McCain wants to change DC, Obama wants to change America!

2nd Summary – I need to add the scariest comment came from Obama, who wanted the government to fire executives he disagrees with. This is not the USSR dude.

The focus groups bothered me too.  They did not hear what they wanted to hear, and it dawned on me they did not hear about the magic bullet! It was very depressing to realize these people think DC kowtows to their smallest whims and has all these magic wands to grant everyone’s wishes. That was worrisome.

Summary – I give this one hands down to McCain. Obama kept trying jam talking points into answers with little to no relationship to the question. McCain answered questions directly. Obama looked weak on national security, McCain dominated, especially on Pakistan and invading that ally.

New drinking discovered – have a shot when Obama says “biggest challenge facing our nation” or something to that effect. – end summary

I think tonight I will write less and listen more (at least I say that now!). I may try to do the round by round scoring, but at a much higher level.  Folks, feel free to have at it in the comments section. Now, onto the debate!

9:09 PM Eastern: Question 1: US and Global Economy – What is the fastest solution to bailout seniors and retirees out.

Obama: Worst crisis since Great Depression, worried about (you name it). Final verdict on failed economic policies of Bush-McCain. Bad move, finger pointing. His plan, oversight, cracking down on CEOs, babbling about AIG, fire execs.  Obama is dodging the questions, policy babbling and finger pointing. No answer to the quick fix.

McCain: Alan, Thank you. You go to the heart of America. Our job to fix the problem. Start with energy independence. Keep taxes low. Stop the spending spree (not answering the question either). Problem is so severe we have to do something about home values and retirees. Goes to Alan and tells him his answer about helping senior citizens keep their homes.

Round 1: McCain – he is talking to the people, answering the question.

Bonus to McCain – problem is corruption and cronyism (points at Obama)!

Babbling Obama – tax cuts to help retire???

9:18 PM Eastern: Question: What will help those out having a rough time now.

McCain: Greed and Excess in DC and on Wall Street hurt Main Street.  He tried to protect the tax payers. The real catalyst was Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. With Obama’s cronies pushed these folks into greedy predatory loans. We tried to stop the practice. We need to go out into the housing market and stabilize homes. Obama took a hike.

Obama: What is in the rescue package for you. Credit frozen, free up capitol will save jobs and make paychecks. He is start to miss his teleprompter. 2 Years ago Obama wrote letters (no bill) on the financial markets.  Tries to paint McCain – not working (IMHO).

Round 2: Tie

Bonus round: Obama says economy will not get worse before it gets better

McCain: If we act effectively we can stabilize the markets. Get rid of cronyism. Applauds workers (Americans). Give them a chance to succeed.

9:27 PM Eastern: Q: How can we trust either of you since both parties brought this on us.

Obama: Tries to blame Bush (forgets 9-11). Finger pointing again. McCain supported GOP Budgets (duh). We need to reform healthcare, reform energy, invest in college, $$$$.  Spending cuts (where???).

McCain: Understand why you feel that way. DC is broken. I have been fighting this for years. We need bipartisanship to solve this. It is as much record and rhetoric. Go to the watchdog groups and find information on us. Obama has the most liberal big spending record in the senate. I have fought earmarks. Voted for increases and earmarks. Look at the records.

Round 3: McCain

Bonus round McCain: Healthcare, energy, entitlement (priorities) We can work all 3 at once. Present day workers cannot rely on present day retiree levels. Build nuclear power and create jobs and independence. Everyone is struggling, get affordable premiums, etc.

Obama: We are going to have to prioritize – energy top (different from his answer in the first debate!), JFK going to the Moon means we can do it (LOL! JFK spent a ton of money doing it), healthcare next.

Tie on the bonus round, still McCain still takes round.

9:36 PM Eastern: Since WW II we have not sacrificed, what will you ask us to sacrifice?

