Liveblogging the First Presidential Debate
By SilentPatriot Thursday Sep 25, 2008 8:15pm
September 26, 2008
Presidential debate with foreign policy focus
University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS
C-SPAN has the live stream. Make sure to check back throughout the night for real-time analysis and observations, as well as all the good video.
Since it is Friday and all, check out Wonkette's drinking game and see if you can keep up. The Seminal has a good one, too.
***
10:38 pm: Let's see what the talking heads have to stay. The Spin Wars are on! As Jon Stewart would say, welcome to "Spin Alley."
10:36 pm: To anyone playing the C&L drinking game: McCain playing the POW car=finishing your stock of booze.
10:32 pm: Debate Flashback
10:21 pm: Re: Georgia.... McCain insists Russia committed the aggression. But Colin Powell says it's the other way around. Who's right?
10:15 pm: Henry Kissinger does indeed support direct talks with Iran. Stop lying McCain.
10:07 pm: McCain butchers "Ahmadinejad."
10:05 pm: McCain's "League of Democracies," although lauded by neocons, has been thoroughly rejected by our allies.
10:02 pm: Me to McCain: STOP LYING ABOUT OBAMA'S AFGHANISTAN HEARING RECORD.
It turns out that presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain has attended even fewer Afghanistan-related Senate hearings over the past two years than Obama's one. Which is a nice way of saying, McCain, R-Ariz., the top Republican on the Senate Armed Service Committee, has attended zero of his committee's six hearings on Afghanistan over the last two years.
9:49 pm: McCain distorts Obama's Pakistan position. Obama nails him on the "Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran"diddy.
Compare and contrast:
9:47 pm: McCain plays the "you hate the troops" card. Obama hits back: "We had a disagreement on timetables, not on funding the troops."
9:45 pm: Obama pummels McCain on Iraq: "You were wrong [on everything]"
9:38 pm: McCain: "I opposed the President on torture of prisoners." Is he admitting Bush is guilty of torture? And although McCain did a lot of grandstanding on the issue, he sat on his hands while Bush issued a signing statement negating the bill entirely.
9:29 pm: McCain: "Senator Obama is so far to the left, from that position it's hard to reach across the aisle." Funny line, but predicated on the debunked smear that Obama is the "most liberal" member of the Senate.
9:25 pm: McCain attacks on the pork-laden energy bill Obama voted for. He should have mentioned that the bill made the largest investment for alternative energyin the history of Congress. Give and take. Obama "voted for corporate tax rates" but McCain "voted against investments in alternative energy."Hearing McCain rail against earmark abuse is pretty laughable considering Palin is the federal Earmark Queen.
9:22 pm: Obama attacks McCain on his turf: business tax cuts. Says McCain wants to cut business taxes yet keep the tax loopholes open. More for the Wall St., less forMain St. More of the same.
9:20 pm: Obama and McCain spar on tax and spend policies. McCain refuses to make eye contact.
9:12 pm: Lehrer asks Obama to address McCain directly. He does, and McCain makes a self-deprecating joke about his age. "What, you think I couldn't hear him."Pretty funny.
9:05 pm: Obama ties McCain to Bush right off the bat. "The failed policies of the past eight years promoted by George Bush and supported by John McCain."
McCain goes for the bipartisan shtick by playing the Ted Kennedy card. Get well, Teddy.
John Amato: McCain's tie is blinding me! I'm moving C&L to Ireland after listening to McCain....
Where's McCain's American flag pin! McCain sounds like Alan Alda from the West Wing debate episode....Obama is very strong so far...
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frist
"glad you could show up"
Awesome way to start the night
How's your $300B tax cut for the wealthiest, John?
Go after Mccain for his earmarks and don't let him say he didn't take any
obama looks too tight
Great example....Ireland has it all together
The SOBs are interrupting Obama... with commercials!!!
He has taken a ton of porkbarrel spending for Arizona. C'mon my friends
i want to privatize social security
mccain is can lie to your face without blinking
Earmark, McLiar!!!! Come on Obama, say Palin!!!!
My definition of rich is you over there....
kkkeating 5
Mr. 90% With Bush is trying to take off his Republican suit.
Barack, how about Mcfarts definition of middle class, forget about tax cut argument.
