Tonight, Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama squared off in what could have been a game changer.
Here’s the recap:
Set in Mississippi, this debate would have been an ideal time for Senator McCain to reveal Obama’s blackness, but he did not. Obama himself arrived in full ethnic attire of dark skin and dark hair and a nice suit. Senator McCain was dressed similarly. I expected Obama to be in full African tribal dress and McCain in a kilt, but I was disappointed by the fully American appearance of both candidates.
McCain came out and looked unfriendly. He didn’t greet Obama warmly. That set up the night’s pattern. Throughout the evening, McCain called Senator Obama ‘Senator Obama’, and refused to look at him while speaking. Obama, on the other hand and after some goading by Jim Lehrer, called Senator McCain ‘John’ and spoke directly to him.
Obama opened by bringing up CEO salaries and golden parachutes which was so appropriate at this time. He also tied McCain to Bush and brought up John’s thoughts about the fundamentals of the economy being strong. That was a nice touch.
McCain then mentioned that he’s bi…partisan. He also brought up his silly trip to Washington. Then he said that this bailout is only the end of the beginning of the crisis. Quoting Winston Churchill out of context only wins debate points with me, Jim Lehrer, and the two Senators.
Senator Obama then says that it was the Republicans who shredded the regulations and got us into this mess. In response, McCain talks about Normandy and General Eisenhower. How very McCainian. It’s all about war. He adds that greed and corruption are rewarded on Wall Street. He’s absolutely correct, and his hero Ronald Reagan was the poster child for that greed and corruption.
Obama again mentions John’s saying that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. To be fair, there’s a difference between economic fundamentals and the well-being of the people. That’s the problem with US capitalism. There’s a disconnect between economic metrics and the actual health of American lives. To the Republicans, the issue that matters is the economic metrics. The reality is, it’s what Grandma is feeling that matters.
Then Barack adds that there’s an economic crisis that needs to be attended to even when the powerful aren’t the ones in trouble. McCain counters that the best days are ahead. He’s right. If McCain is elected, Wall Street thieves will be richly rewarded.
As we move onto other matters, McCain says that he wants to control spending. He blames earmarks for corruption and putting his colleagues in jail. There is no relationship between corruption and earmarks. Earmarks are what every lawmaker is expected to bring home to their constituents. That’s why we send them to Washington.
The douchebags argue back and forth languidly about whose billions are more important. What it boils down to is that McCain wants to cut taxes on the wealthy and Obama wants to cut taxes for all but the wealthy. McCain again repeats that earmarks corrupt people. What a strange thing to say. Certainly the local people who want the bridge or road or community center don’t feel like they’ve been corrupted.
McCain won’t look at Obama while he speaks, and he repeats the old Republican threat that if we don’t lower taxes on corporations, they’ll move overseas. Clearly, he’s been coached by his advisor, Carly Fiorina. As the woman who single-handedly ran the venerable Hewlett-Packard corporation into the ground, and who has since said that none of the candidates could run a company, she inarguably deals out the greatest advice. But, she was also behind the great Lucent scam of 1996, so I have to give her some discredit for that, as well.
McCain says that people might be interested in Obama’s definition of rich. It’s interesting that Obama didn’t take the bait and bring up McCain’s definition of rich, which is people who make over $5,000,000 per year. Certainly, McCain had something planned, as the setup was too transparent even for an old guy.
They argue back and forth about who gives tax cuts and who raises taxes. People are naturally greedy, because it’s the simple position, and Republicans always argue that Democrats will raise your taxes. It’s not correct, but it works.
McCain says Obama has the most liberal voting record…I guess by somebody’s standards. Obama says that most of his votes were against the wrong-headed positions of the Bush administration.
When talking about cutting spending, McCain says he wants to cut ethanol subsidies. I couldn’t agree more. That is one point where Senator McCain and I see eye to eye, if I duck down about 8 inches. But, it seems as though McCain has given up on the farm belt. He’s already lost Iowa, and other corn-producing States are moving away from him. The corn-holing States are already Democratic strongholds.
McCain proposes a spending freeze to cut government spending. Obama says that’s a hatchet when they need a scalpel. McCain is simply more comfortable wielding a hatchet, but spending freezes are archaic and laughable in government. The panic and disarray resulting from a spending freeze would make a hatchet necessary just to defend one’s self.
When Senator McCain brings up Obama’s opposition to reprocessing nuclear fuel, he also slips in a note about working with Hillary Clinton. That was…maybe clever? It seemed more icky and contrived than anything else.
McCain says he doesn’t want health care turned over to the federal government. I hear that a lot from veterans I know personally, but I always think it’s ironic and inauthentic because their health care is completely socialized. If anyone else receives that kind of care, the Republicans refer to it as welfare. It is, in fact, welfare, as it provides for the welfare of the recipients, as it should for everyone.
