Organizing for America | Michele Brock's Blog: COMMENTARY: Obama vs. McCain...The winner of this debate is very clear!

COMMENTARY: Obama vs. McCain...The winner of this debate is very clear!

By Michele Brock - Oct 8th, 2008 at 6:27 am EDT

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The bad news is that my Tuesday evening Professor dropped me from his class

...long and unrelated story, but, the good news is that I got to watch last night's debate!

As it relates to the issues, there is very little if any that wasn't a rehash of Obama and McCain's last debate! As it was consistently stated post debate, McCain was in his element! A town hall meeting was the form of debate that he had been wanting all along! As a theatrical performer myself, they (Obama and McCain) both have great public speaking skills in being able to work the room, work their audience, draw people into the depths of what it is that they're speaking about and in essence, the ability to manipulate a response from them as you give the appearance and perception of speaking directly to them as if there is no one else in the room or no one else in the room matters. I'm with McCain on that! If I had to debate, having a town hall style of debate would undoubtedly be my first choice! No doubt about it, they each commanded attention from a captive audience whenever they took the floor!

However, in my opinion, McCain took the act of "debating" to a whole other level. First of all, if there had been any doubt in my mind before that McCain simply despised Obama, he erased all doubt tonight! Last night, McCain spent more time trying to discredit Obama than he did in focusing on the issues. At the very onset, he started to harp on Obama wanting to raise taxes.

"I am predicting that because of Obama's position in relationship to raising taxes ON THE WEALTHY and putting a halt on the tax breaks that THE WEALTHY have gotten in the past, lobbyists and THE WEALTHY financial supporters of McCain have lit a fire under him to kick Obama's ass publicly and win this damn election because they...THE WEALTHY...stand to lose a helluva lot if Obama wins this election."

Discrediting Obama and discrediting him on the issues of Obama raising taxes seemed to me to be McCain's sole agenda last night. So much so that he placed Obama on the defensive and caused them to run over the agreed upon time frame in which they each had to respond to the questions.

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Execs' posh retreat after bailout angers lawmakers

WASHINGTON - Days after it got a federal bailout, American International Group Inc. spent $440,000 on a posh California retreat for its executives, complete with spa treatments, banquets and golf outings, according to lawmakers investigating the company's meltdown.

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These are the type of ass wipes that McCain is fighting to win this election for...HIS CRONIES! The types of individuals and heads of corporations who if asked, "How many homes do you own?" Their response would be the same as McCain's was when he was asked that same damn question:

``I think - I'll have my staff get to you,'' McCain told the Politico online site when asked Wednesday how many houses he owns. ``It's condominiums where - I'll have them get to you.''

Later, the McCain campaign told Politico that McCain and his wife, Cindy, have at least four in three states - Arizona, California and Virginia.

Property records reviewed by The Associated Press show McCain and his family appear to own at least eight homes: A ranch and two condos in Arizona; three condos in Coronado, Calif.; a condo in La Jolla, Calif.; and another in Arlington, Va. The number of houses is a bit trickier to determine since the ranch has at least four houses and a two-story cabin on it.

I think that with most folks having their home foreclosed on or never having the ability to even own their own home, McCain honestly did not lie when he publicly stated that "The economy is fundamentally sound"! The economy IS fundamentally sound...IN HIS WORLD and in the world of those whom he will have allegiances to if he should win this race.

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MESSAGE FROM OBAMA

I thought the differences between John McCain and me were pretty clear tonight.

I will fight for the middle class every day, and -- once again -- Senator McCain didn't mention the middle class a single time during the debate.

If you agree that we need to cut taxes for 95% of working families, reduce health care costs, and end the war in Iraq responsibly, then I need your help right now.

And if you heard John McCain push more of the same discredited policies, including tax cuts for the wealthy and giant corporations, tax increases on health care, and continuing to spend $10 billion a month in Iraq, then now is the time to act.

Four weeks from tonight, we'll know which of us will be the next president.

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I could tell that McCain had started to get under Obama's skin, but, Obama succeeded in maintaining his composure by addressing the attacks and then MOVING BACK TO THE ISSUES AND RESPONDING TO THE QUESTIONS ASKED! He was consistent in doing that and what I did not see, I did NOT see Obama focusing on attacking McCain. In fact, he never attempted to attack him, just pointed out, on occasion, where he and McCain differed on various views. He also acknowledged areas in which they agreed. Obama succeeded in STAYING FOCUSED on the debate and his audience and did not allow McCain's attacks to throw him off his task of appealing to his audience that he is the better choice for President of the United States. Me, I was ready to fight and what the hell is this nails across the chalk board saying that McCain has...MY FRIEND! I consistently found myself saying to myself whenever it was time for McCain to speak, "Quit screwing around and get to the damn point and quit addressing me, an audience member and television viewer, as MY FRIEND! I am not your damn friend!" Gosh that irked the heck out of me and what about all of the lame jokes?!!!!!!

