McCain and Obama engage
The Diss at Ole Miss was a doozy.
Senators John McCain and Barack Obama, in their much-hyped first presidential debate, dispensed with the niceties to go after each other.
Obama dissed McCain by trying to tie him to the "shredding" of regulations that he said led to the Wall Street meltdown and reminding McCain that he said last week that the economy was fundamentally sound.
McCain criticized Obama for requesting $1 million in pork barrel spending for every day he has been in the Senate, calling earmarks a "gateway drug" to out-of-control spending and corruption.
Obama then said he had stopped requesting earmarks and said the total in earmarks pales in comparison to the additional tax cuts that McCain wants to give to the wealthy.
McCain replied that Obama didn't stop his requests until he started running for president, and proposes hundreds of millions of dollars in new spending.
Answering the first question on the Wall Street turmoil, Obama called it the worst crisis since the Great Depression. "We have to move swiftly and we have to move wisely," he said, repeating the principles he wants in the bailout package, including an oversight board, transparency, and limits on CEO pay.
He blamed the crisis on failed policies from the Bush administration, abetted by McCain.
McCain, after sending good wishes to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, said there is bipartisanship in Washington in trying to negotiate a deal. He repeated similar principles as Obama for the plan, and said, "We've got a lot of work to do."
It didn't take long for them to accuse each other of misrepresenting their records and proposals in the debate at the University of Mississippi .
To accusations that he's "wildly liberal," Obama said, "Mostly that's me opposing George Bush's wrong-headed policies."
While neither would say they entirely give up any of their proposals because of the cost of the bailout, McCain said he would be willing to consider a spending freeze for everything except defense, veterans' care, and entitlements.
Obama opposed a general spending freeze, saying that some programs, such as children's health care, are starved for cash.
Obama continued trying to tie McCain to the unpopular president, saying that McCain's pledges to control spending and help middle-class families after supporting Bush for eight years is "hard to swallow."
McCain replied that he had bucked the president on torture, Guantanamo Bay, and other issues. "The American people know me very well, independent, the maverick of the Senate," McCain said.
The first question on foreign policy, the scheduled focus, didn't come until more than a half hour into the debate.
Asked about the lessons of the Iraq war, McCain, whose strong suit is national security, said it was that a bad strategy will not lead to success.
Obama, who is trying to prove he is ready to be commander-in-chief, answered that he showed the right judgment from the start by opposing the invasion and calling for the focus to stay on al Qaeda and Afghanistan.
McCain accused Obama of being wrong on the success of the surge of 30,000 additional troops last year, and only recently acknowledging it worked.
Obama shot back that McCain was wrong about the initial invasion and what would happen. "You like to think the war began in 2007. It began in 2003," Obama said.
On Afghanistan, Obama said more troops -- two or three brigades -- are needed as soon as possible because the Taliban are "emboldened" in their attacks on US and coalition forces.
McCain agreed more troops are needed, but said they have to go in with the same counterinsurgency strategy that has worked in Iraq. He also criticized Obama for talking about strikes into Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan.
Obama said what he actually said was if al Qaeda leaders were located and Pakistan wouldn't act, the United States should.
He shot back that such criticism was curious coming from someone who threatened North Korea's extinction and who sang about bombing Iran.
McCain repeated his story of the mother of Matthew Stanley -- a Wolfeboro, N.H., soldier killed in Iraq in December 2006 -- who gave him a bracelet and urged him to make sure of victory in Iraq.
Obama, looking down at it, replied that he has a bracelet, too, given to him by a Wisconsin mother who asked that he make sure more mothers don't go through such heartbreak.
McCain and Obama also clashed over meeting with foreign leaders, how to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons, and other foreign policy issues.
Not surprisingly, both sides declared victory.
"There was one man who was presidential tonight, that man was John McCain. There was another who was political, that was Barack Obama. John McCain won this debate and controlled the dialogue throughout, whether it was the economy, taxes, spending, Iraq or Iran. There was a leadership gap, a judgment gap, and a boldness gap on display tonight, a fact Barack Obama acknowledged when he said John McCain was right at least five times. Tonight's debate showed John McCain in command of the issues and presenting a clear agenda for America’s future," Jill Hazelbaker, McCain's communications director, said in a statement.
