Which Candidate Wins The “Who Gives A Crap About Me” Contest? A Debate Roundup.
By Ani on October 8, 2008 at 9:40 PM in Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Debates, Dems4McCain, Hillary Clinton, John McCain
I’ve been voting in Presidential elections for nearly 30 years, and always a straight Democratic ticket. Lord knows, the DNC has given me some doosies to vote for – probably why we’ve won so few of the last 10 contests. Whoever eventually wound up in the White House, I usually felt like it didn’t matter. I did not exist for them. That is until 1992, when I got to vote for Bill Clinton. Even though I was certainly a lot less political then, I just had a sense that this was the first candidate who actually cared about me or what mattered to me.
Now, when I watch candidates speak to voters, I adopt Ani’s ‘who gives a crap-o-meter’ regarding their rhetoric and their policies. Unfortunately, Democrat though he claims to be, Senator Obama, with his ceaselessly aloof and dispassionate behavior, leaves the ‘who gives a crap-o-meter’ pointing in the low single digits.
Likewise, Senator Obama’s past voting record, his flip-flopping on so many important campaign promises, and his sidling up to Bush’s policies, leave me feeling like I am watching nothing but a spin-meister, no matter how much the media lauds him or gives him ’style’ points. How bizarre that McCain, the maverick Republican, came across as more connected to the American people and more empathetic to their concerns in last night’s debate.
According to many news sources I checked, the debate produced no clear winner. The news media’s bias notwithstanding, both pundits and bloggers alike kept looking for some sort of “knockout blow” by McCain to change the dynamic of the race. I honestly don’t know what they expected. How about if he said this:
Senator Obama , you are an duplicitous, unrepentant liar who has spent the last 20 years associating with criminals, radicals and divisive, dangerous individuals. You don’t have an original thought in your head. You don’t have the savvy or experience to do this job and you couldn’t stick to a policy or find loyalty to an idea or a person to save your soul.
Would that have done the trick? Fortunately, the crafty McCain was smart enough not to fall into this trap in a town hall setting. He would have been termed ‘desperate’ had he started in on all the Bill Ayers stuff – leave that to the campaign trail, and Gov. Sarah-‘cuda’ Palin to point out. I’m sure they’ll be hammering Senator Obama on his associations for the next 27 days non-stop and keep him just off balance enough.
Last night, McCain needed to accomplish several goals
• Tie Senator Obama to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
• Point out the sharp difference between rhetoric vs. record.
• Show he’s got a grip on how to help our faltering economy.
• Remind voters he’s the guy with the foreign policy bona-fides who will not make naïve mistakes.
• Be calm, cool and collected in the midst of a very difficult time for Americans both at home and abroad;
oh yeah, and…
• Show he actually gives a crap about the American people – not just about winning.
From various pundits’ statements I read – he damned well did the job.
Commentary Magazine’s Daniel Casse:
“McCain is delivering tight, crisp, and extremely effective answers. Every answer has a similar structure: (a) I care about this issue (b) I’ve stood up against Bush/special interests on this issue (c) Obama has never taken a stand, never acted on this (d) so let’s compare records.”
He scored points right away letting voters know that Obama was tied to the Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae debacle, whereas McCain co-sponsored a bill to provide stricter oversight. McCain warned of this crisis in 2005. Very interesting that Obama’s opening remarks on the financial crisis brazenly placed blamed on John McCain while ignoring the fact that Obama and other Dems did not want regulations of Fannie and Freddie.
Balz, Kornblut, Abromowitz of the Washington Post weighed in:
McCain played the role of the aggressor throughout the 90-minute debate…”I have a clear record of bipartisanship,” he said. “The situation today cries out for bipartisanship. Senator Obama has never taken on his leaders of his party on a single issue.”
McCain statement was a good reminder to voters that he was willing to put country first by suspending his campaign in an effort to get the rescue bill passed, while Obama was content to declare “Congress will call me if they need me” and all of America got to watch one of Obama’s biggest champions, the unpopular Nancy Pelosi, insult Republicans in order to sabotage the bill’s passage – playing politics with people’s livelihoods. Nice, Nancy — you get a ZERO on the ‘who gives a crap-o-meter.’ Obviously Nancy and Barack don’t give a crap about you or me if they were playing shenanigans like this.
Most important, ABC’s Charlie Gibson pointed out McCain made the one new proposal of the night:
McCain used the debate to promote another approach to solving the economic crisis, saying he would have the government buy up bad mortgages and renegotiate them at the current lower housing values, thereby allowing struggling homeowners to remain in their homes. He argued that until the housing markets stabilize, the economy will continue to falter, and he sought to use the idea to demonstrate his independence from the Bush administration.
“It’s my proposal, it’s not Senator Obama’s proposal, it’s not President Bush’s proposal,” he said. “But I know how to get America working again, restore our economy and take care of working Americans.”
…
The plan, he said, would turn such mortgages over to the government, replacing them with “manageable, fixed-rate mortgages” for homeowners to reduce the chances of default. His advisers circulated talking points to Republican surrogates telling them to describe it as a “bold initiative” and to call it the “McCain Resurgence Plan.”
ABC’s George Stephanopoulos: “I thought Senator McCain started out very strong when he said we have to address this financial crisis by having a plan to buy up all of the bad mortgages in the country showed real compassion and empathy there...”
NBC’s Andrea Mitchell: “[W]ith the economy in such a tail spin, [McCain] came armed with a new proposal to have the government buy up failing mortgages … That was a gutsy move.”
Well, actually, I believe this was Hillary’s plan – good move, John! And today, in the NY Times, the McCain campaign gives her credit for the same - better move, John!
