# It's the official last Presidential Debate thread! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 15, 2008, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001 "2008-10-15T03:20:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 24
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/461 "2008-10-16T10:38:42Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > But what does that have to do with Sarah Palin’s expertise on autism? Who knows? I was surprised to hear she’s such an “expert” on kids with disabilities, now. The baby is what, 5 months old? ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/462 "2008-10-16T11:01:30Z")
Selfishly, I’m very pleased that this was the final debate; I’m on Central European Time and once again I couldn’t resist watching the debate in real time. I’m too old to stay up past 4am like this. I thought it was the best of all four debates: it wasn’t just a repeat of stump speeches and political ads. There was real substance and a true contrast shown between the candidates. Bob Schieffer was a terrific moderator, asking sharply pertinent questions about the topics that have been most on my mind lately, at least. > [@leander](#): > > I think this is spot on, particularly for the so-called “independent” voters. Certainly the hardcore dems would have loved for Obama to trash Palin and attack McCain harder, but he doesn’t need those votes (he’s already got them)-- what he needs is to appeal to the independents who are looking for (a) a “presidential” candidate and (b) change. He has been successfully playing it cool for 3 debates now and it’s served him very, very well. I absolutely agree with this. One of Obama’s best qualities is his calmness, which I think is urgently needed in the presidency right now. He has oceans of class, and that grace is much more effective than getting in the zingers. He had many opportunities to attack McCain in this debate, and what he generally did was take the high road and stick to the issues. He came across as more serious than McCain, and good for him. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/463 "2008-10-16T11:25:53Z")
> [@Yumblie](#): > > Also, I offer [this](http://echelon.mirror.waffleimages.com/files/a0/a00fb16bbbb331e466e54461afbefdd39521ee08.jpg) without comment. Is that a real picture? What the hell is he doing? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/464 "2008-10-16T11:37:51Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > Is that a real picture? What the hell is he doing? Ah, John was laughing at himself. At the end of the debate, when both candidates got up to shake the moderator’s hand, McCain had to go around the table but didn’t know which way to go. So he did a little which-way-this-way? shuffle and that’s how he ended it. It looks much worse in still shots. The ZERO??!!! reaction shots are pretty bad, though. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/465 "2008-10-16T11:40:07Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > My brother is a [Master Plumber](http://www.moga.missouri.gov/statutes/C300-399/3410000170.HTM). He’s since retired from the trade (using a pipe wrench for 20+ years will pretty much destroy your elbows). The last full year he was in the trade, he made more than $120,000, making 21% of sales. The guy who owned the firm and employed a dozen plumbers for damn sure made more than that. It’s very hard work and an honorable trade…but it’s fairly well-paid one. Heck, I didn’t need to know all that! Anyone who pulls up to my house and his base pay is $50 just to diagnose the problem, then (tries) to charge me a $50 “fuel charge” when he came about 2 miles is not doing too badly. 😉 I’m sure it is hard work–and much needed work. McCain would have been better off using a lemonade stand, IMO. That pic post debate must be photo-shopped. No way is it real. It IS real? Good god–the man’s a disaster with an “open camera”! ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/466 "2008-10-16T11:42:21Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > That pic post debate must be photo-shopped. No way is it real. It’s real. He was trying to shake the moderators hand and they started going around the table the opposite way…McCain just made a funny face when the exchange happened. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/467 "2008-10-16T12:15:08Z")
> [@mabes10](#): > > I saw that elsewhere. Someone captioned it “McCain losing his lunch.” Can anyone do better? McCain is saying: “It’s time for your October Surprise” -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/468 "2008-10-16T12:20:58Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > That pic post debate must be photo-shopped. No way is it real. It IS real? Good god–the man’s a disaster with an “open camera”! It’s real, but that picture is just begging to be retouched with a big fork sticking out of McCain’s back. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/469 "2008-10-16T12:37:12Z")
I’m going to mention briefly what I posted in the Joe the Plumber pit thread - it’s being claimed by Martin Eisenstadt that Joe is a relative of Charles Keating. Also it’s possible that he’s not actually registered to vote in Ohio, although that’s unclear. There’s links in the pit thread if anyone wants to follow them. I know it’s early in the morning and this might all turn out to be nothing but well, there it is. ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/470 "2008-10-16T12:41:06Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Are we, as a nation, really waking up from our American Idol induced coma?\* Yes, but we really really want to go back to sleep. And the best way to do that is to elect the guy who will work quietly to fix the problems. Someone boring and wonkish who we can trust to get things done. I honestly think Americans want someone who will take care of things so we can go back to thinking about American Idol. And Obama looks like that guy, where McCain looks like the guy who will keep bothering you and stay in the news. “Look at me, I’m suspending my campaign!” This may sound weird - and you can call me crazy - but I think firing people up is turning people off. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/471 "2008-10-16T12:55:36Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > It’s real, but that picture is just begging to be retouched with a big fork sticking out of McCain’s back. [Ask, and ye shall receive…](http://web.acsalaska.net/~fmurtley/mccainfork.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Clu-Me-In](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/472 "2008-10-16T13:14:25Z")
