THE SYSTOCRAT PAPERS

Fellow Systocrats:

WELCOME TO OUR LIVE COVERAGE OF THE SECOND PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE!! 

Like most of you, we thought that the pre-election event to watch would be the VP debate.  However, with McCain's poll numbers slipping, Palin taking off the lipstick to launch attacks on Obama's character, Obama responding by resurrecting the Keating Five savings and loan scandal, McCain's camp announcing today that they need to distract American voters from the economy in order to win and time running out for McCain to flip the script, the stakes are high in Music City tonight.  If you'd like to weigh in during the debate, email me at td@systocracy.com. 

Joining me in the virtual TSP studio tonight is Paddy O, who will provide expert political commentary on tonight's debate. 

TD: Paddy, Here's my take on tonight's event.  John McCain is a desperate man in desperate times - the problem is that he's irrevocably tied to the failing economy, which is making headlines every day and effectively sinking his campaign.  To save his ship, he's decided to go negative, so far to little or no effect, but tonight he has an international stage on which to bash Obama and shift the focus of American voters.  Things could get real interesting . . .   I look for McCain to seize the bull by the horns, accuse Obama of going negative before Obama can accuse him, and then run with the ball, counting once again on the fact that uninformed voters will take him at his word. 

On the other side, Obama's starting to pull away in the electoral voting projections, in part due to his cool, calm deliberate demeanor during this economic crisis.  He needs to maintain his cool, stay focused on the issues, and dismiss McCain's attacks as the desperate acts of a man who's starting to come to grips with the crushing truth that, unless the dynamic of this race changes drastically in the next thirty days, he'll never be elected President of the United States.  Paddy?

Paddy O: MCCAIN'S LAST STAND!!  This is the second debate and historically, the most watched debate between the Presidential candidates is the second.  McCain has been sliding in the polls...it's important to note, that Obama hasn't actually been gaining that much in the polls as he's been a steady 48-50%.  It's McCain who has dropped 4-5%.  Much has to do with the blame the Republicans are getting on the economy (partially mis-guided see Barney Frank and Christopher Dodd, two King Nothings.)  Additionally, tying McCain to Bush seems to have been very effective. 

Anyway, approximately 50-60 million people will probably be watching tonite's debate...Maybe half that will watch the third debate.  McCain CANNOT let this opportunity slide the way his partner let hanging curveball after hanging curveball pass by her in the debate against Biden.  Moreover, he cannot let the lies (see factcheck.org for Biden's numerous falsehoods) pass by.  (Just as Obama cannot let any lies go unanswered.)

McCain must do several things:

1) Assure the American people through argument, facts or slight of hand that he actually has a grasp on the economy...(good luck with that.)  He also must remind the American people that when Bill Clinton ran for President he PROMISED middle-class tax cuts....and within 100 days he enacted the largest tax increase in history and then state that sounds awful familar.  If he has to bring up the pending budget debacle and shortfall of Massachusetts, run by Obama's friend Deval Patrick, than so be it.  (Damn the future racist arguments because both are African-American.  McCain must choose victory or losing w/dignity like Bob Dole.)  He must also bring up Obama's economic advisor Franklin Raines and the roll he played in Fannie/Freddie. 

2) Separate himself from Bush; using the examples of the federal judge (gang of 14) issue and other instances where he opposed the Bush administration...including the fact that he was the loudest voice a) screaming for the surge b) screaming for Rumsfield to be shit-canned; and

c) torture...and interwine his experience in his answer.  He must also remind everyone that Obama's own party asked him to be Vice-President and run AGAINST Bush only four short years ago.

3) Continue to pound away that Obama is an unknown, or a Chicago hack-machine politican and that due to the fact that Obama is an unknown, he is therefore untrustworthy.  Naturally, this has begun w/ the Ayers story which clearly, Obama downplayed for a purpose...Ayers is an unrepetant cop-killer.  At this point, if McCain needs to make the stretch that that Obama's support comes from friends of cop killers like Ayers, and Whoppi Goldberg (supporter of Philly cop-killer Mumia Abu Jamal,) then McCain needs to make these points.  Quite literally, he is running out of time.  The fact he has to fight in North Carolina should be a slap in his face.  Now is not the time to play nice.  He's getting outspent on TV 3-1 and this debate is his last best chance at defining his opponent.

4) While the economy is clearly the No.1 issue, he must also pound on his foreign policy experience which is still Obama's Achilles heel.  It was his finest moment in the last debate and he must continue to pound away at those arguments.

THIS is the time for McCain.  The next debate is too late.  He must begin to turn the tide tonite...and then bill on it.  Either that or prepare to retire as the Senior Senator from Arizona.

TD: Tom Brokaw's opening remarks.  Tom's really diminished in my eyes since Russert passed away and he took over Meet the Press - in short - he's no Tim Russert!  The candidates just came out.  Mrs. Systocrat just noted that McCain appears to be wearing the same tie as the last debate.  That was one stiff embrace by the candidates at the center of the stage.

Paddy O: Obama's playing the blame game and McCain needs to come back w/ Barney Frank and Chris Dodd. 

Paddy O: I don't think either of them answered the first question . . .

