home

Let the Debates Begin

By TChris, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 05:58:17 PM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

The schedule for the fall presidential debates has been announced:

  • 9/26 in Oxford (Miss.), Jim Lehrer moderating.
  • 10/2 in St. Louis, Gwen Ifill moderating.
  • 10/7 in Nashville, Tom Brokaw moderating.
  • 10/15 in Hempstead (N.Y.), Bob Schieffer moderating.

< McCain to Congress: No Recess, Get Back to Work | Suskind Book Charges Bush Used Forged Document to Embark on Iraq War >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Let the Debates Begin | 62 comments (62 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

    Gwen Awful (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by pie on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:08:53 PM EST
    in St. Louis.

    Oh my.

    Bob Schieffer should be (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by weltec2 on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:13:47 PM EST
    pretty good, but the rest just depress me.

    Jim L. is decent, but I agree on the other two :( (none / 0) (#21)
    by TheJoker on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:31:02 PM EST


    Parent
    As long (5.00 / 1) (#18)
    by chrisvee on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:28:23 PM EST
    as Obama can curb his impulse to 'um, uh, ah' his answers, then I think he should be able to run rings around McCain. The Republican primary debates were painful to watch.

    THe only thing that might be more fun (5.00 / 6) (#29)
    by Anne on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:49:29 PM EST
    than watching Obama and McCain debate would be sticking needles in my eyes...I suppose I will have to force myself to watch, mainly because I hate getting some pundidiot's "anal"ysis of what was said and what it meant, and only seeing the clips that these same witless wonders can make something of.  

    Maybe we can make a game out of it...kiss the one you're with every time Obama says "uh," "um," "the notion that," and take a drink everytime McCain says, "my friends."  We'll all be drunk and happy by the time they get to intermission.  :-p

    LOL!!!!!! (5.00 / 1) (#31)
    by TheJoker on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:52:49 PM EST


    Parent
    I like (5.00 / 2) (#34)
    by chrisvee on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:56:02 PM EST
    the way you think. :-)  Someone just needs to rehearse all those verbal mannerisms right out of Obama otherwise what should be a slam dunk for him could turn into a problem both for his campaign and for me (because of all the alcohol, lol!)

    Hopefully they'll give Hillary the task of helping him prep.  Short and direct answers.  That's the ticket.

    Parent

    LOL, I love Those "Shots" Games (5.00 / 3) (#38)
    by JimWash08 on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:06:04 PM EST
    Another couple of good drinking points will be when Obama drags his "aaands" and McCain does his chest-level two-thumbs up.

    Early on in the Primaries, on results nights, my neighbors and I used to do get together for the drinking game.

    We'd take shots every time Obama stopped for applause during his speeches (when I could still bare to listen to them) and each time Hillary did her "clap-clap-point-point-clap-clap" motions with the music before and after her speeches.

    Parent

    Wonderful! (5.00 / 2) (#42)
    by weltec2 on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:19:09 PM EST
    I've got my wine bottles lined up and the wife to help me out.

    Parent
    BO has agreed to debate? Amazing. (3.50 / 2) (#2)
    by Shainzona on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:05:42 PM EST
    I wonder if he'll have a teleprompter or a microphone up the back of his suit.

    Testing.  Testing.  One, two.....

    They'll have mock debates (5.00 / 4) (#9)
    by Fabian on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:13:39 PM EST
    with Hillary standing in for Obama.  Then they'll copy her answers for the real thing.

    Parent
    Obama doesn't need help in (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by TheJoker on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:18:26 PM EST
    any debates with McCheese.  :0

    Parent
    I'm LOL at this comment, too. (5.00 / 3) (#20)
    by Shainzona on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:29:54 PM EST
    You wanna bet?

    Parent
    Yeah I'll take that bet. Obama already (5.00 / 2) (#23)
    by TheJoker on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:34:22 PM EST
    debated the best 22 times. Your guy McClown isn't even in the same league and should be a cakewalk by the standard already set. Just sayin'  

    Parent
    How many times did he debate (5.00 / 3) (#25)
    by pie on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:38:39 PM EST
    Clinton, one-on-one.  Twice?

    And he lost badly in PA.

    Parent

    ...and refused to debate after his PA... (5.00 / 3) (#28)
    by Shainzona on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:46:00 PM EST
    appearance because he was SOOOOOO bad.

    He is only an orator when he has a teleprompter in front of him...and then his head looks like he's watching a tennis match....four words from the left...turn...four words from the right.