“This was a clear victory for Barack Obama on John McCain’s home turf. Senator McCain offered nothing but more of the same failed Bush policies, and Barack Obama made a forceful case for change in our economy and our foreign policy. While Senator McCain wants to keep giving huge tax cuts to corporations and said nothing about the challenges Americans are facing in their daily lives, Barack Obama will be a fierce advocate for tax cuts for the middle class, affordable health care, and a new energy economy that creates millions of jobs. While foreign policy was supposed to be John McCain’s top issue, Barack Obama commanded that part of the debate with a clear call to responsibly end a misguided war in Iraq so that we can finish the fight against al Qaeda in Afghanistan. John McCain needed a game-changer tonight, and by any measure he didn’t get it,” said Obama-Biden campaign manager David Plouffe.
One-time rival Hillary Clinton added her props: “Tonight Barack Obama displayed beyond a doubt that he understands both the gravity of the financial crisis facing America, and the challenges we face in Iraq and around the world. Senator McCain offered only more of the same failed policies of the Bush Administration. America deserves better. I stood next to Barack Obama in 22 debates and tonight epitomized why millions are joining me in standing with him and working hard to ensure he is the next President of the United States.”
The McCain campaign already has produced a web video targeting the several times Obama said he agreed with McCain.
The face-off was the first of three scheduled debates.
The second is a town hall Oct. 7 at Belmont University in Nashville, and the third is on domestic policy Oct. 15 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.
I'm not a republican but I like McCain's plug on Nuclear.
It is obvious to me that sen. McCain is more interested in feeding the pockets of the rich and wealthy than to help your average person like myself. if he becomes pesident we can look forward to another four years of debt.
McCain is eating Obama alive.
OBAMA WON don't kid yourself. he's head and shoulders above mccain .
Have you Bushpublicans ever heard or looked at what will it take to resolve the issues with Iran, Afganistan, Pakinstan and anyone else involved in the comentary.
Obama is winning the debate
WHY CAN'T THEY JUST STATE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO AS PRESIDENT TO BETTER THE USA ! IF THEY EACH STATE WHAT THEIR PLAN IS , ONE AT A TIME, AND STOP THIS I DID THIS AND I DID THAT !!! IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT THEY DID , IT'S ABOUT WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO FOR THE COUNTRY TO MAKE IT BETTER AND MAKE PEACE, MOST INPORTANT PROTECT OUR COUNTRY, KEEP AMERICA STRONG !!! sTICK TO THE FACTS !!!!
wow, now we know who is ready to be president on day one. Nobody knows his stuff like John McCain. My god, it was embarrassing for Obama. Wow wow wow.
9:28, 9:50, 10:18 and again at 10:22....a small white ball of spittle
appears on Barack Obama's lower lip, and you want this guy to be our next President? EWWWW YUCK!!! Just an observation.
what about Mcain's answers you bias rag.......
I loved when McCain said he wasn’t voted Miss Congeniality in the Senate. I guess that explains why he chose Ms Palin to make up for this deficiency. She was voted Miss Congeniality.
For the Obama haters.. you have to admit that Obama held his own. I happen to think that Obama won this debate outright. McCain seemed scared and could only speak with anecdotes and baloney stories that we've been hearing from him for the past 4 months. I was very disapointed in McCain. I thought he would have done better especially with the main topic being foriegn policy. Oh well.....
McCain spent most of his time promoting himself and inaccurately stating Obama's stated positions, stated during the debate. McCain often didn't answer the questions and insisted in not being compliant to Leher's position as moderator. McCain conveyed an isolationist mentality for the U.S. differentiated by Obama's global awareness.
McCain seems to perceive leadership out of the US status in the world of several decades ago. We do not have the same global impact as we did in the 20th Century.
Obama showed a wider perspective than McCain regarding the war in the Middle East. Obama said don't go to Iraq to begin with and don't take your eyes off of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Obama would also be a stronger leader for alternative energy and reasonable health care. McCain is off track regarding tax cuts to the wealthy, past deregulation, and how to stimulate the economy.
For the Obama haters.. you have to admit that Obama held his own. I happen to think that Obama won this debate outright. McCain seemed scared and could only speak with anecdotes and baloney stories that we've been hearing from him for the past 4 months. I was very disapointed in McCain. I thought he would have done better especially with the main topic being foriegn policy. Oh well.....
Obama was a clear winner. Sharp, crisp, factual, and endearing. He will ensure that the US is not a falling star but a world leader.
McCain looked confused and told rambling stories, frequently repeating himself (I went there..., this is the important point..., Obama doen't get it...when Obama clearly does get it, he just doesn't agree with McCain or Bush; Obama stayed on topic and had facts to present with his arguments.
McCain just lost my vote completely.
Obama was presidential, on point and gave specifics.
McCain was not even awake at first, was snide, negative and rude.
