Politico - WORST DEBATE EVER!

[DISUNC]

I must agree.

I thought the questions were just stupid. I cant believe that out of all the thousands of questions from 'real people', Tom Brokow choose the dumbest ones to ask. Both candidates "phoned' it in..and both just stayed to their scripted rethoric!

I was very disappointed...and PEEVED at all involved. What did you all think?

The worst debate ever

With the country at one of its most interesting — not to mention terrifying — moments in a generation, John McCain and Barack Obama met in Nashville for what was surely one of the dullest and least satisfying presidential debates in memory.

There have been boring debates before, of course. Truth be told, probably only a fraction of these encounters, over the 32 years since general election debates became a fixture of presidential campaigns, actually delivered on their promise of great political drama. And even interesting debates are inevitably somewhat stilted affairs, as candidates cleave to their scripts and try to avoid blunders.

But the Belmont University showdown was something entirely different. Place the gravity of the moment next to the blah-blah-blah artifice of the rhetoric and overall insubstantiality of the evening, and this is what you get: The worst presidential debate ever.

The day after leaves behind a puzzle: How the hell did candidates manage to be so timid and uninspiring at a time when American troops are in two problematic wars, the world financial markets are in scary free fall and the Dow has lost 1,400 points since Oct. 1? This is a moment history rarely sees — and both men blew it.

It was an odd reversal of the usual optics of power. Ordinarily, the national stage can take even life-size pols such as Michael Dukakis and imbue them with an outsize aura. ......

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14396.html

 

[Mickeyistheman]

I will bite....I thought the debate went fine, the questions were pretty much more of the same IMO from the last debate.

I didn't like Brocaw, he annoyed me.

I am just curious if Mccain would have won last night's debate would you still have thought that it was stupid?

 

[DISUNC]

I will bite....I thought the debate went fine, the questions were pretty much more of the same IMO from the last debate.

I didn't like Brocaw, he annoyed me.

I am just curious if Mccain would have won last night's debate would you still have thought that it was stupid?

Yes & No...!

I dont get into that whole which candidate won or who lost stuff. Nor do I ever listen to all the Pundits afterward. Never did.

So I wont assume McCain lost nor Obama won. Nov 4th will Judge that.

However I do think WE voters lost last night, there were 1,000 way more insightful questions to ask (I hated that half of the Questions were directly from Brokow ). And I think the times limits are moronic. Miss America gets more time to answer her "In her own words" question.

Lets face it "Explain how you are going to FIX everything in 2 minutes or less? questions are just NOT gonna cut it! Next debate they may have a Band there cueing the candidates off at the end of the time limit!

 

[Uncle Remus]

I didn't think it was all that horrible, my gosh, horrible was the 'wink, wink woman.'
That was the worst display of pretend politics ever!

 

[crazyforgoofy]

I didn't think it was all that horrible, my gosh, horrible was the 'wink, wink woman.'
That was the worst display of pretend politics ever!

As usual our dear Uncle is right on the money!

 

[DISUNC]

I didn't think it was all that horrible, my gosh, horrible was the 'wink, wink woman.'
That was the worst display of pretend politics ever!

Did you see the CNN "Betty Boop" cartoon in regards too that!

So what did you learn last night that you didnt already Know? Was there any question that made you go "What a GREAT question"?

 

[Uncle Remus]

As usual our dear Uncle is right on the money!

McCain said "my friends" 22 times.

And he never did explain anything in detail coz ya know, we ain't ever heard of
Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, but he's "gonna fix everythin' coz he knows how to fix it. "

 

[goofyforlife]

I just wish both candidates would stop glossing over reality and tell us the truth...

1.)There's no money... (thanks el shrubo)

2.) No we can't work on anything (see #1)

3.) We don't care who doesn't have a job because we're still employed and have health care.

4.) SS Good one.... (you're not getting any because we've spent all that money that came out of your check all those years. Tough cookies.)

5.) We're pretty much all in deep doo-doo (because of #1)..Except for both candidates because let's face it...They have plenty of $$$. (and houses)

 

[DISUNC]

McCain said "my friends" 22 times.

And he never did explain anything in detail coz ya know, we ain't ever heard of
Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, but he's "gonna fix everythin' coz he knows how to fix it. "

...and what did Obama REALLY explain?????

 

[nannerbadnanner]

As I posted earlier, it was like a bad community theater version of the first debate.

 

[Barbossa]

I think the voters and the press got the debate they deserve. In an environment where even the slightest gaffe could cost a percentage point in the polls, candidates try to be as calculated as possible. Makes for some pretty boring TV.

 

[Uncle Remus]

...and what did Obama REALLY explain?????

I thought he did a fairly good job of explaining how his health insurance plan could actually pay for itself and still allow Americans to have that "choice" in health care as opposed to McCain's hidden handout of $5,000 to raise folks' taxes under the guise of a health program and still leave them uninsured. One notation both of them made was in reference to computerized medical records, that was a Hillary proposal that Obama appreciated and of course, McCain stole that idea from the Dems. Obama knows what he's talking about and how to implement it.

And no one need ask how McCain is anti choice in the area of womens' health, everyone knows he doesn't know nor care about womens' health issues. Obama spoke to all Americans.

 

[Lanshark]

Any format that asks a candidate to explain such complex issues in 1-2 minutes is not conducive to finding answers. It is an opportunity for sound bites. These debates are more about NOT making a mistake then about finding answers to our questions about important issues....My friend

 

[DISUNC]

As I posted earlier, it was like a bad community theater version of the first debate.

Me thinks you hit the nail on the head.

And no one need ask how McCain is anti choice in the area of womens' health, everyone knows he doesn't know nor care about womens' health issues.

Someone here needs to ask! What are you talking about?

 

[gmboy95]

Yes & No...!

I dont get into that whole which candidate won or who lost stuff. Nor do I ever listen to all the Pundits afterward. Never did.

So I wont assume McCain lost nor Obama won. Nov 4th will Judge that.

However I do think WE voters lost last night, there were 1,000 way more insightful questions to ask (I hated that half of the Questions were directly from Brokow ). And I think the times limits are moronic. Miss America gets more time to answer her "In her own words" question.

Lets face it "Explain how you are going to FIX everything in 2 minutes or less? questions are just NOT gonna cut it! Next debate they may have a Band there cueing the candidates off at the end of the time limit!

I agree completely...i dont think either candidate was served well by the format. I think obama has excelled at countering mccains charges, and was not given the opportunity to do so, until he basically, along with mccain rebelled at the end!

 

[gmboy95]

I think the voters and the press got the debate they deserve. In an environment where even the slightest gaffe could cost a percentage point in the polls, candidates try to be as calculated as possible. Makes for some pretty boring TV.

this is a great point!!!!

 

[Mickeyistheman]

Well I do think Obama did very well and answered the questions and really talked to me about what he was going to do for me - middle class.

However Obama and Mccain but moreso Obama used Fundamentally wayyy to many times that we were laughing at the end whenever he would say it.

Mccain repeated himself many times and to me except for a few points he was alot of fluff. I also do not like his $5000 tax break for Health Care - people are not going to use it for Health care.

I also felt that Mccain was very condesending again, like just because I am older I know more than you do. Well you may but I want someone who knows enough and has better ideas on how to make the system better and work for my generation not those that are 70 years old. No offense to those on the board but that is my feeling on that.

I also did not like how the format was, it wasn't a debate but it was called that I don't know the rules were kind of not so great IMO.

They should have been able to go back and forth with each other and should have each been given more time to answer the questions.

I hope that they do have some new questions on Weds next week. I know they have to talk about the "hot topics" but we need to know more information and I also think the independents want to know more too.

 

[Charade]

I just wish both candidates would stop glossing over reality and tell us the truth...

1.)There's no money... (thanks el shrubo)

2.) No we can't work on anything (see #1)

3.) We don't care who doesn't have a job because we're still employed and have health care.

4.) SS Good one.... (you're not getting any because we've spent all that money that came out of your check all those years. Tough cookies.)

5.) We're pretty much all in deep doo-doo (because of #1)..Except for both candidates because let's face it...They have plenty of $$$. (and houses)

Blame the entire mess on Bush!!

 

[DISUNC]

I think the voters and the press got the debate they deserve. In an environment where even the slightest gaffe could cost a percentage point in the polls, candidates try to be as calculated as possible. Makes for some pretty boring TV.

I think "We the people" can certainly handle a BETTER ( REAL) Debate. We do deserve BETTER...MUCH BETTER.

I do think both the candidates calculated more so what the MSM will do or not do for them.
They "Debated" too the MSM, for the MSM, By the MSM!

 

[pixie dust 112]

McCain said "my friends" 22 times.

And he never did explain anything in detail coz ya know, we ain't ever heard of
Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, but he's "gonna fix everythin' coz he knows how to fix it. "

The "my friends" thing drove me crazy!