McCain: I will ask to sacrifice bloated and failed programs. We can look at defense (as he has done). Earmarks need to be eliminated (like Obama’s $3M overhead projector). We will have to freeze everything outside entitlements, defense and veterans. We can do more if we work together. I am not going to say the person without health insurance to wait.

Obama: Goes to 9-11 (why, I have no clue, sounds like a rehearsed speech). We came together then, but one of the opportunities we missed was to bring us together to …. ??? Dude is babbling again. Offshore oil (what does this mean about sacrifice). We can save energy (Hey Inflate your tires – that’s our sacrifice). Weatherize your home, that is a sacrifice. Go into the peace corps… What is this man talking about???

Round: McCain big time.

Bonus Round: Obama – consumer excess – starts with DC (LOL!, right – from the most liberal spending senator in the Senate??).  Share the burden (redistribute the wealth)!  Most Americans don’t buy this.

McCain: Obama wants to raise taxes. We have lost 700,000 jobs, but 300,000 jobs were created by small businesses. Obama wants to tax 50% of small businesses, which will lose jobs. Obama promised to step away from tax hikes if economy was bad (senator – its bad). No tax raises.

9:42 PM Eastern: Q: Runaway entitlement spending will bankrupt the budget (will we take on SS on date certain).

Obama: Maybe?? What did he say? Going back to taxes because he couldn’t an bonus answer in. Babbling tax policy again. BS Alert, only a few % make more than $250K a year? That is a bunch a crap. Thousands or billions or CEOs or … Obama is babbling again. They said this was his worst format. Someone get the man a telemprompter.

McCain: I will answer the question. Not hard to fix Social Security, just tough politically. Bipartisanship can make progress. Medicare, much tougher, complex issues. Get a commission – take it out of politics and simply ask Congress to vote. Too much special interest and influence. With Congress low in the polls this sounds great. Obama promised tax cuts, fought them.

Round: McCain (at least he was speaking English)

9:48 PM Eastern: How fast can we deal with Green Jobs and Environment

McCain: I have been trying to bring up climate change. The fast answer: nuclear power. Clean and creates jobs (dead on BTW). Explore clean  energy and create jobs around those areas.

Obama: Biggest challenge of our times (new drinking game, how many times does Obama call the subject one of the biggest challenges of our time). Just like the computer was invented by government scientists to communicate?? I think he meant the internet, and we all know Al Gore invented in the Senate. Voted 23 times against alternative fuels (but promotes nuclear power). Anyone with 2 IQ points to rub together can see that was a bungled diversion. Cannot drill out of our problem (can inflate our tires out though!).

Brokaw chastises Obama for filibustering.

Round: McCain

McCain: That bill Obama said I voted against was laden down with goodies for the oil industry and was backed by Bush and Cheney. Guess who voted for it! He (Obama) did!

Bonus round to McCain.

9:55 PM Eastern: Q Healthcare a Commodity?

Obama: Not answering the question. But he is back to technology again and electronic records. He seems totally lost now. Trying to cram in talking points, not connecting to the people or answering the question. 

(BTW, everyone is now not listening to O-Bomba but looking at the timing lights!)

McCain: Obama talks about government doing this and doing that. If you don’t have health care or provide health care Obama wants to fine you (not help you). Allow people to go across state lines to get the best plan. He is back on his complicated health care plan (lost me too).

Round: Tie, leaning McCain (because Obama just isn’t on the subject)

BS Alert: Obama claimed children are cheap to insure – unless you have a special needs child! That was dumb! Round goes to McCain.

10:08 PM Eastern: How will economic stress act as a peacemaker in the world.

McCain: Strong military requires a strong economy. America is greatest force for good. We have shed blood in every corner of the world. Challenge to know when we can positively effect the outcome, when it is worth our investment. That can only be answered with experience. Obama was wrong on Iraq and Russia, we don’t have time for on the job training.