He is supposed to be strong on foreign affairs but was just stuck in the past.
Independents for Obama08
You republicans are still brainwahed in thinking that a republican for president will help YOU and this country...When Clinton was President there WAS 600 Billion dollars in our budget.... With people like Bush in office, over 600 Billion dollars in a deficit... We have President Bush to thank for being in this ecomnomic upheaval being compared to the Great Depression. You vote for Mccain you are asking for another 4 years of hell.. go seek help for being so brainswashed by BS. Obama did way better than McCain on all issues!
Nothing kills your campain more than bad mouthing your opponent like Mccain does to Obama throughout majority of his campaign and debates leading to neglecting, disregarding and dancing around the issues. McCain continues to do this and continues to come off looking like a babbling fool. Most of his gibberish was self indulging. Obama IS the most direct and sincere in response speaker I have ever heard... Obama should win or we are in for 4 more years of crisis.
Paul,
Both of the candidates do have web sites that fully explain their policies. I get very frustrated during these debates as well, but you have to understand that neither candidate can actually explain soup to nuts their entire stance on even one policy in this kind of forum... no one would be listening 5 minutes into it. Like I said, both websites have a tremendous amount of information and cut through a lot of the BS.
Frankly, I am amazed anyone could vote for either man without doing their homework and reading up completely on the candidate that they are leaning towards as well as the opponent. It concerns me when people vote without having the information. There is no excuse, the information is fully available for anyone who actually wants to get it. For what it is worth, I also recommend a reputable fact checking web site like factcheck.org I get emails almost daily about misrepresentations from both campaigns as well as responses when I have submitted questions about particular claims.
McCain won hands down. Obama looked weak, babbling, and unpresidential.
Obama definitely won the debate. McCain had a few good points, but he is mostly out of touch with reality. He is sticking to all the same. We NEED change. We NEED obama.
Can't wait to watch the next debate! Go Obama.
McCain is in love with general petareuts he said it like 30 times and what a good job hes done then petrasues should just run for president. but McCain seems a bit to caught up with the war and how he'll help his veterans and Iraq is the wrong war its afganistan
McCain't wants to win the Vietnam War. He's a dangerous, senile, cancer ridden, PTSD sufferer whose wealthy enough to enjoy a nice retirement. And he will soon.
Obama cares more about our "image" as a country then anything else.... It is totally clear that Obama has not Idea about FP! Obama should have his own talk show, He likes to hear the sound of his own voice and will agree with whatever you say in order to make you like him. It is clear Obama is not ready to lead this country....."Sen. McCain is absoluately Correct" - Sen. Obama
Actually Obama made me sick to my stomach. I was kinda up in the air about where my vote was going. Well... Not any longer.. To me it was sickening the way he went on and on without really answering the questions put to him. He repeatedly accused McCain as well as Bush with the horrendous mistakes Bush has made.It was really pissing me off when Obama kept interrupting McCain repeatedly. My impression was Obama was really stretching it tonight. NO WAY Obama needs to be President. He has definitely lost my vote!
McCain was "not voted Miss Congeniality" not because he's a 'Maverick' (you can't side with an incompetent president 90% of the time and be a Maverick). He was "not voted Miss Congeniality" because he's a jerk who has a habit of losing his temper and insulting the people who say things he dislikes. Even his wife when she made a remark about his hair thinning.
That doesn't make you a Maverick, it makes you an A-----e
To me, Senator McCain came across like Bob Dole-- all the meanness, but without Dole's wit
McCain took the kid down. Obama just isn't ready yet.
McCain still has my vote. Obama was somewhat childish in behavior when McCain would say something he didn't like, which just heightens the alarm that goes off in me about him. I question his and his wifes loyalty to the US, Americans, and our beliefs. And since entering politics he has had a team of experts counciling him on everything he knows nothing about. I think with a chance to become president with a agenda of my own I could probably learn enough over the past 3 years to hold a pretty good debate too! Smarten up Americans! I hope we are all listening and truly seeking the one with the experience and knowledge behind them to pull from when needed. With the shape the country is in now, we cannot afford to guess, or take a chance. I love America and Americans, I want the same for my children and grandchildren as well as a safe America for them to live in.
