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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 – her
e 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!!

OUR LIVE COVERAGE OF THE 2ND PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE CONTINUES BELOW: 

Special guest Denn H joins us in the studio:

So far, this isn’t helping either one of them.

When you wrestle with a pig (forget the lipstick),
both of you will get dirty, and only the pig will enjoy it.

Best way to fix social security is to have the senators and
representatives are on it. Not on their own special pensions.

Obama must be getting tired of correcting McCain.
McCain is really reaching out to touch tonight.

McCain is staying on the attack. It is good that he does. I think he
will get picked off base sooner, rather than later.

Chris J: a pooplet, is the valuable and hard to find chunk of goodness in a blizzard of useless vernacular.

TD: Chris, thanks for that particularly useful bit of information.  Denn, I think that McCain’s already been picked off base a couple of times, and will be in more trouble after the debate when the candidates’ respective records are examined, per his suggestion. 

Paddy B: [Obama said that] children are relatively cheap to insure????????  WHAAAAATTTTT!!!!!  I have two kids and I don’t find that to be the case re: co-pays, hearing tests, shots, etc.  Then what happens when they get hurt?  I know a child who had simple knee surgery that cost about $30,000 bucks…and wasn’t entirely covered by insurance.  That last statement is just plain NOT TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TD: Not a particularly judicious statement by Obama on that point.  I’m paying through the nose for family healthcare myself, and aren’t kids the ones that are sick all the time?

CJ: Wow, healthcare coverage is a privilege..McCain’s disdain for the lower class is now coming out for all to see.

TD: Actually he said it was a "responsibility."  Just a little "pooplet" of knowledge for ya there . . .

Special guest Bryna Bear joins us in the studio:

The health "errors" as they call ‘em?
you mean like one that allowed prescription pills to find their way
into your wife’s purse?  ahh. right.

If health care is a "responsibility", whose responsibility is it?
 McCain’t neglected to mention that detail, making it easier for any possible
health care improvements to not happen.  Unless accountability is assigned, it is unlikely that any substantial improvement will actually occur.

TD: Wow, that bear’s got claws!  "McCain’t – I like it!!!  Nice counter to "No-Bama!" 

Chris J :I’m glad Obama is addressing the comments about him not "understanding".  You cannot let Old Man River call you out without responding, no way, no how.  A man who wears a girdle cannot be left to say what he wants (Alisa is convinced that he wears a girdle, by the way).

TD: Agreed, that was an excellent moment that I’m sure Obama planned to address, whether it came up or not.

Leslie S: There can be no "victory" in IRAQ!!!

TD: That’s right – even Petraeus won’t talk about Iraq in terms of victory. 

Paddy B: McCain scores again with the foreign policy answer re: McCain Doctrine . . . although Obama’s answer was good as well. 

That was a good answer  by Obama re: Pakistan . . . although McCain has decent arguments as well.   

Snick: On the responses to Obama saying that children are cheaper to insure – he’s right.  The point you are making as parents, is that you don’t see that from the bills that come through the lack of payment from the insurance agencies.  As for the cost to insurance companies, the risk of major health issues is lowest in children, thus making them the cheapest according to insurance companies.  But the insurance companies rest on the fact that everyone will not know this little nugget of information and see them as another adult and therefore justify the same increase to the premium that an adult would cause.   

Denn H: Obama is right about healthcare being a right, not a responsibility, as McCain asserts.  O is correct about companies moving where the laws are lenient. 

TD: I believe they call that a "race to the bottom" with Delaware being the absolute bottom in the US in terms of favorable corporate laws. 

Denn H:

Constraints on military question:

McCain speaks with conviction on this question.
Obama shows intellectual understanding.

McCain gaining ground on when he slows down and speaks about putting
American blood in harm’s way.

Should we respect Pakistani boundaries question:

O gave long winded answer, glad he wrapped it up in final sentence.
Mc started with good slide (on his part) to say O will invade…
O is clearing up that invading Pakistan is on the table..now he is
giving him the ‘speaking softly’ – ‘Bomb Iran’ song…
This is getting better now.

Leslie S: I am SO glad Obama clarified his comment on Pakistan.  He NEVER pre-announced he was going to attack Pakistan!  McCain tried that trick at the first debate too, plus McCain’s follow-up is ABSURD.

Chris J: I like that Obama is asserting himself here with the Pakistan problem.  It’s painfully obvious that the Pakistanis do NOT have our best interests at heart so other tactics AND strategies are necessary.

TD: Did I just hear McCain agreeing with Obama on the Pakistan question?  I hope the Obama campaign is spooling up the new ads showing McCain’s endorsement of him . . .

TD: McCain just said that there’ll be no Cold War.  Somebody better tell his running mate, who referenced the Cold War during that first disastrous Gibso
n interview . . .

Paddy O: Just to comment on Snick and kid’s insurance cost.  While insuring kids may cost "less," if you take them to the doctor 4-5x a year and the parent only goes 1x a year, it certainly costs "more" w/regards to the kids.  Anyway, I actually agree with Tom re: universal health care But only for kids.  (I just haven’t figured out the arbitrary age to cut them off yet.). 

Chris J: All this talk about Russia.  Anyone care to worry about the North Koreans? McCain seems to not fully grasp reality, in terms of the Iraq War.

Snick: I didn’t hear McCain mention that he would rely on Alaska to help with Russian.  What happened there?  I thought Alaska was the main eyes and ears the US would rely on when Russian was concern.

Paddy B: Is it mischief or is it evil behavior????  My 5 year old does mischief.  Invading a neighboring country….for no reason whatsoever isn’t mischief…..it is evil behavior.

Paddy B: UUHHHHHHHHHHH not again w/ the preconditions…..ENOUGH already.

Chris J: McCain’s pandering to veterans is nauseating.  I don’t know anyone who doesn’t support the troops.  Oh no, he said "preconditions" again. 

TD: He needs to explain why he was against Senator Webb’s GI bill.  Anyone recall McCain’s reasoning on that one?

Snick:  Paddy O – I completely understand that children go to the doctor more.  Obama’s statement was the children are cheaper to receive health care insurance (the cost to insurance in premium costs).  The out-of-pocket to parents might be higher, and thus an argument to have more children covered by health insurance.

TD: They just showed Michelle.  She had that "my husband’s gonna be the next President" look on her face! 

Leslie S: what’s wrong with talking? seriously?!

Chris J: Barack, we all know your story by now . . . move on, answer the question!!!

