US Presidential Debate

[Lost In Translation]

So, what did you think of tonight's debate?

[spartan]

The trouble with Obama is though he is great as a speaker to a crowd, he seems ill at ease when actually debating with someone.

He always stutters and makes mistakes with words ("6 party... 6 point programme") whilst McCain gets to portray himself as the experienced statesmen who knows what to do in a crises (playing to Americans fears).

Obama is clearly the more progressive of the two candidates (which isn't saying alot this being mainstream American politics) but really lets himself down in these debates, which gives the thoroughly reactionary McCain a chance to chip away at his support and draw in floating voters to his camp.

I didn't see all of it, but the news seem to be painting it as a draw on most issues such as the economy, but McCain seems to have won when it came to foreign policy (by yet again playing to American fears and accusing Obama of inexperience and being naive).

[Schrödinger's Cat]

They're both wrong on the economy, and I'm not talking up some dictatorship of the proletariat. The government tends to do a terrible job when it messes with money. For regulation like working conditions that's a given - only the most ardent idiot will try to call for an end to sweatshop conditions - but more money just produces higher inflation.

Maybe I would be more inclined to like Obama if he was actually progressive on social issues. Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich have higher appeal.

[JimmyJazz]

The trouble with Obama is though he is great as a speaker to a crowd, he seems ill at ease when actually debating with someone.

As I was watching it, I was thinking that Obama needs to stop taking so many notes (nobody cares about your facts and counterarguments, those just make our eyes glaze over) and start looking up confidently while McCain is speaking. Staring down at his desk while his opponent speaks is going to hurt him with people.

I was also thinking about how the system in which such things decide who will occupy the most powerful position on earth needs to be basically nuked.

And did I go momentarily crazy or did moderator Jim Lehrer actually say that he got to make up the questions by himself? Who the hell is Jim Lehrer, and why should I care about what he wants to know from the candidates? Craziness.

[Lenin's Law]

First of all it must be said, what a farce this so-called "debate" is; although not quite as brazen as previous bourgeois debates, it has become much more of a 2 minute question and answer session than a real debate. For some historical background, it is interesting how much the whole process has become a bunch of (pre-packaged) talking points. What a far cry from the Lincoln-Douglass debates of more than a century ago where people would stand and listen to the two candidates go back and forth for literally hours. Often standing for many of the debates, which was nearly 7 hours.

I don't see how anyone can make the argument Obama is more progressive, he is corporate-created thoroughly conventional politician, who largely relies on identify politics for the illusion that he represents "change."

He stated openly that he agreed with McCain at least 8 times in the debate. On Russia, Iran, Pakistan, he took the nationalist point of view always with the goal of US geo-political interests at heart. The interests of the ruling class. On Iraq, supposedly "anti war", he manages to list all the hardships US troops had to endure without one word about the (far greater) Iraqi casualties; military or civilian. Instead, he mentions repeatedly Iraq's budget "surplus" giving the appearance that Iraqis are doing just fine while the American military is shouldering the burden!!

This is just another example of a powerful empire blaming the country they conquer for all their troubles and wondering why the natives aren't grateful for the conquest.

Although not mentioned in the debates, Obama has even called for harsher measures than McCain on many issues such as sanctions against Venezuela. He is a thoroughly reactionary big business politician, who relies on the naivete and experience of some youth, wishful thinking (the anyone but Bush crowd) liberal media adulation and identity to come across as anything but.

[GPDP]

I got pretty much exactly what I expected: sound bite after sound bite, and imperialist apologism.

Also, did anyone else catch McCain bringing up the "freedom fighters" that fought against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan? I couldn't believe he brought that up, considering who those "freedom fighters" were.

[Bud Struggle]

It looked like McCain knew what he knew from life experience. It looked like Obama read a book. :rolleyes:

[JimmyJazz]

Also, did anyone else catch McCain bringing up the "freedom fighters" that fought against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan? I couldn't believe he brought that up, considering who those "freedom fighters" were.

I almost choked when he did that. He literally turned around and condemned the Taliban in the same sentence.

[Dean]

Filthy lies from crusty mouths.

[Killfacer]

Americans should not be allowed to vote, they cannot be trusted to make the right choice. Britain should vote on your behalf, then Obama will definatly get in.

[danyboy27]

the problem with elections is that they always judging who will be the president. who the most skilled etc.

but at the end, the team is far more important than the main leader is!
Seriously, george bush is an assole, but most of the troubles that happened happened beccause his team was a bunch of creazy warhawk.

Mcain say he can fix all the stuff, but its not a freaking micromanagement game, he cant do all that shit alone, no matter how experienced he his.

Obama may be less experienced, but he got the great skill of choosing his friends wisely, friend that we may not hear about all the time, but friend that are actually good at what they are doing.

Mcain got a fews important friends, he got POPULAR friend, but i am not sure his friend are skilled to do something good with america, i mean kissinger man, he fucking old, he god old idea, and he got a truckload of peoples in his circle that are thinking backward.

about the debate, both candidate where not able to identify correctly the revolutionary guard corp, calling them the iranian republican guard instead.
i love those silly error