Fairly Conservative

McCain is showing gumption. I’m optimistic.

–8:09 pm

Mr. Moderator just reminded Obama to stick to the issue.

–8:12

Obama is smirking. McCain is nailing his opponent. Is this more of the future?

–8:13

Obama swerves from McCain’s accusation that Obama’s “cronies” were the problem. This is very interesting.

Obama says that deregulation was the problem. But he can’t provide specifics as to the problem. He swears regulation is the issue, but fails to articulate that Democrats wouldn’t support the regulation McCain supported.

Obama makes a point. “You aren’t interested in politicians pointing fingers.” (Not an exact quote, but darn close.)

–8:17

I’m proud. McCain seems to be pushing his points well.

–8:18

“How can we trust either of you…”

Obama uses the word “cynicism.” Obama rightly claims that the deficit has doubled. He blames it on Bush. He fails to recognize that Democrats have controlled Congress 6 of the 8 the last two years of Bush’s term. Bush doesn’t vote on the budget.

This really blows me away. AMERICA WAKE UP!

–8:20

McCain uses “cynicism” too. He better mention the Congressional control. Instead, he calls on Obama’s record for never taking on his party.

McCain misses an opportunity.

(Obama’s smirk is really about to get me!)

McCain does nail Obama’s voting for nearly a billion dollars in pork.

McCain interjects energy and foreign oil.

–8:23

Healthcare, energy, entitlement reform. What are the priorities?

–8:27

Both candidates put energy first, healthcare second. Neither mentioned entitlement reform. Obama interjected education.

–8:28

Fiorra from Chicago – asks what will we do for our country? (I like this 78-year-old gal!)

–8:30

McCain says spending will need to be cut. He starts to address entitlements! He says sacrifices will need to be made.

Obama grunts, then talks about 9/11. He reminds us we were ready to come together. Bush did “some smart things at the outset.” Then he moves to energy.

He proposes offshore drilling and clean coal technology. (Sacrifices my backside!) You need to buy an American fuel-efficient car.

(Gag!)

–8:34 pm

Obama rightly points out that revenue is as important as spending. He interjects class warfare, however. It mitigates his argument.

Double the Peace Corp so young people can serve. (Dude, you’ve never met my friend ReAnn!)

–8:35

Jello to the wall! (Yeah, McCain!) Hoover and raising taxes are invoked by McCain.

Senator Obama’s secret is that he will increase taxes on 50% of small business. He said he’d forgo taxes if the economy is bad. It’s bad.

McCain doesn’t want to increase tax benefits. Obama is lying. He wants to keep taxes just where they are.

–8:37

Obama wants to break the rules – Brokaw won’t let him! Yeah! Tom Brokaw!

–8:39

Obama moves on. He agrees to take on entitlements. Obama uses a quick hit – something about the Straight Talk Express losing a wheel – and swears he’s all about tax cuts.

(Hello? Windfall profits? 50% of small businesses? Social Security taxes? I guess that doesn’t count.)

Obama claims McCain wants to give a tax cut. McCain’s already said, truthfully, that’s not the case. Nothing would change if the current tax code is extended.

–8:40

McCain promises to answer the question on Social Security and Medicare. He talks Regean and Tip O’Neill. The rest is lost on me as I try to recall if Tip is from Oklahoma – but I’m thinking of Carl Albert.

–8:46

A sweet young thing asks about changes to manage climate change.

McCain mentions that he’s spent time on a ship powered by nuclear energy.

Obama invokes 3% and 25%. (I need to get to that little misuse from my time with API!)

Brokaw reminds Obama he’s blown through the time.

–8:48

Brokaw asks, one big funding or lots of little fundings to jump-start alternative energy.

McCain reminds everyone that Obama voted for the earmarks that halted the good decisions for alternative energy. McCain voted against.

Then McCain talks drill here and drill now. McCain meets the time requirement, but doesn’t exactly answer the question.

–8:50

Should healthcare be treated as a commodity?

(Really good question!)

Obama says we should do something about healthcare, then lays out his plan. He doesn’t answer the question.

Obama does say he wants healthcare records put to one place so that *anyone* can access them!

Obama slams McCain for the the credit/taxing employer plan McCain has. I’ll try to find it, but I remember reading that it’s basically a 2,500 credit net – the very same thing that Obama is proposing, but McCain is saying how he’ll pay for it.

–8:53

McCain agrees to health records online. (Argggh!) McCain reminds everyone that Obama is proclaiming “government will” and then requiring mandates.

You can go across state lines to purchase your health benefits. The leftovers net 95% of the American people with increased funds to shop for insurance. (Gold plated policies for hair transplants – snicker! – might not be a part of that!)

–8:55

Brokaw – is healthcare a privilege, a right, or a responsibility?

This is a huge, huge question.

McCain says it’s a responsibility. Obama says it’s a right.

