Debate Deblogging Round 2

8:58 PM Here we go folks. Strap in for the town hall debate in Nashville for the next 90.

9:00 PM David Gregory on MSNBC is expecting McSame to attack, to bloody Obama's nose repeatedly.

9:02 PM Brokaw lays down the rules. 2 minute response, 1 minute followup.

9:03 PM McSame taking notes, Obama gets #1. "What's your bailout plan for Americans?" Obama: People are worried. Final verdict on Bush/McSame policies. Step 1, rescue package. attacking AIG junket. Step 2, tax cuts for middle class, infrastructure projects, health care. McSame: Americans are angry. My plan is energy independence. Tax cuts for everyone. Stop spending, $10 trillion debt. Home values in decline, addresses questioner by name.

Followup, who is your SecTreas? McSame..."Not you Tom". McSame mentions Warren Buffet, Meg Whitman. Obama: Yeah, Buffet...but somebody who helps middle class. More stump speech, wages flatlined. Says MCSame is RIGHT on housing prices.

McSame wins this one, actually.

9:11 PM Question #2 "What's in the bailout for US?" McSame: "rescue plan". I suspended my campaign to protect taxpayers. Blames Obama and his cronies for the crisis. Buy up bad loans again. Once again, McSame addresses Questioner. Obama: Lemme explain credit markets, credit lockups, layoffs, we had to take action. Lemme correct John there, deregulation was the problem. I said re-regulate, nothing happened. I never promoted Fannie Mae, not pointing fingers. (does it anyway).

Followup: Are you preparing us for pain? Obama: No, we need leadership. McSame: Depends. Stabilize housing market, mentions buy up bad loans for the third time in 15 minutes.

McSame wins this too.

9:18 PM Question #3 "How can we trust EITHER of you at this point on money?" Obama: You're right, YOU'VE been responsible. Washington hasn't. We had a surplus, now doubled the national debt. But Bush was leading this. We've got to make investments, I'm making a net spending cut. McSame: Washington is broken, I'm a reformer! I have a record. Obama's a LIBERAL! I FOUGHT SPENDING! I FOUGHT EARMARKS! NEW SPENDING! (which Obama just rebutted 2 minutes ago.)

Followup: What's your priority, health care, energy, entitlements? McSame: All three at once! But entitlement reform, I have a record of reform. Build a whole bunch of nuke plants. Health care, yeah, have to do all three. Obama: We've got to prioritize. Energy first. Mentions the price of gas in Nashville (nice!) 10 years, we're energy independent, just like Kennedy. #2, Health Care, #3 education?!? Look at our records. I want line item cuts on crap programs. McSame's corporate tax cuts will hurt.

Obama does win.

Question #4: Internet question. "What sacrifices will you ask Americans to make?" McSame: We will eliminate programs. We're starting with defense pork. Spending cuts, spending freeze for everything but Defense and veterans affairs. Goes back to last question. We'll work together.
Obama: Brings up 9/11?!?!, how Bush told you to shop? We need better leadership. Increased oil production, Carter's energy cuts. Ugh. Peace Corps? This is your sacrifice?

Followup: "How do you break our American spending habit?" Obama: Starts with Washington. We must share a burden. It's hard to ask poor people to cut spending when rich people are rich. I disagree on spending freeze, unfair burden. McSame: HE'LL RAISE TAXES LIKE HOOVER! HE'S HOOVER! HE'S HOOVER! JOB LOSS! NO TAX RAISING ON ANYONE! But I'll cut taxes for you. Tax credit on health care!

I'm sorry, if Obama pulls the 9/11 card, he loses no matter what McSame says.

Question #5: "Would you give Congress a 2 year date on SS/Medicare?" Obama: 4 years, not 2. But we need to have tax policies. Back to taxes. TAX CUT ON 95% OF AMERICANS. He's pulling a Gore here. McSame: "It's easy." We need more Reagan bipartisanship! Medicare, tougher...commission! Recommendations like base closing, make em vote. Back to record. HE'S GONNA INCREASE TAXES! I'M A REFORMER!

Obama barely, at least he answered the questions.

Question #6: "Can you make Congress move fast on environment and green jobs too?" McSame: I fought Bush on climate change. Nuclear power is clean! Green jobs! Obama: It's an opportunity, 5 million new jobs in green industries, we need an investment. I agree with McSame on energy, but he voted against green energy. We must use less oil, can't drill our way out. Innovation, cutting emissions.