Even Charles Krauthammer, no fan of Johnny Mac, thought “McCain won the first hour on domestic (issues).” Strange since Obama’s ace in the hole is supposed to be the economic situation. McCain really hit Obama over the head about his tax proposals, so it could have been comments like this that did the trick:
“Nailing down senator obama’s tax proposal is like trying to nail
jell-o to the wall” and “the last time a president raised taxes in an economic crisis like this was Herbert Hoover.”
Ouch. McCain nailed Obama on the difference between talking the talk and walking the walk. But this was the comment that had all the pundits’ tongues wagging:
“There was an energy bill on the floor of the Senate loaded down with goodies, billions for the oil companies. And it was sponsored by Bush and Cheney. You know who voted for it? You might never know. That one,” McCain said, gesturing toward his rival. “You know who voted against it? Me.”
They may be trying to make hay out of “that one” not sounding warm and fuzzy – but he got his point across. He also said it with a smile. If it sounds like McCain doesn’t have a lot of respect for Senator Obama, well when a neophyte Senator keeps trying to outshine his opponent with pretty promises not matched by his actions, what do you expect?
According to WaPo:
Foreign policy occupied the last third of the debate, with the candidates clashing repeatedly on Pakistan and on their overall approaches to the use of U.S. military forces. McCain sharply criticized Obama’s opposition to the troop surge in Iraq and his response to Russian aggression in Georgia, as he sought to sow doubts about his challenger’s capacity to handle the commander-in-chief functions.
“In his short career, he does not understand our national security challenges,” McCain said. “We don’t have time for on-the-job training.”
MSNBC’s Pat Buchanan:
“I think McCain did come in with more heart and more fight. And I agree with you, he was the aggressor. He was throwing the punches. He did it in a better way than he did it last week when I thought he had won on points. Here he smiled. He looked at his opponent. He looked at Tom Brokaw. He talked to the audience, and he did it in a more calm fashion. And I think he clearly scored more points than Barack Obama did.”
Another telling moment was described by The Politico’s Jonathan Martin:
“McCain, taking a question from a naval retiree, gives him a pat on the shoulder and a firm handshake. ‘Everything I ever learned about leadership, I learned from a chief petty officer,’ says one old sailor to another. It was surely a moment that won a lot of nodding heads from vets all over the country.“
When McCain shook the man’s hand and said he appreciated his service, it came from his heart. Senator Obama walked over to the man, similarly thanking him for his service – another moment that had no resonance whatsoever. After the bracelet nonsense of the last debate, I would have thought Obama would find a way to be a little more genuine about addressing someone in our military. But there is still a fundamental disconnect between Obama’s statements and any heartfelt conviction behind them. And that is always where he loses me. The trust issue. The ‘does he really give a crap’ issue. The ‘what will he give away when I’m not looking cause it really doesn’t matter to him’ issue.
CNN’s Bill Bennett said “The last comments [John McCain] made, I thought, were quite impressive and quite moving.” Mr. Bennett is right. Senator McCain closing remarks were extremely moving.
Was the debate sort of boring otherwise, yeah. Is Obama a smoother speaker than McCain, sure. But what Senator Obama staccato style never ever communicates to me is the one thing we need in a President at this time more than ever: heart. Senator McCain’s closing remarks about spending a lifetime serving his country and being lifted up by his comrades bespeak a gratitude and an allegiance and dedication to our country’s principles that is undeniable and comes from a place of deep conviction. Likewise, every policy proposal, every idea that came out of his mouth last night may not have sounded like Shakespeare, but each one was concise, and spoken from a place of knowledge, caring and a record he could stand on. I never worry that McCain will flip flop at a crucial moment.
At the end of the day, whether or not we agree on all the issues, I trust McCain’s experience and character to win the day more than I trust Obama’s rhetoric.
Perhaps there was a winner after all.
(small, medium and large sizes; for both dogs and cats)
+ 
Mac was on fire last night and extremely presidential. Who was that other guy, the sickly looking one with skin and bones hands, at the debate?
Yes, there were many comments about that too in another thread. Maybe that’s why he won’t release any records. For the Ms. Cleos in the Obama camp who says McCain won’t make it through the first time, I would say they should really have their Fehurer get a physical first.
Obama seems to be getting skinnier and skinnier - no kidding - what the heck is going on with him?
Yes, John McCain has heart…and nobama is an empty shell.
McCain came across as very warm and very engaged.
Great article! Although he may not speak as well, I have absolutely no doubt that Senator McCain has only the best interests of this country at heart. I cannot say the same for Oblahah. COUNTRY FIRST!
I dunno, at least McCain didn’t say, “Aaaannnnndddd” every other word. I just don’t buy that Obama is that great of a speaker. If he actually says something, I mean, like a real position, maybe, but generally he talks around and around in circles neve saying anything of substance.
As for the scoring, I have no clue how these pundits keep saying, “Well, McCain was forceful, empathetic, knowledgeable, but we’re gonna give it to Obama anyway!” Or something like that. It’s just that they did to Hillary, too. She would clearly TROUNCE Obama in every single debate, and they could just never admit it. It’s “deja vu all over again…”
Great work, Ani!
I don’t get the great speaker thing either Rev. Amy. I’ve NEVER thought he was a great speaker - he mimics - he’s a chameleon. Incidentally, at Trinity Church they actually teach public speaking classes which instructs students to basically mimic MLK…in cadence, etc. which BO tries to do. Between the mimicing, plagarism and downright STEALING of Hillary Clinton’s plans (and other legislators when he was in the State Senate) we’re still asking, WHO IS THE REAL BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA? Yes - I dared to say “HUSSEIN”.
Great comments. I watched the debate and thought that it was a little slow moving, and wanted McCain to give a few good punches, but reading it through your lens view I appreciate what I was hearing more.
Thanks.
McCain’s mortgage proposal from last night made all kinds of news today. The MSM noticed!