Obama accuses McCain of voting for Bush’s spending and wonders why McCain would now fight spending. McCain counters that he’s not Miss Congeniality in the Senate. He seems to be reminding us that Sarah Palin was Miss Congeniality. He also says that he has a maverick partner now. Again, I assume that’s Governor Palin, as I can’t think of anyone more maver-icky than Miss Congeniality.
They move on to Iraq. As everyone knew he would, McCain bragged about his surge and Obama pointed out that the war was a mistake from the beginning and that Afghanistan should have been the target. Obama makes some excellent points. He points out that a lot of lives have been lost and money has been spent in Iraq, and that al Qaeda is resurgent while we borrow money from foreign governments to make our government function.
Obama reminds everyone that he has Senator Biden in his corner with his extensive foreign policy experience. He says that the troops have done a great job with a failed policy. That’s kinda wishy-washy, even if it’s true. He reminds McCain that McCain said this would be quick and easy. That’s a good shot at McCain’s lack of understanding of the world, but McCain then says that Obama doesn’t understand the difference between a tactic and a strategy. McCain repeated like 100 times that Obama didn’t understand. That phrase is tactless, infantile, and incorrect based on the night’s previous events, as Obama had already proven that he had great understanding of each issue the candidates discussed.
McCain brings up the goofy argument that Obama opposed funding for the troops. That’s one of those assertions based on silly Senate votes that all candidates like to bring up. It can make you look like you were for something before you were against it. Obama quickly corrects it, pointing out how those votes work. He also added that he does know the difference between a tactic and a strategy. That was a little childish. But, the American people like childish. If you seem intelligent and stable, that is represented in the media as being aloof, out of touch, and uncaring.
McCain says that Iraq is the central battleground of the global war on peace. He’s correct. The Bush/McCain policy has made Iraq the central battleground for the war on peace.
The two argue about Pakistan. Obama says that having four times as many troops in Iraq as in Afghanistan is a *strategic* mistake. It was good of him to enunciate ‘strategic’ so loudly and so clearly. McCain says Obama would launch strikes inside Pakistan. He adds that you don’t say that ‘out loud’, but you do what you need to do. I guess he’s implying that they agree that strikes inside of Pakistan should be carried out, but that you’re not supposed to say it out loud. If McCain is trying to say that he can get the cooperation of the Pakistani people, he’s clearly drunk. The people of Pakistan are far more likely to be enemies of the US than the Iraqis used to be.
Obama then clarifies what he actually said about Pakistan, which, of course, was nothing like what McCain said it was. That fit in nicely with the McCain campaign’s tendency to…just make up whatever is convenient. They didn’t develop this strategy; they just borrowed it from Bush/Cheney/Rove. Then Obama brought up McCain’s infamous ‘Bomb, bomb Iran’ song. It was a well-timed jab. I’m surprised McCain didn’t get mad. They must have doubled his medication.
McCain then pointed out his mixed record on the use of force. Sometimes he’s for it; sometimes he’s against it. Fascinating. He mentions how his love for Ronald Reagan is deep and abiding. He says that Pakistan was a failed state before Musharraf. Somehow, that must imply that he doesn’t think Pakistan was a failed state with Musharraf. Again, fascinating.
McCain says that he knows what it’s like to lose. Apparently he was in Vietnam, a prisoner or something? This is news to me. The news that he brings up as the answer to every question. We all know he was tortured. We all know that the administration he supports over 90% of the time is wildly pro-torture. Being tortured is not relevant experience for any job that I can think of, including the presidency. I know; I put it on my resume with very poor results.
They each brag about Bracelets o’ Death that they wear. I have a copper bracelet that Marcia gave me. It’s very nice.
Obama claims that John said that we could muddle through Afghanistan. So far so good. The entire Bush administration has been a study in muddling through.
As far as a nuclear-armed Iran goes, they seem to agree that’s a bad idea. McCain brings up his League of Democracies idea, which is the most reckless idea he’s brought up all night, as it leaves out China and Russia, as Obama wisely points out. What Senator Obama neglects to point out, however, is that it would lead to a world war. No question. It becomes us against them. That’s why a body like the UN, no matter how flawed, is vital to our security. It may boil down to us against them, but we all have a voice. If Senator McCain thinks we can name a group the League of Democracies, thereby putting it at odds with China and Russia by the very virtue of its nomenclature, and have anything but tragic results, he’s drunk.
They both kiss up to Israel, which, like kissing babies and the asses of religious fanatics is vital to winning a US election.
McCain wants painful sanctions on Iran, apparently ignoring the fact that when you hurt people, they come to hate you. He should know that better than anyone, since he still hates the gooks. Those are his words. Look it up.
Then they break into an argument about whether or not to talk to the leaders of countries we don’t agree with. They argue, almost semantically, about preconditions and preparation. It reminds me of the disagreement they had over the words strategy and tactic. It’s interesting that this is what we’ve come to. Obama maintains that preconditions are demands that we place on our adversaries before speaking to them. McCain seems to maintain that a lack of preconditions means sitting down with our adversaries without clarity as to what our position is.
