Liveblogging the last presidential debate of 2008
It begins at 9pm Eastern.
Liberal Beltway fixture Bob Schieffer moderates. I noted in 2004 that he asked a question about immigration during one of the 2004 debates. Wouldn’t it be novel if the subject finally came up tonight? Not that the La Raza twins would differ much. I’m not the only one who wants to hear some border talk. The Plumber Joe Wurzelbach mentioned it, too.
Got your ACORN martinis, ready?
Drinking game buzz words:
GREED.
GREEDY.
RESCUE.
EARMARKS.
TAX CREDITS.
WALL STREET.
MAIN STREET.
HEALTH CARE.
JUDGEMENT.
BUSH. BUSH. BUSH.
BIPARTISAN.
CLIMATE CHANGE.
Commenter Jencab: “You forgot…”
UUUHHHH
MY FRIENDS
ACROSS THE AISLE
WHEELS OF THE STRAIGHT TALK EXPRESS
I AGREE
MIDDLE CLASS
9:02pm Eastern. Schieffer starts right off the bad with the Dow plunge today. Why is your plan better than his?
McCain: Americans are hurting and they’re angry. Their innocent victims of GREED and WALL STREET.
Drink, drink, drink up.
McCain: They are hurting and they’re angry.
Ok, we get it.
Now, he’s promoting home ownership and preservation at any cost. Pitches his rotten individual mortgage rescue plan. “Put home owners first.”
McCain criticizes Paulson for “not making it their first priority.”
Only superficial mention of Fannie/Freddie.
I repeat what I said earlier today: Hey, chumps: Why are you still paying your mortgages?
Obama: RESCUE package for the MIDDLE CLASS.
My glass is half-empty already.
Obama: TAX CREDIT.
Gulp again.
Obama: Sen. McCain, I AGREE with helping homeowners.
Glass is empty.
McCain brings up The Plumber: Joe, I wanna tell ya. I want to keep your taxes low, affordable health care, I will not stand for tax increases on small business income. What you want to do to Joe the plumber is…have them not live the American Dream.
Obama brings up his 95 percent tax cut fantasy.
McCain blasts Obama for his “spread the wealth around” ideology. I want Joe the Plumber to spread the wealth around. Why would you want to increase anyone’s taxes right now? I’m not going to do that in my administration.
Obama invokes his friend, billionaire Warren Buffett in response.
Not such a bright move there, Barry.
We’re talking about a plumber and Obama leans on one of the richest men in the world as a crutch?
McCain: We need to cut people’s taxes, create jobs, not “spread the wealth around.”
Good. He drove that nail.
9:14pm Eastern. Schieffer asks what specific programs the candidates would cut.
Obama has been blabbing for two minutes without naming anything specific. Blahblahblahblah. He’s talking about making “investments” to prevent diseases.
He STILL hasn’t mentioned a single program.
9:16pm Eastern. McCain should have nailed Obama immediately for failing to name a single program he would cut, but he wants to return to the home ownership/prevention crap. Increasing home values. Blahblahblah. McCain segues into energy independence.
Finally, an answer.
McCain: What would I cut? Across-the-board spending freeze. Some people say it’s a hatchet. I’ll do the hatchet and then the scalpel. Would cut marketing assistance, ethanol subsidies, I know how to save billions.
Grab your drinks: McCain mentions EARMARKS.
9:21pm Eastern. McCain repeats his line that Americans are angry. Pledges to balance the budget in four years. You have to tell me one time when you’ve stood up to the leaders of your party.
Obama: Cites tort reform, charter schools. He slips in a reference to Fox News agreeing with him.
Obama moves to his BUSH-McCain talking points.
McCain: Elaborates on his opposition to Bush administration. I’ve got the scars to prove it. Cites CLIMATE CHANGE. Your record of independence isn’t very convincing.
Schieffer moves to the tone of the campaign. Obama says “erratic,” “losing his bearings, etc.” McCain says “lie,” “palling around with terrorists,” etc. “Are you each willing to say to each other’s face what you’ve said in ads.”
McCain goes first. “It’s gotten tough and I regret some of it.” Blames Obama for not accepting Town Hall proposals. McCain calls out John Lewis for comparing him to George Wallace and calls out Obama for not repudiating him. Very unfair and totally inappropriate. We will run a truthful campaign. A tough campaign. Obama has spent more on negative ads than any campaign in history. He said he would take public financing if I did. He didn’t keep his word. You didn’t tell the American people the truth.