Great conclusion Ani. We always whine we have no leaders. I think we have leaders right under our nose. We just have to notice them.
Amen, AF catfish.
I thought it was incredibly smart of McCain to introduce this proposal at the debate, then immediately get out in front and give Hillary credit. Good politics and also very classy.
Unlike Senator Obama who stole Hillary’s policies without so much as an acknowledgement.
However, I read somewhere today that Obama was accusing McCain of stealing his idea ffrom him. Obama did not mention they both got it from Hillary. McCain said it right up front.
I’m just glad to see someone is finally listening to the only politician who demonstrates any concern for Americans who are hurting more than the damned bankers. Hillary has talking about HOLC nonstop for two weeks.
McCain says by all the bad mortgages it’s a good idea. I’ll just bet that if Obama said it, you PUMAs would be calling him a socialist or a marxist and a communist.
Pick one. He needs more time to be all three.
I do not think being a socialist or a communist or a libertarian or an anarchist or a democrat or a republican is a bad thing. People of good moral character can justifiably decide to support any of these political philosophies and parties.
Obama does not deserve support because his record of words and deeds proves he is not the man he claims to be. Ergo, the quality or substance of his promises are meaningless because they are only backed by his bankrupt character.
If this election turns out to be an election about character, Obama will lose in a landslide.
I don’t call Obama a socialist, Marxist or a communist but I do call him and his supporters including you racists.
Don’t worry not all PUMAs agree with McCain on this point. But we will still support him, because in the long run when it comes time to actually do something, we know McCain will do the right thing and Obama will vote PRESENT.
Hear Hear, Phx. The renter says me neither, but I’m still making calls for McCain because OVERALL he’s the better choice. As Big Dawg said, candidate X and candidate Y…
Will Zero vote PRESENT as president? I was pondering this. The presidency is his goal, right? If he gets it, what incentive does he have to still continue to play it safe? And what might he do, when he feels he no longer has to?
Oh, and one more thing. How big a kick do you think Bill is getting out of the candidate X, candidate Y meme taking on a life of its own?
I can picture him sitting back, smirking, and thinking “Pwned. Ahhh, I’ve still got it.”
(For those of you who don’t travel in tech slang circles, an approximate definition of “pwned” is what a computer is said to be when a hacker that does not own that computer breaks in and proceeds to do whatever he chooses with it (usually against the owner’s intentions), or to set it up so that he can do so in the future. It is slang for “owned”, which is what Bill basically did to the DNC’s unity idea.)
Wow. A very interesting and scary point — especially with both houses in Dem control.
I read over at the confluence that Obama tried to say the plan was his until he got the word from Wall Street. Then it was “this will cost the taxpayers too much!”
Exactly MrMike - at first Obama said McCain stole Obama’s idea. Later in the day, it would cost taxpayers too much. Suddenly they’re for the taxpayers.
I agree that we have some potentially great leaders and we should elect some instead of allowing political parties to use the Peter Principle to select them. Neither party has done a very good job lately; considering all they could come up with were Bush and Barack who share the same conviction that they had already “won” before the first vote was cast and the only major difference I see is that Bush was content to take it one term at a time while Soertoro/Obama has already moved on to his second term in his mind.
The greed he displayed in the primaries is still going strong. Does anyone think he’ll stick it out more than a year if he is given the presidency? My biggest question is what job does he plan to go after the second year…and how many troops will have to die to satisfy that quest.
23 days till the last 72 hour cycle.
Is going to be an interesting time period.
I cant wait to see what the Republicans do to bust through the Media Blackout and Bias.
The number one reason I want McCain to win is of course that i believe with all my heart that McCain is much better for our country than Barack the Crook especially in these dire times.
The number two reason i want to see McCain win is the media pundits the talking heads and the asswhipes called Mathews and Olbermann. I want to see them meltdown.
I want to see the media take a huge mea culpa slap themselves across the face apologize to the american people for a biased and fraudulant news media and commit to self watchgod reform and then all fall on their ginsu potato peelers repeatedly till they need blood transfusions to survive…on the air.
The Number three reason is I want to see them all have to call palin Madame Vice President and watch them choke every time they say it.
Really, i do.
And I really want to see Hillary say I Told you so.
“The Number three reason is I want to see them all have to call palin Madame Vice President and watch them choke every time they say it.”
Me too! “Excuse me, Madame Vice President, excuuuse me, could I please speak?” Bawhahahahaha!
yup, me too
Never happen, the Matthews and Obermanns will spend the next week telling us how “The One”tm was robbed by white racist voters.
Only a week? Surely longer than that.
I want to see resignations…both from certain members of congress & the dnc; as well as from the press…and I don’t mean just the mouthpieces…I mean resignations from those who called the shots and deceived the American public (in the ge and the primaries and also during the last 8 years of Bush)
If after this election, Americans realize that they have to be critical of their news sources, then all this stress would have been worth it.
Everything you’ve said is true and righteous. This IS the most crucial election of our lifetime. When Obama loses, the slime from the democratic and press traitors will be washed clean.
“You will know their names, and we will make them famous”.
I believe the press, Obama papers and pollsters, are the only thing holding this fairy tale up. Obama is going to break down like a house of cards once the communication to all the people is under way.
He and press will be exiled to the west coast of Africa.
You have nailed all the great reasons that Mac needs to win. Of course, country first - we need the right person leading us out of this disaster. But I will take great and lengthy pleasure in watching the MSNBO fools melt down as they see their idol deflate and fizzle away, and as those who were nastiest to Hillary and Sarah have to address her as VP. As for the riots in the streets…bring it on.
Please God, make this happen.
I like all of Jeremiah’s points.
On MSNBC…aren’t their ratings already in the gutter? If Obama loses and even the bots aren’t watching anymore… I don’t think they can survive.
