We all have to agree that we didn't hear anything new from either of them. Here's my take on the debate:

Foreign policy:
McCain - B
Obama - C

Econony:
McCain - C
Obama - B

Overall, nothing's changed. No "go get 'em" moments last night. With 30+ days to go, there needs to be some moving and shaking. Especially on this $700 billion bailout thing. McCain may have scored some points by just showing up and Obama showed more confidence, I believe, in foreign relations knowledge. But still, nothing worth screaming about. - Og

 

Obama kept interrupting McCain? I think there was plenty of that from both sides. The debate looked like a draw to me, but I think McCain needed a big win. Obama did deflect when McCain tried the "87 billion dollar" tactic though. He did much better with false accusations than Kerry did in 2004. Not once did McCain say Obama's words were untrue, yet Obama said McCain's were, and proved it.

McCain's lie

MCCAIN: It was a stratagem. And that same strategy will be employed in Afghanistan by this great general. And Senator Obama, who after promising not to vote to cut off funds for the troops, did the incredible thing of voting to cut off the funds for the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What really happened

OBAMA: Jim, there are a whole bunch of things we have got to answer. First of all, let's talk about this troop funding issue because John always brings this up. Senator McCain cut -- Senator McCain opposed funding for troops in legislation that had a timetable, because he didn't believe in a timetable.

I opposed funding a mission that had no timetable, and was open- ended, giving a blank check to George Bush. We had a difference on the timetable. We didn't have a difference on whether or not we were going to be funding troops.

Personally, I thought (or hoped) we were past the Rovian tactic BS. I was surprised that when McCain brought up the earmark issue that Obama didn't bring Palin's earmarks, score one for McCain.

 

99% of the country is never going to change their mind about who they vote for in November. They either hate Obama or they hate McCain. No TV commercial or debate is going to change that. They should just have the election tomorrow and get this chit over with.

 

It's pretty clear that McCain won big last night.
I think we can all now agree that this election is over.
As a contingent of voters who all drive large trucks, our best contribution would be to avoid driving to the polls on election day, Wednesday Nov 5th. Thereby saving fuel for God, Country and our fellow citizens.

If don't want to take my advice and are determined to vote, at least desensitize yourself from all this political bable and avoid, print, radio and cable tv in the days leading up to that fateful Wednesday.

 

When has Palin ever been in a position to insert earmarks into legislation? I thought she was a mayor and a governor, which would put her in the position of actually receiving them, not putting them into bills.

 

Senator Hussein got his *** handed to him by John.

 

She Employed a Lobbying Firm to Push for the Earmarks she wanted.

The Earmark talk is Silly anyway. Yea, it can be wasteful, but Obama's right. It doesn't amount to much in comparison to the Big picture.

Earmarks total 18 Billion, We're getting ready to spend 700 Billion on a stupid Bail out Bill. 18 Billion is less than TWO months in Iraq.

I think McCain seriously thinks that if we get rid of the 18Billion in Ear Marks all our problems will be solved! He's just not in touch with the Big picture..

 

Yeah in one area, and that was foriegn relations experience. That so called "experience" doesn't look like it works very well to me.

Another thing IMO is that the average American doesn't care as much about foriegn policy and relations as much as they care about what's going on right here in America, and on election day the polls will show it.

There are more debates to come, btw.

 

I completely agree. What we have is fanboys of one or the other candidate and it's disheartening. To those that feel strongly about either one, their rose colored glasses only see them in that wonderful light and the other is basically the antichrist.

I see people making statements that one or the other was a clear winner. Come on people, they both danced around the issues and each had their points that were better than the other but it was so close neither did anything that we didnt already know, nor did they sway anyone. The point of debates is to sway those that are on the fence and that's it. IT's also the reason why they talk in circles and rarely address the real issues directly.

They dont want to say something way out there that will turn off a voter. But that's how 99% of people in office work so it's no surprise. Our government is so corrupt with all the lobbyists paying for legislation, they're the ones running the government, not the ones actually in office. If you want something done, start there.

On that note, how is lobbying even considered legal? I never understood how that's any different than buying a judge/police officer/insider trading, etc. You contribute millions to a candidates whatever fund and in return they vote for issues you are concerned with. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

I'm not convinced that he's out of touch with the big picture. Maybe it is a measly 18 billion, but he didn't say that that was going to "solve" everything.

I don't know how things work in your house but in mine, if there is a funding issue there has to be budget cuts. There isn't an option of increasing revenue. I can't just go to my employer and say that there are more things that I need and I'm going to need to be paid more, for doing the same job, so that I can afford more things. Our country should be looking at this the same way.



I wasn't all that impressed, or dissapointed, with either of them. I found it to ba a lack luster performance by both of them. It was short on specifics. I don't think that either got any real jabs on the other. I don't see how this debate is going to change anyones perception of the candidates.

I did hear Obama mention a lot of things that he wanted to do and I kept seeing $$$$$$$$$$$. If elected, he's going to have to go to his employer, us, and ask for more money. Unfortunately we aren't in the position that a typical employer is in. We HAVE to pony up. Like it or not. I'd rather cut the pork and work on value for our money.

 

So it's all right to waste a little on something that has nothing to do with the bill it's actually legislated for? That makes zero sense.

If congressman/women want to have money for a certain thing or program, push legislation for it and a vote on it like everyone else. I guarantee 99.99% of all earmarks would never be thought twice about if that were the case.

 

I was impressed when asked about saving money, McCain clearly stated that Defense Spending is currently our biggest obligation. He stated that this needed to be the main focus. He specifically referenced an aircraft that was to be built at a cost of $140 or $160 million (I can't remember which). The cost is now over $400 million and we are still not done. McCain specifically stated that we must get firm bids from contactors and hold them to it.
At $10 Billion per month on Defense, this is $120 billion per year. We are not going to eliminate this expense, but we can certainly reduce it. A 10% cut is $12 Billion per year, a 20% cut is $24 Billion per year, and a 30% cut is $36 Billion per year. If McCain is truthful, he has identified a HUGE potential spending reduction.
I thought Obama performed better than I personally expected. McCain did not perform as
well as I expected. However, I thought McCain provided more specifics than Obama.
When asked specifically where cuts needed to be made to cover the $700 Billion 'Bail Out', Obama spent a lot of time saying how we needed to look at a lot of things, we needed to remember that in a slowing economy tax revenues will be down, etc. etc. I did not hear him identify a target for any real spending reduction.
Finally, when asked about our future plans for Iraq, Obama spent a lot of time addressing why we should not be there in the first place. McCain called him out by saying that this is not a decision our next President needs to be concerned with.
Overall, I do not think anybody with a firm opinion has changed his mind.

 

i think the debate was pretty much a tie. favorite moment for me was when mccain said (i am paraphrasing)"so we are gonna sit across the table from iran and they are gonna say "we want to whipe isreal off the map" and we are gonna say "no you cant!" ...."pfffff please!"

but seriously the two things that bugged me a little is that mccain didnt look obama in the eyes or that obama kept calling mccain john.