Wednesday, October 8, 2008

"That one."

My impressions of last night's debate:
  • Bush McCain's outrage over the failure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac was funny. He still thinks their failure is what has led to the current economic meltdown. He and his lobbyist advisers don't have a clue, or more likely won't let themselves admit, that all this has been caused by deregulation and lack of vigorous governmental oversight. His running mate is still shrieking in her shrill faux populist accent, "Government, get out of the way!"
  • I, like most Americans, cringed when he called Obama, "That one."
  • Obama looked cool and calm through out the whole debate. Bush McCain by contrast looked flighty and extremely rude. While Obama gave his answers Bush McCain kept moving around behind him as if to distract viewers and the times when he interrupted Sen. Obama were not only intolerable they showed what an impatient petulant old fart he is.
  • I laughed out loud when Bush McCain said he knew how to "fix" Social Security. He said several times that it is going to be easy to "fix" it and that he knew how. The problem is he didn't go into specifics, he just claimed that he knew how to fix it. I'm not sure what he's got in mind but I damn sure know how to fix it and I'll tell you my plan for making it solvent until the end of time: under the current system you only pay SSI tax on the first $96,000 (or something close to that figure anyway) and after that you pay nothing on the rest of your income. I would remove that cap so that all incomes no matter how high they got would all pay the same SSI tax rate. Bingo, problem solved.
  • Tom Brokaw hated not being part of the debate more than he was. His little remarks about how little time they had were annoying as hell. If you had so little time Tom, then why did you waste more of it by carping about it?
  • They just had to stick a question in there about supporting Israel. Holy shit, is there anyone in this country who doesn't think that we won't attack Iran or someone else if they fuck with Israel? Give it a rest already, it's foregone conclusion. How about next time instead of asking about protecting Israel you ask about protecting us from greedy rapacious corporations who want to devour all the wealth and natural resources they possibly can? How about a question or two about the growing gap between the haves and have nots? How about a question on poverty?

This picture from last night's debate really sums up for me the essence of this race, Obama is the clear strong favorite, the candidate of the future who happened to win today. And Bush McCain is the fuzzy old man who has been left behind, just like his failed discredited conservative policies have been, as the country as moved on into the future.

20 comments:

Claire said...

I KNOW!

zip37602 said...

You are spot on. What a perfect synopsis. Brokow was a 4+ jerk alright. Go Monk--with you all the way.

Dean Wormer said...

That SS question was framed in D.C. village speak as well so points away from Brokaw for even asking it.

Wandering Coyote said...

First of all, I thought, Man, their debate is just as boring as ours is!

Second, I was shocked as hell when McCain stated he knew how to get Osama Bin Laden and that he would get him guaranteed. I was like WHAT? Yet, he didn't want to reveal his "hand" the way Obama did.

Jesus Christ: McCain has the secret to Osama Bin Laden??? OMG - elect him immediately! Good effing GOD!

1138 said...

I couldn't think of a reason not to link my blog to yours. In this negative world that's what counts as an endorsement.
I'd be implicated if you did the same.

No one ever talks about the effects of the baby boom on this housing mess and how the administrations financial folks in the various agencies all should have seen that playing into it with millions of homes suddenly coming onto the market. They built the perfect storm, a raging bonfire on the deck of a wooden ship.

1138 said...

Wandering Coyote if McFlame knows how to get BinHidin don't you think he would have shared that information with his Katrina birthday buddy George W. Bush?
I would. If he put America first.

Wandering Coyote said...

1138: Exactly! I thought the same thing, too. Why would he keep that info such a secret from his pal Bush?

Melinda June said...

I'm glad you brought up his wandering around. It was really aggravating. CP figured it was because he had to pee.

dguzman said...

So McOld knows how to win a war (despite the fact he's never won one), how to fix SS (though he knows nothing about economics), and how to catch Bin Laden (so is this obstruction of justice, since he hasn't told anyone how?). Forget president McOld--make the guy GOD.

What a liar he is.

K.Line said...

On the topic of the"moderator" (if you can call him that). He was the most useless thing I've ever seen. We have a respected journalist and political TV host who's been moderating our CDN election debates (he's done it in the past) named Steve Paikin. He always annoys the crap out of me because he assertively interjects and tells the candidates their time is categorically up, next question. Well, I've finally come to appreciate him. Honestly, I never knew how important actual control-keeping is. Tom Brokaw should never get that post again.

Wandering Coyote said...

k.line: I'm generally not a fan of Paikin, either, but I thought he did an excellent job during our debate. I also thought Brokaw was useless.

Cormac Brown said...

I could only stand three and a half minutes of this debate, though I do wonder what is going on with McPain's voice when he gets agitated? Is he sneaking helium whip-its before he speaks, as a tribute to "Blue Velvet?

DivaJood said...

Oh, I missed it when McCain said "That one." I'm glad I missed it, because I think I would have exploded.

Ubermilf said...

I too missed the "that one." I'm going to see if I can look it up on youtube or something.

I didn't want to aggravate myself last night.

Claire said...

I commented before you finished the post. Wouldn't it have been awesome if Obama, when McCain said that he "knows how to get Bin Laden", had said "OK! Let's suspend the debate while you call the Army!"

Mnmom said...

What an egregious liar he is! And who wrote those god awful questions!! How will the current economy affect our military? Is Russia still the evil empire, yes or no? Like watching a stupid Barbara Walters interview. Brokaw was useless. Hello! a moderator MODERATES!!!

Elizabeth said...

McCain keeps torpedoing himself.

I want to know just how many heroes he has: Reagan? Roosevelt? Who else?

Micgar said...

I noticed that as McCain painfully walked about the stage area, the mic was catching his labored breathing! Did anyone else hear that? I thought I was hearing things at first!

MIMILEE said...

I did notice the heavy breathing.....and I was listening on the radio. I didn't think either candidate did that great at answering the questions. Both went all the way around them it seemed to me. I have got where I hate politics!

Anonymous said...

Another thing the hubby and I noticed was the way the Obamas remained on stage, taking questions and talking with audience members for quite some time, while Brave Sir Robin ran away. McSame shook a few hands before he left, but it really looked to me as if the people shaking his hand were looking past him, just waiting to get to Obama.