Paddy B: Obama’s answer to the last question was the best non-answer in the history of debates!

Chris J: I know what McCain doesn’t know . . . if he’ll survivve his term in office.

Snick: OHHHH – we’re bringing out the emotional guns now! 

TD: Okay, the debate’s over.  Let’s get everybody’s comments re: who won the debate, best moments, etc. 

Denn H: McCain hasn’t shown anything new.  He is repeating his talking points. 

Obama speaks as if he is thinking out his answers as he is speaking.  Although that is likely prepared confidence.  I think the big question for voters is: do you want to try something different, or do you want to continue with a known entity?  If you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve already got. 

Leslie S: No more opportunities, Mr. McCain – you’ve had enough of them.  Your time is done!

Bryna Bear: Russia being an evil empire does not depend on our response to them.  ANSWER THE QUESTION!! 

"Everything I ever learned about leadership" coming from experience in the Navy?  I worry that he admittedly has a singular mindset when approaching the world scene.  I’m assuming he has gotten leadership experience in other realms, but is the military way of operating the best way to handle every situation?  (not to discredit the military or the leadership qualities it can instill). 

Paddy B: McCain also had a very good answer to the last question.  Another very good debate.  Very close indeed. 

Chris J: I thought both candidates did a lot of meandering, and getting a solid answer was another futile task.  I did think Obama scored a few good points in defense of some of McCain’s untruths (i.e. taxes, Pakistan), but Obama was too long winded and McCain needs a reality check.

Interesting that Barack and Michelle are the only one’s working the crowd . . . McCain and the hobgoblin have left the building.  Nice way to be in touch with the people.  I’m seriously doubting McCain’s ability to stand up for long periods of time. His breating and posture tonight really put up some serious warning signs in my mind. 

Denn H: Obama came across as more ‘presidential’.  He seems to be aware that some actions can cause unintended consequences. 

McCain came across as a hard working guy, who is above average intelligence, but it seems times have changed and he is not comfortable as he would have been in a previous decade. 

TD: Here’s my two cents.  In short, I think Obama won, simply because he’s up by a substantial margin in the national polls and the EV projections, and McCain didn’t have that game-changing moment that he needed to have.  While McCain did score some points, he needed to do more than exchange points with Obama, and he didn’t.  Hard to
see how McCain wins the election at this point.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN TSP’s LIVE COVERAGE OF THE SECOND PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE!!!  MORE COMMENTARY ON THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE COMING SOON!!! 

Fellow Systocrats: 

WELCOME TO OUR LIVE COVERAGE OF THE VP DEBATE!! 

TD:Tonight, I’m joined in the virtual TSP studio by Paddy O’Brien, who will provide expert political commentary during TSP’s live-blog of tonight’s event.  If you’re following along with us during the debate and want to weigh in, please email us at td@systocracy.com or post a comment below.  In the meantime, please check out our PREGAME COVERAGE OF THE DEBATES, PART I (PALIN) AND PART II (BIDEN)!!!

TD: Pat, as we get ready for the candidates to appear, here’s my take on what they each need to do tonight to help their respective campaigns. For Palin, she needs to have some kind of answer for every single question, even if it’s the most general, nonspecific answer in the world - no Katie Couric moments or she’s done.  Otherwise, expectations are so low that so long as she doesn’t fall off the stage, it’s probably not the end of the road for McCain’s chances.  If I can be completely honest here, I’m really hoping that she doesn’t burst into tears after a question on foreign policy and run from the stage!

For Biden, it’s simple.  Answer the question, only the question, and then shut the hell up!  Do not engage!  Do not engage!  If I were Palin, I’d try to provoke Biden with one of those "he’s been in Washington since I was in 2nd grade . . ." comments she’s been making on the campaign trail this past week. 

Paddy B: I’m not sure that any one candidate has had as much pressure on them as Palin has tonite.  McCain’s campaign is essentially at the tipping point.  If she bombs tonite as bad as she bombed in the Couric interview it could all be over.  That would leave McCain needing to essentially knockout Obama in one of the last two debates.  1) I can’t ever remember a knockout in a debate…the closest might have been when Dukakis bothced the question regarding what he would do if his wife was raped. 2)  It’s Obama, he’s not getting knocked out; he’s just that good. 

For Biden, the roadmap for a good debate was laid out perfectly for him….by John McCain.  He just needs to show that he has generally infinite knowledge of the issues.  He also needs to avoid his penchant for foot-in-mouth disease…and if he says something that someone has already said he better give them credit or the plagiarizing issue will be back.  No sighing and no invasion of space. 

Palin needs to attack, attack, attack and attack some more.  She needs to attack Biden on this paying taxes is patriotic.  She has to have a line that basically says that paying taxes is the entire antithesis of the foundations of this country.  Does Biden really believe that Sam Adams, John Hancock and the other participants in the Boston Tea Party think paying more taxes is patriotic?  She seems to have very little knowledge of the issues, (or any major newspaper or magazine….or Supreme Court decision,)  she needs to paint broad strokes, stay as general as possible and hammer at the themes of cut spending, big government is bad and Washington is broken.

It should be interesting. . .

TD: Here we go . . . Palin looks and sounds nervous as she came out – she said "thank you" about 50 times.  I thought Biden was going to kiss her on the cheek when they met at center stage – the first gaffe avoided! 

TD: Palin’s first response on the economy.  Sounds credible, except that she’s arguing that McCain will bring more oversight . . .

TD: Biden looks STONED.  Palin’s been pretty smooth through the first five minutes.  She’s trying to assume the mantle of change from Obama as opposed to the "same old politics," which is interesting given who her running mate is and the positions he’s taken over the last 7 years.

Special guest Mary J joins us in the studio:  So do you guys have a running count of how many times she’s said John McCain so far in the first 10 minutes?  And if she says HAAKEE Mom again I’m going to choke. So far Biden looks cool and collected, if not a little older and more tired than he did several months ago. 

Paddy B:

Biden:  We’ll be hearing that the fundamentals were strong until November.   Semi-decent comeback from Palin about the workforce…although not likely true.   Is she an actor???  It seems as though she has an awful lot of this material MEMORIZED!!!!!

All Due Respect????  Isn’t that a euphemism for F*&k you????

Whose fault????  Loaded question; let’s play the blame game.  Decent beginning answer by blaming the lenders.  Strict oversight by the gov’t???  That’s against what Ronald Reagan stood for?  I thought she was conservative????

