Tonight's Debate

I've caught the last 30 minutes of the Presidential Debate on CSPAN, plus during commercials during the Project Runway finale (Congrats, Leanne!).

All I can say is that McCain comes across as angry and tense.

Debate Deux

Here are my overall impressions from the debate.

1. I really don't think anyone won based on the answers. It was all a rehash of the previous debate and no new information was revealed.
   
2. That said, I think Sen. Obama's demeanor was superior. Sen. McCain came across as flustered and snarky, especially with his "that one" comment. He said "my friends" waaaaay too much.
3. Both candidates paid little attention to the time. Brokaw was getting irritated by that.
   
   Now, on the issues:
   
4. Economy - I think Sen. McCain presented more actual ideas on how to fix the economy while Sen. Obama offered an economic strategy.
5. Legislative agenda - Sen. Obama gave definite answers for his legislative priorities, while Sen. McCain waxed on about doing all three at the same time. That hearkened back to Sen. Obama's comments on Sen. McCain's campaign suspension.

   "It is going to be part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once." - Sen. Obama, CNN, 9/24

6. Spending - A wash. Both pointed out ways in which they would cut spending: Sen. Obama would weed out inefficient or useless programs from the budget and pull back our forces in Iraq, and Sen. McCain would freeze spending except on defense, veterans care, and necessary programs.
7. Social Security/Medicare - Neither candidate clearly answered the question if they would fix this issue within two years of their election. Sen. Obama would aim to fix it in his first term but gave no points on how. Sen. McCain would appoint a 9/11-style commission to produce a solution on which Congress would vote.
8. Environment - No real answer. Both candidates brought the question around to energy.
9. Health care - Sen. Obama says health care is a right, whereas Sen. McCain says health care is a responsibility. I will say that I believe that Sen. Obama's plan is better for all Americans. My husband is fine with either one.
   
10. Foreign policy overall - I believe Sen. Obama came across stronger on this issue. He gave clearer answers than Sen. McCain, whose answers were wrapped more in ideology. I'll break each issue down. (I will go ahead and say that my impression of the foreign policy debate was that Sen. McCain was very frustrated at this point and gave some, in my view, silly answers.)
    
11. Pakistan - Sen. Obama would send troops over into Pakistan is al-Qaeda/bin Ladin were there and Pakistan wouldn't or couldn't do anything about it. Sen. McCain blustered that Sen. Obama was irresponsible. Sen. Obama said, "Nu-uh," to which Sen. McCain replied, "Uh-huh!"
    
12. Afghanistan - Both candidates gave clear answers to this question, which was a first. Sen. Obama would work with Karzai's government and urge them to gain the popular support of the people to counter the Taliban, so the NATO forces would have better success in routing out the Taliban. Sen. McCain would double the size of the Afghan army, streamline the NATO forces, and implement a surge similar to Iraq. (It seems to be his sovereign specific: can't beat 'em? Send a surge! It could or could not work. I really don't know.)
13. Russia - Sen. McCain had a Bush-moment: he had looked into Putin's eyes and saw three letters, K-G-B. That is scary to me. Sen. Obama would provide support to former Soviet satellite states (i.e. Poland and Ukraine, among others) and stressed anticipation of Russia's actions. Brokaw tried to get the candidates to equate Reagan's Evil Empire quote to Russia, but neither candidate bit.
14. Israel - The best question of the night was (paraphrased), "If Iran attacks Israel, will you support Israel or wait for UN approval?" Sen. McCain directly answered the question. He would not wait for UN approval since he believes Russia and China would hold up Security Council deliberations. Sen. Obama didn't answer the question, preferring to stress his view of diplomacy in preventing such actions. I really wished he would have answered it.
15. The best question was followed by the worst: "What don't you know, and how will you learn it?" Both candidates alluded to the future and injected their life story into the answer.

If I were to give the candidates grades, I would give Sen. Obama a B and Sen. McCain a C based upon their answers, my views, and how they responded to the questions.

Tonight's Debate Observations...

Overall nothing groundbreaking. We've heard it all before. I've tried to be fair in my notes, but I am an Obama supporter. Take that as you may.

Who would you name as your treasury secretary?
1. Obama - did not name a possible treasury secretary in his cabinet.
2. McCain - named Meg Whitman, floated Warren Buffett (yeah, right! namedropping!), wants to buy up bad mortgage loans and renegotiate (How would you pay for that? - my husband has informed me that it is part of the bailout)
3. It cracks me up how McCain continuously refers to his campaign "suspension." Heehee!

How will the bailout help people?
1. Another mention of buying mortgages by McCain.
2. McCain - Fannie/Freddie problems were a result of Obama's "cronies."
3. McCain - keeps talking about how American workers are the best in the world and are the fundamental of our economy. I'm out of work. That doesn't help me any.

How can we trust you with our money?
1. Obama - (tying McCain to Bush) Bush took us from a surplus to doubling our national debt, will spend money on health care, energy, and higher education countered with spending cuts.
2. McCain - "consistent reformer" and Washington is broken. Obama is the most liberal big spender in Congress.
3. Here goes McCain calling out earmarks again (1% of our budget). Is there really anything bad about funding $3 million for a projector at a planetarium in Chicago?