Mac gets beaten at his own game. The town hall format was his turf and Obama beat him. The “Maverick” is on his last legs , my friends.
I am not sure what that was but it was not a town hall debate. Town halls usually include the person asking the questions be able to respond to the answer the person gives them.
The moderator, whats his face got to choose the questions to be asked. Wonder if Obama got to see the questions in advance?
Obama was his normal rude in your face self, trying to dictate the “townhall” meeting.
yeah, John, you are right.
Kevin always seems to leave something out… “L”ike “L”egitimate talking points.
My friend, you may be in for a surprise.
I actually watched this debate and despite the in the tank media b.s., McCain came out on top here.
I just heard someone from Gallup admit that 80% of the people they call hang up on them –the polls are all over the place this year and the ,edia is not exactly being honest with themselves or us.
Why don’t we just wait and see on November 4th and stop gloating one way or another and making predictions.
Don’t waste your time with ‘Kelvin Hearts PUMAs’, he’s a troll. Tsk, tsk, be careful Kelvin, you may ‘heart’ PUMAs but pumas may like trolls for lunch.
Nah we puke em up if we mistakenly eat em.
PUMAs know that something is inedible when they smell it. PHEW!!!
I put about as much faith in polls as I do my daily horoscope or Chinese fortune cookies. I was called by Gallup on Monday and Tuesday this week. This was not a daily tracking poll so I found that pretty telling about the accuracy of these polls. How many other people are being polled multiple times for the same poll?? I also lied both times and said I was voting for Obama. I failed to mention I actually voted for McCain Monday morning.
Forget these bogus polls. It ain’t over until the last dog dies.
Maybe the Obama supports love to spend time on the phone telling pollsters how they are voting while some voters feel its a private matter and not anyone’s business but their own.
Hanging on pollsters — this doesn’t surprise me at all. Four years ago political signs were in your face — Bush/Cheney. We were polled frequently. This year we hang up.
This year the political signs for the Prez race are just now showing up. The Obamabutts have intimidated so many people that ONLY the Obamabutts are using bumper stickers. The mood is “I’m not telling who I’m voting for”.
Let’s not forget fear. I’d love to put a McCain Palin sign in my front yard and a bumper sticker on my car but not in my neighborhood! Not on Obama’s turf and not with a Daley lackey living across the street. Call me chicken, if you like. But I’ll be sending in an absentee ballot soon and going to Ohio to volunteer to help the Republicans get out the vote. I’ve never done anything like that before and as a lifelong Democrat, it should be an interesting experience.
Teenie Weenie Kelvinie:
Keep hope alive that your schtick might grow here!
Stop the hate!
Actually, I love you guys. Nobody makes me laugh harder than you. When I’m down, I come to noquarterusa. Your inane ramblings always cheer me up. Thanks, guys!
Kelvin you are heartburn on a stick. Burn baby burn.
Kevin Hearts Dildos made a wrong turn, Kos is the next exit on the information super highway.
See what I mean? Pure comedy!
Is our country a joke to you? Are fair elections a joke to you? Is an honest media a joke to you? Doesn’t Obama’s past associations with criminals, terrorists and racists bother you?
You are our future. I’m guessing that you are too young and invincible to think that this is all a big deal. But it is. One day you will realize it.
Kelvin Hearts, Keep your eyes focused on Fox News.
I have a little treat for you.
You can call me the Grim Reaper.
ENJOY THE SHOW
Can I call you the Grim Reaper as well
Mr. Reaper, what is it and when will it be on? Thanks and can I call you Grim or is that too personal?
That was no Town Hall; too tidy, too rehearsed and no one allowed to speak that wasn’t pre-approved. Soertoro/Obama wouldn’t last one minute in an open debate, I’ve seen him try to stop hecklers in his friendly crowds: “hold on….hold on…uhhh….hold on…” while he fumbles for an off the teleprompter answer.
I followed the link earlier, i believe it is http://www.workingmannews.com, to the $1 trillion dollar loss in bad loans to illegal immigrants. How is it HUD can use our tax money for people who shouldn’t even be here?
Yep that sounds like something the republicans would be supporting.
Who gives a crap? Ani, I went to a local meet the candidates event tonight.
The incumbent State Rep, when asked if Obama was qualified to be president, said yes. He saw your meter tank left to 0 in the mostly Democrat audience. So when the national race came back up again he said:
The audience had their Ani meters glowing from their eyes tonight and another local dem pol just put barky under the bus.
They (the local pols) should all watch those Ani meters very closely.
May I ask where this was?
Who are you asking.. about what comment?
West, By God, Virginia.
Nicely done. I totally agree. McCain projects empathy and solutions, Obama projects his own endless ego.
Obama pulls McCains punk card.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=5985237&page=1
Translation: Boo-hoo-hoo! Wahh! Wahh! They want me to work for this instead og just haning the White House over because I’m so special.
Remember how Hillary wouldn’t lay down and die for him so he compared the campaign to the Bataan Death March?
That’s
Again, the hilarity continues!
How many times have you attempted to assure us that your response to facts is derisive laughter?
Certainly a person with reasonable self-esteem would not need to repeat over and over their emotional rejection of facts to a community that couldn’t care less.
And to brag that you (Kelvin) only come here to laugh at people you find pathetic would indicate a sadistic streak. No wonder he so eagerly anticipates Obama, who has given many indications he doesn’t care for us either.
McCain is not pulling a cheap political stunt. Last week TIME came out and said the American people do not vote on issues they vote on a candidates character. Guess what? McCain saw that as his opportunity to share bho’s character with the American public. And he has the perfect pitbull out there to sic em!
Sarah Palin speaks for me every single time she speaks against the 0
Well, McCain absolutely won the character debate last night hands down.
