Presidential Debate round 2

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Only because he didn't have any good competition.

Do you think that Kerry would have been even worse than Bush?

No. But he didn't represent himself well. He kept changing his answers to questions during the campaign.

It made him look wishy washy and deceptive.

And todays candidates don't really answer the questions. They both go off on their own tangents. I think Kerry was better suited for the job than Bush. I think he is a better choice than either candidate today.

I can't believe Bush won in '04 - his performance in the debates was just painful. He just stood there stammering about how Kerry couldn't lead and never qualified anything.

It was a shock to me too, but then again I thought he did better in the campaign than Kerry did.

No Bush just had better marketers on his side (how else could someone sell a total idiot as a Presidential candidate?). And 9/11.

[EstebanTrabajos 7]

I can't believe Bush won in '04 - his performance in the debates was just painful. He just stood there stammering about how Kerry couldn't lead and never qualified anything.

The difference right now compared to '04 is that we were the mighty USA, now people are waking up to the fact that Camelot is long gone and King Arthur is a joke. Sadly, it's a wake up call for the American people, and it's what it takes for people to vote and care about who leads our country.

Edited October 8, 2008 by GueraYTavo

[spookyturtle 9,465]

I can't believe Bush won in '04 - his performance in the debates was just painful. He just stood there stammering about how Kerry couldn't lead and never qualified anything.

But the people voted for Bush. Be careful what you wish for.

[Peikko 1,575]

What else can she do? She's not going to elaborate on policy, she doesn't have a clue what it is. Even she must get bored with saying Maverick 24/7 so, she's going to play dirty politics, and because she's a woman(sexism alert) no one will say boo to her (I can think of no other reason why Ms Palin is let off so easily left right and center for being a complete nincompoop!), least of all Barack. I don't think it's going to be enough this time around though, at least, I am hoping it wont!

[LoriLawless 0]

Only because he didn't have any good competition.

Do you think that Kerry would have been even worse than Bush?

No. But he didn't represent himself well. He kept changing his answers to questions during the campaign.

It made him look wishy washy and deceptive.

And todays candidates don't really answer the questions. They both go off on their own tangents. I think Kerry was better suited for the job than Bush. I think he is a better choice than either candidate today.

I can't believe Bush won in '04 - his performance in the debates was just painful. He just stood there stammering about how Kerry couldn't lead and never qualified anything.

It was a shock to me too, but then again I thought he did better in the campaign than Kerry did.

No Bush just had better marketers on his side (how else could someone sell a total idiot as a Presidential candidate?). And 9/11.

That's true, it's a shame really.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Something I have to find weird is that the only person really defensive of McCain in this thread is spookyturtle but people act like "oh here they come" about that. One person saying something really opposite warrants that kind of attitude? Hmmm.

I really don't come to the defense of McCain, I point out the blind following of Obama and ask what is his claim to fame for the country. What is on his record that makes most people feel that he is the man for the job? Why do people think he is the best choice? What are his areas of expertise and strength? No one aswers those questions. All you get is McCain will be 4 more years of Bush. To date, McCain has done more for the US than Obama. Obama hasn't been around as long. Not a criticism, just the truth. Why did people vote for Bush two times? Where are all of his supporters now? I don''t know one person who admits to voting him.

And now Obama has a cult like following. Why? He does talk about a lot of good things. How many do you think will become a reality in the next 4 years? All of them? Half? Maybe a few? Every Presidential candidate comes in with a bag full of ideas. What comes out of the mouth and what becomes reality are rarely the same.

This is true - I especially thought that Obama's "Change we can believe in" slogan that he was pushing during the nomination was just ridiculous and to some extent it still is. Both he and McCain are buying into this notion that Washington is broken - but I've yet to really hear how it is broken, and more importantly how the influence of lobbyists and "Special Interests" can be done away with.

It sounds good - but aren't these things necessary evils intrinsic to the system we have? You can't get rid of those things without changing the entire political system (which in itself is a bit pie in the sky).

McCain likes to talk about ear-marks and pork-spending, which is all well and good - but can we honestly say that these things are also not part and parcel of the system we have? While it can certainly be said that a lot of money is wasted in government - it does kind of make sense to fund side projects on the back of major legislation. What I would argue is missing - is detailed information to let the public know what is going on.