Whistle McBlinky
McCain blew it with his attempt at statesmanship with the Ted Kennedy comment. It was announced before the debate started (in the news an hour before) that whatever his medical problem, it was a minor one (some small seizure because of a change in medicine) and he was sent home. His spokesman said Teddy is looking forward to watching the debates at home. I'm really sort of surprised that the McCain staffers weren't more clued in about this. To me, it made the comment all the more insincere.
obama is on the defensive, he needs to but mccain against the wall (get under his skin)
carefulwiththatAXEeugene @ 5:
Concern?
Watch the grinning McCain, you look smug
Blinky McTemper's about to loose it.
Why is McCain smirking? If someone here says "my friends" or "change" do we have to drink?
i think he looks tight too
You have not kept spending under control, you were in favor of the bush tax planb. Obama needs to get in and play some inside ball here
Ruthless People @ 19:
what are you trying to say...its just how i see the debate right now.
His phony Palin has the most earmark money...Bridge to Nowhere!!!
i see why his makeup costs 5k now.
that's star trek quality
Johnny McWhistle is getting maaaaaaad
mccain is starting to look sleazy.. he did the same in the repub. debates.
Obama has to answer that question--esp. since McC won't.
LOOK AT HIS BACK! JUST LIKE BUSH IN 04 DEBATES. HE'S BEING FED THE ANSWERS!
Anyone else sick of Lehrer asking them to speak directly to each other? I swear to god he's going to ask them to hug by the end of the debate.
The snide laughter will cost McCain in terms of performance. That's a negative that everyone sees. O nthe other hand, Obama needs to not let McCain lie about the facts.
mccain's combover is amazing.
albabe @ 7:
Watch it on PBS!
Oh, hell, we're all still Georgians.
Blinkie McWhistletooth.
Oh, God, the KGB joke . . . . jeez . . . .
Now McCain's lying about Russia. Georgia started the conflict.
How else to say this? It's in your hands, America. I know who I'm voting for. If we screw this up again, then we deserve to wallow in whatever quagmire McSame digs us into. At what point do people start voting for their own interests and not based on a "product" they want to buy? We aren't shopping at WalMart, we're picking a President.
Bolster friends and allies??? They don't trust us anymore you old coot!!!!!
Well, sadly, this one is a win for Buffalo Chip McSurge. Someone has to tell Obama that this is a battle for the very soul of America.
The liar's tie is giving me a headache. Can I sue? I think his rubbery neck is hiding the wire that is feeding words to his stupid ass.
Obama needs to be more aggressive in calling McCain out on his outright lies. He opened by talking about making lobbyists and others demanding earmarks famous, as well as punishing greedy corporations. Why didn't Obama bring up Carly Fiorina? That is but one example from the top of my head. McCain is spewing lie after lie after lie. Obama needs to make him look foolish.
McCain was ready to wage war with Spain.
Putin's not the leader anymore, McDouche. Get the net.
remember mccain is trying to frame with deception to
win..he's trying hard to find a word that will stick for
media
I am so dissapointed.
Decrepit Jhon McFuck reads off of boards specifically provided for him by the company otherwise known as "Rove-R-Us" and everthing is supposed to go smoothly.
Blech.
The LIES out of McInSane mouth are making me physically sick!!!
But Americans LOVE WALMART. That is the problem Sam.
Obama needs to practice defending himself. He is in desperate need of some debate judo! McCain attacks with such ridiculous flailing and lying it should be child's play to flip it back on him.
If BO doesn't mention the lobbyists for Georgia that work for McCain I will return to being distraught...
PLEASE ... more aggression PLEASE!!
C Gamble @ 358:
maybe for people with intelligent quotients under 70........
We can't do shit about the Russians. We have not moral authority, no money and a depleted military. Thanks to the guy you vote with 90% of the time Gramps.
i'm pretty sure the only people that can determine the winner are the media.
Maybe I'm overly pessimistic, but I think all the average voter is hearing is:
Obama: [intoned as a lecture] McCain is right on, but let me give you nuance on . . . .
McCain: [intoned as a person with a sense of humor] Obama just doesn't get it, and I do.
This is awful.
noodleboy hussein @ 368:
He's not their leader but he's still calling all the shots, make no mistake about that.
McCain is just like his website & adds: going ON and ON about how Obama Doesn't Understand this, Doesn't Understand THAT!
And all that Makeup McCain is wearing, it's plastered on Like a Trollop! So, does that make him a C**t?
Obamam: "Senator McCain and I agree...."????
Game. Set. Match.
To McCain.
Obama is lifeless.
