Not So Great Debat

[howeird]

Caught most of the debate. On the radio from 6:15-6:30, the rest on TV. Both candidates did well, I think. The moderator was not in control and both men insisted on the last word when it was not their turn to have it. Obama went wildly off-topic onto tangents a couple of times, McCain did not take the bait. McCain over-used the "Obama doesn't understand" line, but it was cute that he threw Barak's DNC "he doesn't get it" back in his face.

I think McCain showed hugely more depth of knowledge of foreign affairs issues, but Obama is a quick study and has picked up more than just surface info.

Something McCain said in passing was perhaps the most important point against Obama's readiness to lead. Obama mentioned that the subcommittee he is chair of always met as a committee of the whole, and shrugged off direct responsibility for bad moves it had made. McCain let fly that he always led his subcommittee meetings when he was chairman. Seems like a minor point, but what it says to me is Obama is content to bow to his committee chairman rather than take full responsibility for his assignment. Not very Presidential.

Neither man came off as a wacko or too young or too old or too short or too tall to take this ride. Both were articulate, paid attention to the questions and each other's answers, and neither one tripped over words more than the other. Both men misrepresented each other's position about the same number of times, with about the same degree of severity. Both stuck by the theme that nobody can explain their whole record and platform completely as half of a 90-minute chat.

The moderator (Is Jim Lehrer related to Tom Lehrer? No, I think not) did something exceedingly stupid for the first half hour. He kept chastising the candidates for not looking at each other and talking directly to each other. The way the cameras were placed and the lecterns angled, the only intelligent thing for both men to do was look into the camera in front of him. Looking at the other candidate would have appeared too aggressive. And anyone who has been on a debate team knows the debater is talking to the judges, not to his opponent. This is a debate, Mr.Lehrer, not a boxing match. The audience on the other side of the TV cameras is who the candidates need to talk to, not each other.

Maybe Jim has been on the cocktail party circuit too long. Come to think of it, that might be interesting. Put the two men in someone's crowded livingroom, equipped with body mikes, give them each a martini, insert the moderator to complete the triangle, and just let them argue the issues that way for 90 minutes.

Biden and Palin, of course, would not find that appropriate for their debate. The would be more comfortable mud wrestling.

For those of you who are keeping score at home, I'm still undecided.

Comments

[yourbob.livejournal.com]

You might read the transcript. Obama said that (paraphrased) "as the chair of my committee said, my subcommittee doesn't deal with those issues." I think that's a fair excuse for not holding hearings on something - he's not SUPPOSED to.

And the Iran as "existential threat" line, the calling of Pakistan a "failed State" - never was, never has been.

And yeah, while the "talk to your opponent" thing didn't work, the fact McCain never once looked at Obama while Obama was paying attention to McCain was certainly something viewers would note, unlike listeners (like the 1960 sweating of Nixon - if you didn't see McCain grousing and sneering, you didn't know he was doing it).

[howeird]

Re-check the transcript. Look for the Obama line which contains the phrase "committee of the whole".

McCain called Iran an existential threat to Israel, which it definitely is. Pakistan is a failed state in terms of Musharif refusing to leave office when he was voted out.

I frankly didn't notice McCain not looking at Obama. I wasn't expecting him to. I wasn't expecting Obama to not know how a debate is conducted.

[yourbob.livejournal.com]

Um. Well, McCain said Pakistan was a failed state _before_ Musharif, but I think you're thinking of a failed state differently than the State Department tends to define it. Certainly definitely different than I would - by your definition I think I'd [almost] call US a failed state, since we have no effective government at the top.

I will take a look at the transcript on the one point (and others, but tomorrow, please), thanks.

And you weren't expecting McCain to look at Obama? Ever? Not ever? He didn't. Until the last hand shake after Obama walked across the stage because McCain was trying to leave. And then fled.

[howeird]

I'll have to check the transcript too - I thought McCain siad Musharif was the example of how Pakistan has failed, but they were talking on top of each other at that point and I coud have misheard.

Yeah, get some sleep!

You didn't have enough camera time showing both candidates for you to tell that McCain never looked at Obama. Most of the time a candidate was talking, you only saw that candidate. For all you know, when Obama was filling the screen John III was sticking his tongue out at him.

[smallship1.livejournal.com]

Here's another view, that comes to about the same conclusion as yours but notes different highlights.

[melchar.livejournal.com]

Join the [apparently] few ... the undecided [or maybe just folks who don't like either side].

... except I -do- like McCain, am not really 'sold' by Obama - but I -really- dislike Palin. [For a LOT of reasons.] = so -very- undecided.