Debates

[Ddrak]

Looked pretty even to me. Both men came out *looking* pretty good. The analysis will be interesting though.

Dd

[Kulaf]

I agree. I think the edge goes to McCain....but you would expect that in a debate on foreign policy. I think Obama will do better in the next debates as they will focus on more of his core issues.

[Partha]

McCain looked pissed off to me. Never even looked at Obama, like he was pissed the debate was taking from his nap time.

[Kulaf]

McCain looked pissed off to me. Never even looked at Obama, like he was pissed the debate was taking from his nap time.

Not sure how you missed it but they looked at each other fairly often when the attention was not focused on them to answer a question from the moderator.

[Harlowe]

Like I said in the other thread, no surprises at all for me. I think they both presented themself just as they have the past month in this campaign. McCain was terse and condescending, but at least not histrionic (though man he looked tense enough I wouldn't have been surprised to see a Scanners head explosion). I don't think Obama said anything surprising or did anything exciting, except hold his own, so I don't see any swing for either one really. There wasn't anything there from either side to swing anyone that hasn't already been swung the past two weeks. But you never know how people will respond.

I agree with Partha though, McCain seemed to avoid looking at him while talking (which commentators have also mentioned). That really doesn't do anything for me either way.

I don't think McCain had the edge, I usually hang around conservative, libertarian & independent sites for perspective, because I can't stand Bush/McCain/Palin, with a deep passion - so I like to hear from them that, no it's true, there is a reason to be afraid of these people. Though to be honest, I don't like Biden either, I just dislike him less than the others.

The American Conservative,, http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/09 ... surdity-3/

A poll of undecided voters rated Obama the winner 40-22% with 38% saying it was a draw. That is more in line with my impression of how the debate went. Maybe I can understand something about the mind of undecided voters after all.

[Tarfang_Trubasher]

Quick note about Bob Barr and tonight's debate...from the Barr campaign today:

Dear Friend,

THANK YOU!

Bright and early this morning, we broke the $1 million barrier!

Everyone from the campaign staff along with Bob Barr and Wayne Root are grateful for the incredible support that we are receiving.

We have only 39 days left before the election and our campaign is growing stronger by the day. The campaign is organized and now our supporters are doing an impressive job of sharing ideas and going above and beyond to bring Liberty to America.

While we want to send our sincere thanks, I also want to tell you about our plans for tonight. (Unfortunately, our plans were on hold until John McCain finally made a his decision to participate in tonight's debate.)

This evening, Bob Barr will be participating in the presidential debate via reason Magazine (as a subscriber myself, I recommend it to everyone - subscribe today).

You can watch Bob react live to the first presidential debate. He'll answer the same questions as John McCain and Barack Obama and a few more to boot (if we can fit them in).

While it's short notice, please join us tonight on the Internet and watch the live feed of Bob's debate night at reason by clicking here.

It will be a long night so grab some popcorn and a beverage of choice and enjoy at least one candidate honestly answering a few questions and bringing clarity to the issues.

The events kick off at 9 p.m. Eastern but feel free to log in a few minutes earlier for a few behind the scenes videos.

While we would prefer to have Bob at Ole Miss with the two senators, this was the best alternative and we're happy to accept reason's invitation.

The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) requires 15% in at least five national polls to participate in the debates and the current, two-party candidates have acquiesced to the thresholds created by the CPD. Garnering 15% in five national polls is a high bar but not unachievable IF there were actually five national polling firms that fairly included third party and independent candidates.

While I know I'm posting this after the debate is over -- I'm hoping they'll have videos or transcripts available. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get this information out sooner.

-TF

[Ariannda Kusanagi]

I hate to say that I think McCain did a better job of presenting himself then Obama did, however I think neither candidate really answered any of the questions. McCain spouted off ideas, they're insane but he presented ideas but I felt like Obama didn't have any solutions in his answers.

[Harlowe]

Obama listed solutions in points more than once - first, second ..etc. Which made him much more specific than McCain.

Polling so far, shows the first debate going to Obama.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/27/ ... index.html

I don't think anyone really did anything to change the landscape out there, but Obama was able to improve his image to undecideds as ready to be president.

[Klast Brell]

I saw McCain interrupting and talking over Obama several times. That's a way to assert dominance. Obama let him get away with it too.
It has a subtle impact , but it will swing some people towards McCain. How many? I have no idea. Might only be a handful. But every little handful counts.

[Jarochai Alabaster]

I only caught the second half of the debate, and one of the biggest things I noticed Klast said. McCain did a fair amount of interrupting, and Obama let it happen. I agree that it's a sign of weakness on Obama's part.

[Harlowe]

I think Obama did a great job interrupting McCain to correct him, but he had the opportunity to really nail him on a few gaffes and a lot of disinformation.

