Korean Job Discussion Forums

[fiveeagles]

Who do you think won and why? Also, did you like the debate style?

[ytuque]

The debate style was a vast improvement over the CNN debates! They weren't able to spin their way out of anything, and the questions were selected to show differences in the candidates leadership style, beliefs, and character.

I would say McCain won. Obama's answer to the question "who would your advisors be?" was wife, grandmother, and Teddy Kennedy. This is nothing short of a disaster since Kennedy is despised by most moderates and all conservatives, and quite frankly, many liberals.

McCain really bothed the question about the definition of who is wealthy. His dancing around the subject before saying $5 million per year only confirms people's suspicions that he is for the rich. Expect to see this clip on Obama attack ads!

McCain's numerous anecdotes were successful as well. Since expectations for him were very low, I think a draw is essentially a win for McCain.

[johnriley007]

I can't understand for the life of me why Obama would choose to debate McCain in this forum. There are only going to be three debates between the two, and to have Obama go face to face with McCain in a socially conservative church is stupid IMHO.

Warren was definitely congenial towards Obama, but nearly all of his questions were perfect softballs for McCain (e.g., when does life begin? define marriage. is there evil in the world and do you defeat it, ignore it...? which current supreme court justices do you think are not qualified/would you not nominate if president? etc.). Warren said before the "debate" that the evangelicals were not a monolith, but judging by the questions asked and responses from the crowd, that is hardly believable.

How about doing a debate with substantive questions like: What are your plans for reducing the $2.7 trillion Americans spent on healthcare last year? How do you plan to pay for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid when 20% of the population retires in the next couple decades? How do you plan to reduce billions Americans spend on foreign oil?

Quite frankly, with all of the problems facing the US right now, I don't give a rat's a** about how McCain's time spent in a POW camp changed his world view, or what the biggest mistakes the candidates made in their life, or how their "faith" shapes their politics.

At least the moderator should have asked follow-up questions and not allow the candidates (in particular, McCain) get away with the stump speech answers. IMO, this "debate" was a complete waste of time.

[ytuque]

[johnriley007]

I agree the questions were not biased, just idiotic. There are serious problems facing the country: gay marriage, abortion, and vague questions of good and evil pale in comparison (IMO) to war, a crap economy, an eroding middle class, baby boomers retiring etc... Personally, I want somebody who is smart, has smart advisors, and isn't controlled by special interests - that's it. Personal issues of faith should be left just as that: personal.

Oh, and I completely agree that Obama should have done the town halls or some debates with McCain (although this might not have been feasible with Obama wrapping up the nomination so late and not being as well-known as McCain). But that leaves me even more mystified as to why Obama would agree to do this kind of event and not a real debate or town hall.

[Czarjorge]

Obama hasn't said he won't debate McCain. Obama refused the format that McCain proposed. McCain's 'town halls' are just an excuse for preselected soft ball questions. Obama has said that he would debate McCain in the standard format. McCain doesn't want to do that because Obama is younger, fitter, and taller than McCain. McCain would look terrible standing side by side with Obama. Additionally, McCain's glibness would look bad when juxtaposed against Obama's thoughtfulness.

Now, in this format I think McCain 'won'. He was playing to an audience that wants to like him. Still, I'm not sure he did enough to win over all evangelicals. Obama looked good, especially for a Democrat in that setting. This election isn't going to turn on evangicals as they aren't en masse going to fall McCain's way. Obama's answers on the issue of social responsibility stole the 'compassion' card. With die hard Dems this isn't going to matter, but to socially conscious evangelicals who think we should be in Darfour or helping the poor Obama's responses planted a seed that might flower.

[ytuque]

[DCJames]

Apparently McCain got the questions beforehand and wasn't in a "cone of silence" as Pastor Warren claimed he was in.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/17/02247/6361

[ytuque]

[hubba bubba]

Is there a link to teh debates?

[Kuros]

[DCJames]

[TexasPete]

Obama appeared thoughtful and articulate while speaking TO the PASTOR. McCain appeared decisive intimate while speaking TO the AUDIENCE. In this format McCain won in the debate while i think Obama gave better, clearer answers that showed appreciation for the subtle nuances of the "issues" we face. Frankly though, that was probably the best I've seen McCain in front of a mic in YEARS--quite a sharp contrast from mixing sunni and shia and his numerous other gaffes.

In my opinion Obama's ability to see shades of gray is needed in these trying times much more than McCain's black/white view of everything. We've had 8 years already of "the decider" and black and white, good vs. evil BS. Gimme thoughtful and nuanced any day.

[Kuros]

[mithridates]