With his track record I was really surprised that didn't really elaborate on this in the debate in any specific way (I would have thought that he would be able to pull all kinds of policy ideas out his sleeve), and his running mate ignored the issue entirely when the question was put to her. For someone running on the basis of experience (and who are we to deny this) McCain seemed to be strangely void of ideas.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I can't believe Bush won in '04 - his performance in the debates was just painful. He just stood there stammering about how Kerry couldn't lead and never qualified anything.

But the people voted for Bush. Be careful what you wish for.

I didn't wish for Bush.

[EstebanTrabajos 7]

Hermano, let go of the "my friends" unless you want me to really, really hurt you....

WHAT! I thought, like McCain, if i repeat it more than 10 times, you will believe it and be "my friends." Can't we just get along and have a group hug?

[IAMX 3,055]

So help me figure this out..

Is it slightly less than half the population are registered voters because the electorate sucks so badly?

Or slightly less than half of the population are lazy and/or apathetic?

I try and figure out why, besides just the fact that most see it as only two options, which is one of the biggest factors in and of itself, people are simply so against politics. I mean, politics affects one more than American Idol, yet more people vote for the latter.

Anyways, I look at the debates, how boring they were, and I'm pretty sure I have an idea how debate #3 is going to be. Dull, unintelligible, stump speeches, nauseating.

[nowhereman 1]

Something I have to find weird is that the only person really defensive of McCain in this thread is spookyturtle but people act like "oh here they come" about that. One person saying something really opposite warrants that kind of attitude? Hmmm.

I really don't come to the defense of McCain, I point out the blind following of Obama and ask what is his claim to fame for the country. What is on his record that makes most people feel that he is the man for the job? Why do people think he is the best choice? What are his areas of expertise and strength? No one aswers those questions. All you get is McCain will be 4 more years of Bush. To date, McCain has done more for the US than Obama. Obama hasn't been around as long. Not a criticism, just the truth. Why did people vote for Bush two times? Where are all of his supporters now? I don''t know one person who admits to voting him.

And now Obama has a cult like following. Why? He does talk about a lot of good things. How many do you think will become a reality in the next 4 years? All of them? Half? Maybe a few? Every Presidential candidate comes in with a bag full of ideas. What comes out of the mouth and what becomes reality are rarely the same.

Parivar- That's because instead of discussing issues & being respectful of other opinions there are a handful of individuals who like to stir up trouble & make personal attacks. Those individuals haven't been posting lately & that is why the conduct on this thread has been pretty good.

Spooky- Your points were brought up in another thread & I believe addressed adequately. It's true that not liking McCain (and not supporting his policies) is a reason many cite when supporting Obama, but suggesting that is the only reason simply isn't true. Many Obama supporters agree with his policies & that is the primary reason they are voting for him (as it should be). Experience is often an asset, but being experienced at making bad decisions not so much.

Edited October 8, 2008 by nowhereman

[chri'stina 190]

SRVT-If you literally mean the population, that would include a lot of people under the age of 18, and non-citizens. But yeah I know a lot of adults still aren't registered from among those actually eligible to vote.

Edited October 8, 2008 by Parivar CSK

[^KK^ 3]

Barck did look like he was enjoying the debate. He would laugh at McCains lies...

[IAMX 3,055]

SRVT-If you literally mean the population, that would include a lot of people under the age of 18, and non-citizens. But yeah I know a lot of adults still aren't registered from among those actually eligible to vote.

My bad. Slightly less than half of registered voters actually vote.

[chri'stina 190]

A few people I know of who don't vote really could care less(or couldn't care less, whatever) about politics and they have the "what will be, will be" attitude. I don't think it's that they don't think their vote will do anything, but they honestly don't want to be involved in any way in politics. I don't understand it really but that's one view. Maybe they had a bad experience in the past.

Edited October 8, 2008 by Parivar CSK

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Hermano, let go of the "my friends" unless you want me to really, really hurt you....

WHAT! I thought, like McCain, if i repeat it more than 10 times, you will believe it and be "my friends." Can't we just get along and have a group hug?

You don't have to - you are of the Chosen Ones who get to call themselves mi familia