    That's why his speech pattern is so much like Bush's.  BO can't speak longer than four word sentences and then only with a teleprompter.

    Parent

    So let me see...I know you're not (none / 0) (#30)
    by TheJoker on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:51:41 PM EST
    comparing Hillary Rodham Clinton to John McYawn? You're smarter than that. I must be missing your point, pie. You got to dumb it down for idjits like me.

    Parent
    I'm not (5.00 / 2) (#43)
    by pie on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:19:25 PM EST
    comparing Hillary to McCain.

    I'm saying that, by refusing to debate, Obama doesn't have the creds that they do.

    McCain will hold his own.

    I guess Obama is still being schooled.

    Parent

    And don't get me wrong pie (none / 0) (#46)
    by TheJoker on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:22:20 PM EST
    I totally respect your opinion, I just disagree.

    Parent
    I need to see more (5.00 / 1) (#48)
    by pie on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:31:00 PM EST
    discourse, not less.  If he's such a great debater, then he needed to show us in the primary against Hillary.

    I would be surprised if McCain "loses" the debate, if 2000 and 2004 are any indication.  Gore and Kerry had much more experience.  Made what they said have much more import to me, as a dem.  McCain is not Bush, btw.

    Hillary was totally comfortable when she spoke, and the words flowed easily.

    He'll never have that ease in this election.

    Parent

    You Seem To Be Assuming (none / 0) (#61)
    by daring grace on Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 09:42:43 AM EST
    People watch the debates and then decide from the performance of the candidates who to vote for. Geez, Kerry cleaned W's clock in one of their debates and played to a draw in others. I can't recall other presidential debates. But Bentsen KO'ed Quayle. and Gerry Ferraro ditto with Bush 41. In the end, big deal.

    I doubt most voters ever watch one debate, and if they're interested at all in how the candidates did, they probably listen to what the media says the next day.

    But even so, as much as his actual performance in the debate, Obama is going to do a Kennedy/Nixon on McCain when the two of them are standing (?) on the stage. Vitality vs uh, not so much side by side.

     And as for Obama's uhs and ums that some here keep mentioning, McCain is not so deft at answering questions and often takes long pauses and circuitous routes to get to his point.

    Parent

    Would You Please Grow Up (4.00 / 3) (#33)
    by JimWash08 on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:54:56 PM EST
    and stop with the McSame and McYawn.

    I hate the guy too, but show some maturity for the sake of your guy, who I happen to hate equally ... so I'm not playing favorites (hence, don't even suggest it.)

    Parent

    No I wouldn't dare suggest anything (4.00 / 3) (#39)
    by TheJoker on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:08:04 PM EST
    of the sort. I wouldn't want anyone on this site to call Sen. Obama names, because that's never happened. Otherwise you would tell them to grow up as well, and that is just not nice. Principled, but definitely not nice.

    Parent
    unfortunagtely, who is the better (5.00 / 1) (#57)
    by sancho on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 11:29:56 PM EST
    debater does not matter--see the recent dem primary or bush's egregious performances. what matters is what "very important people" say  matters. the debates get thrown out, spliced and respliced, and one or two moments, sometimes taken out of context, become "the story."  i recall one debate was said to be lost with a sigh. indeed, the smarter and better prepared you are, the more criticism you attract. especially if you are reasonably articulate.

    one or two wicked one liners from mccain and that's all we'll hear. mccain's "good old american wit" will be said to trump the "brainy" and "dreamy" son of Africa. that, mccain, he's a pistol, i tell ya. showed that whippersnapper a thing or two--i can hear them saying now.

    Parent

    Obama (5.00 / 2) (#24)
    by pie on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:34:53 PM EST
    cut off debate with Clinton, but we're supposed to believe he'll perform well against McCain?

    He'd better have a good supply of talking points.

    Parent

    I watched (more like suffered through) (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by TheJoker on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:45:44 PM EST
    the Rethuglican debates. Most people in the GOP party said Romney bested him in the latter debates if you remember. I'm amused by the line in the GOP talking points that assert that McShame is some superior debater. The truth is those stupid town halls are staged (like any other town hall) and are a complete waste of time. McCain hasn't been challenged yet up close and personal, but he will in THESE debates.

    Parent
    challenged by whom? (none / 0) (#35)
    by PssttCmere08 on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:03:12 PM EST


    Parent
    Well, I'm hoping the moderators will (none / 0) (#40)
    by TheJoker on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:12:31 PM EST


    Parent
    You hope? (5.00 / 2) (#45)
    by pie on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:20:55 PM EST
    How long have you been watching debates?

