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Tonight will be the last time these two men have to be in the same room and look at each other. (Actually, looking is optional.) Barack Obama, with a sizable lead in the polls, just needs to — sports metaphor! — run the clock down and take a knee, while John McCain might have to roll the dice and actually say something useful to the American people.…
Article comments
26 - Stirling
Why didn't either one of the candidates say anything about nuclear waste? It seems so obvious that nobody has solved this huge problem. It still seems like a bad solution, even temporarily to build more nuclear plants, if it creates this long term toxic waste that threatens the whole planet.
27 - El Bicho
"the McCain eyerolling at Obama comment on S. America will go down in history as the moment that McCain lost it, I mean the election."
the moment he lost it was when the economy when into the tank and he started his ineffectual grandstand.
btw, yesterday I asked my buddy what he did last wednesday, so it appears Heloise is stealing ideas from El Bicho
28 - Virginia
Did I hear Obamma say he did not think the Medicare/Medicaid is working and older folks are not getting healthy so he is going to cut the funding for this?
29 - Heloise
Wrongo. After I wrote that post I googled all movie titles for the last 50 years to see if I could find something new. Titles usually just come to me when I'm walking.
However a title: "The Lost Weekend" caught my eye. I changed it to the "last" Wednesday.
Also "trot" "paint" continue to be popular with the MSM. No one said "trot" ever before I used it in an article. It is very British. I think I heard it once in a British movie years ago.
30 - Kate
Research body language cues for lying behaviors, and then rewatch the debate.... McCain exhibits many, excessive blinking/not maintaining eye contact in particular
31 - Heloise
That's why I never use talking points for example(total cliche now from TPM), and even some stuff I created is now so overused I have to stop using it as well.
Yes, why is Palin talking about autism so much when her child has Down's? Is she confused too as to what her child has? I have a niece with Down's I guess that makes her mom VP material.
H
32 - Dan(Miller)
Senator McCain did his best job yet in a debate, which I agree with Doc was pretty well moderated. i think he "beat" Senator Obama, but that's just my opinion.
What's with all the Latin under "BC Magazine On The Debate" at the end of the article? I don't understand. Was there some reason for it, or did it just happen?
Dan(Miller)
33 - Kim
Still no mention of immigration? How can we have a debate on health care or our school system with out mentioning illegals here?
34 - Cannonshop
I think McCain finally realized he's the sacrificial candidate put up, like Dole, to fill in space and lose gracefully.
35 - El Bicho
How could "No one [have] said 'trot' ever before I used it in an article," yet you heard it in a British movie years ago? Even the name Heloise was used by someone before you did, so spare us your delusions of originality.
36 - Matthew T. Sussman
Dan, that's just a splash screen. You have to actually click on the "refresh" icon to see what we said.
37 - Indep.Thinker
I think that McCain won this debate hands down. I am not for either one, and I was not afraid to say that Senator Obama won the last two debates. But come one people, get real. Senator Obama was laid back and he did not answer directly many of the questions that were asked. McCain on the other hand was precise and clear, even though some of his policies might not be the best.
Also, I think that the media is having too high of an effect on people's opinions. Don't let what your favorite singers or actors say influence your vote. Look at experience and look at voting records, don't just go with CHANGE. Because what the Obama campaign fails to tell you is that he's not so different from George Bush--increasing government spending, don't be ridiculous we're in a recession. We need to cut as many programs as possible, at least for the time being. On the other hand, it's true that Senator McCain may be in fact to old to run a country and I agree that this year is not a good year to be a republican, but read books do research and you be the judge.
I agree completely with the person that said that Barak Obama wants to bring back socialism. Honestly, lets look at this with some reality...everyone can't be well of monetarily and every one can't be wealthy. Many countries have tried this idea and it has not worked. Look at Cuba; do people want the United states to turn into a dictatorship? Look towards the future.
Lastly, I personally believe that the best candidate for president of the United States is neither Barack Obama nor John McCain. However, if I had to pick one, it would be McCain--just because I've done my research.
I believe 100% that the Republican Party should have picked Ron Paul--our country would have been in good hands.
Make your opinion count and vote :]
38 - Baritone
Once again, the snap polls show Obama the decisive winner.
McCain is as was suggested by a few, the angry old man shooing the kids off his lawn.