So, well you missed nothing… ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/473 "2008-10-16T13:15:58Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > [Ask, and ye shall receive…](http://web.acsalaska.net/~fmurtley/mccainfork.jpg) Ah yes, just as I had envisioned it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Clu-Me-In](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/474 "2008-10-16T13:16:22Z")
Well it did happen. McCain took the Ayers-ACORN bait, swallowed it hook, line and sinker, then walked off the stage after the debate leaving his wife standing there asking in the words of bugs bunny; “_**Which way did he go, George(Dubya), which way did he go?**_”. See, she thought Dubya was in the room. I think I heard him say “go get em champ” to Obama last night, then he forgot which way was out cos he wanted to go so badly. :smack: “T-t-t-t-that’s all folks.”:D:D ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/475 "2008-10-16T13:27:40Z")
I’m sorry, but did McCain use air quotes about the “health” of the mother in cases of late-term abortion? Fuck you, you sorry-ass motherfucker. I’m not a single-issue voter, and I’m ambivalent about abortion, but my health as an expectant mother is pretty goddamn important to me. I liked how Obama was the first to bring up the importance of sex education and adoption during the Roe v. Wade question. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/476 "2008-10-16T13:30:57Z")
> [@burundi](#): > > I’m sorry, but did McCain use air quotes about the “health” of the mother in cases of late-term abortion? Fuck you, you sorry-ass motherfucker. I’m not a single-issue voter, and I’m ambivalent about abortion, but my health as an expectant mother is pretty goddamn important to me. Not only that, but being concerned about the “health of the mother” is actually, the “far extremist position”, IIRC. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/477 "2008-10-16T13:39:39Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > Who knows? > > I was surprised to hear she’s such an “expert” on kids with disabilities, now. The baby is what, 5 months old? Like it always works, they have no interest in it until it happens to them. Then it becomes a cause. Where was Christopher Reed’s interest in spine injuries before it happened to him? It always strikes me as self serving. Now Palin is understanding about disabled kids. I want to see her track record before it hit her family. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/478 "2008-10-16T13:41:01Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Not only that, but being concerned about the “health of the mother” is actually, the “far extremist position”, IIRC. > > -Joe Actually, that’s the official position of the “pro-abortion” crowd. Those guys know how to party, btw. \*What do we want?!? MORE ABORTIONS!! When do we want them?!? NOW!!\* ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/479 "2008-10-16T13:45:45Z")
> [@burundi](#): > > I’m sorry, but did McCain use air quotes about the “health” of the mother in cases of late-term abortion? Fuck you, you sorry-ass motherfucker. I’m not a single-issue voter, and I’m ambivalent about abortion, but my health as an expectant mother is pretty goddamn important to me. I’m pro-choice and pro-Obama, but I really don’t like the way people are reacting to this bit from McCain. By putting “health” in scare quotes, he was conveying a skeptical attitude toward the notion that the issues in question really are health issues. In other words, he was claiming that the “health of the mother” clause gets interpreted in law to include matters that are not _actually_ health issues. So it’s certainly wrong to respond to McCain by simply insisting “Of _course_ the health of the mother is important, you bastard!” He didn’t say otherwise. He’s not saying health is not important. He’s saying people are calling things “health related” that aren’t actually health related. What I want to know is specifics–what issues exactly are they that McCain is talking about, that he thinks are not genuine health issues, but that nevertheless get interpreted into the “health” clause in actual legal practice? Until I can see examples, I don’t know what he’s talking about. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001/480 "2008-10-16T13:46:12Z")
Obama played defense yesterday. He could have made the case that McCain is a republican and the repubs have been in charge while the economy tanked. He almost lets him escape. He was far to polite about Palin. Apparently they believed staying above the petty fray would give him a more statesmen like aura. I think it worked. McCain was nasty .mean and petty. It appeared that McCain was getting angry and fighting to suppress it. In presidential debates ,that is what really wins. Obama stayed in control and gave the viewer the idea he would be in control of himself in a crisis. McCain did not. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-official-last-presidential-debate-thread/468001.md?page=25)