    Parent
    Oh I know. But call me an eternal optimist! (5.00 / 1) (#47)
    by TheJoker on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:23:22 PM EST


    Parent
    Yes, well (5.00 / 3) (#51)
    by pie on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:37:20 PM EST
    my optimism finally bit the dust in the primary.

    People screeching about McCain talking about his wife in Sturgis, after many of them said the most horrific, undeserved stuff about Hillary.

    Unacceptable.  Unforgiveable.

    Parent

    OMG - yes! (none / 0) (#53)
    by Fabian on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 09:29:53 PM EST
    Oh! Oh!  We must protect this delicate flower of femininity from the man she's been married to for decades!
     (Is this an adult woman or a helpless child?)

    This from the commenters at a blog that trashed Cindy McCain in at least two rec list diaries and called Hillary Clinton a variety of euphemisms.

    The same Hillary Clinton who is supposed to do anything to get Obama elected but be his VP.  

    Parent

    Off topic (5.00 / 1) (#55)
    by TChris on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 09:41:41 PM EST
    The thread is about debates, not Sturgis, not comments made on other blogs.

    Parent
    McCain and Clinton as Debate Opponents (none / 0) (#62)
    by daring grace on Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 09:45:50 AM EST
    Really?

    You think they're equivalent (i.e. both strong).

    Whoa.

    To paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen, another debater of some flair, McCain is no Hillary Clinton.

    Parent

    LOL!!!! (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by Shainzona on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:29:25 PM EST


    Parent
    During his vacation (3.50 / 2) (#14)
    by JimWash08 on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:19:17 PM EST
    in Hawaii this month, he'll be taking a couple of hours away from Michelle and the girls to be fitted with a brain implant, that will link it directly to a secret room in the Obama (Chicago) HQ. Axelrod and an army of advisers will have total control of his mouth and actions. :)

    Parent
    Goolbee, Sustein, Power, Cooper, (5.00 / 1) (#15)
    by oculus on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:21:44 PM EST


    Parent
    McCaine's creepy smile... (none / 0) (#1)
    by HonoraryClinton on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:04:06 PM EST
    I can't wait to watch that icky self-satisfied grin after each response. I hope he borrows Dole's pen and holds it for the entire debate.

    Here is an amusing Telegraph (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by oculus on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:19:13 PM EST
    article on the smiles of the Presidential candidates.  Just ignore the stuff on Hillary Clinton.

    Telegraph

    Anyhow, I'm willing to cut McCain lots of slack on his facial expressions.  Isn't it true he has had surgery on his face, either for malignant melanoma and/or in N. Vietnam?

    Parent

    Hillary looks (none / 0) (#17)
    by weltec2 on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:27:40 PM EST
    sooo worn out from the campaign trail. Still, it's a warm inviting smile... even while on the phone.

    Parent
    I don't know. (none / 0) (#54)
    by Fabian on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 09:35:00 PM EST
    The next time you watch McCain in public, try to divorce his facial expressions from his body language.  Because of his injuries, he lacks a lot of range of motion in his arms and seems to appear stiff at times.

    Parent
    Hmm, that's a bit rude. (5.00 / 2) (#52)
    by shoephone on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:41:38 PM EST
    Everyone knows Dole held that pen because of his permanently injured hand... Whatever one may think of McCain (and I find him rather detestable) I don't think making fun of disabilities is quite fair.

    Parent
    which is the VP debate? (none / 0) (#3)
    by p lukasiak on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:07:43 PM EST
    I know its three pres, 1 VP debate.... and IIRC, the VP is usually the third debate.

    nevermind... (5.00 / 2) (#5)
    by p lukasiak on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:09:39 PM EST
    its the second debate...

    of course, its racist because Ifill is the only African American who gets to moderate a debate, and she gets the VP debate.... </snark>

    Parent

    Oh, the VP debate. (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by pie on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:11:35 PM EST
    Still, I don't like her much.

    Parent
    Gwen Ifill (none / 0) (#6)
    by JimWash08 on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:10:50 PM EST
    is moderating the VP debate on Oct. 2.

    I had posted the debates info with the dates, venues and hosts in the Open Thread.

    Parent

    Why wait until the end of Sept. (none / 0) (#8)
    by oculus on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:12:24 PM EST
    Republican Nat. Conv. ends Sept. 4 and we certainly know who the presumptive nominees are (well, for President).