TD: Me neither.  These guys both appear kinda tight to me, like they'd rather not be sharing the same stage. 

Paddy O: Who the hell is Meg Whitman? I choose Warren Buffett? 

TD: EXCUSE ME, but is McCain talking down to Brother Oliver re: the financial crisis?  Lots of groaning over this in my living room.  Oh - here comes the Obama bashing, referencing Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae contributions to Obama's campaign. 

Paddy O: ANSWER THE QUESTION!!!! He asked how is it going to help, NOT how it happened . . .

Still never answered the question.  Obama started first thing answered question.  Why didn't McCain say Dodd and Frank!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Specifics help.

He's so smooth.  He just answered the gentleman's question and slammed McCain at the same time....because McCain isn't smooth.

TD: Now Obama's dancing.  This woman asked how the American people can trust anyone with their money, and Obama's talking about Dubya.  Now he's saying what the Obama administration will do, but still hasn't addressed the "trust" issue.

Paddy O: Teresa Finch is my hero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That's the best question in the past two years!!!

TD: Now McCain's telling people why they can't trust Obama and stating that he's more trustworthy because of his voting record.  He MUST be counting on the fact that none of his supporters or the independents that he needs are actually going to do so  . . . .

Paddy O: McCain finally scores with the Finch question!!!

TD: Agreed, at least until the fact check.

Special guest Snick joins us in the studio: A couple of beginning observations.  First, I think it's interesting that they picked a relatively round room for this debate.  McCain cannot avoid eye contact by looking into a corner.  Another observation is that I truly hope that McCain's version of becoming negative goes beyond using the word like "cronies" multiple times within the first 10 minutes and pointing out that Obama didn't sign something.  And honestly, what's with the constant blinking by McCain?

TD: Brother does blink a lot, doesn't he?  Mrs Systocrat thinks that McCain looks a bit like Elmo this evening . . .

Paddy O: I want money out of the system.  The less money for the 535 pigs in DC to squander on studying fart gas

Special guest Leslie S joins us in the studio: My thoughts so far:  it looked bad that McCrazy (love that name) had to write down the three areas. Also, "my friends"!!! PLEASE. Love that Obama referenced the Kennedy/moon speech. I think that will resonate with those who were around then and heard it.

Paddy O: Surviving in the military and serving in the Peace Corps aren't remotely the same burden. 

TD: Agreed, but I guess you've got to go with what you've got.  "My Friends . . . " (sorry Leslie!!).  More BS from McCain about Obama raising taxes.  The look of Obama's face is classic - kind of like the way you look at a crazy uncle at the family reunion. 

Tom Brokaw needs to shut the hell up and let the candidates talk.  Period. 

Snick: Leslie S, I noticed that he wrote his points down.  I also noticed that he used a Sharpie MARKER as his choice of writing utensil!

Paddy O: Why can't we do it in 2 years?  It's a friggen bill?????  Your not putting men on the moon!!!!  Here's an idea....make Congress stay in Washington until they work something out!!!!!!!!!!!

TD: More of this "let's look at our records . . . " crap from McCain.  Dangerous, given his record.  Can't wait to hear his response to this question on the environment . . .

TD: McCain: "Obama says that nuclear power has to be safe and clean, or something like that . . . "  Hard to sell nuclear power to Americans after Three Mile Island, regardless of what the Europeans are doing.

Paddy B: Just a note on McCain.  He doesn't look 72.  He looks younger than Biden.

TD: Honestly, I don't know about that - it's his mannerisms.  He truly looks like an old man at times.  I do think there's some Botox going on, or something to that effect. 

Excellent question re: a Manhattan Project-type endeavor to solve the energy crisis.  The official Systocrat position on that is a resounding YES!!! 

Paddy B: Well Brokaw is at least better than Lehrer and Ifill. 

Leslie S: Obama's hitting his stride now w the alternative energy issue and
reminding how many times McCrazy voted against it. GO O!!
ps brokaw is a tool.

Special guest Chris J joins us in the studio: Obama needs to deliver more concise answers.  The average American cannot look for the pooplet of knowledge in a 5 minute monologue.

Did he just say THAT ONE?   Who is THAT ONE?

TD: Chris, what the hell is a pooplet?  Leslie, agreed that Brokaw is a tool.  Pat, I'd prefer Ifill or Lehrer myself, although I do think that Brokaw deserves some credit for at least trying to stick to the format.  At some point, you gotta realize that it's a futile effort and you're just distracting from the candidates. 

TD: Did McCain just say something about putting our health care records online, as in online for all to see?   McCain's health care plan is a disaster.  How can anyone talk about putting anything on the market right now?  Obama just hit this health care question out of the stadium by stating that health care is a "right," as opposed to McCain's lame characterization of this as a "responsibility."

Chris J: I cannot emphasize enough, Obama needs to stop rambllng.  Take a clue from Biden from last week.  He doesn't need to over talk this, McCain doesn't even know where he is right now. With all of McCain's panting, I don't think the town hall/standing up thing was the best idea.

TSP's LIVE COVERAGE OF THE SECOND PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE CONTINUES HERE!!