Presidential Town Hall Debate

[Professor S]

I watched this and I thought both did quite well, but McCain was greatly improved. I thought he won the debate hands down, but it wasn't a blow out by any means.

Getting the initial reaction of audiences on the news channels, though, and it seems the opposite with the majority believing Obama won. To each their own I guess*. In any case, I don't think anything came out that was a game changer. If McCain wants to win, he'll need a Willy Horton type bombshell, and I don't think Will Ayers is going to be it.


*EDIT: CNN's audience actually leaned towards McCain, so maybe I wasn't as biased in my analysis as I originally thought. :D

[TheGame]

I felt that both of them did quite good myself, though I do feel Obama won the debate. Like you said, to each their own..

I think when it came to the international relations part, it was the same deal. Mccain pointing out Obama's lack of experience, and Obama pointing out Mccains bad initial judgement when it came to the war in Iraq. I think the killer point is the whole Pakistan issue though. Its just easier for more to sympathise with the idea that "if" we spotted Bin Laden there that we'd kill him. Mccains big mouth about fighting in the past is biting him in the ass.. and I think he clearly came across worse there.

As for the economy issues and how to solve them, I think they both came across well there, but once again Obama's appeal there was simply wider. Mccain actually did better then expected to me there, but he never directly respoded to why tax cuts for the upper class people will be a good thing (in a way that your less knowlegeable american can understand).

I personally think he lost the debate on both major fronts, but its all opinion though.

[GameMaster]

Let's just put it this way, if I had known this debate was going to postpone this week's episode of House, I would've actively boycotted it.

I hope a lot of people watched the live stream of the debate on Hulu so the cable companies lost money and viewers.

[Vampyr]

Pretty boring, not as fun to watch as the first debate. Not really a game changer by any means.

McCain did a much better job though than in the first debate. He actually improved significantly. I felt like I could actually take him seriously this time, unlike last time. He actually put some gravity to what he was saying, but wasn't too serious the entire time, and didn't do the whole snickering thing again.

I would say he won this one.

Edit: I realized while watching it that even though I would be upset and angry if McCain won, I actually would have been able to handle it, if he didn't have Palin as a running mate.

[Jason1]

Democrats thing Obama won, Republicans think Mcain won.

Picking a winner in these things is pointless and stupid. Nobody really "wins"

[RoachGnome]

I personally think that both candidates sounded good. The problem is that nothing ever changes. We always hear all the good things that they plan on doing but nothing ever gets done. What they need to do is say F it and come together to fix the economy issue before it’s too late! I know I’m tired of paying so much for high gas prices and I’m tired of paying high medical costs and sick and tired of the rich getting richer while I sit back and suffer. We gave those assholes at the banks all that money to get their asses out of trouble and AIG goes on a goddamn spa retreat with the money. I call shenanigans on all of it. Who ever we put into office is so far out of touch with the “normal” middle class American its sick.

[Jason1]

I personally think that both candidates sounded good. The problem is that nothing ever changes. We always hear all the good things that they plan on doing but nothing ever gets done. What they need to do is say F it and come together to fix the economy issue before it’s too late! I know I’m tired of paying so much for high gas prices and I’m tired of paying high medical costs and sick and tired of the rich getting richer while I sit back and suffer. We gave those assholes at the banks all that money to get their asses out of trouble and AIG goes on a goddamn spa retreat with the money. I call shenanigans on all of it. Who ever we put into office is so far out of touch with the “normal” middle class American its sick.

Amen brother! Thats why we're going to vote for Change...

Vote Obama!

[TheGame]

Democrats thing Obama won, Republicans think Mcain won.

Picking a winner in these things is pointless and stupid. Nobody really "wins"

I'll agree with that.. to an extent. If you're already a supporter of either canadate I don't think either of them did much to sway things. I usually judge winning and losing off of how their answers appealed to most voters, which is the middle/lower classes.

[KillerGremlin]

Amen brother! Thats why we're going to vote for Change...

Vote Obama!

Change? More like same shit, different suit.

I enjoyed hearing Obama state that he is more proactive about getting the eff outta Iraq and not spending so much money on that wasted effort.

I like how McCain wants to limit our dependency on foreign oil by resorting to offshore drilling. And I like his stance on nuclear energy. Apparently offshore drilling was a 'big' McCain flip-flop. I don't necessarily agree with drilling offshore, but America is full of a bunch of pussies. I think the government needs to just put into effect a 5 dollars/gallon gas tax and let the problem sort itself out. If you REALLY want alternate fuels, you make gas unavailable for your average Joe American.

I don't know much about finance and the economy. Obama's tax plan sounds great, the one that will be good to 95% of the nation's people making less that 250,000. But what's the catch? There's gotta be a catch. And, historically, our country has done the best with a Republican president and a Democratic congress. I'm skeptical either candidate will reform the health care system, it's a huge problem and I can't see them being able to deal with expenditures in the Middle East and a health care reform.

I thought McCain did a pretty good job in this debate, certainly better than the first time. And Obama has no clue how to deal with Russia. But I guess that is why he picked Biden.

Ps, screw politics.

[Bond]

From my reading of the Obama tax plan if a married couple makes over $90,000 they receive no tax cut. I suppose that is the catch if there is one.

[GameMaster]

Watching Hannity and Colmes right now and their exclusive interview with Palin and McCain. Its revealing a lot of truth and exposing a certain democratic candidate's dark secrets.

[TheGame]

I watched that too Gamemaster. I think its sad how media gives Obama a pass on all of the people he has been assosiated with. Its almost like the Obama campaign has found a way to make people think its completly irrelevant. Mccain also has his share of akward relationships, like with his father-in-law and G Gordon Liddy, but Obama isn't "lowering" himself to talking about thier problems, only relationships Mccain owns now (like his lobbyist advisors)... So it makes media dismiss it too.

I think G Gordon Liddy's relationship to Mccain is a bit more scary, and Liddy himself is just as bad (if not worse) then Ayers. I'm pretty sure the word 'Watergate' brings back more memories then anything Ayers had done. And Mccain was a grown man when Liddy did his dirt.

If all the dirt came completly to light, most would realize both of these guys, and most polititians in general are corrupted.