Obama: McCain suggested I don’t understand. Obama doesn’t understand why we went into Iraq. McCain he suggested it would be quick and easy (that was not McCain). Wars have put a strain on our budgets (duh, maybe now Obama understands the deficit?). Iraq owes us money for our efforts. We don’t have the resources or allies to deal with Darfur.

Round: Tie, leaning McCain.

Bonus round: What about using forces for humanitarian vs national security.

Obama:  We have moral obligations. We could have stopped the Holocaust, we should stop Rawanda. So, Iraqis were not humanitarian enough, but Africa is???? No fly zone in Darfur (no warplanes in Darfur!!! Another BS alert).

McCain: Running from Iraq would have made the world more dangerous. Obama would bring out troops home in defeat, I will bring them home in victory. We need to deal with moral problems, but we need to understand our limits (e.g., Somalia).

Round: McCain

10:16 PM Eastern: Should we pursue our enemies into Pakistan like we did with Cambodia (you know – VIETNAM!).

Obama: We made mistakes in Afghanistan and let Obama get free. That is the central focus of the war on terror. We need to move our troops from Iraq to Afghanistan. We need to change our policy to Pakistan. Push for democracy in Pakistan (been done). We have to act take out al-Qaeda in Pakistan.

McCain: Walk softly and carry a big stick (Teddy Roosevelt). Obama talks loudly. When you need a country’s alliance you don’t threaten them with invasion. It has resulted in anger in Pakistan. We walked away from Afghanistan after the Russians left, now we are fixing that mistake. Petreaus is working to get the SUPPORT of the people to turn against Taliban and al-Qaeda – not threatening them.

Round: McCain big time

Obama follow-up: I want to be clear what I said – if Pakistan is unable or unwilling to take out Bin Laden we will do it (which of course is not? invading our ally). Note to Obama, Hussien’s Iraq, Iran and North Korea are NOT our allies like Pakistan.

McCain:  I was joking with a veteran about Iran – not policy. Senator Obama said he would invade (or attack) Pakistan. We have differences on how to use military force.

Round: McCain

10:24 PM Eastern: Q: How can we pressure Russia without a Cold War

McCain; A cold war is not likely. A belligerent russia is rising due to petrol dollars. Putin has turned out as McCain predicted a long time ago.  Need to support Georgia and Ukraine and get them into NATO. There needs to be repercussions for Russian behavior. Explain to Russia these acts are not acceptable.

Obama: Resurgence of Russia is a key issue. Obama is babbling – and giving our money away to former Soviet States??? He is babbling again about Russia peacekeepers.  Good thing this is almost over, Obama is becoming incoherent.

Round; McCain – easily

Bonus Round: Evil Empire Under Putin? Yes or No

Obama: Both or neither

McCain: Maybe, depends on our response. Yes ignites cold war, No ignores their behavior.  Great answer.

10:30 PM Eastern: Q If Iran attacks Israel will you send troops or await the UN Security Council? (best question of the night)

McCain: I would not wait for the UN SC. China and Russia would be obstacles. We cannot let Iran get nukes. Senator Obama would negotiate without pre-conditions with people wishing to wipe Israel from the map. I think we can stop Iran with a united world front. We cannot allow another holocaust.

Obama: Cannot allow Iran nukes, it is a ‘game changer’. I will do everything required to prevent it. Will not take military action off the table. No UN SC veto will hold sway. Alternative energy will stop Iran’s nukes???? (talk about dumb – make them desperate will no work). Babbling again…. 

Round: McCain

10:34 PM Eastern: Dumb last question: what don’t you know and how will you learn it.

Obama; Here’s what I know. My grandparents raised me, my mom getting food stamps, blah, blah, blah. What Obama doesn’t know is how to answer a question. He is giving a summary speech.

McCain: What I don’t know is what we all don’t know, how things will play out. We will be talking about countries we don’t even know where to find on the map.

Round: McCain (not counting this round).

McCain wants to change DC, Obama wants to change America!

Tags: 2008 Election, 2nd Presidential Debate