Presidential Debate #2 Blog

I'm back to blog the presidential debate. It's a town hall format. I really don't like it. I'd rather have a supposed brilliant journalist asking hard questions. Oh wait, they don't ask hard questions either.

9:03 - Question: What can you do for me? Obama - rich people are the devil. McCain - we're all friends. Let's cut spending. What spending do you wanna cut, John? you want to expand the military. I haven't heard a ton about social security. I'm going to cut spending by buying up homes. He's right, but come on.

Wow, McCain will nominate someone that we can identify with as treasury secretary. Probably a maverick.

9:10 Obama wants a taxcut for people who don't pay taxes. I still have not figured that one out.

9:11 Is Brokaw actually going to try to follow the rules?

9:11 Wow, a great question. How does this bailout work. Let's see if either of them can explain it. If either can, I will probably vote for them.
Grades: McCain: Tied the problem to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to the problem and stated that Obama and democrats empowered them. Did little to actually explain Bailout. B-
Obama: Notes that we need to return liquid to credit market. Notes that we need to increase regulation. Really makes it seem like it was Bush and McCain that opposed regulation, when it had more to do with people like Bill Clinton, Chris Dodd, and Barney Frank. Claims that the economy can come back quickly. At least he still has some hope. C
Obama discusses the bailout, McCain is closer on history.*

9:18 Hard working Americans are awesome, and they are all John McCain's friends.

9:19 Obama discusses increases in spending. WILL YOU SAY THAT THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE WAR OR SOCIAL SECURITY???

9:21 How many ways can John McCain say he is a maverick without saying maverick?

9:24 3 Reforms which is the priority: Health care, energy, entitlements.
McCain, please answer the question, stop bullshitting. This is a great question, and people want answers. How is healthcare a national security issue.
Obama says energy is the most important. He mentions a moonshot. Thank you. That may have bought my vote. He prioritizes education before entitlements, because he doesn't want to say that his solution to social security is raising taxes. Why do young people like him? That is our money!

9:28 McCain wants to cut spending for contractors. I think Dusenbury wrote a resolution about that in 07. Whoohoo! If you really want to cut spending, though, John, you need to look at where we are actually spending it -- ENTITLEMENTS. MILITARY. We can't afford this war. We can't afford to be the world's police. It sucks, but we can't.

9:31 Is Obama asking us to put on sweaters?

9:33 Brokaw is asking a question about credit, i.e. monetary policy. Will either of them discuss this? It's doubtful.
Obama - Tax cuts for CEO's, poor middle class, blah blah blah
McCain - Doesn't mention monetary policies, but notes that Obama wants to raise taxes on small business.
Neither mention the fed or anything that directly affects credit. I miss Ron Paul. He would have talked about monetary policy. That's probably also why he lost.

9:37 Let him answer, Tom.

9:38 Will you set a date to reform Social Security? This is another vote changer.
Obama - blah blah blah cut taxes for middle class. Reform social security in my first term.
McCain - blah blah blah bipartisanship smart people to fix Medicare. Force congress to vote up or down. I actually kind of like it. friends.

Brokaw really needs to shut up about the rules.

9:44 McCain clearly does not understand a thing about nuclear waste. He should have watched my contemporary issues in engineering presentation!

9:45 I'm really glad I dropped engineering 1024 so I don't have to watch another contemporary issues in engineering presentation tomorrow.

9:46 Obama brings up basic research. I like it.

9:49 "We need to do all of the things that are necessary to get the job done."

9:56 Obama states that Health care is a right, and McCain believes that it is a responsibility. I haven't decided how I feel. I still don't ever like taking money from one person to give it to another. That is absurd and is not liberty.

9:58 Obama states that he does not believe that markets work.

9:59 Maybe the best question: how does America's economic position support our peacemaking ability. McCain states that the American Military Economic sword is more powerful in spreading peace and freedom than Jesus Christ. I don't think I can vote for him. Obama largely agrees, never uses the term "greatest."

10:11 You shouldn't say you have two heroes, John. Ronald and Teddy? that's quite a trick. Stop trying to show that you are old.

10:13 Brokaw needs to stop worrying about the rules and focus on asking tough questions and getting answers. The range these candidates have is tremendous. No one is forcing them to reveal anything.

10:14 I'm bored.

10:25 Question: would you engage Iran if they attack Israel, and would you wait for the United Nations? McCain - Yes, kind of. Obama - It's an option, but we'll do other things first.

Thought for both candidates: what are we doing to stop Iran from going nuclear. Bullying them probably isn't going to stop them. Are we offering any sort of reduction in our abilities? Will we increase trade with them? Maybe I am being naive and ignoring the fact that Iran hates anything western, but I truly wonder what real diplomacy and efforts at economic development in their backyard instead of nation building would make them think.

I don't even know how either of them did, because Brokaw did such a terrible job. I'm really upset with him.

*I don't completely get it, so if that is false, I apologize.