My guy warned first, No, my guy warned first.  Thanks for the substance!!

Why does Biden need to ask someone how much it cost to fill a tank?  Doesn’t he know?  Sounds like he’s out of touch.  She missed an opening…just so she can get her talking points in.   She is incapable of thinking on her feet.

Paddy B: Biden just repeated what he just said.  Our memories aren’t that short.  Biden needs to wipe that shit eating grin off his face.  He cannot afford Al Gore’s moments.  And lower his voice. No shouting!!!!!!! Sounds condescending. 

TD: I agree – the "condescending" alarm just went off among viewers in my living room for the same reason. 

TD: Ah, the first real zinger of the night – McCain’s health care plan is the "ultimate bridge to nowhere!"  WELL DONE.  But he is walking the line between well-informed and "condescending" . . .

TD: Palin just said that at least McCain doesn’t "say different things to different groups. . . "  I thought there was a "Bittergate" reference coming, but she didn’t go there.  At least not yet . . .

Mary J: Well, trying to be objective (and not by any means a Sarah Palin fan), if she appeals to folks for being very simple and plucky, she’s proving that she is simple and plucky and very unpolished.  Again, it doesn’t appeal to me at all – I like some knowledge behind my candidates – but I can see how she would appeal to a lot of folks.  And when it comes down to it, Palin and Biden are there to be cheerleaders for McCain and Obama.  I knocked Palin earlier for saying John McCain too much but Biden is doing it just as much.  And Paddy my friend, Biden’s sh#%-eating grin is matched by Palin’s flashy Miss Alaska smile.  So far I think they are pretty well matched and appealing to their bases.  Let me weigh in with my (gasp!) undecided husband to see if he’s being swayed more by one than the other.

Paddy B: She shouldn’t say that McCain’s health care plan won’t cost the gov’t anything, she should say that it won’t cost you the taxpayer anything more.

Biden’s not from Scranton. He’s from Washington D.C.

Great attack on MCCain’s health plan. The health plan is pretty much a disaster . . . although not as big a disaster as socialized medicine.  Right TD???

That Bridge to nowhe
re line was not funny; sounded corny and too rehearsed.  He’s making good points on what they won’t support/slow up on but he needs to lower his voice otherwise it almost sounds as if he’s talking down to us . . . well me anyway.  I have my doubts about their ability to cut wasteful spending out of the budget.  He has 534 friends in DC who won’t let him cut out the wasteful spending/earmarks/pork.

Palin needs to stay w/what she did to the oil companies in Alaska.  What about stopping the greed and corruption in Washington DC???  Greed is what makes Wall Street . . . and to a certain extent the economy go.  It just needs to be regulated better.  Can’t let the foxes guard the henhouse. 

If she’s going to bring up corruption and greed on Wall Street, she should at least try and throw in some zingers re: Franklin Raines, one of Obama’s financial advisors and a disaster as CEO of either Fannie/Freddie. 

Biden’s repeating himself again.  He already said Obama warned first and McCain was surprised.  I got it the first time.

TD: At least Biden’s not repeating himself re: talking about energy, NO MATTER WHAT THE QUESTION IS!!!  I guess that’s the strategy for her to have an answer to every question . . . It’s gonna be a little tedious when she’s still talking energy an hour from now! 

Paddy B: Now she’s repeating herself.  We get it, drill baby drill.  YAWN!!! What’s next?  How about attacking Ford, GM, etc., and why they can’t make energy efficient vehicles.  When was the last time they lead the way in car innovation?  Time for them to get back in the ballgame and stop playing second fiddle to Toyota. 

Global warming: I actually like that she said she didn’t care about the cause.  The cause is the cause, now we have to find a way to fix it.  I like that.  I don’t care whose fault it was or how we got here.  Now that we are here, how the hell are we going to get out?

Solutions: Biden’s losing me on his global warming position.  Yes, man is part of the problem.  How is he going to get China to stop opening those coal plants?  Good luck!  The Chinese are going to do whatever they have to.  She should have asked him how he was going to get them to stop.  Go to the UN?  HA!!!

TD: Ahhight, this business about Obama voting "not to fund the troops" by insisting on a timeline really gets on my nerves!  I’m glad Biden’s putting the hammer down on her re: this topic.  I "didn’t hear a plan" in Palin’s response either. 

Now I’m hearing this "surrender" nonsense in terms of bringing the troops home early.  EVEN PETRAEUS WON’T SPEAK OF THE IRAQ WAR IN TERMS OF "VICTORY!"

Mary J: Did Palin actually give an answer on the gay marriage question? We’re trying to figure out what she just said. I think she was refusing to answer. 

TD: She did. She said she’s against it, same as Biden.

Mary J: So we’re back to where we were before the surge and that puts us ahead??  Maybe I don’t read enough but I haven’t seen it in the press though I do know they are putting Navy guys on the streets in Iraq with guns.  They didn’t sign up for that and have NO experience in doing that.  So the surge is stretching our resources beyond their limit and we don’t really have anything behind that.  Why can’t they acknowledge that we aren’t going to win and get the f&#$ out? 

I like the "God love him but he’s wrong" comment from Biden.  Nice. 

TD: Biden just said that Obama never said he would sit down with Ahmadinajead.  I think he did say that during one of the early Dem debates, didn’t he? 

Mary J: OK. Palin just went down a bit more in my eyes.  Obama/Biden are pusing McCain/Palin as being just like W.  She said "nucular" a bunch of times.  THAT sounds just like W to me. 

So the rest of the world hates us because of our rights and freedoms?  NO SARAH!! They hate us because we invade them with no cause and do it because we need to teach about ignoring history for the last 700 years.  We could go back a lot farther if you want to talk about repeating imperialistic mistakes. 

Paddy B: Ahh.  Now I get the China reference . . . problem w/live blogging . . . and permanent politicians.  They wait 5 mins after they say something to give us the last details.  She giving a good answer for her base on the domestic couples issues.  She should have said that she supports civil unions instead of the legalese of contract negotiations. 

Foreign Policy . . . here we go. 

Just a quick note so far.  She didn’t blow it on the domestic issues.  Biden still showed a great grasp of specifics.  McCain should have chosen Gen. Petraeus as VP the way they fawn over the guy. Let’s remember he hasn’t won anything . . . yet.  (Point: I think eventually he will). 

The whole thing about funding the troops is ridiculous b/c we know it was all about the timeline. 

