# September 26 - The First Obama-McCain Debate **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 26, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357 "2008-09-26T16:49:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/401 "2008-09-27T03:26:45Z")
I thought they both did very well. No major screw ups, but no major scoring off the other, either. But that is worse news for McCain; this was supposed to be the debate that played to his true expertise, and he did not (or was not able to) capitalize on that. It was his chance to dominate (if ever he had one), and he couldn’t or didn’t do it. Obama just had to hold his own, and he did. I understand that the economic situation is extremely relevant, but I didn’t like the fact that they dedicated the first 40 minutes of what was supposed to be the foreign policy debate. For Obama, I didn’t like that he kept dragging the discussion back to domestic issues (healthcare, tax relief). Although I understand it as a strategy to play to his own perceived strengths, the debate was supposed to be about foreign policy. For McCain, I felt that in highlighting Obama’s lack of experience, he tipped the scales far over into condescension: "Obama just doesn’t understand . . . " I found that aggravating. And I thought the point of three-inch shorter North Koreans was obvious: They live under such a repressive regime that they are now demonstrably behind their closest neighbors by the most fundamental of measures. Those of you trying to spin it as a senile non sequitir just sound silly. It wasn’t a major point anyway, but it wasn’t that hard to grasp. Bottom line: I was pleased with the debate. I honestly don’t know who I’m voting for (though I’m leaning towards Obama), and I felt that based on their answers tonight I would be comfortable with either of them as President. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/402 "2008-09-27T03:27:23Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > NBC and CNN are both debunking McCain’s story about Eisenhower’s two letters before the Normandy invasion. They are saying he did not write a letter of resignation. Nor should he have. It would be bizarre for the supreme commander to quit on the most important campaign in human history because one battle didn’t work out. It should have raised a red flag in a skeptical mind. I think the debates will all add up to nothing in the end. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/403 "2008-09-27T03:27:38Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Why is Biden all over the place tonight, and Palin is nowhere to be seen? I know this was rhetorical, but I couldn’t help but laugh. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/404 "2008-09-27T03:32:37Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Everybody’s got their own idea what constitutes winning and losing and I think that’s the best we can do. To me it is not how they performed but who got it right, just here I can see a couple of big gaffes McCain committed and I do think his obsession with Iraq also generated some whoppers that I need to check, so while I can say this looks like a tie at this time, I think it is necessary to check then who was more accurate under fire as a good way to sort this out. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/405 "2008-09-27T03:35:55Z")
Olberman just announced the results of a “Snap Poll” of 500 uncommitted voters (conducted by “Knowledge Network”). Obama winner: 42% McCain winner: 22% Draw: 38% Opinion of Obama improved: 46% ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/406 "2008-09-27T03:36:32Z")
The dual press conference ritual was boring this time around. It may be completely meaningless but that doesn’t mean it can’t be entertaining. Two thumbs down. Who’s writing the scripts for these? They need to be fired. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/407 "2008-09-27T03:36:35Z")
The obvious assumption is that Palin is nowhere to be found because the Republicans don’t want her to speak. Which leads me to a statement I never thought I would make: I’ll be very interested in the Vice-Presidential debate. She’s going to actually answer questions, defend positions, and articulate a defensible POV. Not just make a speech. And if she steps wrong, Biden will chew her leg off. With the presidential candidates being in a dead heat for me personally, the potential contribuitions and competencies of the VP candidates become much more important in terms of potentially tipping the scales. I guess we’ll all see if McCain’s gamble will pay off, or not. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/408 "2008-09-27T03:38:46Z")
Who wins on content is totally subjective. Either you agree with Obama more, or you agree with McCain more. Personally I was already strongly in Obama’s camp. But if I’d never heard anything before about either candidate, McCain’s bit about wanting to freeze funding for basically everything but the military would have clinched my vote . . . for Obama. As far as personality is concerned, Obama came across as polite and respectful, and McCain came across as agressive and condescending. Unfortunately, I’m not sure which of those images the American people prefer in their President. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/409 "2008-09-27T03:38:53Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > I know this was rhetorical, but I couldn’t help but laugh. 😃 McCain mentioned his running mate and Obama should have jumped all over it. He missed an op there. It was a wash. Unless there are those who did not know Obama could stand up to McCain and handle himself well. They will be more comfortable with him now. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/410 "2008-09-27T03:39:03Z")
> [@Rack-a-Bones](#): > > Is this a whoosh? You know you can take out “Republican” and insert almost anything? No. The difference is that Democrats – though they might arrive at the same conclusion from which they started – generally will at least make the effort to go through the “deliberation” process described, and Republicans generally will not. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/411 "2008-09-27T03:39:33Z")
From [FiveThirtyEight’s post-mortem](http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/09/presidential-debate-post-mortem-live.html): > [@](#): > > 10:14 CDT: [Nate] OK, [here’s that link](http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/09/26/politics/horserace/entry4482028.shtml) to that CBS news poll. And it wasn’t 500 independents – it was 500 uncommitted voters. I would say, just from my own point of view, that Obama didn’t win by anything like a 2:1 margin, but that’s partly because I was so pleased with his first 45 minuets that he raised my expectations for the last 45, when McCain seemed almost literally to wake up. > > … > > 10:10 CDT: [Nate] It doesn’t appear to be on the web yet, but several commentators point to a CBS News poll of 500 independents gave the debate to Obama 40-22, with 38 percent declaring it a tie. Beware, however, because the reaction in these instant polls doesn’t always match the movmenet in the horse race polls in the proceeding days. > > 10:01 CDT: [Nate] Independents in the [MediaCurves](http://mediacurves.com/) focus group gave the debate to Obama 61-39. They also think he won every individual segment. Republicans gave the debate to McCain 90-10, Democrats to Obama 93-7. So the initial reactions are looking very good for Obama among independents, but that’s not necessarily predictive of how the polls will move over the weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/412 "2008-09-27T03:39:56Z")
