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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Categories: Barack Obama, John McCain
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Worst.Debate.Ever.
How would this debate have been different if Bob Barr was in it?
Obama is clueless. “I agree with John. ….What? I have more time?”
McCain, McCain;
Go after him! Go after his record [lack of record]!
He is such an empty suit that the coat hanger declined the job!
So now Obama wants to send money to Poland, Estonia, etc. More spending.
Not that ancient and Air America wasn’t exactly that Cambodia specific.
A woman who asks a military question that’s right along a line Obama would want to go is at least interesting if not suspicious.
financial assistance? but, we are spending money in iraq to help them that should be here…i don’t get it.
Russia is our “greatest challenge.”
Economic crisis is our “greatest challenge.”
Global warming is our “greatest challenge.”
OK, so which one is it?
I hate how all the people I went to school with are liberals and are all pro-Obama on their facebook updates. Its very depressing to look at.
I don’t remember RUSHING into Iraq.
Shockingly, Obozo is lying about what he said in April.
Patchthebun – the Monday rally is in Richmnd? Are there tickets available? I’m in No. Va. What time is it?
Has anyone noticed whether Obama is wearing the military bracelet that he mentioned during the last debate?
He said YES or No bo. Say yes or no and SHUT UP
committed..hey! (and I say that with two syllables..)
Patchthebun..Richmond?? How cool it that? I’ll be on the phone tomorrow morning..
What is Obama talking about?
Wow- Obummer says we should not be dependent on Russia’s oil if we only used less fuel. Yet we can’t drill at home.
Talk about being at the mercy of a rock and a hard place.
good yes or no answer from McCain
If McCain said he knows how to get Bin Laden and will get him no matter what, why not just get him now?
Revisionist history always makes things faster.
I wish McCain would throw his chair at the bastard. Let this thing turn in to a Jerry Springer show.
Yes or no, Mc Cain finally scores with a cogent response regarding Russia. Depends on how they behave.
Wellsy – was just saying the same thing to my hsuband. What a crock.
OMG he is going to control our oil consumption, and that will calm Putin.
This guy makes me sick.
Obama will take any opportunity to tell us all that we need to consume less and use less gas. Why doesn’t he do his part and get rid of his 757 and campaign in a bus?
Guinness is good for you.
I visted Dublin once and stopped by the brewery. You get a free glass of the dark stuff with your tour.
good question!
ruh roh, israel question….
Doors open at 11, securitymom.
I got my tickets online.
Do you think you’ll try to go?
Darn right. NCOs run the military!
Glad I wasn’t the only one to pick up on that, securitymom.
Mccain should say he would nuke Iran… good answer
WHO PICKED THESE QUESTIONS??
TERRIBLE!
yeah! 21st century challenges!
sip sip
people bin Laden is a parenthesis, catching him would be more of a problem since we now have to treat him as a criminal instead of a POW
shooting the bas***d just makes him a martyr ACLU wants to guarantee his rights
let him rot in the caves!
The spin starts here: McCain out of breath old and feeble. Sorry guys I just looked into my MSM Crystal Ball.
Obama said we should be proactive rather than reactive, then tried to prove his point by mentioning that we went into Iraq. Apparently he doesn’t realize going into Iraq was part of a proactive policy.
I’m sure the MSM will give this debate to bo hands down and say what a genius the scumbag is but, they are both loosers this time around. Come on John! Stand up to bo like you do Bush.
oooh, so are some of you moms planning to go? We can meet up and sit together and help each other out!
My Irish Terrier thinks so too! I want to go to the Guiness brewery myself and check it out myself too!
The royal ‘we’ from Omaba. Very nice.
On October 7th, 2008 at 10:26 pm, shooter said:
WHO PICKED THESE QUESTIONS??
TERRIBLE!
That would be Mr Brokaw, who has been a terrible moderator too…
On October 7th, 2008 at 10:24 pm, Bill Grant said:
I wish McCain would throw his chair at the bastard. Let this thing turn in to a Jerry Springer show.
That would be a blast!
We can’t stay awake here anymore.
Why is Obama always talking about this “we” stuff? Who is “we”? It’s annoying.
I have to finish packing.
good night all.
Everything … I learned from a CPO. Great, great answer.
I wish he’d said, we won’t wait (for the UN), we’ll act to neutralize them immediately. Nothing off the table.
Oh, he’s already measured the curtains in the Oval Office and has his staff picked out, didn’t you know?
He thinks he has this in the bag.
Did BO just say we can’t let the UN have veto power over acting in our own interests???
Someone should tell that to his party!
BHO honors Terry’s Service.
Terry should get up and punch his light out! BHO hates the military. Terry doesn’t need his disrespect.
In Obama’s responses, Obama fundamentally doesn’t trust the American people to handle problems. Not only did Obama fail to recognize the possibility that America’s Iraq surge would work, Obama can’t see Americans being able to handle the tough priorities ahead without some magical enormous politically correct fix. Obama consistenty focuses on the American people’s supposed limits, while McCain, whether one agrees or disagrees with McCain, has a fundamentally more optimistic view of Americans. So despite the tone of Obama’s surface rhetoric, Obama actually advocates a “change” towards pessimism and failure, at least for Americans.