McCain's best moment was when he said that he was NOT Bush, and that if Obama wanted to run against Bush he should have done so 4 years ago. Not bad.
However, Obama's comeback, if not as poignant, was more to the point that it is so easy to confuse McCain for Bush owing to the similarities in their policies.
I want to hear from Joe the Plumber. No doubt we will tomorrow.
B
39 - Travis
Why does John McCain just dance around questions and shift focus to other areas of the debate? Why did he start talking about Free trade with Columbia, when the question was about foreign oil and how to cut it out? Gov. Palin and Sen. McCain both like to avoid questions and shift focus to other issues. Obama did a great job staying focused and addressing the questions asked. WE NEED CHANGE not the same garbage that has been in place the last 8 years. McCain sounds more like a cheerlearder saying he will do this and do that. But when has he, or Gov. Palin for that matter, given a straight answer with concrete ideas or solutions to any question raised at any of the three debates? And how come nobody talks about McCain, the self proposed individual, who does not know much about Economics? I'm sorry, but to be the President of this great nation, YOU MUST UNDERSTAND ECONOMICS....have you taken a look at our current situation? If we put someone in office who does not understand Economics and only relies on what his ADVISORS say, how much worse do you think our situation will become?
40 - Cannonshop
#39 Why? because he's figured out he's not supposed to win, that's why. McCain was put up to lose against Hillary, only the Democrats went and chose Obama instead. Palin was put on the ticket to get her out of Alaska, where she was damaging the Party Machinery by busting their collections-men for corruption-the VP candidate gig is all about neutralizing Sarah Palin on a permanent basis, and letting John have the nomination was and is intended to get him out of the Senate, and out of the way because he was embarassing his colleagues (you know, not looking for Earmarks, etc. etc.)
The Republican PARTY isn't interested in winning. McCain finally figured it out.
41 - Heloise
In this Aquarian Age of knowledge and information expansion sans border--wouldn't it be "dumb baby dumb" to put an idiot in the WH along with her grandpa? Just asking.
Heloise
42 - bliffle
The one issue that McCain launched that might have gotten him some mileage was the "Joe The Plumber" argument, but he failed to make it clear and follow through to logical conclusions. He dropped the ball. He seemed confused, as if all he had to do was mention Joe and smile to get people to fall in love with him.
43 - Neil
I admit to viewing the debate through a lens, being for Obama from the start, but I am dismayed by the media build up for McCain and the belief that he has shown anything new or improved in the final debate. I heard McCain repeat the same misrepresented facts while becoming flustered. If Obama seemed to repeat talking points it was only in response to McCain's repeated accusations that have not changed since the first debate. If McCain continues to claim the same facts that have been fact checked and proven false since the first debate how can that become anything but a weaker message? And please, this alleged strong point made that "I am not George Bush", the only thing meritorious there is replay value of a sound bite. So Obama isn't Roosevelt, but his policies mark a change in the failed policies that have permeated for a quarter century, therefore his direction is similar to Roosevelt and should be acknowledged as a TRUE approach towards saving our economy. McCain supported and has proposed Bush like policies that will change nothing. "Maverick" may be filler language to cover McCain's true republican colors, but this claim of not being Bush? It is widely understood that the majority of voters that are undecided want to hear about policy positions, not obtuse comebacks about doppelgangers.
44 - Jet
Opinion: As far as I can see there was only one real winner of the latest debate... Bob Schieffer! He showed the clearest reason in comparrison why he should NEVER have left the anchor desk at CBS News, and belongs back there now.
Opinion:
McCain's performance.
In a nutshell he appeared easily angered and revealed (again) his "How dare you speak to me in such a tone" attitude. A few times he appeared to be near slapping Obama for being disrespectiful to him. Not traits you'd want in a President.
McCain also showed an almost manic eye tick/blink to the point of my suspecting he was having flashbacks of being a POW-sending out secret messages via Morse Code. Several networks didn't display the split screen view of both candidates, so they weren't entertained/appalled by the obviously uncomfortable McCain's jumpy eyebrows, rolling eyes, constant smirking, jumbled words, self-righteous and dismissive gestures... not to mention rude interuptions, which didn't go unnoticed by the studio audience.
McCain's choice of Vice President came up, and it made me wonder what his choice of cabinet members would be like. As much as I want to be polite to/about her, the point was still forcefully driven home that should anything happen to McCain, do we really want Sara Palin in charge of the FBi, CIA, Pentagon and our nation's nuclear arsenal?