[Harlowe]

Speaking of debates and the upcoming Palin - Biden one (which honestly I think should be conducted with circus music in the background because Palin is a joke and Biden is a palooka).

Palin lied about trade missions with Russia when trying to come up with a better reason for her FA experience than "we can see Russia from some parts of Alaska!"

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/ ... index.html

COURIC: Explain to me why that enhances your foreign policy credentials.

PALIN: Well, it certainly does because our -- our next door neighbors are foreign countries. They're in the state that I am the executive of. And there in Russia --

COURIC: Have you ever been involved with any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?

PALIN: We have trade missions back and forth. We -- we do -- it's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where -- where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is -- from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to -- to our state.

I spent some time on the Governor's Web site seeking more details about her trade negotiations with Russia. There's a press release about Gov. Palin's meeting with a trade mission from the Yukon, but nothing about Russia anywhere in the archives. Tony Knowles, a Democrat who was governor from 1994-2002, led a trade mission -- back in 1997, while Palin was running Wasilla -- to the remote island of Sakhalin, off the coast of Siberia. That seems to be about it for Russia-Alaska trade missions lately.

When asked for examples of trade missions with Russia that have taken place under Palin's watch, gubernatorial spokeswoman Kate Morgan refused to answer the question. Morgan said she could not legally discuss any trade missions with me because she's a state employee and I had first heard this claim through the Couric interview, which was part of Palin's campaign for the vice-presidency. When I pointed out that any trade missions that occurred would have been official state business, Morgan again noted that I had learned about them in the context of the campaign. "The law is very stringent," she said, and recommended that I contact the McCain-Palin campaign. Two spokespeople did not respond to requests for comment.

[Embar Angylwrath]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/n ... a12m0.html

Not really a lie.. just a big stretching of the truth.

She'd be better off saying "I have limited foreign policy experience, as do most state governors. However, that didn't get in the way of Reagan, and it won't get in my way either."

She easily could have tied herself to Reagan, making similarities. Her handlers missed the opportunity though.

[Harlowe]

Maybe I missed it, but I'm not seeing the back and forth trade missions she claimed to have been involved with in that article?

[Embar Angylwrath]

Depends on how you define trade missions. That's why I said its a stretch of the truth. Talking about the potential of trade between Russia and Alaska, or betwwen third parties and Russia and Alaska, or about the potential of trade at all.. is that a trade mission? I dunno. But its enough wiggle room to give her an out.

[Lurker]

I only caught the second half of the debate, and one of the biggest things I noticed Klast said. McCain did a fair amount of interrupting, and Obama let it happen. I agree that it's a sign of weakness on Obama's part.

I think Obama did a great job interrupting McCain to correct him, but he had the opportunity to really nail him on a few gaffes and a lot of disinformation.

This article about the debate goes a long way to explaining why Obama crushed McCain in the eyes of undecided voters, as all post-debate polling has shown.

[Harlowe]

Depends on how you define trade missions. That's why I said its a stretch of the truth. Talking about the potential of trade between Russia and Alaska, or betwwen third parties and Russia and Alaska, or about the potential of trade at all.. is that a trade mission? I dunno. But its enough wiggle room to give her an out.

Where did she negotiate & discuss trade missions? I'm not trying to be a pill, I do not see anything from public record or journals indicating this ever happened.

From that article...

Seattle Times notes that a politician from Russia's Far East did in fact meet with Palin in Anchorage, and urged her to come to Russia. One of Palin's trade specialists is also quoted saying that no trade missions with Russia are currently on the agenda: "I am not aware of any plans but that doesn't mean she wouldn't [arrange any]."

The article noted that Anchorage is host to an organization called the Northern Forum, a council of regional governments from all the northernmost countries of the world. But the Palin administration cut the Forum's budget from $75,000 to $15,000, and stopped the practice of sending representatives to its meetings.

[Select]

It has a subtle impact , but it will swing some people towards McCain. How many? I have no idea

Obviously the group with pronounced foreheads who grunt.

[Harlowe]

They aren't seeing any evidence or getting a response either...

Palin's non-existent Alaskan-Russian trade missions

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Did_Palin ... _0927.html

[Arkaron]

McCain's use of the phrase "fledgling democracy" kind of bothers me. Like a little bird you keep in a shoe box after it falls from its nest. He also seems to have no plan in the Middle East besides what we're doing so far, which is totally ineffective as a long term solution.

Almost anything else besides at least a dislike of Israel and the United States is failed Arabic politics, which is not something you want in a region of the world were succession via assassination/coup are the rule rather than the exception.

Nobody over there is ever going to maintain or bring forth the "fledgling democracy" people seem to be hoping for. I have maintained for some time that implementing democracy the way we experience it (or used to, anyway...) requires at least a generation to settle psychologically. I don't think you can just hand an Iranian woman who has worn a veil her entire life, or a girl who was married off at age 10 a ballot and expect the psychological implications of choice to go over without incident.