(Sorry you guys, but I really agree with McCain here. I know my good friend would disagree. Healthy living is a responsibility, too. And I will argue until I’m red-faced that every one who wants emergency health services can in fact get them.)

–8:58

Obama gets reminded there’s a problem with time by Brokaw.

–9:01

Economics and peacekeeping.

McCain is passionate, but never ties it to the economics of our current America.

Obama goes off on the war in Iraq. He ties it to the budget, thereby addressing the question directly.

(Oops – the Repubicans’ war cost just as much as the Democrats’ bailout. Irony?)

Obama also says indirectly that he’ll address the genocide in Darfur. (Irony yet again!)

–Brokaw asks for discussion on the Obama and McCain doctrines.

Obama moves towards Darfur again. (Must have polled well?) McCain says he’ll bring the troops home with honor. He agrees to prevent genocide, but we have to be able to affect the situation.

(I guess it’s here I should mention that I received a B- in foreign policy and this IS NOT my bailiwick. I suppose that’s why I’m for McCain, who seriously gets it.)

–9:08

Pakistan?

Obama answers first. He thinks we made a bad judgment by going into Iraq. We need to reverse course. Eliminate the drug trafficking that’s funding terrorism. Encourage Democracy in Pakistan. And if we have Obama Bin Laden in our sites, we have to get him.

McCain calls Teddy Roosevelt his hero. Obama wants to talk loudly. Obama wants to attack Pakistan.

Everything I couldn’t convey in my multi-paged essays McCain seems to deliver here. I can’t explain it – yet again – but I understand why he recommends this diplomatic tact.

Obama demands a follow-up – McCain says he wants one, too. We’ll see if he gets it.

(Obama continues to use the Middle Eastern pronunciation of Pakistan. It’s odd.)

(Brokaw has lost control of the debate here. Obama is getting about 4 extra minutes.)

McCain rebuts with an emotional response. But he reminds America he won’t give away the game plan as he conquers the problem.

–9:16

Brokaw wants more details on the developments in Afghanastan.

Obama says Iraqis should take more responsibility (Hello? That’s the plan!) and then we can move to Afghanastan.

McCain says that a General should maintain the command. He agrees with some of Obama’s plan. But Obama still refuses to admit he was wrong about Iraq, and that’s exactly the same strategy that should be managed for Afghanistan and the Pakistani area.

–9:19

A cold war with Russia?

McCain says no new Cold War. McCain warned about Putin. Ukraine remains in the sights of Putin. We need to show support for Georgia. Russia must understand that we will not go back. Their actions are not acceptable.

Obama agrees that the resurgence of Russia is an issue. He agrees with Senator McCain. Morale support should be provided to former satellites. WE NEED TO PROVIDE THEM WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT. Obama proclaims he put out a statement earlier that Georgian territories were in dispute.

(I spent a whole lot on a university education that taught me political science was not about the statements you proclaim, but rather the influence you could provide. Obama puts out a LOT of statments.)

–9:23

Brokaw asks yes or no, is Russia a problem? Neither candidate answers yes or no. McCain gets a little more time if you ask me.

–9:25

A former Navy chief asks about Israeil.

McCain makes physical contact patting the man on the back! The he talks about Iran’s potential for nuclear weapons.

(I truly sucked at this. I can’t guarantee my analysis will count here!)

McCain wants to impose sanctions to modify Iranian behavior. He doesn’t think Iran should have nuclear capabities.

Obama agrees to honor the Navy service. He doesn’t think Iran should have Iran weapons either.

(Oh, it makes it much easier on me when these two candidates agree!)

Obama says to use all the tools available. (Does that mean talking without preconditions?) Obama has really changed his rhetoric here. He argues for direct talks, but says it’s diplomatic.

It’s a decidedly different stand.

Obama uses numbers. It would be impressive, but I know how easy stupid human tricks can be on this type of thing.

–9:30

“What don’t you know and how will you learn it?”

These are really good questions.

Obama ignores the question and talks about modest means and grandma skrimpin.

(Ok. So Obama drops a few “g” endings himself!)

It’s the rhetoric wrap-up folks. “We need fundamental change,” says Obama.

McCain gets the last word.

“I don’t know what all of us don’t know.” McCain doesn’t know what the unexpected will be.

(Do you think we could find any two more impoverished candidates? I don’t like this wrap up.)

America is great, yada yada yada.

“I’ll always put my country first.”

It could have been a stronger ending, my friends.

–9:35 pm –

I did the best I could. I won’t even be correcting typos, so nail me if I missed.

McCain did so much better than I expected. I do believe, in as independent in sincerity as I can muster, that McCain won. Obama failed to make a moment, but that may not matter since he’s ahead in the polls.

We’ll see what America thinks in a few weeks.

There was no laughter. The audience was warned against responding. Please, God, don’t let this very important decision be about laughter.