# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![A\_shameful\_cracka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@A\_shameful\_cracka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_shameful_cracka)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/41 "2008-09-26T22:49:04Z")
> [@autz](#): > > Yeah… um… about that… I’m on the PTA and helped plan this. > > It just didn’t occur to any of us to look at the political calandar in addition to the school district calandar! It wasn’t until about a week ago that any of us realized it! > > Now I feel bad for not promoting good citizenship… Hmm, I wonder if the PTA has an agenda. The old president of our PTA sent out emails to everyone about how Obama was a secret Muslim and out to destroy our country. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/42 "2008-09-26T23:00:41Z")
> [@autz](#): > > Yeah… um… about that… I’m on the PTA and helped plan this. > > It just didn’t occur to any of us to look at the political calandar in addition to the school district calandar! It wasn’t until about a week ago that any of us realized it! > > Now I feel bad for not promoting good citizenship… So, grab a TV from the A/V room and set it up in the corner of the gym, with a few chairs in front of it. Just make sure to keep anything weaponlike away from the viewing area. ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/43 "2008-09-26T23:07:00Z")
Is there a site where i can watch the debate onlie? AFN doesn’t have it on their schedule that I can see…:(☹ ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/44 "2008-09-26T23:10:49Z")
> [@Jolly\_Roger](#): > > Is there a site where i can watch the debate onlie? AFN doesn’t have it on their schedule that I can see…:(☹ > **[Breaking News, Latest News and Videos | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/)** > > View the latest news and breaking news today for U.S., world, weather, entertainment, politics and health at CNN.com. ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/45 "2008-09-26T23:38:26Z")
> [@Dob](#): > > The whole “small town value” bullshit I have been hearing for past year (and even more of it since Palin joined the ticket) just makes me sick. As a resident of a small town, I’d just like to get down on my knees and praise the FSM that the rest of the country doesn’t really embrace these values. My mother and I will be watching the debates tonight. I wasn’t impressed with Obama before, but he’s been growing on me these past few weeks, as McCain’s been disgusting me more and more. Which is unfortunate, since I used to have a lot of respect for the man. I’m not sure he can regain that respect tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/46 "2008-09-27T00:04:50Z")
It’ll be a hoot to watch these debates. I only wish they had a Telestrator. (“Let’s watch again as Senator McCain gnaws on the lecturn. He drops back and to the left. Back and to the left…”) As _Entertainment Weekly_ said in their article today (interviewing Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert), this campaign “has more material to satire than an infinite number of Dick Cheneys shooting an infinite number of hunting partners in the face.” ---
**Author:** ![IdahoMauleMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71c47a/32.png) [@IdahoMauleMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IdahoMauleMan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/47 "2008-09-27T00:10:33Z")
> [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](#): > > The problem that I’ve noticed with a lot of Republicans is that they assume that everybody else thinks the way they do, like it is the only conceivable way anyone could possibly think. I know you’re trying to come across as sarcastic here, but this is actually the truth for many Republicans. McCain has already won this debate in their minds, just because he belongs to the same party as they do. You can’t imagine that it might be possible for someone to watch the debate, evaluate both sides equally, and then come to a decision about who won. No, that kind of deliberation doesn’t even exist in the world of so many Republicans that I have talked to over the years. The problem that I’ve noticed with a lot of Democrats is that they assume that everybody else thinks the way they do, like it is the only conceivable way anyone could possibly think. I know you’re trying to come across as sarcastic here, but this is actually the truth for many Democrats. Obama has already won this debate in their minds, just because he belongs to the same party as they do. You can’t imagine that it might be possible for someone to watch the debate, evaluate both sides equally, and then come to a decision about who won. No, that kind of deliberation doesn’t even exist in the world of so many Democrats that I have talked to over the years. Now…I love a good bit of levity on this Board as much as the next guy. But I can’t tell if you’re serious or not. Is your real name Pauline Kael? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/48 "2008-09-27T00:14:31Z")
> [@IdahoMauleMan](#): > > But I can’t tell if you’re serious or not. He may not be serious, but I am. I decided who I was voting for almost a year ago. And it’s not a Republican. Any Republican. They’ve had more than enough time (and success) ruining my country. They gotta go. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/49 "2008-09-27T00:22:49Z")
Anyone knows of places to watch the debate on the internet? I’m guessing there should be at least a couple of videostreams out there. ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/50 "2008-09-27T00:26:22Z")
As has been mentioned, it’s on [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/live/). You can also watch from the [U of M](http://www.olemiss.edu/debate/) site, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Rack-a-Bones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rack-a-Bones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rack-a-Bones)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/51 "2008-09-27T00:33:16Z")
> [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](#): > > The problem that I’ve noticed with a lot of Republicans is that they assume that everybody else thinks the way they do, like it is the only conceivable way anyone could possibly think. I know you’re trying to come across as sarcastic here, but this is actually the truth for many Republicans. McCain has already won this debate in their minds, just because he belongs to the same party as they do. You can’t imagine that it might be possible for someone to watch the debate, evaluate both sides equally, and then come to a decision about who won. No, that kind of deliberation doesn’t even exist in the world of so many Republicans that I have talked to over the years. Is this a whoosh? You know you can take out “Republican” and insert almost anything? ETA: what **IdahoMauleMan** said. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/52 "2008-09-27T00:34:12Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > You’d think with McCain being as old as he is, he’d remember one Thomas Dewey-does that name ring a bell? 😉 [Something posted on LiveJournal that you may find amusing](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Guinastasia/History/mccainwinsfy3.jpg) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/53 "2008-09-27T00:47:59Z")
Sometimes I like to smack talk about these things, but the truth is, they generally tend to be a wash. People watch them like sports events. They have their team and that’s who they root for. I don’t know what the percentage of truly undecideds are, but I doubt it’s more than 2 or 3%. I think that unless one candidate or the other says or does something really stupid, both sides will coming out claiming they won, polls will split exactly according to who people already supported and we’ll move on to Palin V. Biden, which I think has the potential to be much more entertaining for multiple reasons (reasons 1 and 2 being Palin and Biden). ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/54 "2008-09-27T00:52:12Z")
If McCain does poorly he can blame it on being in Washington doing the people’s work while Obama was practicing. That’s why McCain should be President. One of the most important qualities in a good President is the ability to line up your excuses before the fact. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Call_Me_Shirley)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/55 "2008-09-27T00:52:20Z")
> [@IdahoMauleMan](#): > > The problem that I’ve noticed with a lot of Democrats is that they assume that everybody else thinks the way they do, like it is the only conceivable way anyone could possibly think. I know you’re trying to come across as sarcastic here, but this is actually the truth for many Democrats. Obama has already won this debate in their minds, just because he belongs to the same party as they do. You can’t imagine that it might be possible for someone to watch the debate, evaluate both sides equally, and then come to a decision about who won. No, that kind of deliberation doesn’t even exist in the world of so many Democrats that I have talked to over the years. > Now…I love a good bit of levity on this Board as much as the next guy. But I can’t tell if you’re serious or not. Is your real name Pauline Kael? Heh- that’s funny. I like the part where I said that Republicans think that everyone else thinks the way that they do, and then you came along and proved it. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/56 "2008-09-27T00:54:13Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > If McCain does poorly he can blame it on being in Washington doing the people’s work while Obama was practicing. > > That’s why McCain should be President. One of the most important qualities in a good President is the ability to line up your excuses before the fact. [QUOTE=Homer Simpson] the ability to weasel out of something is what differences us from animals… well, except the weasel [/QUOTE] The wisdom of the Simpsons is eternal ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/57 "2008-09-27T00:54:45Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > If McCain does poorly he can blame it on being in Washington doing the people’s work while Obama was practicing. Wouldn’t work. McCain did debate prep last night. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/58 "2008-09-27T00:56:33Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Wouldn’t work. McCain did debate prep last night. Yeah, but he can claim that he didn’t have as much time as Obama, ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/59 "2008-09-27T00:58:03Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Yeah, but he can claim that he didn’t have as much time as Obama, Well, he had to fit it in between campaign appearances and photo ops. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/60 "2008-09-27T01:03:55Z")
Oh man, Obama is taller. He’s totally got my vote now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357.md?page=4)