Barky can never get a statement out with that halting speech of his — it always sounds like he’s searching for the words to sound like the truth because he does not tell the truth.
If you are making a true statement, hell, how long does it take to get it out? The man has a Harvard education for crying out loud. Uh, er, ah, ee, um, ahh.
Susan. Matthew. Check your mail. Hot news.
Can you share here as well? Tanks!
Jeremiah, Number four most definitely.
Great article…..thanks.
I know beyond a doubt that McCain cares and Obama cares about Obama.
I don’t entirely agree with all of McCain’s plans, but I know he cares.
I am a little concerned about McCain’s health care plan. Our family S corp protects us from having to disclose pre-existing conditions. When we were a sole proprietorship we had to pay a fortune to get private health insurance. The corporation, on the other hand, protects us and is one of the main reasons for incorporating. If my company no longer gets to expense our insurance, which is a high deductible $4,500 per year Kaiser plan, we will stop. Then we will get $5,000 from the government to go out and purchase new policies, but with our pre-existing conditions, it will cost far more than $5,000 per year for a family policy– even for a high deductible policy such as we have now. Our S Corp protects us from having to disclose pre-existing conditions. As individuals on the open market, we will no longer have that protection. It worries me. I wish his plan allowed companies to be able to continue to expense insurance. I am not even sure how the accounting would be done if our company continued to pay for insurance but could not write it off. Every other thing a business pays for is written off (expensed) in some form or another. At least this is the way I am understanding it.
The Dems will win Congress and can block his healthcare plan if it’s as hideous as it sounds. And I don’t think healthcare is his top priority. Obama, too, said healthcare reform would have to be shelved due to the economic crisis. So there you go.
But McCain likes to get things done, and this mortgage buyout plan tackles the financial crisis at its core, and starts at the homeowner and works its way up from there. If he can make something happen before election day to get this rolling, he could win.
I love his mortgage plan and I love that he gave credit to Hillary!
Not everyone love’s this plan and McCain is betting that his conservative base is not jumping fence to vote for Obama, that’s why he let it out last night.
I took this from McCain’s website
In my humble opinion, I believe won the last debate.
It takes a while to real understood his point. He was there for the America heso much love and for the Americans that he really cared for.
When he is willing to buy the bad mortgage. That was brave of Sen. John McCain.
Let do our thing supporting him, he will be OK. and This is his plan.
That is the real McCain. That is the real American hero, it was never about him.
ugo, thanks for that. Where did you get that info from?
I can possibly get behind that. I’d assumed that it was primary residence loans only, but didn’t know he was going to put some criteria for creditworthiness/down payment as well. Now THAT almost seems fair — helping keep people who sunk $$$ into ownership from losing their down payments. I could compromise on that, I think.
Suddenly, I’m feeling better about that plan.
Maybe McCain was correct in not going on the Ayres thing for the debate, hell all the democrats were on TV all day saying how desperate McCain had become because he was dropping in the polls, so now he is into mud slinging.
Lenny Davis was all in a sweat saying how he use to admire McCain but not now, and if McCain goes into the attack phase it shows how desperate and unprofessional he has become it also show he knows nothing about the economy and running from talking about it.
The debate is over there was no Ayres mention, and you know what folks McCain is still getting bashed, he is now too passive, he cant fight, he was too easy and did not deal that knock out punch.
I guess there is no way McCain can win this thing you are dammed if you do and dammed if you dont.
Yes, the treatment McCain is receiving now will forever be known as being “Hillaried”.
Honestly, Obama could have played Parchesi by himself the entire debate while eating a box of bon bons and the media would have said “Brilliant!!!! Now that’s change we can believe in.”
Truly, they might as well be his own personal PR firm.
I know, sucks. I am a little more hopeful than I was though. Maybe, just maybe Mac can pull this off.
And don’t forget how many times the media declared the McCain campaign dead — all the way back to last summer. He is still kicking and everyone else fell by the wayside. He’s been around a long time and is a very smart, crafty and determined man.
Ayers is not mud. Its a serious problem and it won’t go away just because they are whining about it. Obama never fesses up to anything unless way after the fact and even then watered down, like he did with Wright. Obama could have settled this if he would have said at the debate with Hillary “It was a mistake associating with Ayers and would I associate with him now? No!”
Obama is impatient. He thinks he can lie and cheat his way to the top. He should have backed off and accepted the VP slot. In 8 years no one would remember Ayers and Wright and he would have some actual experience governing. His lust for power too soon will bring down the Democratic party. He’s already fractured it.
I am new to this, but can someone have ‘Kelvin Hearts PUMAs’ banned? He does not sound very intelligent and it is we have should not waste the PUMA blog’s real estate on his blabber.
I am new to this, but can someone have ‘Kelvin Hearts PUMAs’ banned? He does not sound very intelligent and we have should not waste the PUMA blog’s real estate on his blabber.
Awww, he’s just one of the local court jesters. The mods here try not to ban folks unless there’s a lot of bad language, vulgarity, etc. NQ sees itself as a place for more open discourse than kos, etc.
I know who Obama didn’t give a crap about; his poor black constituents whose housing he was “reforming” by making his slumlord friends rich.
I didn’t know, he said. If that is true than it was not important to him to check on the people in his district or on the taxpayer money he funneled to his friends.
The more obvious conclusion is that this is another in a long list of lies.
Obama is a liar and he only gives a crap about himself.
How can anyone even CONSIDER voting for a man who says ‘I didn’t know’ as much as he does???
He didn’t know anything about Wright, Rezko, Pleger, Ayers, Auchi, Khalidi, his constituents’ suffering, his advisors talking to the Canadians re NAFTA, ACORN. He also didn’t know that Russia has veto power at the U.N. Security Council. Oh brother.
What do you know, Senator Obama? Not much.