Bad answer . . . white flag?  Blah Blah Blah.  She should just say we are going to end the war also, just not on an arbitrary timeline. 

McCain/Bush, now McCain/Cheney – good move tying him to Cheney.  How long until Haliburton gets mentioned? 

Biden: good answer on the Pakistan-Iran question.  They both suck.  Does Palin know what a madras is?  That leader of Al Qaida???  Does she know his name???  Does she know his name???  Just say it???  Geezus, he’s not Beetlejuice. 

Preconditions, preconditions, naive . . . I HEARD THIS ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  HOW ABOUT SOMETHING ORIGINAL!!!!!!

Back ye up there?????  What the heck is that????

Biden scoring some points here re: Iraq . . . although the Spain thing is kinda a lie . . . b/c same context as Chavez and other Hispanic sounding dictator names. 

Did Biden just refer to himself in the 3rd person???  Who is he, Bob Dole???

TD: TD doesn’t know who Biden thinks he is!! LOL!!  Biden is putting the smack down on Palin/McCain right now re: foreign policy.  Ah- she just said "nucular" again! 

Special guest Jess M. joins us in the studio: New drinking game – take a drink every time Palin says something inaccurate.  GET DRUNK FAST!!!

Mary J: But Jess, don’t underestimate the power of folks who like dear Sarah (again, NOT me).  I see her as a complete moron who could never get hired if she talked like this in an interview.  BUT, she’s not completely falling apart and crying and she does have answers, even if they sound stupid.  Good of her to remind us that she’s a Washington outsider.  That’s one of the ways W got elected.  And no one (but my sister) is a W fan now but that "aw shucks" attitude has wide appeal among "aw shucks" folks. 

John McCain knows how to win a war??  I guess we won Vietnam like we are winning Iraq.  I think she really screwed that one up. 

OUR LIVE DEBATE COVERAGE CONTINUES HERE!!!

OUR LIVE COVERAGE OF THE VP DEBATE CONTINUES BELOW!!

Special guest Chris J joins us in the studio: She’s better at avoiding answers than Cheney. I have NO confidence that anything coming out of her mouth is her own opinion. 

I’m up to 5 questions that she’s danced around or either refused to answer.  Any of us ever showed up to a job interview with anwers like this, and we’d get laughed out of the building.

Paddy B: Biden’s making some good ground on foreign policy.  However, he’s laying the groundwork for McCain to have good ammunition in the next Presidential debate. 

I like nuke question. Palin is kinda blowing this question.  Sounds like the beauty queen contestant last year who bombed in a question.  Great, Palin didn’t even answer the question.  Couldn’t she just say that it was a last resort and then mention Harry Truman?  Does she even know that Truman dropped the bomb?  Although w/Biden’s recent history failure himself he might think it was FDR . . . just like how he went on TV when the market crashed in 1929. 

However, Biden clearly knows foreign policy and he has this material down pat.  She’s clearly on shaky ground.  She needs a bell to end the round . . . of course . . .pf course Biden’s long-winded answer might have given her a breath.  SHUT UP AFTER YOU MAKE A GOOD POINT!!!!

Biden’s beginning to pull away. McCain’s campaign was stupid to let foreign policy go second. 

Why does Biden always look so angry????  I think he’s thinking "I can’t believe I’m up here w/this novice.  Still, where’s the alleged Biden charm?  He’s saying all good things but his delivery isn’t that great. His mastery of the specifics is impressive, though. 

TD: Agreed on most of your points.  I’l lcircle back to that dig on socialized medicine once I check in with my buddy Dennis Kucinich!  In the meantime, for those of us who are up on the issues, she’s pretty weak, but for those just looking for her to say anything coherent, she’s more than fulfilling her mission.  Unless she trips in the next twenty minutes, the GOP is going to declare victory, ridiculous as that sounds. 

CJ: As a rule, I don’t trust people who speak in third person . . . but I did laugh. 

CJ: Wow . . . I didn’t know that McCain, and McCain only, knows what evil is . . .

Paddy B: I’m actually surprised I haven’t clicked the channel yet, probably b/c we are blogging, but most likely b/c there’s no Sox game. 

She’s getting killed on foreign policy. Her handlers suck!!!  McCain knows how to win a war b/c he’s been there?  I thought we lost Vietnam?

Great question re: heartbeat away . . . Great answer by Biden.  His talking points re: the Obama policies are great. 

Uh Oh, BUSH DOCTRINE . .  .potential problem ahead. 

ANSWER THE QUESTION, PALIN!!!!  How the hell does ANWAR answer the question?  It took her two minutes to finally get to a coherent answer.  How does attacking Congress now answer the question???  She should have been attacking Congress from 9:00.  70 minutes later finally address the one group that has less approval than Bush. 

What the F is she talking about???? "There you go again?"  That’s an old, old line.  Talking about teachers isn’t going to get the teacher unions to vote for you.  Teachers are great, move the F on!!!!!!

TD: Pat, I can’t believe that we’re discussing this from opposite sides of where we usually stand, but I do thiink Palin is doing what she needs to do to appeal to her base, i.e. voters who just want somebody who looks and sounds like themselves and who are NOT going to stick around for the fact-check and post-debate analysis after the debate. Frankly I think she’s doing as well as she can possibly do, which isn’t too well, objectively speaking, and I don’t think she’s demonstrating any qualifications, but she’s done enough to reenergize the base.  This is definitely not going to be the end for the GOP ticket.

Special guest Denn H joins us in the studio: I think if you watch without sound, Sarah looks good.  Biden’s forehead looks frozen . . . Botox?

Remember the Kennedy-Nixon debate?  Those who watched tv thought Kennedy won.  Kennedy looked good, Nixon looked pasty. 

People listening on the radio thought Nixon won.

Palin is a classic "store front" – looks good, but the inventory ain’t there.

CJ: Has she ever read the Constitution?

TD: Chris, you’re kidding yourself.  THERE IS NO CONSTITUTION LEFT AFTER 7 YEARS OF BUSH!!!!!!

CJ: What does "exceptionalism" mean?

TD: It means she doesn’t know what the f*#& she’s talking about!!

Paddy B: TD, they’ll both declare victory but I think here it’s not like the last debate was essentially . . . in my humble opinion was too close to call.  Here’s Biden’s winning . . . fairly clearly.  No KO or TKO but if this was a 12 round bout, I’m not sure she won a round . . . maybe 1 or 2, and that’s probably generous. 