On abortion, McCain revealed his true self by branding concern over a woman's threatened life, forcing her to have an abortion as an "Extreme point of view"-In other words if a baby was going to be still-born and could take the mother's life if the pregnancy went full term, the concern should be on the doomed infant and not the mother.
McCain also fooled no one when he denied he'd only nominate anti-abortion judges to the Supreme Court-adding to the damage that President Bush has already done. McCain also seemed to be bursting at the seams to scream "I'M NOT GEORGE BUSH," and when he finally did deliver the line, all life seemed to have drained out of it, all but confirming what an embarrassment George W. Bush is, not only to the Republican Party, but to the internatioal community as well.
McCain fooled no one when he kept trying to use "Joe Plumber" as a body shield against incoming verbal fire. McCain completely missed the point that Obama had earlier pledged to cut taxes to anyone making less that a quarter-million a year... which would include Joe. Not only that, but Obama pledged to include small businesses in his tax cut plan. Then again McCain was probably falling back on his (already stated) belief that "Middle Class" was anyone making less than 2 million a year. By all reports, the repeated use of "Joe Plumber" obviously turned the audience off, and few could relate to him and/or that McCain wouldn't recognize the man on the street next week, and could personally care less about his plight.
McCain blundered when he mentioned the connection between Ayers and Obama, trying to make it appear as if they'd stood shoulder to shoulder in a radical fight against our sacred country. When Obama tried to force the fact that when "terrorist" Ayers was busy "terrorizing" the country in the sixties, Obama was only EIGHT YEARS OLD! McCain fought hard to contain his embarrassment and took on a "Don't confuse me with facts" attitude and kept right on making a fool of himself.
Opinion
As for Obama, he took too long to "get his stride" through the first half of the debate, at points having a "deer in the headlights" look. Obama was clearly lost as to how to handle McCain's direct comtempt for him.
Fortunately Sen. Obama figured out how to proceed through the second half and may have angered McCain by ignoring his attitude.
As I've said before, Bob Schieffer came out the clear winner, and was the obvious best moderator of all of the "debates"
which is my opinion...
45 - Howard
So far, all the conclusions by all the pundits are totally based upon POLLS. Not a single actual vote has been cast yet. Obama supporters gush at how well their man has done in the debates, which proves once again that Obama is a good debater and a good speaker. It doesn't say anything about his character, judgement, or what kind of a leader he would be.
I still would rather trust a man who would not sell out his fellow prisoners, even during 5 years of torture, than to trust a man who betrayed a 20 year friendship, for personal ambition. And ... regarding this election, until people actually vote ... it ain't over till it's over!
46 - Matthew T. Sussman
"Not a single actual vote has been cast yet."
Not true actually.
47 - Dr Dreadful
I still would rather trust a man who would not sell out his fellow prisoners, even during 5 years of torture, than to trust a man who betrayed a 20 year friendship, for personal ambition.
So, Howard, what's your opinion of the folks who berated Obama relentlessly for not disowning Jeremiah Wright and then, when he finally did, immediately turned around and slammed him for betraying a friend?
48 - Heloise
Obama is not really a great debater. I gave Hillary high marks on her debating skills, Joe Biden and even Mitt, Barack was somewhere in the middle. So what then does that say about McCain's debating skills? That's why I keep rating these a draw. But that being said it is actually a win for Obama because McCain is a better debater if he weren't so old, confused and in the tank for the GOP.
Heloise
49 - Mz. unknown
I Know[nt think] Obama won da debate. Forget McCain old azz. He aint go b da damn president. So all yall Obama haterz yall can kick rocks and blow bubbles cuz itz OBAMA 08.
Im out[!]
50 - Jet
As I hinted at in #44, this "debate" didn't really change anyone's minds-if you like McCain you perceived him as the winner, If you like Obama then he won.
In my opinion nobody won and all three evenst were just wastes of time
51 - Jon
Hey Im performing a statistical evaluation on peoples prefrence on the presidential candidates and their policies on education. Please take the survey! Its only 10 questions!
52 - Ramsey Ksar
We're actually able to provide you with the ability to post it on your site. It was in testing when I wrote my original comment.
Does that sounds more interesting? :)