# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/141 "2008-09-27T01:55:24Z")
McCain’s making Obama sound like a hawk. I’m getting confused. ---
**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, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/142 "2008-09-27T01:55:49Z")
I think Obama did rather poorly with the economy but markedly better on foreign policy. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/143 "2008-09-27T01:55:59Z")
> [@Dead\_Badger](#): > > Oh, shove it. Jesus. Are you honestly going to tell me you’re learning anything from this? From this discussion? No. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/144 "2008-09-27T01:56:02Z")
Tactic/strategy Tactic is small scale, strategy is big scale. Strategy is a major aim and tactic is a method for achieving the aim. In the American Civil War the Union employed the Anaconda Strategy to squeeze (blockade) the Confederate economy and continued to hire new immigrant troops to drain Confederate manpower through attrition as the Confederates were not importing new troops. Those war aims were strategic. In order to capture the city of Vicksburg, Grant used the cover of night to float troop ships past the city batteries, land and encircle the city. That was a tactic. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/145 "2008-09-27T01:56:08Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > Where are you getting this “appearing defensive” from? If I wanted to read a bunch of unsupported content-free claims that Obama is losing, I’d go to [GOPboards.com](http://GOPboards.com) For fuck’s sake, I gave my personal opinion on the way in which he was coming across as a matter of delivery. I’m a fucking Obama supporter, for fuck’s sake. Forgive me for expressing a heretical view. ---
**Author:** ![Crocodiles\_And\_Boulevards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@Crocodiles\_And\_Boulevards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crocodiles_And_Boulevards)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/146 "2008-09-27T01:56:28Z")
Is every rebuttal that McCain gives going to start with “I _went_ to Iraq/Afghanistan/etc. and talked to a one-legged Army Ranger who told me that this is what the people _want_.” Maybe it’s just my own personal dislike of personal anecdotes, but this seems like a poor rhetorical choice for an educated audience. Granting, of course, that this is an educated audience. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/147 "2008-09-27T01:57:06Z")
Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran…nice dig, Obama. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/148 "2008-09-27T01:57:29Z")
> [@Dead\_Badger](#): > > For fuck’s sake, I gave my personal opinion on the way in which he was coming across as a matter of delivery. I’m a fucking Obama voter, for fuck’s sake. Forgive me for expressing a heretical view. It’s just so nonsensical and unrelated to either the content of the debate OR anything visual. It’s like saying he looks “gay” or something. I would ask how, but I don’t really care what tea leaves you’re reading. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/149 "2008-09-27T01:57:56Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > McCain’s making Obama sound like a hawk. I’m getting confused. Obama just turned it arouned: “This coming from a guy who talks about anialating N. Korea and sings songs about bombing Iran.” ---
**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, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/150 "2008-09-27T01:58:14Z")
John’s going to defend “bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran” ?? ---
**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, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/151 "2008-09-27T01:59:23Z")
[I can see where there would be a divide on who won. Some people love the bullshit McCain spews with his cute little ancedotes. Those people are really digging McCain now and not seeing Obama blasting him on his every stance in the Middle East. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/152 "2008-09-27T01:59:46Z")
I’m also a Barak supporter and while I think he’s hitting McCain on the points I do think the average voter will think McCain is winning simply based on the appearance of a) McCain repeatedly taking digs while Obama is trying to answer points and b) Obama having to stave off McCain’s digs and explain them. The explainer always looks like he’s losing. So I kind of get what **Dead Badger** is saying. ---
**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, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/153 "2008-09-27T01:59:57Z")
Musharaf saved a failed state? McCain is full of shit. Pakistan has always been exactly like it is right now. A constant ferment of political coups. Not related: he doesn’t tell anecdotes as well as Reagan did. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/154 "2008-09-27T02:00:29Z")
What does all this have to do with Afghanistan? Answer the question, McCain. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/155 "2008-09-27T02:00:39Z")
Now we’re competing over bracelets of dead soldiers? Come on. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/156 "2008-09-27T02:01:01Z")
I’m so glad they’re talking about their goddam jewelry. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/157 "2008-09-27T02:01:03Z")
McCain can’t seem to say anything that doesn’t relate to some Ordinary American that he met. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/158 "2008-09-27T02:01:26Z")
“I’ve got a bracelet too.” There’s a sound bite. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/159 "2008-09-27T02:02:02Z")
If you are going to play the “bracelet” angle, you simply have to know the person’s name on the bracelet. Major _faux pas_ from Obama on that one. ---
**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, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357/160 "2008-09-27T02:02:10Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > What _is_ the difference between a tactic and a strategy? Serious question. Tactics are used in the field, like the blitzkrieg. “Guerilla warfare”, “Terrorism”, and “Containment” are strategies, they’re the underlying method of fighting you intend to use to win the war. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357.md?page=9)