Is that the first time I heard the word "change???"  Took a long time.  I might have just missed it.  Here we go, founding fathers . . . now bring up the Boston Tea Party and how paying taxes is patriotic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here’s where Palin should say that Cheney is dangerous . . . if he’s your hunting partner.  That line might win the debate!  LOL!

He hates Cheney, that’s hatred in his eyes.  WOW!!!

Sarah, PLEASE STOP REPEATING YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  EYE YI YI!!!!!!!!!! OK, bringing it back to your family is a good move. Too little too late.  Referencing Reagan is always good for the base. 

He’s putting on the finishing touches here . . . sentimental . . wish he wasn’t reading it, though. 

No answer can beat Biden’s statement.  Maverick, Maverick, Maverick.  ENOUGH!!!  Romney is no Maverick!!!  Enough about Wall Street, GREED AND CORRUPTION ON CAPITAL HILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CJ: Biden just brought the hammer of perspective down on bright and sunny Palin.  Great use of getting choked up there . . . big points.

Denn H: Biden is clearing the bases with this Maverick title Palin keeps harping on. 

Jess M: Well, I’m PUKEY DRUNK right now!! WHEEEEE!!!!!!

Special guest Rio joins us in the studio:  How is it possible for Palin to lower taxes and build infrastructure at the same time???

TD: Palin just said she likes to be able to "answer the tough questions . . . for the American people" and my living room just erupted with a chorus of "SHE DIDN"T ANSWER A GODDAMN THING!!!"

Paddy B: Talking about the Supreme Court after Palin’s Couric disaster is a good move.  If you’re working together, doesn’t that constitute  compromise?  I think Biden needs to start questioning the motive of the 534 other morons. I bet most of them their motive is money . . . or fame.  Lord knows it isn’t doing what’s best for the country.

CJ: Sarah . . . enough.  Trickle down theory is finished.  Stop insinuating otherwise. 

TD: Okay, debate’s over. Let’s get some postgame comments from everyone in the TSP studio . . . Mary J, I note that the Down Syndrome baby is on the stage late at night once again . . .

Mary J: My ears are smoking again at the baby on stage.  Her base will say "What a great Mom!"  My baby is asleep in his crib where all babies should be this time of night.  Yes her baby appears to be asleep as well.  But what
on earth is he getting out of being there?? Well, Mommy thinks it makes her look good and "diverse." 

Special guest Mary K joins us in the studio:

She’s a cheerleader

He doesn’t answer the question.

I’m voting libertarian whomever it is to get the third party percentage up . . .

but coffee aside, I turned off at 9:30. 

Paddy B: Closing arguments

Palin: That was clearly a jab at Michelle Obama and the "always been pround to be an American."  The closing was pretty good . .  .not great. 

Biden: Four years from now will also be the most important election.  Four years ago was the most important election.  How can Biden not mention Palin’s kid going overseas but mention McCain’s????  She’s standing two feet from you.  Certitude?  Too big a word to use.  Good last couple sentences though.

Verdict: I think Biden won b/c he so clearly won foreign policy (and no foot in mouth).  She didn’t fall on her face but I’m not sold on the fact she put the brakes on McCain’s slide in the polls. If McCain wants to change anything he has to do it himself. 

While I think Biden won, clearly the race didn’t end tonight . . . and I think that there was a clearly a chance of that. She held enough of her own that now we have to watch the next two debates. 

CJ: Huge discrepancy in working knowledge of politics, in favor of Biden.  Palin showed that she’s the right kind of slippery, when it comes to being a Republican. She didn’t slip up, which is good for her, but I got the distinct feeling that all of her answers were memorized, whereas Biden came across as having FULL knowledge of which he was speaking.  Get her off script again and she’ll fall flat on her face like she did with Couric.

I give it to Biden.

CJ: Just saw Ferrarro’s commentary – she’s an ASSHAT!

TD: CJ, what network are you watching, CNN?  We’ve got MSNBC on in here . . . Pat Buchanan just said that of the four candidates, Palin was the most exciting debate candidate, to which Rachel Maddow responded "Yes – exciting and wrong vs. BORING AND RIGHT!!"

Paddy B: More comments: Was I watching another debate????  How come so many people (non-Fox) think she won?  Did she win b/c expectations were so low?  I mean she wasn’t horrible but I thought Biden won.  Maybe I missed something?  Maybe it’s b/c I watched less and listened more as I was typing . . . just like that Kennedy/Nixon reference earlier. 

TD: It’s because expectations were so low.  Although I think that Palin objectively did a crappy job, she did so much better than anyone expected, in that she at least had something to say in response to each question (not necessarily an ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, mind you).  The GOP is definitely going to be able to credibly spin this as a victory to their followers.   

Denn H: Now comes the "who won" talk . . . Neither hit it out of the park. 

On substance: Biden actually answered the questions and kept on track well.  Palin talked smoothly, but didn’t convey much . .  .didn’t even get in the neighborhood when answering some of the questions. 

On looks: Palin won, apologies Joe, but she looks better on camera.

Where’s the beef?  Joe had the quarter pounder.  Sarah is still looking for the bun.  Who will get the greatest mileage from spin?  Palin . . . she lasted the whole 90 minutes without saying much, but looking good doing it. 

TD: Agreed on most of this.  Her followers didn’t need her to say much.

CJ: NBC (Brian Williams) had Ferraro on immediately after the closing remarks.  She made a comment about Palin not falling on her face and how good that is for women.  The wife and I both got the feeling like when Biden made that "remark" Obama being articulate. 

TD: Here’s my take on the debate.  Both candidates did exactly what they needed to do.  Biden avoided any serious gaffes and Palin avoided looking and sounding as utterly unqualified as she did during the Couric/Gibson interviews.  In terms of who gets a bounce from this event, I think it depends on whether voters are actually paying attention to the substance of her answers. 

For someone who was onstage for 90 minutes, Palin really didn’t say too much, while Biden was most impressive in his grasp of the issues.  Palin did hit all the key talking points, though, even if her facts were wrong and her answers did not match the questions.  She harped on the McCain myth that Obama’s tax plan will raise taxes for the middle class, spun Obama’s vote for a timetable for troop withdrawal into a refusal to fund the troops, and even managed to give up the religious right a shout-out with her reference to the "Shining City on the Hill."  People who were already inclined to vote for her will take what they want from her performance.  If anything more clearly demonstrates her limited grasp of national issues, it was her insistence on discussing energy policy whenever she didn’t know the answer to a question. Folks, she talked about energy at LOT.  The most disturbing moment was probably when she said she wants to be a Cheney-esque VP – in fact, she wants to  expand the VP’s role!  After Cheney???  All I can say is, "WOW!!!"

