United States Presidential Election 2008 - Official Discussion Thread

Originally posted by KidRock
How did the debates go? If McCain didn't get blown out of the water I would consider it a victory for his campaign since everyone seemed to be thinking he was going to get destroyed.

No one got blown out of the water, it was pretty even. Of course, this debate was on foreign affairs, McCain's strongest issue, so he did well. During the first 40 minutes it was about the economy and that's where Obama was significantly better. Once they moved to foreign policy McCain came up and was either even or at some points ahead, I thought.

Still, most polls seem to show that people thought Obama won overall. Even Fox News' Dick Morris, who hates Obama said "Unfortunately I think Obama won". And according to 3 new polls today, he's up by no less than 5 points in all of them.

Dick Morris is a tool.

Originally posted by lord xyz
http://news.yahoo.com/s/pew/20080925/ts_pew/46dontknowobamaischristian

46% Don't know Obama is a christian.

Going to play Frank Luntz here, what percentage of voters are voting for McCain?

Originally posted by spidey-dude
thought he was an arab

As far as I know.

Originally posted by spidey-dude
thought he was an arab

you thought wrong

only 1% of the Kenyan pop are arabs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya#Demographics

and Obama's tribe are the Kenyan/Tanzanian Luo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luo_(Kenya_and_Tanzania)

Arabs come from North Africa and southwest Asia

EDIT: Also, since the article is about him being Christian, you should realize that Christianity is everywhere in the Arab world

McCain never looked Barrack in the eye or even in his direction from what I saw.

Originally posted by Darth Martin
McCain never looked Barrack in the eye or even in his direction from what I saw.

So, my opinion on the debates (I'm sure people have been waiting for it like Christmas).

Everything that I would say content wise has been mostly addressed. Neither of them, IMHO, have a good plan for the middle east, both were really "bumper sticker" with their talking points, and a lot of it was acrobatics to avoid answering questions and just keep looking in the camera and speaking to the bases. (grammar #1 = me)

The best part, for me, was watching the 3 min before the debate that was counted down on CNN. They talked specifically about how in the French presidential debate, Sarkozy and his opponent sat down for 2 hours at a round table and only addressed each other in a real debate. Everyone opined that they wished the American debate would be the same. And then Lehrer spent the entire debate trying to get the candidates to address each other.

Xmarks's opinion that they were underwhelming sums up my feelings. Though, since I always get things confused, I have to say I was surprised with Obama. I always forget that American democrats are not Canadian liberals.

Should be like the UK, where issues are addressed to the leaders twice a week.

lol

the thing I really like about the UK parliamentary system (which we have in Canada) is that the leaders of the nation have to sit in parliament and debate issues.

Can anyone who has experienced this even imagine Bush debating something in a parliament? Even Barak and McCain seem unimpressive compared to any back-bencher that I've seen talk. (though, I feel that reflects political reality in America more than their skills, potentially even for Bush [as I think he plays up his buffoon-ness])

American politics is way too commercial, but yeah, Bush would not last in a house of commons type debate, even Michael Foot would be owning him.

Originally posted by Strangelove
Dick Morris is a tool.

Agreed.

However, he hates Obama so for him to say that Obama won should be very worrying for McCain and republicans, he's about as biased as they get.

Originally posted by BackFire
No one got blown out of the water, it was pretty even. Of course, this debate was on foreign affairs, McCain's strongest issue, so he did well. During the first 40 minutes it was about the economy and that's where Obama was significantly better. Once they moved to foreign policy McCain came up and was either even or at some points ahead, I thought.

If you put either of these people up against other world leaders on either issue I think they would get blown out of the water - which is rather alarming to say of people who aspire to be the world's most powerful man.

I watched a roundtable discussion between Henry Kissinger, James Baker III, Warren Christopher, Madeleine Albright and Colin Powell that was on CNN later in the day. (With the exception of Kissinger, who looked and sounded like he was half-asleep) They were all charismatic, incredibly intelligent, incredibly nuanced states-men and -woman. It left me wondering why they weren't up for this highest office. It left me incredibly impressed with them regardless of which side of the aisle they were from. And it left me even more underwhelmed with the candidates actually running.

Dick Morris is a moron.

I remember listening to him about a year ago and he was going on and on about how Israel was months away from bombing Iran and it was going to happen.

Originally posted by Bicnarok
Maybe he´s a reptilian blood drinker , the host of that show certainly looked inhuman as well, as if he had a plastic face.

What a boring debate, amazing how politicians can waffle a load of crap and say nothing.

Ha. Yeah, exactly the impression I got.

According to 538, IN has become a toss-up state, FL, OH and NV are more DEM than GOP.

Obama 317.8 -- 220.2 McCain

There's a "theory" stirring on the (far) Right spectrum that the Dems are poising the bailout agreement with hidden funds for ACORN, in return ACORN will orchestrate voter fraud to ensure that Obama wins in Nov.

In short, if Obama wins, it will be because he cheated/stole votes.

Originally posted by Robtard
There's a "theory" stirring on the (far) Right spectrum that the Dems are poising the bailout agreement with hidden funds for ACORN, in return ACORN will orchestrate voter fraud to ensure that Obama wins in Nov.

In short, if Obama wins, it will be because he cheated/stole votes.

Does anybody even think McCain has a chance at winning?

With everyone putting blame on Bush for the countries problems, Obama getting his big black shlong sucked by the Media daily and the massive waves of liberal college hippys bowing down to him..there really is no way the Socialist party could drop the ball this time. This just isnt the Democrats year I guess..maybe 2012..that is of course if the Republicans decide to not send a candidate to the General Election again like they did this year.

Originally posted by KidRock
Does anybody even think McCain has a chance at winning?

With everyone putting blame on Bush for the countries problems, Obama getting his big black shlong sucked by the Media daily and the massive waves of liberal college hippys bowing down to him..there really is no way the Socialist party could drop the ball this time. This just isnt the Democrats year I guess..maybe 2012..that is of course if the Republicans decide to not send a candidate to the General Election again like they did this year.

Yes, he has a chance, always had. He could turn things in his favor during the upcoming debates.