Live Blogging: McCain vs. Obama Round 2
Live blogging of the second Presidential debate from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain.
(Refresh Often for Updates)
10:35pm - Quick Recap: It was a good debate. It wasn’t that exciting but there were good points made by both candidates. I believe McCain was better than he was in the first debate. Obama, to me, seemed about the same and reiterated most of the same talking points from the first debate. McCain did a much better job of answering the questions posed. Obama did a better job in dominating the time of possession. If you watched or listened to the debate then you will very likely know who won or lost it in your opinion. I believe one network will say candidate X won and another will say candidate Y won. I would say McCain did better with the economy tonight and might have won it on his closing remarks regarding just that. There were no knockout punches.
10:30pm - What don’t you know and how will you learn it? Obama says his wife can give a much longer list (few laughs). He says its the challenges you don’t expect. He totally dodges the question and goes into a stump speech about, you guessed it, CHANGE, fundamental change!! McCain says he doesn’t know what is going to happen here and abroad about the economy. McCain says he doesn’t know what the unexpected will be but he is prepared for it. Strong finish by McCain trying to make the claim that he understands what most Americans are going through. He says he wants the honor to be President and that he will always put his country first.
And that concludes this second Presidential debate of 2008.
10:26pm - Terry asks, as a retired Navy officer, if Iran attacks Israel would you pledge troops to defend Israel or would you attack without UN approval? McCain says he would not wait for the UN Security Council. He says that Russia and China would be huge hurdles with the Security Council. I have to say the UN does remind me a lot of the IRS. Obama pledges as McCain that Iran can’t get a nuclear weapon. Barack is not saying it directly but it seems he believes in going through the UN Security Council.
10:21pm - How do you monitor Russia without starting another cold war? McCain doesn’t believe there would be another cold war. Believes in showing moral support for Georgia and Ukraine and help them get into NATO (I once learned about NATO in 3rd grade, free info). McCain is very jagged in his answer and says Russia is a challenge. Obama says that the resurgence of Russia is a central issue for the next President and that he agrees mostly with McCain. In a mind blowing statement he says we have to help finance in rebuilding Georgia’s economy. Don’t we need to get our own economy going first?
10:19pm - Sorry too much tea! Missed that last question about Afghanistan. One too many Middle East questions in my opinion.
10:09pm - Katie asks about respecting Pakistan sovereignty in tracking al Quada into Pakistan? Obama believes we have to change our policies with Pakistan. He says he will encourage democracy there and insist upon them going after this militants. He then basically says if bin Laden is there that he won’t respect that sovereignty. McCain says Barack talks loudly (carries small stick). JM believes in getting the support of the peole in Pakistan to turn around the Taliban not by attacking them but by working with them. There should never be follow-up questions. Its just more of the original answer. Although BO might have scored a couple of points in his follow-up here. McCain kind of made BO look like a kid in his rebuttal as all. The best follow-ups of the night. I knew I could jinx them into saying something worthwhile.
10:05pm - Brokaw asks for an explanation of the Obama Doctrine and McCain Doctrine in using force? Obama believes in working on concert with allies. McCain goes back to Iraq and calling Obama on the carpet about not supporting the surge that worked. McCain believes we have to do what we can to help others but only to the beneficial of our abilities. McCain is now scoring points as his experience is shining through about the “precious asset” that is American blood into dangerous situations.
9:59pm - Phil Elliot asks the boys how the economic stress will affect U.S. ability to be peace maker in the world? McCain is patriotic in his answer but I am not sure what is answer to the exact question is. Barack responds by bringing up Iraq again and not understanding why we attacked a country that didn’t attack us (Iraq). He says it was the wrong judgment. Obama believes Iraq has put an enormous strain on our troops and budget. Obama is doing a really good job answering this question and likely scoring points with voters.
9:50pm - Lindsay asks about the selling of health care as a commodity? Obama pledges to work with employer to lower costs of premium up to $2,500 a year. He pledges that if you don’t have insurance he will make it available for those to get the same insurance that he and McCain get as federal employers. McCain is standing up as BO speaks. Maybe he will stiff up if he sits too long. Maybe he wants to stay on the ball. McCain makes the claim that Obama will fine you if you don’t have insurance or your employer will be fined if he doesn’t provide it. He also believes you should be able to travel across state lines for health care. McCain believes health care in America is a responsibility. Obama thinks it should be a right to have health care insurance. Barack can’t see those lights that tell him to stop. He is controlling the stage as far as time goes.
9:47pm - Should we fund a Manhattan project to fund new energy? McCain says the government should help in early stages then turn it over to the private sector once it goes into the production stages.
