First Obama-McCain debate full of contrasts

[Dulcinea]

Source: CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In their first head-to-head debate Friday, Sen. John McCain criticized Sen. Barack Obama as a candidate who "doesn't understand" the key issues the country faces, and Obama linked McCain to President Bush on several issues.

Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama discussed their differences in Friday's presidential debate.

"I'm afraid Sen. Obama doesn't understand the difference between a tactic and a strategy," McCain said as the two traded jabs over Iraq.

Obama shot back, "I absolutely understand the difference between tactics and strategy. And the strategic question that the president has to ask is not whether or not we are employing a particular approach in the country once we have made the decision to be there."


Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/26/debate.friday/index.html

[radfringe]

1. Obama did well

I know the pundints and blatherheads are calling it a win for mccain. However, Obama held his own, he gave as good as he got in terms of quips.

mccain didn't land any knock out punches, or even push Obama up against the ropes. If anyone was against the ropes last night, it was mccain when discussing the economy.

Obama's answers were deliberative, and revealed how he thinks - to understand a problem, you also have to understand how the problem occured and learn from mistakes made. This is something mccain doesn't seem to want to do - as his answer to most of the questions on foreign policy is to "surge" and continue with the bush program of attack and worry about planning later.

I want someone at the wheel that knows how to steer, that realizes every turn of the wheel means something and is aware of how it effects everything else - not someone who jerks the wheel wildly back and forth.

[kikiek]

2. From what I have seen more are calling it for Obama. Especially undecideds.

[radfringe]

3. Obama gave more specifics

elaborated on previously stated positions - while mccain stuck to sound bite stump lines and offered no further insight

[Submariner]

5. The Foxtards at Fox 'n Freaks

have McNuts Fox poll winning 84% to Obama's 14%. :eyes:

[jrockford]

11. who did they poll, people working at fox? nt

[Cirque du So-What]

4. Contrasts indeed

Barack Obama radiated a desire to convey the truth, while McAnus told lie after bold-faced lie - sometimes immediately after getting his face rubbed in his lies.

[djp2]

6. Appeared Racist

McLame apppeared racist in that he wouldn't even look at Obama, like, I'm not even going to justify your presence by looking at you; you're beneath me, boy...

[nugzie]

7. my friend...

who, after talking to her about this election, I dont even know if I can stand to be friends with her anymore...but...I just noticed on her myspace she wrote something about how McCain did awesome and Obama had a temper and should look into anger management. uhhh WHAT? even if you are a McCain supporter and thought that McCain won, I don't know how anyone could perceive that OBAMA was the one with the temper!! she's officially lost all my respect. shes an IDIOT!!!

[jonestonesusa]

8. Obama was quite assertive, and not all can handle that.

I really appreciate it when Obama is more forthright in how he speaks with a political opponent. But not all Americans are prepared for that assertive side of Obama's skill set. I hope he continues it, because such assertiveness is required to change the culture of Washington.

[Cresent City Kid]

9. Obama unscathed by McCain's attacks

McCain was more coherent than he has been recently, and I thought debated well, albeit for the wrong positions. Obama more than held his own, answered each attack, and seemed more presidential doing so. Obama simply beat him at his best.

In the debate, McCain's main weapon was "you don't understand". Obama showed he did understand each issue which took the steam out of that line of attack. Now they're using times when Obama agreed with McCain on something, or more accurately the first half of these sentences, in their campaign ads. Here's my point: If you have a stategy of attack IN the debate and you can't find examles of it to put in your ads and have to twist words and use half of sentences as an ad hoc new line of attack, you're in trouble.

[dgibby]

10. Idiot vs Intellect

Can't get more of a contrast than that!:rofl: