I need to stop drinking my way through debates

[trinityvixen]

When not entirely possessed of my sober mind, it's nearly impossible for me to figure out who won these things. CNN seemed to call it for Obama. I didn't get that impression. I think Obama breaking the rules of the debate, as agreed upon by both sides, to be a serious error on his part. Then again, I'm surprised McCain thought he could get away with calling Obama "that one" as if considering his opponent too hideous to name would appear as anything but hideous.

I think everyone can agree that Tom Brokaw was a terrible moderator. Tom, you're not a school marm with power over his pupils. These are United States Senators, and you sounded like a whiny bitch when you couldn't make them stick to the debate structure that was agreed upon. Far as I know, you weren't supposed to ask follow-up questions of your own, so you weren't sticking to script. Shut the F up. Also, what the F happened to your eyeballs? Did they shrink? No, I'm totally serious. This was the first thing I noticed in the whole debate: Tom Brokaw's eyeballs have retracted into his skull. What the shit?

Comments

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

You watched it twice? Yeesh. I wasn't willing to do that. I couldn't get through it once without drinking. I just hope our guests didn't think I was wasted. Politics of this kind--flash with no substance--drive me to wine. (I'm such an "elitist" drinker.)

Brokaw did lose control and he needed to either step up his authority--cut McCain and Obama off--or else adapt. He decided to whine. Poor Tom. Still, what's with the shrunken eyeballs!?

[edgehopper.livejournal.com]

I'd call it another tie--though I note that it's very interesting to watch the debate as a Republican in the middle of an Obama rally (Rock the Vote, which in practice and in membership is little more than an arm of Obama for President, was at the bar along with the Rock Band people.)

Overall, it was the exact same performance as a week and a half ago--Obama repeated the same "McCain = Bush" talking points even when they were non-sequiturs, while McCain remains clueless on the reasons behind his domestic policy. The problem is that Bush-bashing is a winner this time around, and McCain, through his waffling on the bailout, turned his chance at a big winning issue into a failure. Barring some major October or November surprise, I don't see us winning this thing.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

I think McCain's attempts at humor were his biggest mistake. He wasn't at a rally of his supporters who would eat up anything he said. He was in a room full of people who'd been screened to the nth degree and probably weren't allowed to smile lest their status as "independent, undecided" be stripped from them. (Although I noticed Obama had himself a girlfriend in the audience. She was in love with him. I pointed that out immediately and everyone laughed. After about twenty minutes, they all agreed with me.)

Bush bashing worked, interestingly enough, when attacking McCain. Biden linked McCain to Bush in the debate with Palin, but because she brazenly decided history was irrelevant, he couldn't make it stick the same way Obama did.

[avram]

Me, I thought that trying to straightjacket the two candidates into a strict format, keeping them from engaging with each-others' points, runs contrary to the entire idea of what these debates are supposed to be about. Let 'em go! Let's have a dozen follow-ups if it actually gets something vaguely resembling useful truth out. (Truth is too rare a commodity in election campaigns.)

[moonlightalice.livejournal.com]

My debate fantasy--live fact-checking on-screen.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Fuck CNN's "Fact Checking." The little pop-ups they had saying "fact" were more than a little subjective for a lot of the time. Plus they said "Fact: so-and-so said this." Well, yes, technically, that is a fact. That doesn't make it "fact-checking." We know that they said that. We want to know if what they said was true.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

This is why I hate this format. For heaven's sake, there was a line on the stage where they couldn't cross over into each others' territory. It's stupid and constraining. They needed to engage. They needed to be able to answer attacks. They needed to answer the questions and be able to be bullied by Brokaw (or anyone else) into so doing.