If McCain says "...what Senator Obama doesn't understand..." one more time, I'm going to have an aneurysm. His debate team must have prepped him to use that line that every two minutes. It's condescending and juvenile.
What grandpa doesn't understand is that age does not equal wisdom.
Agree agree agree
How many times has Obama said he agreed with John tonight? I'm thinking 11, 12 times.
Christ.
all it has to be is close. so long as the american public believe that they're neck and neck few will question the results when the repugs steal this election again. all this "debate' does is solidify that perception.
I want to hope that we'll be smarter than to do this all over again until I think "president Palin"
Putin is no threat, he wants to be governor of Alaska, so said Palin.
Jared, you think swing voters are geniuses?
Obama has foresight. McCain has whistly bellicosity.
Obama's trying to counter McCain's lies with facts. Tough fight.
petr @ 203:
fuckyou!
Venezuela is not a rogue state! Okay I am officially distraught!
Whether you like it or not, telling stories (even bullshit stories) to make a point is a much more effective debating tactic than is a series of bullet points. McCain is telling stories, and Obama is talking in bullets.
you know what i find strange? the wild swings of mccain.
mccain is strangely focused and alert, i find, in the debate. he looks healthy.
but this is not consistent mccain. he is sometimes sluggish and confusing, and tired.
its just weird is all.
Jared Hyder @ 375:
The American people voted Bush in twice.
Hate to say it, but the points are in, and Obama has lost this by a nose. It seems unfair, but McCain won by not getting embarrassed or screwing up too severely.
obama is more visionary...mccain is more dirty
The audience reaction meter on CNN is kinda interesting. I'm assuming that the studio audience is participating; maybe through devices in their seats that measure butt clench. Have they invented a 'sphincter-clench-o-meter'?
Good answer. Energy first. Fiscal responsibility to follow.
Keating 5!!! Lets go Obama
from this table of # of firms with numbers of employees, how many and from which categories are there firms that will be able to actually afford moving to and setting up shop in ireland, mr. mclame?
Firms with 1 to 4 employees 2,777,680
Firms with 5 to 9 employees 1,043,448
Firms with 10 to 19 employees 632,682
Firms with 20 to 99 employees 526,355
Firms with 100 to 499 employees 86,538
Firms with 100 to 499 employees 86,538
Firms with 500 to 749 employees 5,695
Firms with 750 to 999 employees 2,709
Firms with 1,000 to 1,499 employees 2,828
Firms with 1,500 to 2,499 employees 2,281
Firms with 2,500 employees or more 3,534
Firms with 2,500 to 4,999 employees 1,739
Firms with 5,000 to 9,999 employees 905
Firms with 10,000 employees or more 890
http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/smallbus.html
Who has been we....and who has the most liberal voting record. WHat a bunch of crap.
I'm watching CBS HD. McCain is frightening.
How does he call him on the LIES without looking bad?
Voting record???? Obama, McCain missed 85% of his votes.
all of his examples are due to bush's incompetence
It took only 29 minutes for "the most liberal voting record in the Senate" to rear its ugly head!
McBush keeps saying he wants to cut spending. the spending McBush wants to cut it that which benefits the middle class. Spending that keeps us in Iraq 100 years for big oil he'll sign.
Yea...Let's keep our enemies at arms length like we've done with Cuba.
A tiny island 90mi off our coast that should have been a state by now if not for
this backward philosophy. How much better it should work with a huge country tens of thousands of miles away.
Obama should have jumped on him.
so it's like 80% concern trolls on this blog tonight.
CLEARLY OBAMA IS WINNING. Anyone can see that.
Gretchen the aspiring elitist @ 379:
Point taken. But talking about him and him alone is misleading.
Sevastapol is in the Ukraine. McCain is stuck in the Cold War. A dinosaur that just doesn't get it.
Isome @ 332:
What are ya laughing at??? YOU ever been to Korea? Johnny McBush has - so he knows a helluva lot more than YOU !
Tonight the mantle of the presidency descended upon Obama's shoulders
He had me convinced on the Henry Kissinger zinger.
I'm at work (in another timezone half way around the world), and so am not able to watch, but please tell me it's not as bad as it sounds from reading all the comments here.
I'm worried about a McCain presidency. You can only attempt suicide so many times before you actually die, and you know what they say: "Third time's a charm..." I America going down the drain so far that I'm going to have to never return ?
McCain on Georgia
McCain says that Russia was the aggressor!