Legislative priorities - energy, health care, and one more - which order do you place them?
1. McCain - all three at once, reform
2. Obama - #1 energy (JFK reference with going to the moon), #2 health care, #3 education
3. Obama pointed out the "$4 billion tax break to oil companies," but at least he framed it properly within all tax cuts.

What sacrifices would you ask Americans to make to improve our situation?
1. McCain - eliminate earmarks, spending freeze exempting defense, veterans care, and other priority programs
2. Obama - everyone coming together (9/11 reference) but disproved of Bush's call to "go shop," energy conservation - clean-coal, more drilling (brings up the 68 million acre bit), buy American hybrid cars, doubling Peace Corps, encourage young Americans to volunteer

How would you break habit of debt and easy credit?
1. Obama - Washington needs to set an example, McCain will give CEOs more tax cuts, all should share the burden, use a "scalpel" to cut budget rather than McCain's "hatchet"
2. McCain - last president to raise taxes during economic hardship was Hoover (didn't Reagan raise taxes? I'm not sure what the situation was, though.), says that Obama's tax increases will affect 50% of small businesses, double child tax-exemption
3. Obama wanted to reply to McCain's tax policy claims, but the moderator (Brokaw) will not allow it.

Will you give Congress a date to reform Social Security and Medicare?
1. Obama - can't guarantee in two years, but will aim for first term
2. Obama - tax plan clarification - tax cut to 95% of Americans (actually 81% of all Americans, 95% of families, I believe), most small businesses make less than $250,000, so the tax cut will help them, if we reform the last 8 years of policy we can help reform SS/Medicare
3. McCain - "I'll answer the question." A commission to fix SS/Medicare, then let Congress vote on it, spouting the incorrect "94 times Obama voted to increase your taxes."
4. McCain didn't really answer the question.

How will you get Congress to act quickly on environmental issues?
1. McCain - nuclear power, alternative energies
2. McCain got a bit flustered there.
3. Obama - this an not just a challenge but an opportunity, national security issue, invest in solar, thermal, geothermal, nuclear as a component not main, for 30 years Washington did nothing, incorrect "McCain voted 23 times against alternative fuels," gov't will work with private sector to develop new energy
4. Neither has answered the question.
5. Brokaw is starting to be a smart ass.

Should we fund a "Manhattan Project" for energy or small programs?
1. McCain - gov't turns over to private sector, touting the Bush/Cheney energy proposal that Obama voted for (funded alternative energies), drill, baby, drill
2. Obama - either wasn't allowed a reply or I just missed it

Should healthcare be treated as a commodity?
1. Obama - isn't really answering the question, reminding that his plan will let you keep your current plan or can buy into government plan
2. McCain - also isn't really answering the question, will allow you to buy insurance across state lines

Is healthcare a privilege, right, or responsibility?
1. McCain - responsibility
2. Obama - right for every American, McCain is a deregulator in everything

How will our economic situation affect our ability to be a peacekeeper in the world?
1. McCain - not answering question, judge when it is worthwhile to send our military in, we're a nation of good
2. Obama - also not answering question, McCain wrong on Iraq, Iraq has strained our budget, cites Iraqi surplus (isn't $79 billion), we are a force of good, we're unable to help in places like Darfur because of lack of worldwide respect

"Obama" and "McCain" Doctrines pertaining to peacekeeping not involving national security (i.e. Darfur, Congo)
1. Obama - moral obligations, wobbly argument concerning Holocaust and Rwanda (we could have done something but didn't), we need worldwide respect to do this efficiently
2. McCain - Iraq again...defeat...victory...sheesh, peacekeeper versus peacemaker

How should the US deal with Pakistan and terrorists just inside their border?
1. Obama - should have paid attention to Afghanistan rather than Iraq, expand non-military aid, will take out al-Qaeda if Pakistan won't
2. McCain - (I didn't listen to most of it) Obama is irresponsible, Teddy Roosevelt is now his hero?
3. rebuttal Obama - nu huh, McCain is irresponsible
4. rebuttal McCain - (didn't listen again)

British commander says we are failing in Afghanistan. How will you change this strategy?
1. Obama - work with Karzai government and get them to gain popular support
2. McCain - double size of Afghan army, streamline NATO, surge in Afghanistan

How can we apply pressure to Russia on humanitarian issues?
1. McCain - looked into Putin's soul and saw KGB (if that isn't a Bushism then I don't know what is!)
2. Obama - provide support to former Soviet satellites, anticipate problems

Reagan said Soviet Union is the Evil Empire. Do you think Russia under Putin is?
1. Obama - sorta
2. McCain - won't say yes, so he gets a sorta as well

If Iran attacks Israel, will you support Israel or wait for UN approval?
1. McCain - would not wait, Russia and China would hold us up, League of Democracies (the stupidest idea every in my opinion)
2. Obama - isn't answering the question, diplomacy and other actions first before military

What don't you know, and how will you learn it?
1. Obama - life story time
2. McCain - we don't know the future (?), life story time (wow, no mention of "I was a POW"?)