Second Presidential Debate

[Northstar]

Since the other two political threads were turning into nonsense, I decided to start one to discuss the second debate and see if we can't have a better discussion than the other two threads...

So, feel free to discuss your thoughts on the second debate here.

[Satty]

I'm not expecting much of substance from this debate, since there wont be any real debating. The candidates will get questions from the audience and the internet, and answer them. They wont address each other (not that they addressed one another last time) and probably wont get follow-up questions from the moderator.

[Drew Dowdell]

I plan to live comment.

[Robert Hall]

I'm twittering and blogging on CNN's political board as it goes along.

[Drew Dowdell]

Question 1: Obama answers the question about helping the people hurting most by this economy

McCain talks about energy independence and then proposes a MASSIVE spending bill to buy up homes at their new lower value and then re-sell them back to the home owner.

[Satty]

Isn't that the opposite of reducing spending?

[Drew Dowdell]

McCain still can't help but looking pissed... you can see his jaw muscles throb when Obama is talking.

[Drew Dowdell]

I do really like this style of debate much more than the others...

[siegen]

argh, I'm in class. Why don't they schedule the debates around MY schedule?!

It's recording though.

[Drew Dowdell]

hahah! Go out and shop!

[Drew Dowdell]

pppfftt... Brokaw sounds drunk

[Satty]

He does sound a bit drunk, and he's acting drunk, yelling at the candidates and whatnot.

[Satty]

Tom needs more power. Either cut off the mic or have play-off music like the Oscars.

[balthazar]

Brokaw ALWAYS sounds drunk. Prolly is.

Black guy stands up, mumbles a question about 'what's in the rescue bill for me?' Barry steps up to him, says 'I'll tell you what's in it for you', then rambles and meanders around restating the problem, quickly dropping into the oh-so-tired campaign trail rut of '8 more years' and 'more of the same' while the questioneer blinks at Barry, wondering where his answer is.

I tuned out after about 15 minutes- there is zero point to these debates because neither will seemingly stray from bumper sticker politicing.

[mustang84]

Unless something big happens in the next hour, I think this debate will be a wash. Like balthazar said, both candidates are basically repeating what has been said in the past and not really straying beyond.

[loki]

Isn't that the opposite of reducing spending?

and illegal.

[Satty]

Policy wise, there is nothing new, but McCain uses the phrase "my friends" way too much.

[mustang84]

I hate to say it, but I think McCain has this one. Obama hasn't been as forceful and has had a lot of pauses in his speaking. Obama just doesn't seem as at ease as he normally is. Hopefully the closing statement ends on a stronger note.

[Satty]

Wow, I wouldn't be surprised if Brokaw cuts himself tonight, it seemed like the debate was more stressful for him than for either candidate.

[Satty]

CNN's post-debate coverage also seems a little drunken. Who knew that Tuesday was the big day for absinthe.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Policy wise, there is nothing new, but McCain uses the phrase "my friends" way too much.

He tends to say it more when he's frustrated I've found.

[BigPontiac]

Pretty boring -- same old, same old.

The "my friends" thing is annoying. Curious how the McCain mortgage buyback policy unfolds after tonight -- only thing new I heard.

[Satty]

I think its a bad idea that will cost the government a lot of money. Lets say a person has a $200,000 mortgage, the government buys it, then its determined that the house is worth $160,000. Thats a $40,000 loss, and absolutely no financial gain.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Yeah and I guarantee it'll have the same effect the 700bil will have on the markets- bupkus.

[Robert Hall]

Pretty boring -- same old, same old.

The "my friends" thing is annoying. Curious how the McCain mortgage buyback policy unfolds after tonight -- only thing new I heard.

I wonder if he made that policy up on the spot... seems like it could be very costly..

[Robert Hall]

I think its a bad idea that will cost the government a lot of money. Lets say a person has a $200,000 mortgage, the government buys it, then its determined that the house is worth $160,000. Thats a $40,000 loss, and absolutely no financial gain.

Yeah, or like I've seen in the Denver area---$400k mortgage, house worth $300k... ouch.

[Enzora]

Can someone tell me why Tom Brokaw was such a bitch about the time rule, but didn't seem to care at all about making the candidates answer the question that was asked? It was incredibly frustrating how both candidates dodged any question they wanted. This debate was only conclusive about one thing: This debate format sucked.

[Drew Dowdell]

I think its a bad idea that will cost the government a lot of money. Lets say a person has a $200,000 mortgage, the government buys it, then its determined that the house is worth $160,000. Thats a $40,000 loss, and absolutely no financial gain.

Well, actually, if you participate in this program, you have to promise a portion of any future profits on the sale of the house to the government. So if you let the goverment eat your $40,000 loss today but sell your house in 15 years at a $100,000 gain, the government gets to take $40,000 of that back.

I made up the percentages, but that's basically house it works.

[BigPontiac]

I wonder if he made that policy up on the spot... seems like it could be very costly..

Could be. At least it's something new to hear about and maybe will cut some of the negative ads from both sides. McCain's lack of wanting to prioritize is a bit concerning too. The math on this stuff doesn't appear to hold up -- cut taxes, cut some gvt spending, then spend more + war costs.

4 more weeks until it's over...can't wait!

[longtooth]

Can someone tell me why Tom Brokaw was such a bitch about the time rule, but didn't seem to care at all about making the candidates answer the question that was asked? It was incredibly frustrating how both candidates dodged any question they wanted. This debate was only conclusive about one thing: This debate format sucked.

Commercial Television and East Coast time deadlines for the 11 pm news. I think that the artificial time limits stunts the debate. It's about the $.

[Satty]

Thats assuming people hold on to their homes long enough for the value to increase. If the government eats $40,000 up front, but the house only sells for a $10,000 gain, the government is out $30,000, unless we get into some sort of government mortgage perpetuity deal where a house has to be mortgaged through the Treasury until the loss is recouped.

Edited October 8, 2008 by Satty

[Robert Hall]

Could be. At least it's something new to hear about and maybe will cut some of the negative ads from both sides. McCain's lack of wanting to prioritize is a bit concerning too. The math on this stuff doesn't appear to hold up -- cut taxes, cut some gvt spending, then spend more + war costs.

4 more weeks until it's over...can't wait!

The old phrase 'voodoo economics' comes to mind.

[Satty]

Oh, and a "steady hand at the tiller" wouldn't be running a psychotic ADHD campaign centered around making big splashes (Palin, suspending campaign) to be the top story in the news.

[Enzora]

I think that the artificial time limits stunts the debate.

Seriously. This wasn't a debate. It was alternating stump speeches.

[mustang84]

Well, apparently my gut instinct was wrong...two polls have Obama winning this debate so far, with CNN by a pretty large margin.

I thought Obama's quip about the wheel falling off the straight talk express was pretty good.

One major mistake that McCain made was when he was answering the question of the African American guy, he made the assumption that the young man asking the question didn't know who Fannie and Freddie were before the crisis. I know McCain was trying to be "folksy" by acting as if that man were maybe just an average American that doesn't follow all the Wall Street hoopla (and the man did a pretty poor job of articulating the question), but it is a mistake to assume the intelligence of someone you don't know. He should have known that.

Edited October 8, 2008 by mustang84

[Drew Dowdell]

Thats assuming people hold on to their homes long enough for the value to increase. If the government eats $40,000 up front, but the house only sells for a $10,000 gain, the government is out $30,000, unless we get into some sort of government mortgage perpetuity deal where a house has to be mortgaged through the Treasury until the loss is recouped.

which is why it's a bad idea.... but that's how the plan works

[frogger]

McCain is friends with everyone apparently so he should win handily.

[Drew Dowdell]

McCain is friends with everyone apparently so he should win handily.

"My friends" drove me nuts. It was like he was a used car salesman trying to con me into buying a lemon.

[CMG]

I think BOTH candidates should have dug up dirty laundry on Tom Brokaw, and turned on him!!!!!!!!

[frogger]

"My friends" drove me nuts. It was like he was a used car salesman trying to con me into buying a lemon.

Yep, almost as annoying as people you barely know calling you buddy.

[loki]

I think BOTH candidates should have dug up dirty laundry on Tom Brokaw, and turned on him!!!!!!!!

that would at least be bipartisan.

[RichW5]

Both McCain and Obama rambled on and on, McCain a little more than Obama. Obama sat there with his "I'm Smarter than You" expression on. The country should be able to do better than these two. Obama is a tool of the extreme left and McCain is all over the place. We all lose.

[SoCalCTS]

[whining]This thread has outlived its usefulness. [/whining]

[sarcasm]Please lock.[/sarcasm]

[toesuf94]

Same questions with the same answers from both of the candidates. Yawn.

Seriously, are these our ONLY choices that have a chance to win? Anybody else got a chance than these two???? PLEASE?

[Oracle of Delphi]

I think the other two threads were more exciting. IMHO

[gm4life]

McCain did well but is it enough? I don't know and doubt it. Obama did seem slightly un-easy.

[Robert Hall]

Same questions with the same answers from both of the candidates. Yawn.

Seriously, are these our ONLY choices that have a chance to win? Anybody else got a chance than these two???? PLEASE?

Such it is with the two party system. And remember, the primary season was very compressed this year, so the field was winnowed to 2 very quickly.

[A Horse With No Name]

"My friends" drove me nuts. It was like he was a used car salesman trying to con me into buying a lemon.

Since this is an automotive forum...yeah...he is trying to get you to buy a "used car"...a Maverick....72 model....and a lemon.

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

I think the other two threads were more exciting. IMHO

You may be right, but for whoever gets in office it will be a very long four years. I don't envy either of them. The economy isn't going to get better for at least 5-8 years IMHO, and it may get MUCH worse.

We are already loosing a lot of contracts at work because none of our clients can get financed for any form of commercial construction, not even the hospital that 3 of my 5 children were born at.

When Ohio Health, INC. can't get a loan for capital improvements, we are in trouble.

There is no quick fix for any of this.

Chris

[Robert Hall]

Since this is an automotive forum...yeah...he is trying to get you to buy a "used car"...a Maverick....72 model....and a lemon.

Chris

With 4 bald recap bias-ply tires, an engine knock, and lots of bondo..