Biden’s best moments were probably when he hammered Palin/McCain on the fact that McCain’s proposed policies are nearly identical to Bush/Cheney’s.  Other than a gaffe-free night, there’s probably no better point that Biden could have made. 

Given the state of the economy, I’m going to give the debate to Biden, because I do think that independent voters are paying strict attention, in which case they’ll realize that Palin, while she didn’t implode under the intense pressure leading up to this debate, is nonetheless all style and no substance. 

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN TSP’S LIVE BLOG OF THIS DEBATE!!!  MORE POST-DEBATE COVERAGE COMING SOON!!!

TD: On behalf of TSP TV, welcome to the official Systocrat vice presidential debate pregame show!  Let’s send you directly to our host, Howard Cosell.  Howard?

Cosell: (In deliberate Cosell-speak) Thank you, Tee Dee, and WELCOME to the OFFICIAL . . . VP  PRE-GAME SHOW!!!!

The importance of this debate cannot be overestimated for either of these campaigns.  Representing the pachyderm party, Sarah Palin, the winsome, if somewhat empty headed governor of Alaska who hit the campaign trail with a roar, but who has recently proven unable to field even the simplest of questions in televised interviews.  With her approval rating down over twenty points in the last two weeks, conservatives are calling for her removal from the ticket before this debate, as a necessary step to avoid what they, and many others, consider certain doom for the GOP if Palin is exposed to the withering spotlight that IS an internationally televised presidential debate. 

Nor is this debate free from peril for the number two man on the Democratic ticket, Joseph Biden, who, along with his running mate Obama, will carry a significant nationwide polling advantage into this debate.  When Biden was announced, pundits around the country, including those regularly featured on this network, expressed the view that Biden is a loquacious, gaffe-prone bumbler who always has one foot in his mouth.  Fortunately for the jackass party, Biden’s epic gaffes on the campaign trail have been overshadowed by Palin’s demonstrated and historic lack of qualifications. 

Let’s check in with both camps.  First, let’s send you to John McCain’s ranch in Arizona, where Sarah Palin is busy preparing for the debate with . . . . with . . . . is that YOU, Mr. President?

Large studio monitor shows Palin and Bill Clinton sitting at a table piled high with books and papers.  Their heads are together, and Clinton has his arm around Palin, which he quickly removes as soon as he realizes the cameras are rolling. 

Clinton: (Uncomfortably) Uh, hey Howard.

Palin:  PUTIN BAILOUT ENERGY SIXPACK COMMISSION WAR GOD TROOPS LEADERSHIP TROOPERGATE.  HOWARD!!  (Dazed smile and wave).

Clinton:  Uh, you’ll have to excuse her – she’s been studying for four days straight.   (Leans over and . . . claps his hands in front of Palin’s face!). 

Palin (with a start): Where am I? 

Clinton (pats Palin on the head): Don’t you worry your pretty little head about that now. . . (Dazed look returns to Palin’s face). 

Cosell: EXCUSE ME, Mr. President!  You’ve pledged your support to Barack Obama!  What on earth are you doing helping Governor Palin prepare for this historic debate?

Clinton: Well shucks, Howard, I’ve always said that Governor Palin is an instinctually effective candidate with a compelling story.  Hell, she’s pretty cute too.  (Down home chuckle). 

Cosell: This is a SHOCKING development.  SHOCKING!  Mr. President, where is your wife, Senator Hillary Clinton tonight?  Is she out campaigning for Senator Obama?

Clinton: (Under his breath) Not likely . . .   (Into the camera with hands outstretched).  OF COURSE SHE IS!  We just LOVE Senator Obama! 

Palin (waving smelling salts under her own nose and then turning to face Bill): Excuse me, but I think Howard is here to interview ME, the savior of the Republican Party!  (Turns back to camera).  Now, after the PALIN/MCCAIN ticket is elected, it’s very important when you consider even that is what American needs today – that’s more than a lot of senators and representatives did for us . . .  

Cosell:  What?  Bill, what did she just say?

Palin: (takes another healthy snort from the smelling salts and shakes her head vigorously . . . ). Yeah, well Bill told me a few minutes ago that supporting John and I is the best way to ensure that Hillary can run again in 2012 . . .

Clinton & Cosell together:  WHAT????

Palin: Well there is a danger in allowing the impact for opportunity to change it . . .

Clinton: (big, fake smile on his face): Don’t speak honey, you’ll ruin everything . . .

Palin: Don’t condescend to me, you womanizing hillbilly!  I’m no pop tart – I’m the governor of Alaska!  And I AM very well informed – I read every single newspaper in the world every day! 

Cosell: Specifically, which newspapers do you read?

Palin: IN WHAT RESPECT, Howard?

Bill: (Leans in and whispers to Palin)  . . . uh, he wants you to name some actual newspapers.  Just name any newspaper you can think of . . .

Palin: (Long, LONG pause . . . . . . . .  )  Well, Howard, I’ll have to get that information and I’ll BRING IT TO YA!!!!

Clinton: This is HOPELESS!  I’m outta here. 

Clinton gets up to leave just as there is the sound of a door opening, followed by angry voices off camera and the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps.  The camera pans left to reveal Clinton face to face with an angry John McCain . . .

McCain: (Growling) MY FRIEND, I thought I told you to stay away from my trophy girlfriend . . . uh, candidate! 

Clinton: (voice rising) I don’t sweat you, you old punk!  Now that I’m standing here, why don’t you tell that joke about Chelsea’s father again?  Awww yeah, Janet Reno is about to whup your ass!

McCain: It’s on, bitch!!!

A brawl ensues as Palin looks on.  TSP hastily switches back to Howard Cosell in the studio.

Cosell: AFTER THE COMMERCIAL BREAK, STAY TUNED FOR PART II OF THE PREGAME SHOW, WHEN WE CHECK IN WITH SENATOR BIDEN!

STUDIO VOICE: This portion of the pregame show has been sponsored by the Sarah Palin Random Quote Generator! 

TD: Welcome to Part II of our VP Debate pregame show!  Once again, our host, Howard Cosell.  Howard? 

Cosell (in deliberate Cosell-speak): Thank you, Tee Dee.  Let’s go live to Wilmington, Delaware, where Joe Biden is busy preparing for the debate.

