Thursday, October 16, 2008

Let's try this one last time by Angela

For the last debate of the election, filmed at Hofstra University (what up Long Islanddd!), me and my fellow Political Comm. students hung out in the Ely Lounge at Westfield State College to watch. It's important that I mention snacks were provided and that this kid was eating nachos chock full of salsa, fake yellow cheese and sour cream. Ew. Anybody who knows me knows that sour cream is the bane of my existence. *Shudders*

I sat next to my lovely roommate Katie and my fellow blogger Alex Ross of Box-o-Thoughts fame.

Bob Schieffer was the moderator for the evening. I liked the setup of the debate - for those who didn't watch, the candidates and the moderator shared a small round table. It added an element of intensity and the candidates were forced to interact. And because of the sweet split screen, I was forced to watch McCain blink and grimace endlessly.

The first question asked dealt with Wall Street and the economic crisis.
McCain answers first, and apparently I'm fucking pissed.
"Americans are hurting right now, and they're angry. They're hurting, and they're angry. They're innocent victims of greed and excess on Wall Street and as well as Washington, D.C. And they're angry, and they have every reason to be angry."

"Now, we have allocated $750 billion. Let's take 300 of that billion and go in and buy those home loan mortgages and negotiate with those people in their homes, 11 million homes or more, so that they can afford to pay the mortgage, stay in their home."

Obama answers by reminding us for the 100th time that we are in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
"Number one, let's focus on jobs. I want to end the tax breaks for companies that are shipping jobs overseas and provide a tax credit for every company that's creating a job right here in America. Number two, let's help families right away by providing them a tax cut -- a middle-class tax cut for people making less than $200,000, and let's allow them to access their IRA accounts without penalty if they're experiencing a crisis."

They start talking about taxes...

Who's Joe? McCain is stuttering about small business taxes and Joe the Plumber's American dream. Did I miss something?
Obama - Tax cut for 95% of Americans
McCain - Wants Joe the Plumber to act as a type of Robin Hood? I'm confused...

*McCain is lookin' smug, the crowd at Ely Lounge is feelin' the vibe and getting into it. Some clapping, laughter, and hoots. YEA BOI!*

What's with the phrase, "...countries that don't like us very much." I've heard it said by McCain at least three times over the course of the debates. Is that a technical term or just a nice way of saying "... countries that want to bomb our asses"?

Quote about hatchet & scalpel

McCain is verbally flopping around in Obama's old metaphors.

Q. Balance budget in four years?
McCain insists that he is NOT George Bush*. Well, everyone knows that the best way to get people to not think you're a certain way is to vehemently deny it. Like when you're at a party and the slutty girl keeps drunkenly saying "Look, I'm not a slut. I'm really not. But I just gave dome to like, three guys..."

*Who's George Bush?

McCain still insisting Americans are angry. DON'T TELL ME HOW I FEEL! GOD JOHN YOU'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO CONTROL ME!!!
Obama flashing pearly whites whilst defending himself as a person with a history of "reaching across the aisle."

Obama: "Now, you've shown independence -- commendable independence, on some key issues like torture, for example, and I give you enormous credit for that. But when it comes to economic policies, essentially what you're proposing is eight more years of the same thing. And it hasn't worked. And I think the American people understand it hasn't worked. We need to move in a new direction."

McCain: "But it's very clear that I have disagreed with the Bush administration. I have disagreed with leaders of my own party. I've got the scars to prove it." (Take my scars...take my scars...)*
"Whether it be bringing climate change to the floor of the Senate for the first time. Whether it be opposition to spending and earmarks, whether it be the issue of torture, whether it be the conduct of the war in Iraq, which I vigorously opposed. Whether it be on fighting the pharmaceutical companies on Medicare prescription drugs, importation. Whether it be fighting for an HMO patient's bill of rights. Whether it be the establishment of the 9/11 Commission."

*It's a reference to "The Craft," people.

The debate starts to get feisty when Schieffer brings up the parties' campaign tactics. Obama and McCain start writing furiously and it's at this point that I notice Obama is left-handed! (Like me!) McCain brings up some dude named John Lewis. Apparently he was talking shit about McCain and Palin, and Obama never "repudiated" his comments.

I have two questions. McCain - if you're pissed that Obama didn't "repudiate" Lewis's comments, why didn't you "repudiate" the comments made by that racist dude at Palin's rally?