Respectfully
PS - Beware of wolves in sheeps clothing
As an Iraqi War Vet who went into Iraq in March-April 2003 (and yes we were indeed greeted by the majority of people as Liberators, the people threw flowers at us, I cried in my Goggles with my trigger finger on Semi, that is a fact!) I can clearly say I WOULD FOLLOW JOHN McCAIN INTO COMBAT ANYTIME, ANYWHERE!!! Watching Senator Obama makes me question his ability to lead. When you are part of an Infantry Battalion you look to strong and confident leadership. That inspires you to act. Clearly John McCain has it, Barrack Obama does not! McCain appears far more decisive and competent in foreign affairs as well, I thought he dominated that part of the debate. Senator Obama appears as though he wants to lecture us as a politician. McCain knows what he is doing and is a strong Commander in Chief. Obama, I don´t know? Would I want to follow him into combat? No. Oh and by the way Senator Obama..maybe you should know a little something about the differences between strategies and tactics, for us military guys that was a big swing and a miss at something you simply do not know. McCain took you to the whipping shed with that comment ha! ha! Incompetence in combat gets people killed.
Senator Obama would probably serve America better in the Senate, get some more experience, then run again, he has great potential in due time. Interestingly enough I think Joe Bidden and Barrack Obama should switch positions. Bidden is closer to being ready to become President. Everyone is bashing Palin for her lack of experience but she is only running for VP not President.
The country would clearly be in better hands with either McCain or Obama. Both are capable. What worries me is that Palin is clearly not up to the job. Interviews with her have convinced me that she, like Bush, does not have the capacity to manage the job. If McCain's health fails, the country will be back where it is now, with someone at the helm who doesn't know the sea well enough to keep us from sinking in a storm. I'm leaning toward Obama.
McCain patched together the 5 or 6 things he's memorized and uses at every speech, starting with "my friends". He makes Bush look like a genius.
In a few weeks we will make a choice that will decide our future.
I follow an economist named Bob Proctor. He has called the top and bottom of every market crash since the 70s correctly.
Also, he perfectly predicted the current real estate market meltdown and the picture he paints about what will happen in the next couple years
is terrifying.He thinks it will be worse then the great depression.
The banks in the U.S. are going under one after the other. Countrywide the largest morgage bank in the world,Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch which are 3 out of the top 5 wall street firms. Also, Fanny and Freddy Mae which hold 50 percent of the home loans in the United States.
The government took them over because they are essentially bankrupt.If they didn't the entire financially system would virtually shut down, the stock market would crash and we would suffer beyond what any of us have seen before.
McCain just like Bush " doesn't understand the economy".
That not just my opinion its his own words. Not only does he not understand how to fix it but he does not understand exactly what is broken.
It is no surprise that he doesn't. The people that make up these securities use complex mathematical models very few people understand.
Bush and McCain both can take the credit for this mess since they helped deregulate the laws that were protecting us.
Bush's economic advisor Phil Graham wrote the deregulation bill that allowed banks to take huge risks with all of our future.
Now, Phil Graham is the head of McCain's economic policy.He is also McCain's choice for the next secretary of the treasury.
No one in this country can afford for that to happen. The last time Bush met with his economic advisors was in March. He either didn't care or didn't realize that anything was wrong. Phil Graham had the guts to say that we are in a mental recession after he helped create the worst economy meltdown in our lifetime.
It will take the best and brightest minds in the world to get us out of this nightmare. As bad as Bush has done, McCain would be
even more destructive because things are in much worse shape. The next president will not inherit a surplus like Bush did but a tanking economy and a 11,600,000,000,000 (trillion) dollars deficit. Most of it Bush created and it will take decades to pay it back.
If you do what you have always done then you will get what you have always got.
When it comes to policy Bush and McCain are the same 90 percent of the time.
So why are the polls even close then ?
The chairman of McCains campaign recently said that people don't vote on issues they vote on a personality composite. Which means he is trying to sell you personality instead of results.
He believes people will vote against their own interests.
Let's teach him we are smarter than that .
Hold them accountable NOW! while it will still help.
Elect Obama Biden 2008
I would objectively call it a draw. Neither one scored a knock out punch, and frankly, it was a little boring. There were few good sound bytes, and even less specifics.
Senator Obama did not look like a he was in control, and rather looked defensive. Senator McCain looked a little tired and spoke about his record and experience too much. You can't distinguish yourself apart from the Washington inner circle, and talk about you thirty years IN it at the same time.
I would objectively call it a draw. Neither one scored a knock out punch, and frankly, it was a little boring. There were few good sound bytes, and even less specifics.
Senator Obama did not look like a he was in control, and rather looked defensive. Senator McCain looked a little tired and spoke about his record and experience too much. You can't distinguish yourself apart from the Washington inner circle, and talk about you thirty years IN it at the same time.
China owns us. When are we going to stop sending them our money?
50 years ago the Chinese said that they would destroy the minds of our young with drugs and eventually take this country from us.