The truth is Georgia was the aggressor!
Obama fails to set the record straight, instead saying that he and McCain agree! WTF
Ok Obama. Before the next debates watch old tapes of Kerry and Carter.
upchuck @ 357:
Sen. McCain is sticking to the typical GOP rules...lie, lie some more...than lie just a little bit more to reinforce the lie.
Jared Hyder @ 375:
You mean the American electorate? I have to admit to being a little pissed at Obama for the stammering and restraint. This was the time to go for the jugular.
The Media is going to give this to McCain and there will be a big Debate Bounce for McCain.
Hard Justice @ 382:
Now being a POW qualifies you being the expert in foreign policy, it just means you the unlucky bastard who got caught by the enemy. No disrespect to all the POWs. I'm just tired of this asshole keep using that as an excuse to be a poor politician.
Not that it matters too much at a comment over #350 (thought it shows how much this matters to "us").
Simply stated, this was a debate that McCain should have dominated (according to WHOEVER).
Obama WON.
I already was convinced that he should be our president, just because he is the Democratic candidate.
After watching the debate, and not having to wince even ONCE, I am reassured.
The ONLY thing I regret about this debate, is that Obama did not call out McCain for voting AGAINST the vet bill right after McCain was talking about supporting the troops.
That would have been a big plus, but it really didn't matter that much.
I think (and again, I'm biased) anyone who COULD have been persuaded, was impressed by Obama.
Peace All.
Last question coming up in the debate, Obama just "please" don't confirm your "Muslim" faith. Ha ha.
Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Pundit comment predictions anyone?
Hmmm, remember the FIRST Kerry/Bush debate where Kerry DESTROYED Bush? I mean he really did. But after that it kind of fizzeled out - the next 2 debates were very mediocre, blah. Maybe, just maybe, O is reserving the fun stuff for the next 2 debates. Just maybe.
C Gamble @ 393:
No we didn't. He was installed by the Supreme Court and then Karl Rove .
Yeah, McBush supported Lugar back in the 90's ....and of course he invented the Blackberry too.
Miatch @ 396:
What matters is what the people who voted for Bush twice think unfortunately.
MCCAIN WAS WRONG ON HIS FRIEND OF 35 YEARS, HENRY KISSINGER:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/09/kissinger-backs.html
KISSINGER CLEARLY STATES: ABC News' Rachel Martin Reports: Former U.S.Secretary of State Henry Kissinger today told an audience in Washington, DC that the U.S. should negotiate with Iran "without conditions" and that the next President should begin such negotiations at a high level.
McCain
'Senator Obama doesn't understand that Pakistan was a failed state when Musharraf came to power…'
-----
Musharraf seized power in a coup d'etat in 1999, which makes Pakistan, by definition a failed state.
Obama missed it entirely.
Swanny @ 410:
The always "liberal" media will applaud McCain heroic CLUTCH debate. They will say he looked comfortable and controlled the debate.
Sad but true.
noodleboy hussein @ 397:
Obama did call him on that. He commented that the Russian president is weak and the possibility Putin could find a way to replace him at any time.
Aw shit. Here comes 9/11.
seriously @ 411:
I hope so.....because although he was fairly decent tonight, he had chances to hammer McBush and let him off the hook IMO.
Sounds like four more wars no matter how you dice it. Good thing they cost a lot. The Treasury will not be able to sell any more bonds at some point.
petr @ 296:
You're unhinged, buddy! Pack it in for the night...
why does Obama give in - McCain is a blustering liar!!!!
Miatch @ 396:
Obama is winning with people listening to the nuances of the arguments. People who are already going to vote for him.
He's not winning with anyone watching simply for ethos.
McCain just told Obama to stay off his lawn.
Oh God, that 911 report really brought back those 3000 lives. Hit him Barry!
McCain & Lieberman created the 9-11 Commission ???
Is he bullshitting ??
McCain & Lieberman = "bipartisan" .. yeah ..
Paul @ 402:
Can you get the BBC? I am watching this in London.
Obama forgot to bring his Knife tonight. Mc cain just goes on and on and Obama doesn't try to interrupt and then says that's fair. CRAPP Man YOU HAVE TO BUST THIS GUY ON ALL HIS LIES!
Wow... I think I like this debate better than the other one.
And don't ever forget that Gore won the popular vote over Bush, too.
