2nd Debate

[Kathianne]

In the midst of a financial meltdown. Could the stakes be any higher? It certainly looks like the Democrats are going to have a 3 for all.

Is it good?

There's this:

http://debatepolicy.com/showthread.php?p=306458#post306458

And then there is the more cautionary reality settling in:

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/10/mccain_obama_deal_puts_limits.html



McCain, Obama deal puts limits on "town hall" debate
By Lynn Sweet
on October 6, 2008 7:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (23)

WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama and John McCain meet for a second debate Tuesday night with a "town hall" format, but a deal made between the camps limits the interaction the candidates will have with the undecided voters in the pool of questioners.

Almost every important detail about the debates -- three presidential and one vice presidential -- is governed by a 31-page "memorandum of understanding." It was collegially negotiated between the Obama and McCain camps and covers everything from how the candidates are addressed to the permissible camera shots.

The campaign pact was worked out by Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) and attorney Robert Barnett, representing Obama, and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Brett O'Donnell, a former debate coach at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, representing McCain.

Tuesday's match-up at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., will be moderated by NBC's Tom Brokaw, with the questions to be culled from a group of 100 to 150 uncommitted likely voters in the audience and another one-third to come via the Internet. The Gallup Organization -- as in past debates like this -- has the job of making sure the questioners reflect the demographic makeup of the nation.

Brokaw selects the questions to ask from written queries submitted prior to the debate, according to the "contract."

An audience member will not be allowed to switch questions. Under the deal, the moderator may not ask followups or make comments. The person who asks the question will not be allowed a follow-up either, and his or her microphone will be turned off after the question is read. A camera shot will only be shown of the person asking -- not reacting.

While there will be director's chairs (with backs and foot rests), McCain and Obama will be allowed to stand -- but they can't roam past their "designated area" to be marked on the stage. McCain and Obama are not supposed to ask each other direct questions.

As in all the debates, the contenders cannot bring in notes, though they can take them once at the lectern....

[Gaffer]

Watching it now. McCain is saying what he will do. obamanation is softshoeing around the stage saying nothing specific.

[manu1959]

nailing jello to a wall......:laugh2::laugh2::laugh2:

and then compared obama to herbert hoover.........

[Joe Steel]

McCain is spouting the same old nonsense.

[Kathianne]

nailing jello to a wall......:laugh2::laugh2::laugh2:

and then compared obama to herbert hoover.........

2008 is not 1928. Obama cannot be Hoover. At the same time, what is he offering AMERICA? Seems he is running for President of the world?

[manu1959]

2008 is not 1928. Obama cannot be Hoover. At the same time, what is he offering AMERICA? Seems he is running for President of the world?

mccains comparison is apt......obama wants programs....higher taxes....will create 5 million jobs....sounds very familiar

[manu1959]

McCain is spouting the same old nonsense.

you should vote for obama..........

[Missileman]

My friends...we're screwed no matter which of these two wins.

[emmett]

My friends...we're screwed no matter which of these two wins.


Yup...pretty much!

[manu1959]

My friends...we're screwed no matter which of these two wins.

i say no.......i say......which one will cause those that run companies to take risk and grow their company......

[avatar4321]

McCain is hitting hard. Obama is rambling alot.

[manu1959]

obama does not know his history.....he wants to close down the war in iraq and wage it in the mountains of afganistan......that has never worked out for anyone other than the afganis....

moving the war from the mountains to the desert and streets of iraq was bloody genius.....

[crin63]

I wish McCain would quit spouting about reaching across the aisle.

At least he is hitting a little harder in this debate, it's more like a pillow instead of feather. I wish he would pull out a bat and swing for the fence.

[manu1959]

I wish McCain would quit spouting about reaching across the aisle.

At least he is hitting a little harder in this debate, it's more like a pillow instead of feather. I wish he would pull out a bat and swing for the fence.

an effective leader has to be able to work all sides not just one......

[Yurt]

obammy sure defers to michelle quite a bit, and mentions her quite a bit....hmmmm

[Yurt]

mccain:

what i don't know is what the unexpected will be :laugh2:

[MtnBiker]

obammy sure defers to michelle quite a bit, and mentions her quite a bit....hmmmm

she will probably be running for president in 2020

[Yurt]

obama does not know his history.....he wants to close down the war in iraq and wage it in the mountains of afganistan......that has never worked out for anyone other than the afganis....

moving the war from the mountains to the desert and streets of iraq was bloody genius.....

interesting....granted saddam needed to be taken down/out and the legislative branch gave that power....i wouldn't call it genius as the risk to civilians, many whom you have told me are innocent, in that they are not extremists and want a change just like christians have done, seems unjustifiable if the only motive was to move the war from one supposedly automanous country to another where the other country, composed of streets, would have a much higher death toll.