At any rate, realizing that McCain was on game, I quickly began to focus more on Obama's responses to the questions, wanting to know not only where he stood on the various issues, but, also wanting to hear his plan for addressing those issues. When the question was asked to put into order the issues that each candidate would address. McCain made the comment that he thought all three (3) issues could be addressed simultaneously because we can all work together and something about we're not operating under a rifle?!!! I had stopped taking notes by this point, but, the fact of the matter is, if that wasn't a BS answer, I don't know what was. McCain was in game mode, let me posture and say some things that sound good and give the people what they want to hear! He pulled a stage performer move too! You know the type! When the speaker thinks that they've said something really deep and profound and then they attempt to make the type of ending statement that causes people to stand to their feet and give a roaring standing ovation. Ha, ha, ha! Obama, on the other hand, laid it out on the line, here are my positions on the issues and here is how I am proposing to address the issues if I am elected President. When he responded to that same question, he addressed energy as being the first issue to do something about and then he went down the line. Bottom line is, his response was a more feasible one, a more realistic one, not trying to bite off more than he could chew and not making promises that he may be unable to or have no intention on keeping!

Also, ladies and gentlemen, we have to remember that yes, its important that we vote and that we vote our conscious on November 4th, but, let's not forget about the Electoral College. Their votes can override the majority vote in this country. In other words, the majority vote can be for Obama, but, those members of the Electoral College who allegedly represent us can vote the way that they want to vote which could very well adhere to the results of the polling places across this country or their vote could be completely opposite of those results...AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT!

My prayer is that both the American people and the members of the Electoral College can begin to look at the Presidential tickets under a microscope, without prejudice, as a blind man (or woman) so that they aren't seeing race, gender or age, but, looking at...

1. The economic crises that this country is faced with today;
2. The alleged purpose of the war on Iraq, the fact that we have been unsuccessful and the fact that we need to be pulling our troops out sooner rather than later before we have more casualties;
3. The lack of respect that neighboring countries have for the United States and the severed international ties;
4. The list of issues within our government that need to be addressed and and the CHANGE that needs to take place, starting on Capitol Hill, for the sake of all Americans, not just the wealthy; and

...and be honest with themselves about which ticket is more consistent, which ticket is more honest, which ticket will attempt to do what they are stating that they will do during their campaigning and which ticket is best suited to affect the CHANGE in this country that we all so desperately need to see and experience in our lives and the lives of our children and generations to come.

This debate, for me, wasn't even close! Obama won it hands down, without any deliberation being necessary! I've tried to be fair! Most folks that I've spoken to have not bothered to even watch the debates because their attitude is, "I already know who I'm going to vote for!" Me, I need to see them in action, interacting with their constituents, talking about their platform and what they plan to bring to the table if elected President! There can be no doubt! This race is way too important to take for granted and assume that you know all that you need to know and who all the players are! The margin of error in our decision making process has to be almost null as we walk into the polling places to vote on Tuesday, November 4, 2008! I don't know, perhaps a different man (or woman), a different Republican could have left me scratching my head and second guessing my support of the Obama/Biden ticket! So far, three (3) debates (2 Presidential and 1 Vice President) and I am firm on my support of the Obama/Biden ticket! Thus far, there is no question or doubt in my mind as to who is the better choice to run this country!

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McCain loses by not winning

Roger Simon
Wed Oct 8, 12:41 AM ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Watching John McCain and Barack Obama at their second presidential debate was like watching two fighters circling each other, throwing a jab here, landing a blow there, but neither one ever delivering a knockout punch.

The trouble for John McCain, however, is that he needed one.

So if you had to say somebody lost Tuesday night, it was McCain. Because he had to win and he did not. He is the one who has to change the current trajectory of the campaign, and he did not do that.

McCain is behind in the national polls and way behind in the Electoral College vote projections. His party is lagging in voter registration in key state after key state, and in voter enthusiasm in general.

This is not entirely McCain’s fault. For years, Republicans have made the argument that they are better stewards of the economy than the Democrats are. Now, with the economy in something near free fall, that is a tough argument to make.

Every time the Dow plunges, John McCain’s political fortunes plunge with it.

McCain used what he had. “Nailing down Sen. Obama’s tax proposals is like nailing Jell-O to a wall,” he said. “He wants to raise taxes. My friends, the last president to raise taxes during tough economic times was Herbert Hoover.”

“Sen. McCain, the Straight Talk Express lost a wheel on that one,” Obama responded and said of McCain: “He wants to give the average Fortune 500 CEO a $700,000 tax cut.”

The format of the debate was a town hall meeting, but it hardly mattered. Questions were asked but often not answered, and it didn’t matter that the questioner was an average citizen rather than a professional moderator.

“How can we trust either of you with our money when both parties got us into this global economic crisis?” a woman sitting on one of the risers on stage asked.

“Well, look, I understand your frustration and your cynicism,” Obama replied.

“I can see why you feel that cynicism and mistrust,” McCain replied.

Neither explained why he felt the question showed cynicism rather than realism.

Both had an overall strategy, and both summed up their strategies nicely.

“When times are tough, you need a steady hand at the tiller,” McCain said.

“We are going to have to have the courage, sacrifice and nerve to move in a new direction,” Obama said.

McCain unveiled, without any details, a new plan for the government to buy up mortgages that people can no longer afford to pay. But mostly they went over old ground, dragging each other up and down the canvas, like two pugilists who knew each other’s fighting style. No heads snapped back, however, no eyes puffed up, and no mouths got all that bloodied.

“We rushed into Iraq,” Obama said. “Sen. McCain and President Bush suggested it wasn’t that important to catch [Osama] bin Laden right now, and we could muddle through.”

“Sen. Obama would have brought our troops home in defeat,” McCain said. “I will bring them home with victory and honor.”

At one point, McCain said: “By the way, my friends, I know you grow a little weary of this back-and-forth.”

Yep.

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