The only reason Obama isn’t doing as good in polls as a Democrat should is because people are worried about him. The more people see him the more of them will have their preconceived notions of him challenged. Virtually everyone I know was more impressed with Obama after they heard him talk first hand. He’s standing behind the policies that people haven’t watched fail over the last eight years. All he was to do is calm concerns and he will come out ahead. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/413 "2008-09-27T03:40:19Z")
Haven’t read through the thread at all but…gods that was painful. I almost felt sorry for McCain. He was horrible. I thought Obama’s answers were standard party drivel…but he just rolls it off so well. Like butter. McCain…just bad. I told the wife that McCain lost whatever slim hope he had tonight with this debate. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/414 "2008-09-27T03:40:58Z")
The more I think about it, the more I think McCain failed on one point. He tried to draw attacks on Palin. He said “Miss Congeniality” at least twice, and also mentioned that he had a good partner in his run. Obama ignored that, completely, which was absolutely correct. What’s that got to do with winning or losing? I dunno, just something I thought about. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/415 "2008-09-27T03:41:23Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > The problem with these discussions is that they keep talking winner/loser without mutually agreed upon criteria of what constitutes winning. Perhaps you should check out any of the many fine discussions concerning the existence of God that we enjoy here without mutually agreed upon criteria of what constitutes “God”. _This_ is small potatoes by comparison. But relax! I’ve got both of these issues covered for you… God _does_ exist and I can prove it. I just saw him on TV definitively winning a Presidential debate. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/416 "2008-09-27T03:42:58Z")
[Cafepress](http://t-shirts.cafepress.com/item/ive-got-a-bracelet-too-jr-jersey-tshirt/310763364) already has a shirt up with “I’ve got a bracelet too” ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/417 "2008-09-27T03:43:32Z")
> [@tim314](#): > > As far as personality is concerned, Obama came across as polite and respectful, and McCain came across as agressive and condescending. Unfortunately, I’m not sure which of those images the American people prefer in their President. You’re assuming those images are the American people’s only choices, because they all must have drawn the same conclusions you did. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/418 "2008-09-27T03:46:31Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > McCain, you should stop it with the Miss Congeniality thing. It keeps making me think you won second prize in a beauty contest. Collect $10. When Obama is inaugurated, McCain should be standing beside him wearing high heels, a one-piece swimsuit and sash. Even if Congress must pass a special private bill to compel him. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/419 "2008-09-27T03:49:03Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Haven’t read through the thread at all but…gods that was painful. I almost felt sorry for McCain. He was horrible. I thought Obama’s answers were standard party drivel…but he just rolls it off so well. Like butter. McCain…just bad. > > I told the wife that McCain lost whatever slim hope he had tonight with this debate. > > -XT Curiously I thought McCain did ok, as I mentioned I think it was a tie (so far), but McCain needed to win to keep any presidential hopes alive. And because it seems the independents are finding Obama as the one coming out better I have to agree that this is not looking good for team McCain/Palin ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/420 "2008-09-27T03:51:03Z")
I love these threads, but because I would have had to run from TV room to computer room constantly to post, I’ve waited until the end. Some random comments, before I fact-check specific claims: 1. I was ready to hurl something heavy at the TV within the first two minutes. Neither candidate’s first responses to “where do you stand on the $700bn bailout” had anything whatsoever to do with the question. Thank Christ they actually got on point for most of the remainder of the debate, or I’d have to be buying a new gogglebox tomorrow. 2. After eight years of listening to GWB mangle the English language, it was a relief to hear two candidates who could actually speak without fumbling every fourth word, but there still a couple of howlers: McCain making a mess of “Ahmadinejad” and Obama having to name-check his bracelet. Too bad, OTOH, those were about the only notes of humor in the whole thing. Hey, so we’re at war with everyone and we’re about to relive the Great Depression: lighten up, guys! 3. That CNN Brave New World Insta-poll thing bugged the living shit out of me. I don’t give a rat’s ass what some fucking focus groups thought about the debate. I’m watching some other network next time. 4. Not that this should come as much of a surprise, but McCain came off as rather scarily hawkish, seeming to think a continued policy of refusing to speak to (except to threaten) countries whose policies we don’t care for will see us through. Of course, it’s a _little_ more nuanced than that, but he certainly seemed to indicate that ‘bomb Iran’ thing wasn’t just a harmless bit of levity. 5. Lehrer gets a bit of credit for holding their feet to fire on some bullshit answers, especially on questions 1 and 3, and I realize that some discussion of the economy was inevitable, but when the participants finally got round to foreign policy, I was disappointed with narrow focus on Iraq, Afghanistan and Russia. I would have liked to have heard considerably more, particularly on our position with China, with Central and South America (and thus Hugo Chavez), whether or not we should do more to mend fences with Europe, and the candidate’s stances on the UN. I sincerely hope that some of these topics get an airing in later debates. I’m El\_Kabong, and I approve the comments others have made on McCain’s condescension and refusal to look at this opponent, and Obama’s appearance of defensiveness. In the end, more or less even on content, although I agree far more with Obama’s stance on the issues discussed than McCain’s. Re: personal presentation, I can easily understand the viewpoint that McCain won on ‘firmness’ and apparent experience. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357.md?page=22)