Tom is getting pissy now.

Followup: Manhattan Project or SIlicon Start up on climate change? Eh, whatever. McSame: I FOUGHT PORK! I VOTE AGAINST PORK! WE MUST DRILL! MORE OIL IS CHEAP OIL! LOOK AT RECORD! And I stop.

Obama wins with good stuff.

Question #7 "Health care as commodity?" Obama: Premiums are killing you. It's a moral commitment. You can keep your plan, we'll lower your premiums. If you don't, you can buy health care, no prexisting denials. McSame's plan is giveth, taketh away, stops state regulation. I have the Chamber of Commerce vote. McSame: Let's do what Obama wants, only HE'LL IMPOSE MANDATES! HE'LL FINE YOU! TAX CREDIT! SHOP AROUND! You'll get more money! Choice not mandates!

Followup: "Health care as responsiblity, commodity, or right?" McSame: Responsibility. MANDATES! FINES! Obama: It's a right. Lemme explain my plan again, since McSame just lied about it. McSame voted against SCHIP. Government must crack down on insurance companies. Dleware and banking...bad bad move Barry. McSame : HE DIDN'T MENTION THE FINE!

Wash.

Question #8: "How will America be a peacemaker?" McSame: We're the greatest force for good on the Earth. I know how to wield it to make a difference. Check my record, I voted for some pretty good wars. Obama is wrong about everything, he doesn't understand Obama: Yeah, I don't understand how MCSAME CAN HAVE SUCH BAD JUDGEMENT. Check our budget, already, $10 billion a month in Iraq. We need it here for JOBS. We gotta do it better. Gotta change foreign policy.

Followup: "What's the Obama Doctrine on humanitarian efforts?" Obama: It's a moral obligation. We can't be everywhere, we need allies. McSame: Obama doctrine sucks, timelines are suck. DEFEAT IN IRAQ! We must do whatever we can. I'm a cool hand at the tiller. (no, he's not, lose.)

Obama stomps him here.

Question #9: "Pakistan, do we go in or is it Cambodia all over again?" Obama: We screwed up in Iraq and it's the central force on terrorism. We must get out of Iraq to get into Afghanistan. We can't coddle a dictator. And yes, if Osama is there, we will do it. McSame: Teddy Roosevelt. We can't announce we're going in. We need the support of Pakistani people.

Tom loses it as Obama is pissed. Obama: Lemme clarify dammit. BOMB BOMB BOMB IRAN! McSame: I know how to get Obama, I'm not gonna tell you.

Followup: "How do you reorganize Afghanistan?" Obama: "We get out of Iraq to get into Afghanistan and we need help there." McSame: PETREAUS SURGE IN AFGHANISTAN! SURGE! SURGE! SURGE!

Wash.

Question #10: "How do we contain Russia without another Cold War?" McSame: I warned you about Putin. We will put economic pressure and moral support pressure. Obama: I agree with McCain. We must support democracies with MONEY I JUST SAID WE COULDN'T AFFORD TO SPEND IN IRAQ. Reduce energy consumption.

Followup: Russia as evil empire, yes/no? Obama: Evil acts, not evil empire. McSame: Maybe hahahah no really can't answer yes no.

McSame wins.

Question #11: "Will you defend Israel if Iran attacks or wait for UN?" McSame: "Hell no we won't wait, we'll mess them up HARDCORE." Obama wants to negotiate. I want to MESS THEM UP WITH...sanctions. We must stop a second holocaust! Obama: Pretty much same thing! No really, same damn thing! Lemme copy Bush's foreign policy on Iran only we talk to them first. Pretty much.

Wash.

Question #12: "What don't you know, and how will you learn it?" Obama: "Ask my wife." No seriously, it's the challenges you don't forsee. Are we going to pass the dream on? We have to do different thing. McSame: "We all don't know what's going to happen." You're PRESIDENT, you'd better have an answer. I believe in America, country first!

Obama by a slice.

Final score: Obama 5, McSame 4, 3 ties. Not a good night for either one of them, but a tie goes to the status quo, which is Obama up. McSame did not get his gamebreaker. It's a wash at best.