Camera shows Biden in the film room, watching clips of Palin’s debates in the 2006 Alaska gubernatorial race.

Cosell: Senator Biden, I presume?

Biden: Hey Howard!  God love ya, how ya doin?

Cosell: Senator Biden, you have a well-deserved reputation as a gaffe machine.  For example, at the beginning of your presidential campaign, you controversially described Senator Obama as "clean" and "articulate" . . .

Biden: And bright . . . don’t forget bright . . .

Cosell: Right, and . . .

Biden: For a black man . . .

Cosell: I beg your pardon?

Biden: You know?  A Negro?  A brother?  African American, well Halfrican, really . . .

Cosell: (Loudly clearing his throat to cut Biden off).   Right.  Now you’ve also said that Senator Clinton would make a better running mate than you . . .

Biden: Well, she would.  Let’s face it – I’m on the ticket because I’m an old white guy from Pennsylvania with white hair and a long resume.  Hillary’s actually a skilled politician, if somewhat of a selfish pain in the keister.  Besides, I would personally love to watch Hillary kick Sarah Palin’s ass in a debate.  Quite frankly, I think the whole country would like to see that . . .

Cosell: EXCUSE ME – did you just call Senator Clinton a pain in the ass?

Biden: Well, if I did, I meant it in the best possible way.  Look, she’s an incredibly tenacious politician . . .  

Cosell: You don’t appear to be preparing for this debate, Senator.  Is that because you don’t respect your opponent? 

Biden: Well, I’m certainly not going to say anything condescending about Governor Palin  – that would be a gaffe of epic proportions!!

Cosell: What do you think about her qualifications to be vice president?

Biden: QUALIFICATIONS? WHAT QUALIFICATIONS? She’s the most SPECTACULARLY UNQUALIFIED candidate in the history of the United States!  Did you see those Katie Couric interviews?  Personally, I think it’s a disgrace that she’s even on the ticket.  It’s a good thing the Republicans don’t have a real VP candidate, otherwise I’d have to waste a buttload of time preparing like this was a REAL debate . . .

Cosell: Not exactly the most flattering remarks . . .

Biden (looking off-camera): Hey, is Steven Hawking part of your camera crew?  Steven, stand up and get over here!

Cosell: Uh, he can’t walk, Joe.

Biden (nodding slowly, thinking).  Right, right.  I guess that explains the wheelchair . . .

Cosell: Okay, so getting back to politics, what’s your strategy for this debate with Governor Palin? Are you going to treat her differently because she’s a woman?

Biden: Absolutely not!  I mean, look, Palin’s a smart lady, and I’ve debated plenty of smart women, like Hillary, for example.  Besides, she’s a lot like my wife, Jill Biden.

Cosell: Smart, you mean?  I know that Jill Biden has a doctorate in education . . .

Biden: Yes, smart.  AND DROP DEAD GORGEOUS!!  But that doesn’t bother me.  I know how to debate smart, gorgeous women.  And I love my wife – the fact that she has her doctorate doesn’t bother me at all . . .I’m not threatened in the slightest by the fact that she’s clearly smarter than I am.

Cosell: Yeah, well, I can see that . . .

Biden: Is there anything else, Howard?  I need to get one of my interns of Indian descent to go down to 7-11 and grab me a coffee.

Cosell: Well, now that you’ve offended educated women, African Americans, people with a mixed-race background, disabled persons, people of Indian descent, Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, Steven Hawking, conservative voters, pit bulls with or without lipstick and hockey moms, I suppose this is a decent time to terminate the interview.  Sure you don’t want to take a stab at alienating Catholics while the cameras are still rolling?  After all, they’re a relatively small voting bloc – only 47 million or so . . .

Biden: I would NEVER alienate Catholics – after all, I am Catholic.  By the way, I’m still pro-choice.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go take communion before my coffee arrives.

Cosell: Thank you, Senator Biden.  (Turns to camera). 

THAT CONCLUDES TSP’S PREGAME COVERAGE OF THE VP DEBATE!  PLEASE TUNE IN AFTER THE DEBATE FOR TSP’S POSTGAME ANALYSIS!

READ PART I OF TSP’S PREGAME COVERAGE OF THE VP DEBATE!

Political Cartoon by John Klossner.

Fellow Systocrats: 

One aspect of the main stream media’s coverage of the first presidential debate that merits more analysis is the contention that Obama was “too nice,” specifically that he should not have agreed with McCain as many times as he did.  What’s missing from the post-debate coverage is some commentary on just how necessary it will be for the next President not only to seek common ground with people who hold different views, but to be strong and confident enough to express these views in order to narrow the scope of disputes, bridge the gap between competing positions and ultimately achieve consensus. 

Here’s an example that throws this issue into high relief.  I was talking with a neighbor last night, and she wanted to know what Obama’s position was re: effecting the military defense of this country.  Specifically, she stated that as a result of the closing of military bases up and down the Atlantic coast, she felt “exposed.”  “What if there’s an attack?” she wondered aloud.  “How will we defend ourselves?”

Here’s the disturbing truth – there can be no effective military defense to an invisible enemy.  Modern warfare is fundamentally different from traditional warfare in that no modern army, especially one that plans to take on the vaunted military might of the United States, is going to present itself on any battlefield to be conveniently annihilated.  As the Russians learned in Afghanistan, and as we’ve learned in Vietnam and now in Bush’s ill-conceived “war on terror” it is difficult, if not impossible, to decisively defeat an enemy you can’t find.  This analysis also holds true in the event that we find ourselves arrayed against a sovereign nation, like Iran for example.  Our military might roll in and take over, but good luck maintaining the peace if the resistance is mounted by an unseen guerilla force that watches for an opportunity and strikes when it’s convenient for them to do so. 

Diplomacy is the key to resolving international conflicts in the modern era.  We need a leader who is willing and able to bring warring factions to the negotiating table and keep them there until a meaningful accord is reached.  In that regard, I ask readers to consider which diplomatic approach is likely more effective: the “you’re with us or against us” approach favored by both Bush and McCain, or Obama’s willingness to acknowledge the existence of common ground with an adversary in order to narrow the issues in dispute before addressing the contentious issues.  In light of McCain’s behavior at the first debate, how are foreign leaders likely to react when McCain or his Secretary of State show up at the negotiating table, refuse to look their counterparts in the eye and otherwise act contemptuously towards them? 

