This is an experiment. I have seen other sites try this live debate blogging thing, so I figured I'd try it out myself.
9:39: Overall a pretty substantive debate. No character attacks from McCain. He'll be back to that tomorrow, I'm sure. He'll keep hiding behind Palin's skirt for that. Not sure who "won," but Obama's answers made more sense to me.
9:31: The last question is a stupid one. What don't you know? How can you know what it is that you don't know? What a waste.
9:27: Asked about Iran, McCain re-states the failed Iran policy of George Bush and misstates Obama's position.
9:24: Surprisingly, neither candidate argues that moving away from fossil fuels could hurt Russia economically and thereby reduce their power. Seems obvious to me. But as long as Sarah Palin is keeping an eye on Putin, I guess we'll be okay.
9:23: McCain is ready for war with Russia. Obama wants to be more "strategic" and then pivots to the failed Bush/McCain policies in Iraq and Afghanistan.
9:18: Despite the fact that the commanders in Afghanistan say an Iraq-style surge would not work, McCain wants to do it anyway.
9:16: I guess McCain's position is that the US should NOT go after Bin Laden. I think that is an exploitable weakness on McCain's part.
9:14: McCain claims anti-American sentiment in Pakistan is due to Obama's statements and not due to our support for that country's unelected, brutal dictator. Remarkable. McCain is clueless about that part of the world. Obama calls McCain out on his misrepresentation of his position. Finally!!
9:10: Obama is asked about respecting Pakistani sovereignty, and the questioner compares going into Pakistan to going into Cambodia during the Vietnam War. The premise of the question is flawed, of course. Obama says the US must act inside of Pakistan if it has actionable intelligence to kill Osama Bin Laden.
9:06: Obama struggles with the question of an "Obama doctrine" as it relates to military intervention for humanitarian reasons. I'm not sure I understand it. McCain, of course, talks about the surge rather than answering the question.
9:02: Obama: McCain says he (Obama) doesn't understand. He's right. He doesn't understand why we invaded a country that had nothing to do with 9/11.
9:00: McCain -- criticism of American military policy is justified. Wonder why he thinks differently on the campaign trail.
8:57: Obama says health insurance is a right. This will outrage the wingnuts who hate the thought of everyone getting the same insurance that the wealthy get.
8:54: McCain is lying about Obama's health insurance plan. He just said that those looking for health insurance will be fined by Obama? WTF? That doesn't even make sense. I don't suppose Brokaw will allow a response.
8:48: McCain just referred to Obama as "that one." That one what?
8:44: McCain says he's been on a ship with a nuclear power plant. Really? A power plant on a ship? Says nuclear power is the solution to climate change. I know he has not seen An Inconvenient Truth.
8:43: McCain who has called Social Security a "disgrace" says he knows how to fix it. Doesn't elaborate. Praises Reagan. Says something about base closings, then pivots back to taxes and Obama's "record." Once again, Broakaw refuses to allow Obama to respond. Is it too early to say that Brokaw's pro-McCain bias is in full effect?
8:40: Brokaw cuts off Obama when he tries to respond to McCain's attack and asks his own unrelated question. I thought this was a town hall debate with questions from the audience?
8:37: How can a family get health insurance for only $5000? McCain spends that on socks every week!
8:35: McCain just compared Obama to Pres. Hoover. McCain would know since he actually knew Hoover.
8:28: McCain is asked what sacrifices he will ask of the American people to deal with our problems, and he goes into some rambling nonsense about earmarks.
8:25: Those drinking every time McCain says "my friends" are drunk now.
8:22: McCain is taking it to Obama, and I have yet to see Obama hit back. But where is the freakin' moderator? Brokaw has not interrupted McCain once despite his excessive time use.
8:20: You know, I like Obama's purple tie. I may get one like it.
8:16: McCain is a lefty (as in left-handed)? Never noticed. He furiously scribbles notes while Obama is talking. Obama watches McCain while he talks.
8:12: McCain starts the attacking early. Says Fannie and Freddie are run by Obama "cronies." Guess he forgot his campaign is being run by Fannie Mae lobbyists.
8:10: Obama says Warren Buffet would be a good Treasury Secretary
8:08: Obama gets the first question. It's on the economy, of course. Obama has learned to be more concise and get to the point right away. He got in the dig about the failed policies of trickle down economics, and then immediately moved to his plan to fix the problem. McCain acknowledges Obama is in the room this time before doing his follow up. His plan? Another bail out. The government is going to buy everyone's mortgage. McCain "knows" how to do it. Yet, he is stumped when asked who he would choose to be his Treasury Secretary. Names Meg Whitman of Ebay (who just fired 1600 people this week).
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