If someone wants to be CiC, they’d better make it their business and their duty to know plenty — before they get there.
He wants to be president and he doesn’t know who has veto power in the UN? I learned that before I got to high school. He was back from Indonesia and attending prep school in Hawaii; supposedly graduated from college and went to Harvard Law School; he should know this.
That doesn’t bode well for those emergency 3:00 a.m. phone calls. Who’s going to look these things up for him? Michelle?
Sigh…Bush deja vu.
I was over at gretawire reading through the posts, this one gave me a giggle so I thought I would share.
lol rofl
Wouldn’t the Democrat’s answer be “That’s above my pay grade”?
I think that was the funniest joke I’ve heard in a very long time.
heh heh.
Creepy!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OivgE4r0NYg
Talk about creepy, check out the new Obama/Biden ‘08 baby dolly set:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKahCRbWnkw&feature=email
You know what puzzles me, for nearly 8 years the MSM cheered for Bush. All of us liberals complained non-stop. Now the MSM is cheering for Obama. But here’s the thing: the liberals I know are still acting like the MSM is in the tank for the Republicans and hates Obama. They can’t seem to allow themselves to recognize the fact that the MSM LOVES Obama. So what happened, I asked an ultra elitist friend: Did the entire MSM have a personnel change? Or maybe they had a change of heart en-masse? Liberals and progressives, I reminded her, can now watch TV and see a virtual love fest for Obama. They can watch with no fear of ever being offended by a critical Obama remark. Not a squeak. How do they square that with the ultra-evil, conservative, corporate, etc. etc. MSM that LOVED Bush for 7 plus years?
Bush and Obama are two sides of the same coin. Obviously the corporate board rooms can manipulate them so the corporate controlled media is in the tank for both.
I think the msm media is bought. Which ever candidate has the most money, that’s who the msm seems to support.
That might be true if they were not in the tank for the Iraq war, which they were. Cross check the board members of defense contractors and MSM corporations.
It could be that they are simply a bunch of whores–in the tank for whoever pays the most.
Undoubtedly, but if Obama supporters were to accept that fact, then they would be forces to admit that that reflects on Obama. I mean, the ultra liberal people I know think Obama is above all that. They really do. So how can they square the kid glove treatment he is getting from the (formerly) “evil” MSM? Needless to say, my ultra left friend has not responded to my questions. For her to concede that the MSM whores for the corporations would mean Obama is not who he says he is. So I ask them: is the MSM whorish or not, and is yes, then isn’t Obama a corporatist or at least someone whom the corporations feel will be good for THEM, contrary to what he says. If no, the MSM is not whorish, then when would they say the MSm changed into a force for good (i.e. Obama)–because these people have been saying the MSM has been whoring for Bush for over 7 years!
No, it is more than obvious that MSM is following the Pied Piper. But after eight years of Bush, this should not come as a surprise. From a money making perspective, MSM is just doing what they have to do, create sensation from nothing, because God forbid if they actually have to go out and do real journalism work. How would they survive?
So many people I know do not put much stock in what MSM has to say, they have not changed from the Bush era till today. But I don’t get your point, as a lifelong democrat, I don’t see much resemblance between McCain and Bush. To me, it does not matter whether the candidate I am voting for is Republican or Democrat as long as he is the better choice. I may not agree with McCain on all of the issues, but I do not doubt his loyalty to his country like I do BO. That is my first criteria for voting for my President. As a servant of the people of the United States, the leader of one of the most powerful nations in this century, you have to show me that you will put your “Country First”. Not your race, not your class and certainly not your own ego.
Good collection of comments about McCain’s performance! I personally thought that the questions were boring. We mostly heard stump speeches because that is what most questions elicited.
I hope the last one is more exciting.
Ani,
Your words truly resonate with me.Senator Obama is in such a bloody hurry.He can’t be bothered with our concerns and fears during truly trying times.He simply must be president.
McCain does have heart, absolutely.Really he could be kicking back on his ranch in beautiful Sedona. He has served his country well. Yet he puts himself out there to be of further service precisely because he cares about the country.
I’ve voted since 1976 always democratic(except for Javits) and I cannot do it this time. At least on the top of the ticket, anyway.
I’m going straight down the ticket GOP and I’ve never voted for a Republican in my entire life!
I didn’t think it was McCain’s greatest public appearance. I thought he was much more in the zone during the last debate in so far as his delivery goes. However, I am very glad he immediately brought up the connection Obama has to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. People need to know about that. I wonder if all the European “voters” still think Obama is “all that.” Maybe they’re starting to get it. Obama voters in America seem to be hopelessly mesmerized–can’t figure out why. If Mr. McCain will focus more on domestic issues, eliminating golden parachutes for executives of bailed out firms (even if it doesn’t amount to a hill of beans in the big picture), the economy and how to help people who are in crisis here, I think that is how he will win.
The real point is McCain offered up a modified HOLC, which all of you Clintonistas….is Hillary’s plan.
Of anything that happened that should be center stage because for the first time in this financial crisis someone just put forth policy that is anywhere near what most economists say needs to happen and that’s to stop the foreclosures.
Thanks, we do know that it’s Hillary’s plan and as I said above, McCain gave credit to her, as covered in the NYT article today — link above.
If McCain hadn’t done this — you know Obama certainly NEVER would have then tried to steal it today — he would never want to give Hillary credit for anything.
We need to keep bringing up McCain’s HOLC idea. This is the game-changer.
FDR was a doer. He tried things and kept trying things until something worked. He acted on instinct. Obama’s people said today said they wanted to “wait and see” because “things were happening so fast.”
When FDR died and his body was carried to Warm Springs along the railroad, people held up signs “Roosevelt is my friend.”
It’s counter-intuitive, but I think McCain is the guy we need right now. He’s more willing to act than Obama.
