Wednesday, October 8, 2008

A draw is a win

I liked the Debate last night. They stuck almost exclusively to the issues. There was a little attacking, but not much and neither candidate made it the reason for their campaign. John McCain answered some questions that Obama ducked, Obama answered some questions that McCain ducked.

McCain used the debate to announce a major new policy that I think was undercovered in the post debate blather that I caught. His proposal for the Federal Government to buy distressed mortgages and write down the mortgage principal to match the current value of the house is HUGE and could end up costing us all massive amounts of money. It should have received more play than it did.

But in the end, Obama won by simply looking calm and knowledgeable. The first two debates have done much to undercut McCain's attack that Obama is not ready to lead. He is trying to spin their policy disagreements into a ready to lead narrative and the debates destroy that. They have very real and distinct policy differences. But Obama looks more Presidential than McCain in these things.

On points, probably a draw

On Style, a win for Obama

3 comments:

Matty said...

A draw is a win especially when you're leading in the polls. Definitionally a draw is a result in which neither candidate takes away an advantage. If one, as is the case with McCain, is running out of opportunities to - in Euro football parlance - "take all three points," a draw should be viewed as victory by the current leader.

I didn't watch the debate but does anyone thing that Nixon... err, McCain stands any chance of beating Obama on style? I mean Barack looks like Abraham Lincoln!

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/06/02/ron-englishs-abraham.html

BTW, this is why I think the Obamania thing is ridiculous.

Uncle Walt said...

I think its a good thing that the future President of the United States excites and inspires people. Many people in this election will be voting for someone they deeply believe in, not just the lesser of two evils.

I believe that is a good thing.

Here is a man who epitomizes the American Dream. Interracial son of a broken family raised mostly by his Grandmother through his own hard work and skill becomes the Editor of the Harvard Law Review. Probably the single most prestigious thing any law student can do in this country.

And he then devotes himself to public service, not chasing the allmighty dollar.

His charisma, his inspirational speeches, his clear knowledge and grasp of the issues all combined to move him very quickly from obsurity to the Presidency.

This at a time when we badly need something different. Stuck in an occupation of a country we should never have invaded. Mired in a second war we should never have put second. Our standing around the world at its lowest point since Vietnam, perhaps since before WWII. And a self inflicted financial crisis of crippling proportions.

Having a man who inspires as our President at a time like this is a good thing.

Matty said...

Inspiration is fine but adoration and deification are dangerous. I read a DailyKos article where a guy proclaimed unabashedly that Obama was his Jesus.

I'll debate you about change and how much of this Obama embodies (as apposed to being a spokes model for the same old Chicago machine) but politics cannot be about emotion over reason. That is what I fear. Mobs who consider devotion to a leader of greater value than the nation which he desires to lead.

BTW, I also just caught that ACORN is being investigated for voter fraud in 7 states so far including being a part of the effort in Indianapolis which is reporting a registered voter role in excess of 100% of their legal voting population. It appears they've had offices raided and computers and documents seized. Just like the old days in Chicago, eh?