Obama: We expect presidential campaigns to be tough. Whines that McCain’s ads were 100 percent negative and says people don’t want to hear about their hurt feelings. Plays the distraction card.
Obama will not repudiate John Lewis’s remarks, then says “politics as usual” is no longer acceptable.
McCain attacks Obama’s health care and immigration ads. Invokes Joe the Plumber again.
Obama smirks.
McCain: I did not hear repudiation of Congressman Lewis’s remarks.
Obama whines about the purported catcalls at the Palin rallies and rationalizes Lewis’s remarks. Whines about the “palling around with terrorists” jibe. It’s an opening to talk about Ayers…but McCain’s not biting for whatever reason.
9:33pm Eastern. McCain defends the people who attend his rallies.
KNOCK ME OVER WITH A FEATHER. He’s defending the base. “I’m not going to stand for that!”
You just scored some points, McCain.
FINALLY!
McCain: I’ve seen t-shirts that are unacceptable. Things yelled at your rallies.
FINALLY! Rejecting the “mob narrative.”
9:35pm Eastern. McCain ate his Wheaties. He mentions old, washed-up terrorist Ayers and Acorn – destroying the fabric of our nation.
Obama gives his talking points about Ayers (I was eight years old) and ACORN (I represented them in a lawsuit with the Justice Department).
McCain better set the record straight.
9:38pm Eastern. McCain says he launched his political campaign in Ayers’ living room. Mentions Ayers’ 2001 regret that he hadn’t bombed more.
Well, was that enough, folks? What do you think?
I think it’s the best we can expect McCain to have done.
The McCain campaign e-mails the talking points McCain failed to recite…
ACORN’s Political Action Committee Endorsed Barack Obama For President. “[A]CORN’s political action committee endorsed Barack Obama for President. … The endorsement reflects a belief that Obama – who worked as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago – understands that change must come from the ground-up, as part of a working coalition, rather than from position papers.” (Katrina Vanden Heuvel, Op-Ed, “ACORN: Obama Gets It,” The Nation, 2/23/08)
Barack Obama’s Campaign “Paid More Than $800,000″ To ACORN For Get-Out-The Vote Efforts; The Campaign Originally “Misrepresented” The Group’s Work To The FEC. “U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign paid more than $800,000 to an offshoot of the liberal Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now for services the Democrat’s campaign says it mistakenly misrepresented in federal reports. An Obama spokesman said Federal Election Commission reports would be amended to show Citizens Services Inc. — a subsidiary of ACORN — worked in ‘get-out-the-vote’ projects, instead of activities such as polling, advance work and staging major events as stated in FEC finance reports filed during the primary.” (David M. Brown, “Obama To Amend Report On $800,000 In Spending,” Pittsburgh Tribune Review, 8/22/08)
Barack Obama Directed Project Vote And Later Taught Classes For “Future Leaders Identified By ACORN And The Centers For New Horizons.” “In 1992 Obama took time off to direct Project Vote, the most successful grass-roots voter-registration campaign in recent city history. Credited with helping elect Carol Moseley-Braun to the U.S. Senate, the registration drive, aimed primarily at African-Americans, added an estimated 125,000 voters to the voter rolls–even more than were registered during Harold Washington’s mayoral campaigns. ‘It’s a power thing,’ said the brochures and radio commercials. … Obama continues his organizing work largely through classes for future leaders identified by ACORN and the Centers for New Horizons on the south side.” (Hank De Zutter, Op-Ed, “What Makes Obama Run?” Chicago Reader, 12/8/95)
· In 1992, Barack Obama Was Hired By ACORN To Run A Voter Registration Effort. “Indeed, Mr. Obama has extensive connections with the granddaddy of activist groups, Acorn (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), which has gotten millions in government grants for its low-income housing programs. In 1992, Acorn hired Mr. Obama to run a voter registration effort. He later became a trainer for the group, as well as its lawyer in election law cases. Acorn’s political arm has endorsed Mr. Obama while its ‘voter education’ arm has pledged to spend $35 million to register people this fall — despite a history of vote fraud scandals that have led to guilty pleas by many Acorn employees.” (John Fund, “Obama’s Liberal Shock Troops,” The Wall Street Journal, 7/12/08)
Barack Obama Was Part Of Team Of Lawyers Who Represented ACORN In A Suit Against The State Of Illinois. “Obama was part of a team of attorneys who represented the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) in a lawsuit against the state of Illinois in 1995 for failing to implement a federal law designed to make it easier for the poor and others to register as voters.” (Mike Robinson, “Obama Got Start In Civil Rights Practice,” The Associated Press, 2/20/07)
ACORN Received Grants From The Woods Fund When Barack Obama Served on The Board Of Directors
· The Chicago ACORN Received Grants Of $45,000 (2000), $30,000 (2001), $45,000 (2001), $30,000 (2002), And $40,000 (2002) From The Woods Fund. (Donors Forum Website, ifs.donorsforum.org, Accessed 6/10/08)
· NOTE: From 1993 To 2002, Barack Obama Served On The Board Of Directors For The Woods Fund. (Tim Novak and Fran Spielman, “Obama Helped Ex-Boss Get $1 Mil. From Charity,” Chicago Sun-Times, 11/29/07)
9:41pm Eastern. Schieffer asks each candidate why their vp candidate would be a better prez than the other’s vp candidate.
