Fish Hawk Road: Observations about the Townhall style debate

First let me say this: Tom Brokaw needs to go back into retirement! So many times I wanted to reach through the teevee and slap him. I yelled SHUT UP TOM so many times my cats fled the room. Needless to say, he was annoying.

According to many polls, people felt that Obama won the debate. It wasn't a knock out punch debate. It was simply that Obama came across as calmer, more rational and more Presidential. Seriously,McCain wandered around the stage looking like an old man that lost his way. The difference, visually,between the two was stark. It became even more stark listening to them.

Unfortunately for John, he needed a huge game changer...he failed. His ideas sounded so last century...tired and worn. McCain has a problem in that when he speaks he comes across as condescending. I found it particularly weird that when he spoke to white members in the audience he was nearly in their lap. Much different was his approach to the AA man...kept his distance. He also does this tongue flicking thingy which annoyed me. The worst though is his incessant blinking!

Gah, it's like telegraphing HEY I'M LYING!

When John made his remark about buying up all the bad loans and re-doing them I think he lost 3/4 of freeper world. I wandered over to some conservative blogs and they were losing their minds over that remark. It should also be obvious that John has NOT read the $700 billion bail out bill. It has a provision in it for lenders to work with their borrowers in renegotiating their loans already. Can we say clueless? Ah, yep. However, all the freepers saw from that remark was OMG he's a socialist and wants to spend another $300 billion! Sweet! By the way, John never mentioned the word middle class once last night. Not. Once. McCain is clearly out of his league when it comes to the economy. Hence the reason you hear all the guilt-by-association ugliness coming from him and Palin.

Many people made reference to McCain referring to Obama as "That one." I found that quite condescending. As though Obama was an object and not a person. You see, I've usually heard that term used by my grandparents when they were being nasty or sarcastic towards someone. It was used dismissively; to objectify rather than humanize. It gives McCain the appearance of being annoyed that he has to even be in the same room as Obama---that young whippersnapper.

McCain's military position failed him because he still insists on that "victory in Iraq, don't bring them home in defeat" position. Geezez, this is not Iwo Jima where we plant a flag and scream yahoo, we won. I don't think McCain has a diplomatic bone in his body. Military might is not the sole answer to dealing with the problems in the world. Poor John is still fighting the Vietnam war. If he "knows" how to catch Bin Laden then why the hell hasn't he told anyone else for all these years? What nonsense.

Obama did himself proud. He was clear in his message and related well to the audience. I do believe he got the message across that he truly understands what people are dealing with these days. He came across as calm, pragmatic, thoughtful and Presidential. He wasn't afraid to tackle foreign policy and point out that Iraq was a mistake in judgment for McCain.

Obama's answer that health care was a right was awesome. It played well with those scoring the debate. Frankly, there's really no excuse that we don't have guaranteed health care in this nation. If we can waste $10 billion a month in Iraq, we can pay for health care. McCain thinks it's solely your own responsibility. Well, yes, it is a responsibility to stay healthy but there are things that happen that no one has control over...accidents, genetic disease, disease that comes with age, cancer, etc. I'd like John McCain to explain to me how one avoids getting a cold. I guess you need to lock yourself in your home. Being able to get good preventative health care actually saves money in the long run. Far too many never seek care until a health situation is terrible solely because they can't afford it. Plus, too many that have insurance now spend too much time arguing with the company over what gets paid. While I'd love to see Universal health care enacted, I'll settle for everyone being covered with good insurance that doesn't discriminate and is affordable for now.

Overall, the debate was sort of boring but Obama did well. He emphasized the "we" as opposed to McCain who told us that only "he" can solve things for us. It will take all of us working together to get this nation back on track. One man/woman can not do everything all at once. That's why Obama's talk of priorities rings truer than McCain's we'll do it all at the same time.

There will be pain over the next few years but I believe America will be better off in the long run under a President Obama. Change is coming and we'll all be a part of it.