[manu1959]

interesting....granted saddam needed to be taken down/out and the legislative branch gave that power....i wouldn't call it genius as the risk to civilians, many whom you have told me are innocent, in that they are not extremists and want a change just like christians have done, seems unjustifiable if the only motive was to move the war from one supposedly automanous country to another where the other country, composed of streets, would have a much higher death toll.

if you are going to fight a war fight it were you can win it.....and unfortunately people die......you should read the art of war.....

[Yurt]

she will probably be running for president in 2020

no kidding, good lord, everytime i see this guy he is praising michelle, defering to her.......well michelle knows...i think, but not sure, when he started off his last question of the debate (missed the rest of it) and deferred to her.........she nearly shook her head as he KEPT LOOKING at her..as if to say......dude, stop looking at ME and keep you eye on the rest of the voters

[Yurt]

if you are going to fight a war fight it were you can win it.....and unfortunately people die......you should read the art of war.....

ok i have not, does it advocate taking the war to an innocent land in order vanquish the guilty

[manu1959]

ok i have not, does it advocate taking the war to an innocent land in order vanquish the guilty

not sure iraq is an innocent land.......and further.....i would argue the terrorists invaded iraq to attack the us army......if you remember the iraqi govt and military collapsed years ago.....

[namvet]

Osama got a punch in the nose about his involvement with mack and mae right off the bat. McCain should pursue and destroy !!!!!!

[theHawk]

Well once again McCain dropped the ball on hammering Obama on a whole lot of issues. He failed to wail on Obama over his economic adviser that made off with $90 million as a Fannie Mae exec while driving the company into the ground. The campaign contributions Obama has received from Fannie Mae employees are peanuts compared to that connection.

He also blew a few opportunities to capitalize on Obama statements. For example, when Obama talked about taking a scalpel to the Federal budget and accused McCain of wanting to use a hatchet, if I was McCain I would of said I would take a bulldozer to the spending budget.

McCain should of brought up Obama's past connection to ACORN, and he should of told Americans how ACORN's socialist policys had a huge hand in bringing down the mortgage companies.


Obama just parrotted his usual canned crap. I heard absolutely nothing new from him.

Also I thought the debate was horrible. It was nothing like a "town hall" meeting. All the questions the crowd asked were the same exact garbage we've heard at the last debates.
Not one question about abortion. Not one question about Constitutional rights.

Grades:

McCain: D+

Obama: D-

Moderator/Questions: F

[Psychoblues]

Neither knocked the other out and neither lost or gained a single vote. Anybody want to bet on that?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:

[theHawk]

Neither knocked the other out and neither lost or gained a single vote. Anybody want to bet on that?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:

Debates very rarely actually change people's minds. Most people already know who they are voting for.

I'd really like to meet someone who is genuinely "undecided" at this point.

[Psychoblues]

Actually, huk, there are literally millions of them out there!!!!!!!!!!




Debates very rarely actually change people's minds. Most people already know who they are voting for.

I'd really like to meet someone who is genuinely "undecided" at this point.

I don't think either of us, like McCain and Obama failed tonight, will change thier minds with reason, intelligence or education. Remember, Ralph Nader and Bob Barr are still attracting otherwise important votes without really changing a damned thing on the national scene!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:

[DragonStryk72]

Oh look, everybody pretty much backed the guy they picked when they went into it. Hm, what a shock.

And to be honest, I've been bringing my friends around to Barr, Psycho, cause we want an actual, not these crap changes both of the big party candidates browbeat us with. "Vote for change!" "The candidate for Change!" What the hell are they changing? They've done everything according to their party's respective playbooks, that's not change, it's more of the exact same shit that got us here in the first place.

[Psychoblues]

Wh,,,,wha,,,,,,What??????????? You talkin' to me, DS72?




Oh look, everybody pretty much backed the guy they picked when they went into it. Hm, what a shock.

And to be honest, I've been bringing my friends around to Barr, Psycho, cause we want an actual, not these crap changes both of the big party candidates browbeat us with. "Vote for change!" "The candidate for Change!" What the hell are they changing? They've done everything according to their party's respective playbooks, that's not change, it's more of the exact same shit that got us here in the first place.

Get your head out of your ass before you speak to me again, OK?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:

[GW in Ohio]

Neither knocked the other out and neither lost or gained a single vote. Anybody want to bet on that?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:

I completely disagree with you.