Obama gives obligatory Joe is Great spiel with requisite Violence Against Women Act reference and is now talking about “INVESTING” again. Make it a drinking word.
McCain: Sarah Palin is a reformer. She understands families with special needs. She’s ignited our party and people who have never been involved in the political process.
Reader Dustin writes that McCain should have said “Not only do I think Palin would be better than Biden, I believe she’d be better and more experienced than Barack Obama.”
Schieffer asks Obama if Palin is qualified. “That will be up to the American people to decide,” then throws in a jab at McCain on special needs. Says it will take more spending.
McCain: Biden’s qualified in many respects, but has been wrong on foreign policy that’s supposed to be his strength. Cockamamie idea of dividing Iraq in three parts. Wrong about the first Gulf War. National security.
Then McCain jabs Obama back over relying on new spending as solution to everything.
9:47pm Eastern. CLIMATE CHANGE!
Obama is especially smirky tonight, isn’t he?
9:52pm Eastern. McCain dings Obama for opposing Colombia free trade agreement. “Obama, who’s never traveled south of our border…”
McCain slips in Obama’s tea-with-dictators stance. Obama smirks and snorts.
9:59pm Eastern. Health care. McCain is really using Joe the Plumber to great effect. Invokes him again and asks what fine Obama would impose on him if he doesn’t meet Obama’s mandates.
McCain uses a bogus Michael Moore statistic: See the 47 million uninsured lie.
10:04pm Eastern. McCain challenges Obama’s big government policies and mistakenly calls Obama “Sen. Government.”
Yeah, that works.
10:08pm Eastern. Schieffer throws in a SCOTUS question. McCain and Obama agree they wouldn’t apply a litmus test. Obama invokes Roe v. Wade.
McCain better bring up Obama’s lies about his born-alive survivors bill vote.
10:11pm Eastern. YES! He’s finally making up for all those missed opportunities. McCain nails Obama for his extreme, pro-abortion votes. “That’s his record. He voted in direct contradiction to the feelings of mainstream America.”
Obama spins. Filibusters.
McCain rejoinder to Obama — nails him on disingenuous “health of the mother” language/loopholes. Mentions that he and Cindy are adoptive parents, but that doesn’t mean we won’t continue to stand for the rights of the unborn.
Very eloquent. Good job, McCain. (See, who says I can’t say nice things about Mac?)
10:16pm Eastern. Last question is on education.
I’m tuning out Obama. He just said “INVEST” for the 998th time tonight. Blahblah.
McCain calls education the civil rights issue of the 21st century. Talks about choice, parental empowerment. Give parents the same choice that the Obamas have and Cindy and I have to send their kids to good schools. Throwing money is not the answer to the problem. You will find that some of the worst public school districts get the most money.
BINGO.
10:21pm Eastern. Schieffer asks if there should be increased federal role in education. Obama says yes despite the failure of No Child Left Behind. Pay teachers more, fund early childhood education. I AGREE with McCain on charter schools, says Obama. Opposes vouchers.
McCain dings Obama again for exercising his own school choice, but not allowing other parents to do the same.
Obama called on people to put down their video games, but as a McCain staffer e-mails: “But he advertises on them? Disingenuousness.”