McCain:
'Senator Obama has the most liberal voting record in the Senate'
Wrong, he has nearly the LEAST liberal voting record in the Senate!
Wow. Suddenly John McDick looks like he has his act together.
Where's the dementia? Did they take away his xanex and exchange it for Ritalin?
I watched The Biggest Loser the other night and a couple used a fake ankle sprain to psyche everyone out. Is this McFuck's Rovian strategy?
Obama seems so nervous in comparison.
Come on Obama. Call this jackass out! Keating Five would be good for starters.
Wonder who wrote this shit for McCain.
you are right, obama needs to bring up keating 5
I'm writing comments that are showing up. Why?
No Commercials:
http://www.c-span.org/
Obama seems reasonable...but kinda dull. He has to answer back...most liberal voting record.
they work in mccains campaign
obama is not taking the needed shots at mccain
Stan @ 22:
My Friends, you may drink one for me! (I'm on the wagon...)
carefulwiththatAXEeugene @ 5:
The picture on this topic looks like Obama is gonna punch McSame... or am I just seeing something I'd like to see. Yeah... that's it! I hope McSame's ass gets kicked in this debate.
Good answer on partisanship. Google for government. Opposition to Bush's wrong-headed policies.
Jim Lehrer is lecturing.
One should certainly, of course, recognize this debate, and all future debates like this, as being a sham, an illusion, a chimera, a pretension of living in an [alleged] democracy since being in a true democracy would mean having third party candidates being seen and heard on that floor along with Obama and McCain. But that will not happen since the commission which runs these debates is headed by former heads of the Democratic and Republican parties and the last thing that they would want to see happen is for someone like a Ralph Nader to expose Obama and McCain for being the frauds that they truly are since both of them are much more alike [continued occupations of both Iraq and Afghanistan, no single payer health care plan, both against impeaching Bush and Cheney] than they are different.
At least these are intelligent questions! What a refreshing difference.
Alice X - (Click Here for Nader Debate What If) - status quObama - change you can pretend in - @ 48:
Obama:
'Most of that is opposing Bush's wrong headed policies…'
Why not deny it, because it isn't true.
Hugh Hewitt is counting the "uh's an'd um's" by the elite Obama. I've got two, so it must be 200 by now. Holly Carbunkles... Obama's way to nice to Mc Cain. Hit him on the lobbyists who run him! I'm gonna have to go over there!
Iraq, YES!!! Stick his to his old ass and say BUSH!!!!
Bill Clinton's name and "Democrat Party" would have been mentioned 50 times by now by McNasty if the shit hit the fan like it has under a decade of Democratic rule. Obama needs to remind the voters it's the Republicans who have been in power and brought us this mess and Mc90%withbush is more of the same.
fastfeat @ 55:
Crap, you're watching this without alcohol? I'm home with the flu today and I'm drinking anyway - I can't stand to listen to a republican anymore without something to dull the pain.
Oh stop, Erroll. Now's not the time. If a third party candidate can poll 15%, they can get in.
Ugh! I am not pleased with the milquetoast responses. Come on... get your head in the game or go home!!
mccain has done so much dumb stuff lately...obama needs to PRESSSSSS
Did he really say that Veterans funding was a key spend not to be cut? Didn't he vote against increasing veterans' benefits? Or is it because it is so late here that I have lost my mind?
COME ON OBAMA.
This should be as easy as pie. John McCain has the most and largest dirty laundry list around.
Go for the throat!!!
For example: Who works for him and what firms are they associated with????????????????? Everybody look it up and mail it to Obama.
Come on Obama.
sept 12: mccain wanted to go into Iraq.
CALL HIM ON IT!!!!!!!!!!!
theWalrus @ 407:
You forget that all but Faux and maybe CNN are doing fact checks.
Bye Bye Obama. Awful performance. Just awful.
Swanny @ 410:
Whatever they say, they will say it to keep the election close so they can make more money and the R's can hope to steal Ohio and Florida. Again.
Did John just say we tortured prisoners?
Miatch @ 396:
McCain is re-inventing himself everytime he opens his mouth and Obama is not calling him on it. I hardly call that winning.
obama seems shaken
i think he has started believing all the hype and when someone with real knowledge puts him in check, he can't figure it out
obama is so used to the cheering crowds, the real world makes him look silly
McCain was able to lecture Obama a few times. If Obama has zingers, he needs to refine them for the next debate. This debate was a dud for both sides, actually, but the press will declare McCain the winner by split decision.
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