SFGate
This is a game-changer. You know how many middle class people aren’t voting, that may turn out to vote because of this? Lots.
Ani, Obama also took some words right out of Hillary’s mouth: “Energy independence is opportunity and challenge”. Some of the youtube videos I saved have been pulled. My brother-in-law has been forwarding emails from the Obama campaign and I wanted to reply with the one in which he was plagiarizing phrases from Patrick, Farrakhan and others, but I couldn’t find it. If anyone managed to save it, please post it for me. I thought McCain did a good job last night, but it wasn’t a lively debate on either side. Obama seemed to be throwing a drag and didn’t smile much. I am so tired of this whole process and a little discouraged. Thanks for your excellent post. You made me want to be part of the conversation again.
On the ‘Which One Cares About Me’ scale, I don’t think either one excelled.
Senator Obama has a mission, he wants to implement his utopian government. That’s more important to him than the people. He’s positive his utopia will be the salvation for everyone, it will make life under a democracy equitable for all. That’s nice and all, but somehow I just don’t see Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Bruce Willis and the Wal-mart heirs all hanging out at the local Elks Club, buying groceries with the masses at Safeway and holding the same health insurance card. Democracy is inequitable, but unlike other forms of government - with a lot of luck and hard work, every nerd with an overdrawn checking account can become Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey or Bruce Willis.
Senator Obama is positive we want an equitable playing field, where we all have the same opportunities and the poorest citizen has the same options and availability of services as Warren Buffet. That’s never really been America, if it were - we would have implemented it in 1776. What the middle class wants is a life where they don’t have to worry about paying for medical care, their wages are high enough that they don’t have to work two jobs to pay the bills, they can obtain a few pricey consumer goods that make them feel good, own a house, take a nice vacation each year, pay for their kids’ college and have a financially secure retirement.
And that’s where Senator Obama gets lost. He has an utopian view of what government should do and he hasn’t noticed that very few other people really want that. If he wins in November, his administration will fail as badly as President Bush’s. Senator Obama’s view of change isn’t the same as America’s and once America realizes that - his administration will not fare well.
At one time, I’m sure Senator McCain lived with a budget and had to occasionally worry about paying for a bill. But it’s been over twenty years since he had to worry whether he could get a down payment together for a car. He tries to show empathy, either it’s been so long since he’s worried about bills or he finds it difficult to show emotion - his empathy falls short. America feels that gulf. It’s probably one of the reasons Governor Palin has caught the attention of America, people can relate to her. If you take her career out of the equation, her life is very similar to half the people we know in our lives.
While I think Senator Obama does care about all the little people floundering from paycheck to paycheck in middle class America, bringing about his utopian world is more important to him. Many people don’t realize what Senator Obama’s priority is, others do.
Senator McCain cares, that’s obvious. But his caring falls short, either because it’s been a long time since he had to live within the means of his paycheck or like many men of his generation - showing emotion other than anger is alien.
If Senator McCain could just figure out over the next week how to genuinely show the empathy President Clinton does, he’ll win the election. People are begging for a candidate that hears them, feels them, knows them.
Monet,
Bot comments are usually ignorant and condescending. Yours is truly delusional and frightening to those who have a grasp of history, mostly because you demonstrate the reason why we oppose him, and you still will not “get it”.
Monet -
Respectfully, Senator McCain has gone thru some treatments on his face because of skin cancer and if you look at how he moved his face 10 years ago compared to today - there is a noticeable difference. My brother-in-law went thru treatment for the same and it affected the mobility of his facial muscles to where he, too, looked more stiff and less expressive.
I should add, though, that such treatments did not change the goodness of intent in my brother-in-law’s heart even though he could not always SHOW it on his face - there wasn’t a better person on this planet.
It is the people who have gone thru the greatest tragedies who seem to have the greatest wisdom and perspective of the world - no matter their age. They are the ones who see the world thru different, “more knowing” eyes; they have come to terms with death, can see that we each have only a limited number of days on this planet and they don’t (as a general rule)choose to waste those days on personal EGO for they know that, in the end, EGO means nothing in the course of this life - it’s about accountability - what part did you play to make this world a better place.
Soertoro/Obama is not trying to create a utopia. You don’t create a utopia by savaging your opposition, or stealing their votes and delegates, like he has consistently done over his political career. That’s just power hungry greed.
Utopia - A place of perfection in laws, government, and social conditions.
You can’t build a utopia on a foundation of lies.
WHOSE FREEDOM OF SPEECH?
Feds investigating sheriff after ‘Hussein’ remark
LEE COUNTY: Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott may have more to worry about than just the court of public opinion. Federal investigators are now looking into whether Scott broke the law by campaigning for John McCain.
Officials with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel say they have received so many phone calls from the public that they launched an investigation into Sheriff Scott on Tuesday.
The question is - did he use his position as sheriff to influence an election? If so, he could be in violation of a federal election law called the Hatch Act.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office receives more than $1 million in federal grant money from everything from human trafficking to bullet proof vests.
But if Sheriff Scott is found in violation of the Hatch Act, the feds can pull two years salary worth of federal funding - the equivalent to $300,000 for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Another possibility is removal from office.
Regarding the federal investigation, Sheriff Scott sent us this statement:
I am on duty 24/7 and 365 whether in or out of uniform. Like every other elected official, I am aware of from President to Governor to State Representatives, etc. We engage in political activities whether for ourselves as candidates or for others. As of this writing, I am unaware of having done anything to generate all this attention other than using the senator’s full name.”
We should also point out that Bill Cameron in Charlotte County and Kevin Rambosk in Collier County were both reassigned to avoid violating the Hatch Act.
Cameron is still under investigation.
As for how long Scott’s investigation will take, the feds say they’d like to have all of the Hatch Act cases wrapped up before the November election
http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=22058&z=3
I wonder how many Obama supporters are being investigated? Oh no that would be racist! /snark The thought police are next.