9:43pm - Ingrid Jackson asks the two men what they would do to make sure Congress acts fast on economic crisis and green jobs. McCain goes first states that he disagreed with Bush firmly on the environment. McCain says nuclear power must be pretty safe because it powered the navy ships he was on. His 96-year-old mom must have drank it as well. Obama says that he is in favor of nuclear power as well. He believes that new energy can create millions of jobs to help fuel the American economy much like the computer did the past two decades.
9:39pm - Obama avoids pledge to fix social security in two years, but says he would like to in his first term. He goes back to taxes and tries to explain his position and pledge to give 95% of Americans a tax cut. Obama is scoring some points with several body shots in a row about average CEO getting a $700k tax cut under McCain’s plan. McCain says he will answer the question and that he will fix social security. He says medicare will be tougher to figure out. He wants Congress to get out of it, too many special interests there, etc.
9:36pm - McCain hits Obama on taxes and how it will kill the already dead horse economy. He makes it clear that he plans to add major double tax exemptions for children, etc.
9:34pm - Still a rather lame debate so far. Hopefully there will be some cussing and punching at some point.
9:29pm - What sacrifice would you ask of Americans to restore the American dream? McCain says he would ask Americans to eliminate some programs. Kind of the same answer Barack gave to the last question. He then singles out defense spending. He reiterates that he is in favor of a spending freeze across the board. Senator Obama brings up 9/11 and the sacrifices we made then. He is kind of stumbling around. He finally fingers energy but mentions increased oil production not any sacrifice. He kinda of sums it up in Americans serving in different services.
9:23pm - McCain believes that alternative energy, health care, and social security can all be worked on at the same time. Obama responds that we have to prioritize and puts energy at #1. He is really stealing this issue from McCain and Johnny is letting him. Health care is his #2. He then puts education at #3. No mention of social security. BO steals more of McCain’s thunder claiming he wants to look at the budget and eliminate programs one by one that aren’t working.
9:19pm - Teresa asks how we can trust either “of you with our money?” Barack continues to hit away at George W. but is not really laying out any plans. Barack is sounding more and more like McCain the past two weeks. He is even using some of lines about ceasing sending funds to the Middle East. McCain tells Teresa to look at their records and tells her that he is the biggest fighter against earmarks and spending. Overall this debate is pretty lame so far. I think its better when the candidates are having to stare each other down.
9:17pm - Obama says the economy is not going to get worse before it gets better. He says we need regulations, regulations and more regulations. He wants, as McCain, to help Americans stay in their homes. McCain says he is not sure the economy will get better before it gets worse. He thinks it depends on what we do.
9:12pm - Obama’s turn to explain the rescue package to Oliver. Great question from Oliver by the way. Neither candidate has done a good job of explaining what the plan actually does. Obama is claiming that he was warning everyone two years ago as well and painting John as “John the Maniac Deregulator.” He is prepared for this attack from McCain and attacks him right back. It is going to be fun tonight.
9:10pm - Oliver asks what in the bailout package will help Americans out? McCain goes first and makes the point that he suspended his campaign (good point?). He then goes straight to Fannie Mae and ties Barack to them. McCain makes sure to point out that he stood up two years ago to change Freddie/Fannie. He states that Obama got the second most money in “history” from Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac.
9:06pm - McCain responds that Americans are angry, upset and fearful and that he has a plan to fix this problem with energy independence. Plans to keep taxes low for all. He wants to do something about prices of homes. He wants to help people make their payments and stay in their homes. My dad has been preaching a version of this instead of the Wall Street bailout. Pledges that he knows how to get the economy working again. Barack responds then McCain does again with his crush on Meg Whitman of eBay for Treasury Secretary. Barack recommends Warren Buffet, who is one of his supporters. Obama pledges tax cuts for 95% of Americans again (only about 65% even pay taxes).
9:04pm - Barack won the coin toss and gets to go first. I missed the question but it is about the economy. BO blames it on the Bush admin and tags McCain to that as well. Step 1: Rescue package, Step 2: Rescue package for middle class to stay in their homes. Fix health care system, etc.
9:03pm - Are both candidates lefties? Lot of white baldies in the audience…could be bad news for Obama.
9:00pm EST - Looks like we are ready to begin. Welcome to all of those tuning in here tonight. Moderator Tom Brokaw announces that tonight is in fact a town hall debate. Two minutes to respond with one minute follow-ups.
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Okay! I am zzzzzzzzzzzzz. out of this debate! I had to turn to the Real Housewives of Atlanta for a dose of drama! Help me! I am depending on you to keep me abreast!