Sanctions, sanctions, sanctions…
Is Obama running for President of the US or of the UN?
the guy BO is talking to looks a little freaked out
Shooter…your infamous debate moderator.
Patchthebun – I would love to go – missed the rally in Fairfax – let me see if I can get tickets. First I have to watch the end of this trainwreck of a debate – hate the format, hate Obama, hate Brokaw, hate the idiot undecided Ohio voters that are worshipping everything Obama says.
cost benefit analysis??? WTF???
How does Obama define “dire consequences”?
I think we need some financial assistance from Iraqi oil fields.
Obama threatens “dire consequences” with Iran.
OOOOHHHH. I’m sure that’ll have Ahmadinejad quaking in his books.
is mccain trying to lose the election? why rehash everything discussed in the last debate when there’s so much material with which to nail obama to the wall? what is wrong with him???
Vote for me Terry or I will have Bill Ayers blow your house up.
I don’t have a dipstick decoder ring I can’t tell ya.
Screw McCain.
Palin for president.
I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue!
He’s running for President of the World! Didn’t you see his speech in Berlin?
YTZGal:
He has a rabbit in his pocket or he could mean the royal “We”
You fool, Iran do what it wants regardless if they have money or not, regardless what they say, regardless of how many times you invite them to afternoon tea.
Bush again? I’m as tired of BO talking about Bush as I am McCain reaching across the aisle.
::sigh::
So, President Bush is now responsible for the number of centrifuges in Iran because he didn’t talk to them.
but, of course. /Sarc
Joe Biden already told us – he would be involved with every major decision Obama had to face. He said that exactly in the VP debate.
That was the dumbest question ever.
I can’t stand Brokaw.
Obama knows everything, don’t you know??
That IS MO in the audience.
Lame.
WHAT!!! Who the hell cares about New Hampshire??? Seriously.
sorry, I was wrong..this was the stupidest question ever..I mean, in the history of the world, not just tonight.
What don’t you know? Man, I would love the lie detector on Obama now.
Obama got scholorships????
North Korea wouldn’t have a nuclear capability had Clinton not given it them, not to use history to help my decision for future leadership.
Ugh. These questions ARE terrible.
“What don’t you know?” What a waste of a question. Pathetic.
ENTITLEMENTS. And affirmative action.
who is the Presidential Debating Commission? these things have to be changed…unless Sarah is going to be in ‘em all.
If your mom gets food stamps you can go to the best schools hmmmmmmmmmmmm
So, he’s going to consult his wife when he can’t decide something? Do we need another Hillary-like First Lady again?
What doesn’t he know? Just about everything. And he’s doing his talking points now that have nothing to do with the question.
ANSWER THE QUESTION!!!!
B Hussien Obama just will not even answer a single question. How and why do people beleive his B.S. ??
With all the crap going on in the world, Brokaw goes with a weird subjective philosophical question. Thanks, Tom. You’ve served your parent network now.
Peggy in Amherst NH? What don’t you know?
What I do know is that BHO will turn this into a diatribe against Bush.
What I do not know G-d’s will, but I will pray that I might act in concert with it.
G-d help us all.
College is a right now. Does it ever end with these people?
securitymom- I missed the No VA rally too, we have family up there and I could have gone if I had known in advance.
Obama and the “American dream.” What a joke.
More like Obama and the “American entitlement.”
Yes – a new direction. That’s socialism.
He means “Me and Rev Wright and my friend Bill Ayers and my pal Rezko and my homey Maxine Waters. And Hugo Chavez”.
Surely that’s obvious?
Despite all that, I was chosen for the FACE on the Democrat Candidacy 2008. Obama How did I get promoted so far so fast in the Chicago Democrat Political Machine? I don’t know?
I still want to know what CHANGE is!
I shudder at the thought of that. Please.
that a was question from a tree hugging, pot smoking, hippie from the 60’s, what do ya think?
I have a headache listening to Obama blab on and on and blame Bush whenever he can. Hmmm…who has been in control of the Congress the last 2 years? Oh yes – the Democrats! Why the heck would anyone want to vote for them?
I am scared for the elections. There are too many idiots out there who’ll vote for Obama. All I can hope is that the Dems lose control of the House or Senate somehow to balance out crazy Obama.
What kind of idiot chooses something like that for the last question?
McCain, what don’t you know? How Obama raised $458 million from ficticious people. How will he learn it? Chinese water torture. Too bad he came out against that. Very effective.
How many times has Obummer run around a question? Anybody keeping score? Or did you all already fall asleep?
This is a big snorefest and I can’t believe that these two people are the choices that we have as president.
Yikes- McCain really didn’t do his job tonight. And, Obummer, he’s like one of those slick infomercial salesmen you see on late night television.
Of the 6 million questions posed on the internet, Tom picked that one? Either Tom is losing his journalistic mind or the other questions must have really been awful.