Nobody seems to care that they carry 37 % of our credit card debt, finance the war in Iraq for us,since we can't afford it, we let the idiot business owners of America flood our market with trash goods made in china for pennies, while everybody goes unemloyed and broke.
I liked what Obama had to say, and how he said it. I thought both candidates danced around the questions a bit, but I suppose that's to be expected.
McCain says he's going to change Washington, despite having been part of it all these years. And maybe he's sincere. But I was floored when he tried to put the failures of the Bush presidency on Obama's shoulders.
I'll be voting for Obama.
I agree that with either one of them that we will be better off than with the highly functioning moron that is in there now. This debate on foreign policy is meaningless in light of the economic situation. People are going to vote on their wallet, not foreign policy. See 1992. It's the economy stupid!
I don't think either of these guys is up to the task! We are in big trouble. The middle class is the glue that holds it all together. The middle class is going down for the count. Buy gold and get a wagon to haul your dollars around in. WARNING: Watch WellsFargo. If WF goes, IT IS REALLY OVER!!!!!!!!!
Hey William, how do you feel about the fact that the Secretary of the Army and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs told the President and the Senate they needed 400,000 troops in the attack so they could occupy and secure the country? Your bud McCain and Prez Bush chose to ignore them. We went in without enough troops, bypassed the arms stockpiles which were the basis of the insurgence that came. If the listened to what they were told by the military we wouldn’t be in this hole.
What did they do to the secretary of the Army who was right? They fired him.
This administration has totally ignored the senior leadership in the military.
happy
Mcain cant be president we need obama goooo obama
The most telling moment of the night;
Sen McCain was speaking about the bracelet he wears and the mantle of responsibility that brings to care for our men and women in uniform.
Obama had to childishly interrupt with "ooh, ooh, I have a bracelet too, teacher!!". Then, he had to stall and stutter while he looked down and READ the name of the soldier, Ryan Jopek. I had tears from anger when he did that.
That said everything. It spoke volumes about the contempt Obama has for our men and women in uniform -- that they are nothing more than talking points to be exploited when the cameras are rolling, and forggotten when the llights are turned fof.
Obama does not deserve to be Commander in Chief. As a blue star mother and spouse, I was offended by his actions tonight. I highly doubt milions of others in "flyover country:" bitterly clinging to their guns and bibles missed it eiether.
John McCain was very proud of his nickname tonight. I have a few more.........MC Angry, or how about a real old one;
SONGBIRD........look it up........he loves his history, but he seems to have rewritten it.....
I am confused; John McCain centered the debate on his experience, how he has so much more than Obama. John McCain is 72 years old. The aaverage age that a man lives to is 73. Now, if he dies, Sarah
Palin will take over. Why does his experience mean so much, but when it comes to Sarah, experience doesn't matter to him? I cannot wait until the veep debate!!! I wonder if Joe will depend upon the fact that he has experience, to make his points.
McCain held his own last night, he just didn't have any of the answers America needs at this critical time. McCain and Palin have been consitently, inconsistent. I felt Obama had control, composure and integrity we have lacked for 8 years now. McCain has been part of this mess for 26 years, he helped create the mess we have now, why keep going down that road? "Insanity" = keep doing the same thing and expect a different outcome".
Bush, McCain can run. But they cant hide anymore.
What ever congress does to try and fix our stunning economic catastrophe needs to be done very carefully. Congress needs to take their time, and be sure of what they are doing. Whatever is done needs to be sharply focused at helping, and protecting the best interest of the ordinary Americans. In particular the vast American middle class. 700 billion dollars is a lot of the peoples money to spend to bail out a bunch of corrupt Bush loan sharks.
My fellow human beings, just as I warned you ahead of this catastrophic economic meltdown, I must now warn you that what is ahead has the potential to be even more catastrophic than what we are going through now. The worlds geopolitical landscape has been booby trapped by the Bush McCain administration and their republican allies in congress. These booby traps are poised to spring at any time.
Fortunately the Worlds Nations have been blessed with many excellent leaders (except the US) who have been careful, wise, strong, and self-restrained in dealing with the provocations, and antagonism's of the Bush, McCain administration.
Barack Obama and the democrats are your best hope now. Tell your family, friends, and everyone you know to support them as best you can, and vote for them like your life, and the lives of your loved ones depends on it. Because it does. You will not survive 4 more years of Bush McCain.
JACK SMITH - WORKING CLASS...
you all are wrong. OBAMA positively won this debate, and he will win the rest.
OBAMA 08
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