar with.
I certainly use my HSA to pay for items (glasses, braces, etc), things not covered by my high deductible plan, unlike the union nurses who b*&ch when they have a $7 copay for a med I pay $45 .
O thinks healthcare is a right…I agree with the precondition beef.
But when he says there will be no mandates, he’s either uninformed or lying. Mandates hit either the provider or the patient, or both…hard to avoid them now.
Health care is not a right! Who you going to force to be a doctor? or how are you going to force a doctor to treat someone? There are already tons of MDs leaving the medical field because of insurance regulations and malpractice suits
Obama may “win” the debate, but he’s leaving lots of juicy sound bites. Healthcare a “right”, ahem…
This country is not wealthy. Its citizens may be wealthy, but the country doesn’t own a dime beyond what its citizens allow it.
It’s you.
Obama clearly does not care about the time limits.
Requirements for CANCER SCREENS??
Preposterous.
thanks securitymom!
Obama’s bucking the system.
Obama everyone should have health care and I will mandate sup prime health care vouchers…they will be backed up by a Government agency I know some people who can run it.
“Everyone deserves” no they don’t. The Government isn’t in the “Deserving” Business.
here we go, ram him on policy John
Is it me, or are all these questions a bunch of flaming liberal topics?
Bill, that just asked the defense question is a lib, anyone wanna bet?
“Crack down on insurance companies.” Right, Barack. Just as soon as you finish cracking down on the mortgage lenders that gave you hundreds of thousands of dollars in individual campaign contributions (millions when you figure in bundling)…and the $126,000 alone you got from Fannie and Freddie.
Memo to McCain: How about independent prosecutors to go after Fan and Fred?
That guy was scary… Reminded me of the unibomber.
Why should he? If laws aren’t enforced, then who is going to follow them?
I can’t frigging even look at this. Obama is such a sleazy, lounge lizard like liar. He should be a casino greeter in Vegas, Not president.
Did you expect anything else? Lol.
This country is not the wealth. That is his socialist views coming out
BHO has no record on much of anything?
McCain should attack him constantly that he has been running for office his entire life while never accomplishing anything.
Phil Elliott, children’s program coordinator for Chattanooga foodbank.
OJT comment would have been better if attributed to Biden …
his short career.. heh
In order to save Americans from terminal boredom, I suggest that questions for the last debate be submitted not by the milk-toast undecideds, but the ANGRY Right… and maybe some on the ANGRY Left too!
Obama doesn’t understand how terrorist work and operate I believe him.
They are.
McCain reminds me a lot of the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz tonight.
If I only had a brain!
Honorably = air raiding villages and killing innocent civilians.
NO terrorist attacks since 9/11, Barack.
The health care program with mandates that McCain is against is the one that Mitt Romney signed into law here in MA.
O still doesn’t see the Iraq/Afganistan/al Qaida link, does he….is that the white flag of surrender I see?