Obama tries to rationalize his opposition to vouchers.
McCain sums it up for him: “So because there aren’t enough vouchers we shouldn’t have any even if they work. Got it.”
Obama claims that DC superintendent only supports charter schools, not vouchers. McCain corrects him. Obama sticks to his claim.
Obama is wrong. McCain is right. More here.
Obama: Out-of-touch with minority families demanding choice in D.C.
Debate wrap-up here.
***
11:09pm Eastern Hillary is on Fox News (!) praising Obama through gritted teeth. She says that Joe the Plumber will be “appreciably more positively impacted” by Obama’s policies vs. McCain’s.
“Appreciably more positively impacted?”
And they call Sarah Palin inarticulate…
See what others have said
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Blink some more, John! Get him!
ok, John, mop the floor with him about your v.p. choices
Seriously, BHO is showing some body language that even O’Reilly’s body language expert can’t spin!
Good question: Why would your VP be a better POTUS than his VP?
Biden: because he’s a Washington insider and his dad lost his job?
Huh?
Biden’s foreign policy credentials?!?!?
Pounce on “drove Hezbolla out of Lebanon” !
Biden fighting for the little guy? Please…what a joke.
but forgettin that his favorite hometown restaurant closed 21 years ago!
Joe Biden is a pompous jerk ask his neighbors…
Voted against the Alaska Pipeline
Biden is a schmuck!
What is he talking about? Biden?
He couldn’t win dogcatcher.
Joe Biden’s consistantly being on the wrong side of EVERYTHING!
“investing in the American people”… especially the ones that want all free money
Oh the violence against women’s act which the SCOTUS struck down.
Brng up Biden’s 2M$ from his campaign to his family.
Is Obama capable of making more than 3 statements without inserting something about blaming Bush in at least 2 of them?
“…after 8 years of failed policies…”
Man. He needs to give that a rest.
I can’t wait for McCain to sing Palin’s praises!
Didn’t know that! Wow…this could be good…awaiting McCain’s response.
Obama is avoiding attacking Palin. Interesting.
the bad thing is..and you all know it..BO will still win. The amount of voter fraud will swing the vote.
The voter registrations were a smoke screen in order to strain the election boards so they can’t catch the actual voter fraud! Mark my words!!
He always answers questions that aren’t asked about Ayers and never answers the questions that are.
If there are any psychologists out there, is there something to be made of the fact that Obama’s eyes went “deer in the headlights” when McCain mentioned ACORN?
How many votes did Biden get when he ran for President?
And today, the FBI stated that Justifiable Homicide is on the rise for the first time since 94.
Not that I disagree with a “shoot first” mentality
BTW, Great questions by the moderator!
BHO: “BOOOOSH IS EEEEVIL!”
It’s important that mcCain mentioned ACORN and Ayers because there are reasonably prudent people who haven’t heard about those issues. The MSM has tried to cover those issues up.
Now the MSM will have to mention them, and the reasonably prudent people can inquire about the issues and judge for themselves.
BO- tries to blame the education stuff on Reagan!!
You have to admit, Biden does have one smooth forehead. That skin is tight, man!
Get on with it McCain on Palin. She is the best part of your campaign… please don’t use the word Maverick
Americans have gotten to know Sarah Palin, AND WE LOVE HER!!!
Gah. Get away from identity politics, John. Sarah is much better than that.
Palin is the better VP by far.
Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah!!
Saaaarrrrraaaaccuuuda!!!
Biten is a bigger blithering idiot than Schmobama
I like posting on this blog too much to write the words I use to describe Joe Biden…
Okay, okay – about the whole small business relief BS – look up what the SBA considers a small business – businesses that only make 250K aren’t even in the ballpark! I would bet less than 5% of SB only make 250K or less – so, YES! Obama WOULD raise taxes on 95% of small businesses.
Come on, Mac, tell it like it is!
Barry – Joe’s my buddy
Mav – Cuda is a maverick
the reason america will be better off under biden than palin is because joe fights for the little guy? We had a ny governor who also always thought of his little guy
Autism? WTF?
Yes Johnny!
What Obama didn’t mention about Biden:
Best.Assasination.Prevention.Ever.
“…freath of bresh air”…doh!
Other than that, Palin is so much better than Biden, and McCain had sold it…in spades.
Go Sarah Go!
Drill Baby Drill!
Not the specials needs, thing. He loses people with this. It’s honorable, it’s just, but the numbers work against you. Stop exploiting that poor child.
He didn’t use the word Maverick! Wonderful
She’s more qualified than you BO
Obama looks depressed.
Obama completely dodged the “is she qualified to be President” question.
Very interesting.
RIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCCOOOOOOOOOOO
Listen to him blasting special needs money.
WHAT THE HEY??? Asking in a debate if Palin is qualified?? Are you kidding me??
What about, is OBAMARX qualified??
MORON!!!
Rising autism is a result of 8 years of failed Bush policies.
Bailout for disabled children!
Answer the question Bo…. Is Sarah a qualified?
Increased autism is the result of 8 years of failed Bush policies…
Oh, he didn’t claim that?
Ha Ha! PkAmmoo, that Coulter line was hilarious.
Ugh. The VP candidates are NOT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT. Another BS question.
Mac has to hit Barry with his wife’s comment on “For the first time…I’m really proud of my country” before this debate ends.
OOOOH, smackdown at the B-HO M-Ho
motel room tonite!!!
OH NO YOU DIN’T!!!!!
Don’t go home tonite, B-HO!!
On second thought, yeah, go home to that sweet thang- she’d never go Hillary on yo’ *ss!!!!
I’m dying here. Who is this clown moderating, besides an IDIOT, I mean…? “Is she qualified?” DUH! Look at who you are asking this of!
BO went low, he’s pulling out the spending freeze and saying that funding will stop for children.
Cockamamie!
HAHA
If I hear Obama say he was 8 years old when his buddy was trying to destroy the country I will puke.
Okay.. who is tongue tied the worst here? Uh.. it.. uh… uhhhhhh… ya.. uh.. but.. ?
Autism is a serious issue for children and their families.
Obama agrees….I would have gone thru a 6 pack if I was drinking tonight!
Thank you, McCain, for praising Sarah so well.
And for saying that Biden has been so wrong for so long – dividing Iraq into three pieces!
Nope… Biden’s not ready.
Uh, Uh, uh, um, uh, uh, now we slap Biden… go gonads.
Strong, needs to be stronger on Cuda.
Special needs- good.
McCain needs to draw women in this debate- good answer.
BHO- Special needs kids: funding, funding, funding, scalpel!
WTH does that imply?
Come on – is Bob trying to suggest that something is definitely going to happen to Mac and send Palin to the Big House?
If I hear Obama say he was 8 years old when his buddy was trying to destroy the country again I will puke.
Cockamamie?
So far, so good for McCain…where was this last time???
AHHHHH HAHHAHAAAAAAHHAHAA. Don’t need to spend more! AHAHHAAAHAHAHAAAAHAHAAA
Obama is coming off as a jerk everytime is does that big smug grin.
McCain talking about reallocation of money instead of new money….Go Johnny Go!
Mac nailing Biden’s bad policies … and BO’s cost increases … good job …
Yessss!!! Why do we always have to spend more?
Because he wants to spreat the wealth.
FINALLY! McCain is sending a message people WANT to hear.
CLIMATE CHANGE!
spread
Climate control? LOL
McCain answered the question the way Obama was afraid to, McCain is saying why Bden was “wrong.” Obama couldn’t bring himself to say what he honestly felt about Palin.
Oh no, here comes the global warming question.
McCain attacks, and they switch the subject. WTF???
Climate control?
Barry – Let the American people decide about Palin
Mav – Biden has been wrong about foreign policy
I have an autistic child and we don’t need more money…..but FOCUS
CLIMATE CHANGE!
Mod cuts off McCain.
oi
they want to talk about climate change. prove climate change 1st
Is Bo getting hints from the audience? What was that little nod and point?
Bathroom break, here comes “climate change”…
A specific number?? What a doofus question!
hows Scheiffer doing? I missed the first 30 minutes
Don’t correct him on the lies of climate change john, ugh, the glaciers at the north pole are growing now.
Better than nothing, Michelle!
Climate Control ????? Maybe Biden knows where the thermostats are in his favorite Home Depot!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha !
Way to set him straight, Mac!
Oh! GOD! Not the climate change.
“Autism is a serious issue for children and their families”.
Not as serious as having a full blow Commie as POTUS!