McCain's Republican base will stay with him no matter how badly he is outclassed by Obama. You can see that by the comments here. GOPers are completely self deluded about what is happening. Obama is inching ahead in most of the red states that were supposed to be safe for McCain. The battleground states are all turning toward Obama.

But when you look at these two guys in the debate last night, you see a guy who looks presidential who's totally in command and you see a rattled old guy desperately trying to keep up.

Many uncommitted voters were swayed by last night's debate.

This is turning into a landslide defeat for McCain.

But you GOPers, you continue to cling to your delusions that McCain is "gonna turn this thing around" and that Sarah Palin is gonna be America's sweetheart. I know you can't face what's going on, so don't try.

[jimnyc]

This is turning into a landslide defeat for McCain.

Too bad every single poll in America disagrees with you. A 3-6 point advantage doesn't come close to equating to a landslide.

[GW in Ohio]

Too bad every single poll in America disagrees with you. A 3-6 point advantage doesn't come close to equating to a landslide.

You're right. It's not a landslide....yet.

But I'm looking at all the indications....the way new voters are going for Obama by 2-1, the way the battleground states are inching slowly but steadily toward Obama, the way red states like Indiana which should be safe for McCain are up for grabs.

And you look at the contrast between the two candidates in the debates, and you look at how McCain has to run not only on his own, he also has to carry the burden of the disastrous Bush administration.

I won't say it's a landslide yet. But it looks like it's building to one.

[jimnyc]

Hey, it could very well turn into a landslide. Honestly, I really don't give a crap if it's a landslide in either direction. Most people are simply pulling for a candidate that has either a (D) or (R) next to their name. The reality of the matter is that we are in a fucked up position and I don't believe either of these candidates are the right ones to fix our problems.

Politicians are more concerned about wielding power these days than they are actually doing something to assist those who put them in office.

If it were up to me I would fire DC, every last shithead in Congress.

[namvet]

Wh,,,,wha,,,,,,What??????????? You talkin' to me, DS72?





Get your head out of your ass before you speak to me again, OK?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:

is Mississippi still burning????

[namvet]

Well once again McCain dropped the ball on hammering Obama on a whole lot of issues. He failed to wail on Obama over his economic adviser that made off with $90 million as a Fannie Mae exec while driving the company into the ground. The campaign contributions Obama has received from Fannie Mae employees are peanuts compared to that connection.

He also blew a few opportunities to capitalize on Obama statements. For example, when Obama talked about taking a scalpel to the Federal budget and accused McCain of wanting to use a hatchet, if I was McCain I would of said I would take a bulldozer to the spending budget.

McCain should of brought up Obama's past connection to ACORN, and he should of told Americans how ACORN's socialist policys had a huge hand in bringing down the mortgage companies.


Obama just parrotted his usual canned crap. I heard absolutely nothing new from him.

Also I thought the debate was horrible. It was nothing like a "town hall" meeting. All the questions the crowd asked were the same exact garbage we've heard at the last debates.
Not one question about abortion. Not one question about Constitutional rights.

Grades:

McCain: D+

Obama: D-

Moderator/Questions: F

there are rules there. but Palin is on the offensive against Osama.

[theHawk]

Hey, it could very well turn into a landslide. Honestly, I really don't give a crap if it's a landslide in either direction. Most people are simply pulling for a candidate that has either a (D) or (R) next to their name. The reality of the matter is that we are in a fucked up position and I don't believe either of these candidates are the right ones to fix our problems.

If Bill Richardson, Hillary, or Biden were the Dem nominee going against McCain then I would care less who would win.

But Obama is a flat out marxist, left-wing radical who hates capitalism and the US Constitution.

[Psychoblues]

Cynical, but sadly correct, jimbo.




Hey, it could very well turn into a landslide. Honestly, I really don't give a crap if it's a landslide in either direction. Most people are simply pulling for a candidate that has either a (D) or (R) next to their name. The reality of the matter is that we are in a fucked up position and I don't believe either of these candidates are the right ones to fix our problems.

Politicians are more concerned about wielding power these days than they are actually doing something to assist those who put them in office.

If it were up to me I would fire DC, every last shithead in Congress.

Maybe the fix was in the primaries?!??!?!?!??!?!?!?

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:

[Yurt]

Cynical, but sadly correct, jimbo.





Maybe the fix was in the primaries?!??!?!?!??!?!?!?

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:

yeah, that is how your boy stole the election from hillary :poke: