# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/61 "2008-09-27T01:04:07Z")
C-Span is running everything as a live stream… ---
**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, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/62 "2008-09-27T01:09:37Z")
Barack is coming out well. I can tell they coached him to give quicker, more decisive answers and not to do all the um-ing and uh-ing. McCain came out slower, almost gloomy, and didn’t really answer the question. Obama has better energy at the moment. ---
**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, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/63 "2008-09-27T01:09:50Z")
Umm, where did the comment on foreign oil come from? Up till then, an even exchange on the first question, I think. They were both a little stumbly; things should pick up from now. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/64 "2008-09-27T01:12:21Z")
He’s lost me… what did Eisenhower have to do with the current economic crisis? ---
**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:** [September 27, 2008, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/65 "2008-09-27T01:13:19Z")
The umming and ahhing is greatly reduced. And the fact that, so far, all they’ve been talking about is the economy has not been kind to McCain. ---
**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, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/66 "2008-09-27T01:13:24Z")
I don’t like Leherer telling them to face each other. This isn’t Dr. Phil. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/67 "2008-09-27T01:13:50Z")
Boy, they’re both really fond of this “Wall Street” vs. “Main Street” wordplay, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/68 "2008-09-27T01:14:16Z")
Okay, there’s this graph at the bottom on CNN. It’s gaging audience reaction. How the hell is it getting the updates like this? Does it have something implanted in my brain? Did I miss an explanation? ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/69 "2008-09-27T01:15:03Z")
This debate totally kicks ass in HD. I just want to know where the 5.1 mix is, because I’m not getting it. ---
**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, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/70 "2008-09-27T01:15:21Z")
> [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](#): > > Okay, there’s this graph at the bottom on CNN. It’s gaging audience reaction. How the hell is it getting the updates like this? Does it have something implanted in my brain? Did I miss an explanation? There are people hooked up live with dials they can twist up or down to give instant reactions. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/71 "2008-09-27T01:16:04Z")
> [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](#): > > Okay, there’s this graph at the bottom on CNN. It’s gaging audience reaction. How the hell is it getting the updates like this? Does it have something implanted in my brain? Did I miss an explanation? They mentioned on CNN earlier today that you could go to the website, fill out a political profile, and give reactions while watching. ---
**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:** [September 27, 2008, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/72 "2008-09-27T01:17:03Z")
> [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](#): > > Okay, there’s this graph at the bottom on CNN. It’s gaging audience reaction. How the hell is it getting the updates like this? Does it have something implanted in my brain? Did I miss an explanation? I think it may be the studio audience. But as far as I can tell, they’ve haven’t made a sound, just as they were asked not to. CNN must have asked them to stick green, blue and yellow electodes on the corresponding parts of their skulls. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/73 "2008-09-27T01:17:06Z")
First specific shot to McCain. (earmarks) C’mon, guys. Let’s get physical! ---
**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, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/74 "2008-09-27T01:24:14Z")
> [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](#): > > 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. God, this board sucks. ---
**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, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/75 "2008-09-27T01:24:51Z")
Russert may be sorry he wanted them to talk to each other. He’s having a hard time shutting them up now. ---
**Author:** ![Camus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ba8739/32.png) [@Camus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Camus)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/76 "2008-09-27T01:26:12Z")
Their frequent interrupting one another is getting a little annoying. Anyone know what kind of pin Obama is wearing? ---
**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, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/77 "2008-09-27T01:26:21Z")
> [@IdahoMauleMan](#): > > God, this board sucks. Any comment on the debate so far? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/78 "2008-09-27T01:26:27Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > 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%. Historically, it looks like the swing vote accounts for at least 17% of the vote. [http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~cook/movabletype/mlm/hibbs3.png](http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~cook/movabletype/mlm/hibbs3.png) ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/79 "2008-09-27T01:27:20Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Russert may be sorry he wanted them to talk to each other. He’s having a hard time shutting them up now. Lehrer. If only Tim was here to moderate a debate. ---
**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, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/80 "2008-09-27T01:27:21Z")
> [@Camus](#): > > Anyone know what kind of pin Obama is wearing? Muslim. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357.md?page=5)