    All three prez debate locations (none / 0) (#10)
    by pie on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:13:43 PM EST
    are interesting, especially the Long Island one.

    The first one is historic in Oxford (5.00 / 1) (#16)
    by Cream City on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:24:50 PM EST
    as that will be the anniversary of the week in 1962 when James Meredith arrived at the U of Miss campus to register -- after years of negotiations, orders from the Board of Regents, etc.  And that date is the second or third day when he was turned away, that time by the Lt. Governor of the great state of Mississippi.

    So 46 years later, there a presidential debate will be with an African American candidate who was a year old when James Meredith made history.  (One of my heroes.:-)

    Parent

    I guess (5.00 / 0) (#22)
    by pie on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:31:39 PM EST
    Little Rock was out this year.

    Parent
    Ha. Yeh, Arkansas will be red (5.00 / 0) (#26)
    by Cream City on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:45:29 PM EST
    after all.

    Parent
    Mississippi won't be red? :-) (none / 0) (#56)
    by RalphB on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 10:14:00 PM EST


    Parent
    Sure it will. You must have missed (none / 0) (#58)
    by Cream City on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 11:34:13 PM EST
    that one of the Dem candidates had ties to Arkansas.

    None that I know of have ties to Mississippi.  But if I've missed that, do feel free to educate me.

    Parent

    Shouldn't there be a debate in Germany (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by PssttCmere08 on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:05:09 PM EST
    where all those people are dying to vote for obama?

    Parent
    Nah, in D.C., in front (5.00 / 1) (#41)
    by Cream City on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:13:50 PM EST
    of the Washington Monument, so Bob Herbert can get all upset about it being a phallic symbol.

    He's pretty much ruined for me all those marvelous photos of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech. . . .

    Parent

    That may have been the (5.00 / 2) (#44)
    by TheJoker on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:20:03 PM EST
    single most stupid thing (Herbert) I've ever heard someone say, and that's sayin something coming from me. Herbert should be ashamed of himself. Did you see the looks on the hosts' faces when he dropped that little gem? Priceless. Simply priceless.

    Parent
    Catch the Daily Show on this? (none / 0) (#59)
    by Cream City on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 11:36:04 PM EST
    Linked in another thread.  Worth watching -- wait 'til you see what Herbert missed in terms of anatomical symbols.  Can't recall which thread now, but it links to Allegre's blog or would be on Comedy Central's site.

    Parent
    Wow, 2 Hemp themed debates! (none / 0) (#32)
    by Ben Masel on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 06:54:41 PM EST
    Oxford's the sikte of the Federal Government's marijuana farm, originally tasked to research, and then to keep seedstock for any needed revival of fiber hemp.

    Hempstead draws it's name from the hemp grown there in the early 18th century.

    Really? Thought it was named (5.00 / 0) (#36)
    by Cream City on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:04:08 PM EST
    for a Hempstead family from England(one with an abolitionist descendant I happened to research, whose letters I have read -- Susan Hempstead Gratiot).  Alternative history I read was that it was a derivation of a Dutch town's name.  So it cracks me up that the town might have had to come up with revisionist history.

    Parent
    Could be both? (none / 0) (#49)
    by Ben Masel on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:32:35 PM EST


    Parent
    The list of moderators is disappointing (none / 0) (#50)
    by shoephone on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 07:36:03 PM EST
    to say the least. I'm sick of all of them (though Ifill has to be considered the worst). They are all T.V. talking heads. I don't consider them journalists. Remember the old days when "Meet the Press" was actually a half an hour where the guest had to meet the press? There were three or four different journalists on the panel each week and at least two were newspaper reporters. That is the kind of debate panel we need now. But I also happen to think the LWV (which is co-sponsoring one of the debates) should have one of the panelist spots. Nobody is more fair and balanced than an LWV moderator. And yes, as an active member of the LWV, I am biased towards that desire.

    Barack is so full of it, (none / 0) (#60)
    by g8grl on Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 12:29:01 AM EST
    you'd think he'd do better in the debates.  Before anyone erases this post, I'm referring specifically to all the time he uses the canard "I'm willing to debate that issue."  He says it all the time, he said it when he was running against Hillary and he says it now.  "Anytime McCain want to talk about __, I'm willing to debate that>."  My point is he needs to stop saying that since he's the one who won't meet for townhalls and didn't want to meet Hillary for more debates.  

    Let the Debates Begin | 62 comments (62 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment