Pajiba

Dull and ugly. But not in the awesome cringe-worthy ugly way.

Hopefully Palin drops by in her F-18 and shoots that wolf of a person that is McCain. *wink*

Obama won.

NEXT!

I've got beer and popcorn, and I plan on yelling a lot. I'm also hoping McCain's head pops off.

Oh wait, actually they're going to watch Dancing With the Stars now. Perhaps they shall.

I just hope it's aggravating enough that it forces McCain to tear off his human flesh and reveal that he's a Skeksis, whereupon Obama and he square off in Haakskeekah, set to the tunes of West Side Story. Either that, or when John becomes flustered, he sends out Palin to show her lady parts... Either way, I'll be happy.

I have a kind of drinking game set to go: If Obama brings up the Keating Five, I am going to get shithouse stinking drunk.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Skittimus, your Skeksis remark finally cracked it for me. Palin is Crab People! Oooh, they are a shrewd bunch...

Cindy, I'm with you. Here's hoping his head pops off. Beer and popcorn sound like excellent ideas as well... going to go get out my Obama shirt and open a bottle.

As the person in charge of liberating your country I feel that I must watch this exchange to determine strategy.

That and I am really hoping that we get to see Obama take McCain down with a vicious attack. Like he hides behind the podium and when McCain comes out he jumps out and yells BOO! and McCain has a massive coronary. Palin rushes the stage to administer mouth to mouth but can't because McCains false teeth have lodged in his throat.

That would be entertaining.

I wonder what they give McCain. My Grandpa is always in bed by now.

"Let's not raise taxes on anyone. . . . today."

Does that mean he'll be raising them after he's in office?

McCain's has a plan. He's gong to get all Mavericky up in there.

Bullfucking shit. The government is going to buy up houses, eat a loss and sell them back at a lower price?

Well said.

I was just happy to hear that if the election were today, Obama would win outright.

Woo!

Also, Nick Bortz (sp?) is a dillweed.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/mccain_speechwriter_trying

Obama was stumbling.

God I hate these guys. This country is so fucked.

American's workers are the bestest evah!!!!1!

This sounds like a rehash of the first two debates. Same sound bites, same non-answers.

Can McCain pander more? "Americans are the best and brightest, blah, blah, blah, YAY Americans vote for me because I said you were pretty..." It's like he thinks we're all chicks with low self esteem.

PS: I enjoyed Teresa's emPHAsis when she asked her question!

I seriously thought McCain put his hand on the leg of that broad in the front row for a second there.

Did anybody read the article about McCain's history in Rolling Stone this week? Long story short, McCain's a 72 year old, craftier Bush.

McCain you dick! That planetarium in Chicago is the first planetarium in the Western hemisphere. It is a treasure, it is amazing, and it is directly responsible for getting me laid.

Go to hell.

"Well *I* wrote a letter too! Mine was to Shaun Cassidy warning him about the impending Bonaduce crisis... and NOBODY fucking listened.

MAKE ME THE PREZZ!"

Best post of the thread thus far.

HA! He can do everything at once? He couldn't even campaign and handle the economy crisis at the same time.

My drinking game word is "earmarks" and did Obama just say he wanted to do something along the lines of a line-item veto? Didn't Clinton learn that lesson?

9/11? Bad move Obama. Bets that we hear about McCain's war history.

I don't think Obama's winning over those Tennesseans by going on about energy.

McCain likes to reach across the aisle..for what? A reacharound?

I swear on Salma's Oktoberbreasts that I only posted my comment once.

Herbert Hoover:
Older reference lost on younger viewers.

A good point though.

My new drinking game is every time I hear the word "taxes." I am SO wasted.

In an overpopulated world, shouldn't we
STOP rewarding breeders for breeding? (I have a kid, so this isn't just bitterness on my part).

Seriously, Eep. Whenever someone mentions that I always think vacuum first, president second.

McCain looks doddering and mean. Crowd seems nice. O'bama shouldn't get off his game.

I do hope someone flips a bird though.

We're drinking every time he says "my friends".

Meanwhile, McCain must have taken meds tonight, because he's way too mellow.

"Herbert Hoover:
Older reference lost on younger viewers.

A good point though."

Except not. A badly thought out tax cut with a sunset clause not being renewed is not the same thing as raising taxes.

It's not that tough; that's why it's broken now.

McCain is saying the same thing to every question. My friends, let's cross party lines...I've done that before...Obama's going to raise taxes...

To the economy it is. The tax rate goes up=a tax increase as far as the economy is concerned.

You know, but telling people that you are against your party leadership, isn't that just admitting that your party sucks cock?

"I'll answer the question"
Not like Sarah, eh?

Did the man with FACE CANCER just tell me that nuclear power is perfectly safe???

You know, but telling people that you are against your party leadership, isn't that just admitting that your party sucks cock?

Posted by: JakesAlterEgo at October 7, 2008 9:43 PM

Republicans don't believe in sucking cock.

The Monty Burns connection is growing! Did he just derisively scoff at "safe disposal or something" at nuclear reactors?

"My Friends" is his version of Palin's "Maverick".

Ok, but points for him because he can pronounce "nuclear" properly...

Wow, that's sad that the only positive thing I can find about McCain is his ability to pronounce a word. *sigh*

Reagan nostalgia: Same reason some folks still miss Thatcher. Those were good time for a certain group and they want a return to glory. Like "I Love the 80s", but with greedy shites.

Full disclosure: I did love the 80s, but politics had nothing to do with it.

He couldn't remember her name.

It's INGRID.

Did McCain actually just warn America that Social Security and Medicare is going to be cut -- "we won't be able to fund them to the same standards as we do now"? Bad move, maverick, your peeps at the AARP aren't going to find that kind of "change" so great.

I'm bored, this is not as fun!

McCain needs to be careful when he's leaning on his chair & writing at the same time. He really could fall & break a hip.

I'm really enjoying how angry and sarcastic Brokaw's getting.

MYFRIENDSMYFRIENDSMYFRIENDS

Uhhhh jodeci, you might want to look up the story on Chernobyl. When intelligent people run nuclear power plants then yes, it is safe.

I wish I could be drinking. Too bad it's the middle of the day in Australia and I'm in a uni computer lab. Also too bad that my keeping track of the election serves no purpose.
I just want to pinch McCain's cheek and give him a hug! He's such a teddy bear.

This is by far the best way to weather the debate. Thanks to posters for keeping me up to date and smiling instead of cringing and cowering behind my hands (as I might be if I were watching it happen).

Obama, I love you, I'm going to vote for you, but PLEASE, for the love of Godtopus, ANSWER THE FUCKING QUESTION.

McCain walks like Frankenstein.

"UGH!!! GRRR!!! OBAMA BAAAD!!!!"

The dangers of Nuclear power are heavily overrated. I say this as a member of a nation which contains one of the biggest reserves of Uranium in the world and yet possess only one Nuclear reactor (not used for supplying power).
Did Obama just imply that McCain is God?

Oh Bslim, how I've missed you today... Are you and me cool, you sonofabitch? Toss the neverending racism shit to the side and make with the hugs and kisses and shit? I don't want lose our collective edge, mind you, but I'm calling a truce. In order to skin the Republican turkey....

How's 'bout it. i can't live without you. you crazy bastard... You are the yin to my Vodka-induced yang...

C;mon, motherfucker... the passenger seat of the MurderTank is welcoming and ready for ass...

Obama gonna cover all my maternitys.

I'm less concerned about the safety of the nuclear plants themselves than what we would do with the spent fuel - it's going to be around for longer than humanity... how many more deserts are going to be used as the dumping grounds?

Universal health care. Say it. Just say "universal health care". Why won't you assholes just give us universal health care!?

WTF hair transplants?

Republicans don't believe in sucking cock.

Posted by: ncnn at October 7, 2008 9:45 PM

Tell that to Larry Craig.

Ed Bagley is that you?

I just tuned in - what fine is he trying to quip about???

And maybe I'm deluded...but since when is the US known as a peace making nation?

Lauri:

I think it was a poorly-executed burn on Joe Biden, who people joke about/accuse of having hairplugs.

But it didn't go over, clearly!

BG

"affecting America's role as a peacemaker" America is a peacemaker now? I'm pretty sure only an American (and by no means all Americans) would see it as so.
Force for Good *scoffs*... just NO!

Well explained Obama. Shopping for healthcare with a refund, what a mess. Great ex with Delaware. I swear, you see that laugh? Brokaw is McCain's lil' bitch tonight!

if we don't have time for 'on the job training' what the fuck is Sarah Palin doing on the ticket?

Spot on Stella!

The US did have the ability to stop Rwanda. Read "Shake Hands With the Devil"

My god the arrogance of these people. I find incredibly it offensive that they consider the US to be the greatest country ever.
It's statements like this more than almost anything else that creates bad feeling towards the US. If it wasn't for you people those kind of statements would be my entire experience of Americans. My view (as it was before I discovered this site) would not be a positive one.

Boy if we could just get a major candidate that wanted to stay out of everybody's business...

Boy if we could just get a major candidate that wanted to stay out of everybody's business...

Posted by: Eep at October 7, 2008 10:07 PM

Spot on!

Anyone who actually uses their healthcare plans will know that $5k will be gone in the first months of a year. Meanwhile, McCain taxing healthcare will cause problems for the employer and the employees.

Freaky eyed woman behind question asker is freaky!

And Chugga, while you make a good point, I would say this: If we're so arrogant as to say over and over we're the best in the world, we probably aren't that interested in how the international community perceives that statement.

I can't watch anymore. I'm ready to my remote through the TV whenever McCain talks.

What gives any one country the right to force their values on any other nation? Assuming you're any more right is just wrong. Maybe the system can be set up to perform peacemaking duties effectively but it's a UN issue and not a US one.

McCain is offering a clinic on diplomacy and international relations! How quaint! Dumbass.

To paraphrase, and correct me if I'm wrong - the US helped desperate Afghan "freedom fighters" to drive out the Russians. Then we left. Then they were screwed. Now we have to go and fight a war, and that makes us awesome. We're great, because we screwed over a country and then went back to screw with it some more.

Talk softly and carry a big stick???!?!?!?!?!??!??!?

For the love of fuck, when has the US government ever been known to "talk softly"?

To Stella: Because they don't have oil...

Is it just me or is McCain being a big fat dick tonight? He's making Obama look more like a diplomatic gentleman with every smart ass remark.

Smart and cautious vs. cocky, irresponsible and arrogant (ie the Soviet Union back then). there's a big difference. And yes the dangers are overrated.

May I respond? Nah uh!

This is getting painful. I just want them to stop blinking so much.

And Chugga, while you make a good point, I would say this: If we're so arrogant as to say over and over we're the best in the world, we probably aren't that interested in how the international community perceives that statement.

Posted by: Marra at October 7, 2008 10:10 PM

Likely true. The kind of extreme patriotism I see exhibited in America (and some other countries which are somewhat less prominent obviously) is at least as dangerous as extremist religion. If the US was to continue to try to act in this capacity I would fully support some kind of military action against them, the same as I would against North Korea if they were to attack another country. I honestly don't see a distinction.

sorry Obama, but our #1 national security priority is to kill that one bearded dialysis dude? sounds straw-manny.

anytime one of these intelligent, thoughtful head-cocked pontificators like Obama or Kerry talk about whom they're going to kill, it never sounds exactly right.

I think it's fair to say that the people of Iraq do not feel safer now than they did seven years ago. Not even close. Read Bagdhad Burning (blog).

Diplomatic and other kinds of leverage are nothing compared to Palin's eye focused on Russia. She's got this covered, dudes...let's talk about something else.

Nonsense, you have just as much of a say (if not more so) than anyone else because of your occupation. Just know that someone can, and likely will, call you on your choice in the matter.

Kizzer - you don't need more beer....you need more water and batteries. Gonna need them when the world implodes very, very soon. I'm terrified about what's coming - SOMETHING is going to happen, something big. We're at a turning point, one way or the other...and I fucking hate it, but apparently the US is at the steering wheel, at least for a little while longer.

NEED... MORE... BEER...

Posted by: Kizzer at October 7, 2008 10:21 PM

There is not enough beer.

NEED... MORE... BEER...

Posted by: Kizzer at October 7, 2008 10:21 PM

There is not enough beer.

Posted by: ncnn at October 7, 2008 10:24 PM

I have no beer. Pity me.

AGAIN!!!! He wouldn't wait for the UN!!!

