The Official Presidential Debate Thread (Round 2)

It is going to be a long, long uphill climb for McCain. He needed a knockout performance and he didn't come close. Plus, he must know that at this point it's really not so much about what you say but how you say it. Debates aren't so much about your position on the issues (most know that by now), but more so your delivery and how (as saden puts it) "presidential" you look. Obama had the presence of a President tonight from what I saw and heard

Totally off topic, anyone find it strange that our possible future President smokes (albeit less so than in recent years, supposedly), considering all the knowledge about smoking these days.

Didn't he quit smoking? I know he fell off a couple of times but my understanding is he doesn't smoke anymore.

Didn't he quit smoking? I know he fell off a couple of times but my understanding is he doesn't smoke anymore.

I guess you're right. It's just the occassional drag

The Associated Press: Obama wishes he had more time for staying fit (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hw9jKmgB64XJykqYnrTCwp9kiZCAD93LUQHG1)

IMO, McCain's answers sounded too canned. McCain's answers basically amounted to, "My friends. Bipartisan, reformer, maverick, reach across the aisle, voted for tax increases 94 times, reformed, special interests, reforming, independent. Thank you." Obama didn't do a fantastic job either, but his responses were more substantive.

IMO, McCain's answers sounded too canned. McCain's answers basically amounted to, "My friends. Bipartisan, reformer, maverick, reach across the aisle, voted for tax increases 94 times, reformed, special interests, reforming, independent. Thank you." Obama didn't do a fantastic job either, but his responses were more substantive.

The thing is Obama didn't need to do a fantastic job really. This debate was much more important for McCain. He needed to have a decisive win tonight.

it's probably obama's to lose... his margin is decent, but there are some times polls under-represent republicans. I assumed obama would have a stronger showing here than mccain would, and it sounds like that's about right. mccain suggesting 300bill$ for paying off other people's bad decisions seems utterly stupid to me.

I missed the debate, but it doesn't really matter, since i've already voted.

VERY BORING debates............all of them
I personally, have seen no deal breakers on either side, and really........nothing that I can put my finger on that would make anybody change sides.

I watched for around an hour in the middle. I lost a lot of respect for mccain after he repeatedly suggested that obama had just stated he wanted to attack packistan, when he said no such thing. Twice.

I think that's what started the whole "Hero is Roosevelt... Speak softly and carry a big stick thing"


Obama answered the question perfectly, suggesting that he would attempt a diplomatic solution, unless pakistan was unwilling or unable to capture al queda or bin laden in their country, in which case we would go in for al queda (spelling?). Never suggested attacking pakistani people. McCain just tried to put words in his mouth that weren't even close. It feels like he's really just trying to appeal to morons, and he skirted the response... Probably because he couldn't improve on obamas response, but had he just agreed or improved I wouldve respected him more.

A discussion on the economy is not a good thing for McCain. As for his "that one" comment you guys make it sound like he said "that boy." It's not a big deal though it's not presidential. McCain is the usual McCain full of erroneous figures and talking about the usual (energy Independence, Obama raising taxes, and his famous "I know how to [insert some generic word of your choosing]"). Seems like Obama is holding nothing back and meeting McCain with fangs protruding.

I thought this was blown way out of proportion. I know in my family we always kiddingly refer to each other as "that one." Really a pretty big reach in my opinion.

If you watched the debate it's pretty difficult to say McCain won with a straight face.

I watched the entire debate and thought it was close but that McCain came out on top. To me, what won it for McCain was he kept coming back to experience, which he has and Obama does not. There's no real spin to that it's a fact and it's his one advantage. I liked how he brought up the fact that Obama has not introduced a single piece of legislation aimed at lowering taxes. I just didn't think Obama responded as well this time. And although I don't like McCain's healthcare plan, I thought he did a good job of explaining it in layman's terms. Obama has the far better plan but I don't think he explained it as well.