[gryphonrose.livejournal.com]

I wasn't happy about Obama breaking the rules but I think he did a solid job. McCain came across as a cranky old ass, which is surprising considering he's always going on about how he loves town-hall meetings and how great he is at them. Yes, Brokaw sucked. So far Lehr has been the most effective of the moderators. But I'd definitely chalk this up as a win for Obama. He came across as far more presidential, and he shut down several of McCain's talking points. Plus "that one" really sank McCain.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

What bothered me about the "who won" rostering on CNN was that in terms of body language and overall vibe of leadership, Obama won but on issues specifically, he didn't. Which means that shallower means are being used to determine the win. And, as far as we know, that poll was based off their sample size of 32. Sheesh.

McCain's strength is not on TV. Alas, we're long past that age where you could be absent from the tube and still look presidential.

And, yeah, "That one"? Okay, grandpa, we'll tell Barry to stop tearing the shit out of your lawn with his bike.

[moonlightalice.livejournal.com]

I've decided that I hate these debates. I hate that candidates can't come out and answer questions--they have to talk around them until you're bored and have forgotten the question and get up to have a drink.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

That kept happening! I'd go into the kitchen for some water, trying to listen to the question, but I'd lose track. "Wait, what were we on?"

This is why I shouldn't drink. The non-logic of the debate answers made me feel drunker than I was. I was perfectly able to debate the merits of not having health care be a commodity with the people around me. That, and I pretty much made my slut status known by saying I'd totally tap Michelle Obama. She's cute!

[edgehopper.livejournal.com]

I know I'd rather see Michelle as president than Barack. Just sayin'...besides the attractiveness, I get the impression that she's the much smarter of the two, and is a lot more down to earth than he is.

It helps that she was an IP lawyer. Though I have a deep suspicion of lawyers who got to work on cool things like a Coors ad campaign and the Barney the Purple Dinosaur trademark, and were unhappy with it.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

I missed it, but apparently the Obamas were glad-handing a lot longer than the McCains. I couldn't believe that. As if he needed more reasons for people to think he was a cranky old dude up past his bedtime. And Michelle seemed a lot more engaged. She has a lovely smile, and she seemed genuine. Cindy McCain...well, I'm not exaggerating when I say "Stepford."

[kent-allard-jr.livejournal.com]

I wish the debates were over, but I keep watching in case McCain attempts another "bold" move, a la Palin or the campaign "suspension." Maybe he'll start speaking in tongues; maybe he'll shoot Obama in the face; maybe he'll strip naked and declare his love for Cokie Roberts. There's no telling!

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Man, I was so sure he'd tank completely if he kept going back to the "I suspended my campaign!" shtick. Nobody but nobody thought that was a good idea. Especially not when a) he didn't do anything except call some people, which he could have done (as Obama did) from anywhere; b) no one was asking for his help; c) because they didn't want it; d) that plan he "worked" on didn't pass; and e) HE DIDN'T SUSPEND HIS CAMPAIGN.

Then Obama broke the rules and I cringed.

[jendaby.livejournal.com]

I had some definite anxiety over the debate. I was really upset that Obama broke the rules, and I was annoyed at the snorkeling noises Brokaw was making. What really bothered the hell out of me was McCain, though. I guess he was just projecting his anger or something, because I felt so threatened and uncomfortable watching and listening to him.

And not just because he appeared to be wearing a wet diaper.

And I agree, Brokaw looked different. Weird.

[wellgull.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was really not impressed with Obama's performance. He's not all I could hope for in a candidate, not by a long shot.

The thing is, outside the debates, he's got a lot of momentum and the facts are on his side. Within the debates, he doesn't have to outrun the lion, he just has to outrun McCain; and since McCain's performance hasn't been too stellar either (pandering about individual homeowner bailouts aside) it's OK that Obama doesn't win crushing victories; he's just running out the clock.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

He's gaining momentum in the debates, or so I heard. I didn't see the first one, but many blogs and news outlets think that he got better, more engaged and what not. I can't say, but I'm not blown away.With the side-line campaign McCain is running, I'm sure they're okay, but the Dems could be doing better.