And will the feds investigate Obama for possibly violating his oath of office? The false racism allegations, threats of insurrection (race riots), caucus irregularities, threats and intimidation to delegates, etc. Oh no it would be racist to even consider investigating Obama. /snark
We’ll be voting straight GOP except for one county commissioner where we live.
It will be a first for all of us to vote for nearly a straight GOP ticket.
Any vote that will not support the Brazile/ Obama party is sweet revenge.
Check out Comcast.net, a Fox video, (on the “fan”), titled “Teacher gets suspended for Obama video.” Freaky!
OT but just wanted to say i’ve just checked all corpmedia on jerome corsi being forced out of kenya. every single article claimed corsi was there to promote his book! what a lie.
only the NYT (surprisingly) added this bit:
‘Kenya’s minister of immigration, for one, is a political ally of Mr. Odinga.
“I’m not going to name names,” said Mr. Mbae, the publicist. “But let’s just say that a certain section of the government didn’t want this press conference.”’
not putting any links in because it seems to be preventing comments from being posted today.
Both of them were robotic. Too many repetitions of exactly the same wording from the last time.
However, Brokaw picked the exact same questions.
He’s the one who was given the worst review.
The National Enquirer will be breaking an Obama “Sex Scandal” story tomorrow !!!!
http://hillbuzz.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/read-the-national-enquirer-tomorrow/
I think you mean another “Sex Scandal?” Didn’t they report the Sinclair allegations?
This comment from the link is in response to guessing who the alleged sex scandal is with:
Nice summation of the debate, Ani.
I find the biggest problem with Obumble isn’t the “who gives a crap about me”, it’s his “I give a crap but it’s only about me.”
This election is truly going to come down to the American voters. They will either get off their lazy butts and vote to send this imposter and his DNC thugs home, or we’ll have a really scary future to contemplate.
Thanks Ani for giving such a great synopsis. I couldn’t bear to listen to the commentary afterwards - it’s too gut wrenching for me as I usually want to reach inside the TV set and do a little physical damage to Andrea Mitchell, Donna (I’m Neutral my ASS) Brazile, etc.
Good to see Mitchell was less biased than usual - maybe Joe Scarborough is getting to her.
McCain completely lost that debate… he just looked like an angry old man…. he has nothing new to offer and he can call himself a Maverick all he wants, but he just sounds stupid… Mavericks don’t have to call themselves Mavericks…
John McCain is a Republican. And the Republican party is a broken party with nothing to offer the American people… its policies do not work… whatever their policies are these days…
Why in hell would you ever want to put a Republican in the White House again?
The Republicans have done absolutely nothing in the last 8 yrs except screw up this country. Pick an issue and they have screwed it up…
I would vote for anyone other than a Republican to be President of this country.
And even if I were a Republican, the Republican party no longer even represents Republican values. Bill Clinton was more of a Republican than the Republcian party is right now… the Republicans are nothing but big spending, big government, want to be policemen of the planet, who have trampled on individual rights and the consitution…
the Republican party needs to go away and reinvent itself…. it is just full of a bunch of angry white men that are becoming increasingly irrelevant…
Phillip, a vote for BHO is a vote for Communism in America.
“…he Communist plan to take over America from within, by installing educators at all levels of our educational system, gaining control of the media, getting Liberal judges appointed, recruiting, training and backing people to be elected to public office.
snip
…the Socialist Party in Chicago (called the New Party) which Ayers is also a member of…helped launch and finance Obama’s political Career. Obama…..selected, trained, groomed, and scripted to become the “puppet” leader of the United Socialist States of America.”
http://contributors.blogsome.com/2008/10/09/god-bless-you-marion-valentine/
Vote for Democracy. McCain/Palin 08.
He didn’t look angry at all. Pointed, yes, at times. But only on key points where he needed to be very clear about the differences.
And I don’t think he’s at all irrelevant.
I think both parties are in disarray. 58% of Americans want Congress (remember….that’s Dem controlled) GONE.
Why in hell would you ever want a political party to put a president in the White House again? Bush? Soertoro/Obama?
The track record for both parties is abysmal! Political parties have no Constitutional standing, disenfranchise voters who aren’t members of one of the two, and usurp state authority over elections by deciding whose votes will and will not be counted! (i.e. 2008 primaries - Florida and Michigan, Texas vote/caucuses) Don’t blame McCain because the system stinks, blame the politicians who put their political party before their duty to Country.
I’m glad to know others believe Mac connects much better with people than Bobo. When Johnny walks up and addresses someone, you can sense a human link there, but when BO does, it’s just like a salesman making a spiel. All the Obamaniac press can say is that “he looked Presidential”. Instead of like the flim-flam, bamboozling street hustler he is, I guess….And I too have noticed the scrawniess, and it looks like he’s aged years instead of months as well. He must look like a wilted reed in person! And something else I liked was how McCain said we all needed to get involved in the fixing of the economic situation, when Bobo said we need inspiration from the top. I’m sure that suits all his minions who want an emperor who doles out the goodies.
Thanks, Ani. I didn’t like the debate - calling it a town hall was a joke - and thought McCain’s demeanor was not his best. The thing is that even though I was willing to concede it to Obama at the time, the more I’ve read and thought about what McCain actually said, the more I think McCain won.
Watching Obama, I thought my “who gives a crap-o-meter” was broken. I know people are taken with his rhetoric - I don’t know why - but my bottom line is that I do not believe he cares for the people of this country. I could not possible vote for someone who doesn’t have our best interest at heart. It’s one thing to disagree on policy, but fundamental to know we’re on the same side. I don’t know whose side Barry Jesus Soetoro is on, but my meter says its not mine.