McCain is a table pounder. Obama is a negotiator. Clearly, their tactics would differ.
Obama reminds McCain that his own advisor, Henry Kissinger recommends talking to Iran. McCain argues that he doesn’t mean that at a presidential level. Huh? It seems to be a sort of, “No, Senator Obama, you’re only partially correct.” argument. It isn’t particularly compelling, but then nothing tonight has been. These are obviously two men who are playing to not lose. Dare I say…conservative? Winners take risks, boys. Man up.
McCain takes on a spooky whispering voice and says that talking to people is dangerous. I think the old witch lady in the woods behind my village said something like that once. She had cloudy eyes. Governor Palin’s friend Pastor Muthee banished the witch from my village, and all the bars in town closed. Now I drink at home. It’s cheaper anyway, and I get less STD’s.
The discussion of Russia’s invasion of Georgia is predictable. McCain mentions that he knows the president of Georgia. It’s some unpronounceable word that would sound better coming from Obama’s mouth. Then McCain says Obama was a weenie for not calling for total nuclear annihilation of Russia for the incursion. Obama maintains that his response was similar to McCain’s, but worded more wisely.
Obama says we can’t look into Putin’s eyes and get a sense of his soul like George W. Bush claims to have done. McCain says he looked into Putin’s eyes and saw three letters, “K, G, and B.” He also adds that Obama ‘doesn’t understand’. The more he repeats that, the worse it sounds. It’s retarded.
Obama mentions that Russia is powerful because of petrodollars. He says we need alternative energy, including nuclear, and that McCain has voted 23 times against alternative energy. Again, I think that’s a Senate game of looking at voting records. Those dildo-heads vote and revote ad infinitum. The interesting thing is that Obama said we need nuclear energy, and nothing could be more reckless. It’s a dirty bomb waiting to happen. They’re unsafe, unguarded, and there’s nowhere to store the waste. It’s vital to national security to stop nuclear energy. Both candidates are wrong.
Are we safer now than before 9/11? Well, McCain says we are. Obama says we are, too, kinda. He worries about chemical sites, transit, and nuclear suitcases. If he and McCain would shut their yaps and think, they’d realize that the real hazard is our own fucking filthy, dangerous, archaic nuclear power plants.
Bizarrely, McCain claims that SDI, Ronald Reagan’s strange Star Wars scheme ended the cold war. The Soviet Union always had a weak economy and no infrastructure. Yes, they had, and Russia still has, a lot of missiles. They cannot now, nor could they ever fight a prolonged war. It turns out that the US can’t either. It’s no longer possible in the modern world to fight a prolonged war. It means bankruptcy and eventual retreat.
McCain again brings up the clever idea that Obama ‘doesn’t understand’. That is the phrase that lost the debate for McCain. Otherwise, it was basically an extremely boring draw with few blows landed on either side.
Obama starts wrapping it up by saying that Bush and McCain focused on Iraq and bin Laden was still at large. For good measure, he added that the Chinese are not only buying our debt, they are a substantial world presence, essentially spreading their influence while the US is tied up in the Bush/McCain war in Iraq.
McCain says Obama doesn’t have knowledge, experience, and judgment. Then he, incoherently, I think, tries to compare Obama to Bush? WTF? Obama had proved in the preceding 90 minutes that he has knowledge and judgment. Neither of them have experience. POTUS is a unique job. There is only one. Only George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter have the experience these candidates are looking for, presidential experience.
McCain adds that he loves vets and taking care of them will be his job. That somewhat limiting statement would seem to leave out a few hundred million of us who aren’t vets.
Obama says that his Dad wanted to come to the US in the 60’s because it was the place to be. Now, Obama claims that the standing of the US is not the same as it once was. Doubtless, that’s correct, but McCain and Palin could lower it even further.
McCain adds that he was in prison and he knows vets were treated badly. This is his singular obsession, and that’s completely understandable. However, the presidency is bigger than a military leader. I get the distinct impression that military matters and veteran affairs are the only things that matter to John McCain. That’s a frightening prospect. We have a ‘wartime president’ right now, and it’s not going so well.
In conclusion, there was much build up to what amounted to basically nothing. Obama appealed to his base. McCain appealed to his base. Obama probably said a few things that appealed to independents.
Both candidates accomplished the absolute minimum requirements to make it through the debate, and isn’t that the American way? Do as little as possible and just try to get by.
Obama appeared knowledgeable and didn’t back down. McCain didn’t look too old or crazy.
They met the minimum requirements.
The bar was set extremely low, and they both staggered over it.
If the bar is higher next time, they might have to limbo.
G’nite!
Tags: Biden, Bush, Cheney, Churchill, debate, democrat, earmark, economy, Iran, McCain, Obama, Palin, republican, Rove, Russia
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