Also, what does repudiate mean?

Obama said that 2/3rds of voters feel McCain is running a negative campaign. He also said that 100% of McCain's ads are negative. What struck me as funny is that McCain thinks the commercial dissing his economic plan is a "negative" ad, or, personally insulting. How in the hell is providing a different idea or perspective insulting? It's called informing the public, bitch-ass.

Why is everyone using the word vigorous now? Vigorous this vigorous that. I vigorously reputiated Joe the Plumber's pork-barrel spending.

The biggest laugh of the evening came after the two candidates began talking about their VP choices.

McCain, "Americans have gotten to know Sarah Palin." DONE.
(At this point my teacher pointed out that the reaction line of undecided Ohio male voters rose while women remained neutral. Sarah Palin is hott!)

OK, so McCain is left-handed too. Boo.

The two candidates are going back and forth rehashing their policies, their arguments against the other person's policies, and repeating the same metaphors and one-liners. The only thing making this interesting is the potential anger-induced stroke I'm waiting for McCain to have.

I'm not sure what question was asked or anything, but Obama says "we can't drill ourselves out of the problem." He starts talking about his energy plan...

McCain tweaks and freaks out saying we must drill now! What a dumbass. HOW LONG CAN WE DRILL FOR UNTIL WE HAVE NO OIL LEFT? THAT ISN'T GOING TO HELP ANYTHING IN THE LONG-TERM!

McCain- crazily angrily grinning
Obama- post-BJ calmness. Michelle are you hiding under that table?

"Would you favor controlling health care costs over expanding coverage?"
Obama discusses his health care plan and the uncommitted Ohio voters like it!
Both candidates talk about obesity in young children. Alex leans over to me and says, "I had a fitness program. It was called P.O.W. camp!" Hehehe.

The overturning of Roe V. Wade-
Q. "Could either of you ever nominate someone to the Supreme Court who disagrees with you on this issue?"

OH SHITTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!

McCain: "I will find the best people in the world -- in the United States of America who have a history of strict adherence to the Constitution. And not legislating from the bench." "I would consider anyone in their qualifications. I do not believe that someone who has supported Roe v. Wade that would be part of those qualifications. But I certainly would not impose any litmus test."

Obama: " I think it's true that we shouldn't apply a strict litmus test and the most important thing in any judge is their capacity to provide fairness and justice to the American people." "Now I would not provide a litmus test. But I am somebody who believes that Roe versus Wade was rightly decided. I think that abortion is a very difficult issue and it is a moral issue and one that I think good people on both sides can disagree on."

McCain is flustered by even the mention of late-term abortions. OK gramma!
I think Obama handled the topic of abortion well. He kept trying to keep shit neutral by saying it's a tough decision on both sides and that the most important thing is working together to prevent unintended pregnancies. Well played.

OH and did anybody hear McCain say, "Let me talk to you about an important aspect of this issue. We have to change the culture of America. Those of us who are proudly pro-life understand that." UHHHHH, what kind of bullshit is that?!

Education
Obama wants to hire an "army of new teachers." Soo, not jaded ones? He does make a good point when saying that in order to improve a child's education it needs to come from the PARENTS! I bet Mama Rochelle, an ex-middle school teacher, said hallelujah to that. Even the audience in Ely clapped.

McCain is all about the charter schools, something Obama also supports. But aren't charter schools expensive? What if some families can't afford to send their kids there?
"And we have to be able to give parents the same choice, frankly, that Sen. Obama and Mrs. Obama had and Cindy and I had to send our kids to the school -- their kids to the school of their choice."

So ridic! First of all, "school choice" only works if you live in an area where there IS a choice.

Final Statements
The two candidates make their final statements, which are basically one-liners and recycled cliches strung together to form a paragraph of lies. Wow, I'm jaded.

McCain: "I have a record!"
Obama: "Fundamental change!"
Me: "*Snores*"

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

McCain: "I will find the best people in the world -- in the United States of America who have a history of strict adherence to the Constitution. And not legislating from the bench." "I would consider anyone in their qualifications. I do not believe that someone who has supported Roe v. Wade that would be part of those qualifications. But I certainly would not impose any litmus test."

What the hell kind of double talk is this?! I was so mad when he said this. Like just say, "I won't nominate someone who doesn't see things my way." That's fine, I wouldn't either,but don't act like you are saying something other than that.

Buntologically Informed