Obviously strength is needed as well – we certainly don’t want a leader that can be easily rolled.  We can always threaten to impose economic sanctions, embargoes, etc, although these measures are useless against metanational terrorist groups.  But the proverbial big stick is only going to carry us but so far in the modern age.  What will we threaten foreign/terrorist leaders with in twenty years when it’s likely that most nations/terrorist organizations will not only have access to nuclear weapons or some futuristic equivalent, but also the means to direct these weapons to our shores from some remote location?  

The ability to find common ground is essential on the home front as well.  There are essentially two Americas right now – a red America and a blue America.  While there are obviouly divergent views within each “America,” there are nonetheless fundamental differences between many of the “Reds” and many of the “Blues” re: the direction this country should take in the next eight years.  What’s needed is a leader who’s confident enough to note the areas of agreement without fear of giving away some silly tactical advantage, in order to bring people together and get things done.  McCain and Obama both contend that they have the ability to bring people together to solve problems, but McCain’s actions and demeanor at the first debate strongly suggest otherwise. 

For those pundits who think Obama conceded too much, as a practical matter of debate strategy, by agreeing with some of McCain’s statements, the debate transcript reveals that when Obama “agreed” with McCain, he really didn’t give away anything other than some soundbytes that McCain could take out of context and use against him.  I do agree that Obama did miss some opportunities to really blast McCain, by pointing out Ms. Palin’s fondness for earmarks, for example, and I do think Obama should have confronted McCain directly re: McCain’s repeated assertion that "Obama doesn’t understand" various issues of national importance.  But the latest McCain ad is nothing more than pure political spin, taking Obama’s comments out of context to manufacture the impression that somehow Obama "endorsed" McCain’s position on certain issues.

Let’s look at the actual exchanges between Obama and McCain, taken out of context in McCain’s new ad, where Obama purportedly "agreed" with McCain:

EXCHANGE 1:

LEHRER: Are you going to vote for the [bailout] plan, Senator McCain?

MCCAIN:  . . . . Sure. But — but let me — let me point out, I also warned about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and warned about corporate greed and excess, and CEO pay, and all that. A lot of us saw this train wreck coming.

But there’s also the issue of responsibility . . . You’ve mentioned President Dwight David Eisenhower. President Eisenhower, on the night before the Normandy invasion, went into his room, and he wrote out two letters.

One of them was a letter congratulating the great members of the military and allies that had conducted and succeeded in the greatest invasion in history, still to this day, and forever.

And he wrote out another letter, and that was a letter of resignation from the United States Army for the failure of the landings at Normandy.

Somehow we’ve lost that accountability. I’ve been heavily criticized because I called for the resignation of the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. We’ve got to start also holding people accountable, and we’ve got to reward people who succeed.

But somehow in Washington today — and I’m afraid on Wall Street — greed is rewarded, excess is rewarded, and corruption — or certainly failure to carry out our responsibility is rewarded.

As president of the United States, people are going to be held accountable in my administration. And I promise you that that will happen.

LEHRER: Do you have something directly to say, Senator Obama, to Senator McCain about what he just said?

OBAMA: Well, I think Senator McCain’s absolutely right
that we need more responsibility, but we need it not just when there’s a crisis. I mean, we’ve had years in which the reigning economic ideology has been what’s good for Wall Street, but not what’s good for Main Street.

And there are folks out there who’ve been struggling before this crisis took place. And that’s why it’s so important, as we solve this short-term problem, that we look at some of the underlying issues that have led to wages and incomes for ordinary Americans to go down, the — a health care system that is broken, energy policies that are not working, because, you know, 10 days ago, John said that the fundamentals of the economy are sound.

LEHRER: Say it directly to him.

OBAMA: I do not think that they are.

LEHRER: Say it directly to him.

OBAMA: Well, the — John, 10 days ago, you said that the fundamentals of the economy are sound. And…

MCCAIN: Are you afraid I couldn’t hear him?

LEHRER: I’m just determined to get you all to talk to each other. I’m going to try.

OBAMA: The — and I just fundamentally disagree. And unless we are holding ourselves accountable day in, day out, not just when there’s a crisis for folks who have power and influence and can hire lobbyists, but for the nurse, the teacher, the police officer, who, frankly, at the end of each month, they’ve got a little financial crisis going on.

This exchange reveals that the only point on which Obama expressed agreement with McCain is that there needs to be more accountability.  Should he have disagreed with a statement that virtually 100% of Americans probably agree with just because McCain said it first?

"AGREEMENT" NO. 2:

Obama then agreed with McCain that the earmarks process has been abused and that lobbyists and special interest groups are responsible for “introducing these kinds of requests.  Again, would the vast majority of Americans disagree with this statement?  I don’t think Obama was required to disagree just because McCain stated a commonly held opinion before Obama had a chance to. 

"AGREEMENT" NO. 3:

Here’s the last “agreement” cited in McCain’s ad:

MCCAIN: Well — well, let me give you an example of what Senator Obama finds objectionable, the business tax.

Right now, the United States of American business pays the second-highest business taxes in the world, 35 percent. Ireland pays 11 percent.

Now, if you’re a business person, and you can locate any place in the world, then, obviously, if you go to the country where it’s 11 percent tax versus 35 percent, you’re going to be able to create jobs, increase your business, make more investment, et cetera.

I want to cut that business tax. I want to cut it so that businesses will remain in — in the United States of America and create jobs . . .

OBAMA: Now, John mentioned the fact that business taxes on paper are high in this country, and he’s absolutely right. Here’s the problem: There are so many loopholes that have been written into the tax code, oftentimes with support of Senator McCain, that we actually see our businesses pay effectively one of the lowest tax rates in the world.

And what that means, then, is that there are people out there who are working every day, who are not getting a tax cut, and you want to give them more.

It’s not like you want to close the loopholes. You just want to add an additional tax cut over the loopholes. And that’s a problem?

In this last exchange, Obama’s not really agreeing with McCain at all.  McCain says business taxes are high, and Obama counters by pointing out these taxes are high on paper, but that McCain has failed to tell the American people the whole story – in effect, American businesses are taxed at some of the lowest rates in the world due to gaping loopholes in our corporate tax code. 

The bottom line: reports of Obama’s over-geniality are greatly exaggerated, both as a matter of fact and as a negative aspect of Obama’s debating style.  The thoughtful reader will agree that Obama’s performance at the first debate demonstrates that he has the ideal characteristics for a twenty-first century leader.