Holy fuck. Please don't elect him, Americans. This man shows no respect for the diplomatic community. I pray to my cat that Obama answers in the negative to this question.

The UN has to have some power...it was created the last time a country thought they were the fuckin' bees knees and could do whatever they wanted.

My friends, we have to make sure we're gonna look at our records and unite the American work force, which is the best in the world, and we're gonna cut taxes and be the best nation in the world, and I wanna thank you my friend for bringing that up my friend. Iraq. Iraaaaaaq. Teddy Roosev-big sticks. My friend.

Ughh... This shit is mind-numbing.

My 14 year old brother keeps blathering about how great McCain is and interrupts everything with a cry of "War Hero!" He won't even let me mock his penguiness without reminding me that he was tortured. I feel I've failed him.

Is it just me, or is McCain a pompous prick for saying that by saying "yes", he's reigniting the cold war??? Am I just sensitive?

Posted by: kalafraja at October 7, 2008 10:25 PM

Yes an no. I think he's right to say so. At the very least it would put a strain further negotiations with Russia to say "YES, THEY ARE TOTALLY EVIL!" if he then became President.

Awesome question.

Ooops - Chugga

Sorry about the typo. Must have been thinking about chugging.

And no one will answer it.

what was the question?

WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!

What the fuck is he doing regurgitating Biden's speech??

Mostly boring.

If I hadn't seen Obama speak during the primary campaign, I would so wonder what the hell the hype was all about. Is dude ever gonna bring it?

Did McCain just refuse to shake Obama's hand?

So who won? I don't really know enough about the issues to know. Plus this is the first election debate I've ever watched so I have no benchmarks. Thoughts?

I think McCain gets a lot of leeway for his warbling old man voice. It makes his little speeches sound impassioned, sagely, and adorably codgery. You just wanna say "Ah, shucks" and pinch his chipmunk cheek. It was the most powerful part of his closing.

MSNBC's post debate coverage "We've been reading the internet!"

@ ncnn --- I bet she's a hockey mom. Fuck.

I think it would be awesome of the Dems could get a high profile hockey player to come out and endorse Obama.

@ Chugga - he certainly does look huggable. But, the facade of a cuddly grandpappy is ruined the moment he opens his mouth and starts spouting shit.

I think that people in Northern California (at least around me) don't admit so openly to voting for McCain/Palin. I know a bunch of people who will vote for Obama, and a few people who become incredibly quiet when the subject comes up. I think those are the Republicans.

Kalafraja, 99% of my family tree (brought to you by Georgia and the Carolinas, thankyouverymuch)and 50% of my coworkers will vote McCain/Palin next month. It will be a long holiday season, and I'd swear I was adopted if I didn't look just like my dad.

I don't believe anyone's undecided--they're just reluctant to come down openly on the side of McCain/Palin. Sure, there are things I'm less than thrilled with about Obama/Biden, but choosing them is the simplest choice I've faced since I said "No, thank you, no veal for me". The CNN poll has over 80% of people saying a debate has never made them change the way they planned to vote, and there's a segment of the population that won't vote Obama even if you give them a million dollars each. It's a waste of time to keep pretending they can be reached.

kalafraja, I live and work with "Joe and Jane Sixpacks". It's very disheartening, frankly. People who normally seem smart buy into the whole "she's/he's just like me - wooohoo!" They think Democrats are scary and want to raise taxes and force people to have abortions. They're sure that if the Democrats are in office teh gays will be getting married willy-nilly and Mexicans are going to storm the country and steal their guns. It's really sad.

The comments I heard after the VP debate were mostly along the lines of, "she seems awfully nice and like she and her husband worked really hard to create a stable, happy family". I'm not sure where they got that from the debate, but they bought the image. It seems like likeability is more important than experience, question answering and not sounding like a dumbass...

It's a shocking situation, absolutely...and really unheard of here. It may sound terrible, but I think that we're so riled up here about the American electoral process that it's impacting our view of politics in general.

In Canada, and I suspect in the US, it's less about parties and more about direction. There is a "war", if you will, between small c liberals and conservatives. We're at a turning point - people know more than they did five years ago, eight years ago...the world is a much different place....crazy shit is going on....and the time has come for the collective to make a call about the direction we'll take. This is an election for change, or commitment, on both sides of the border. Regardless of the outcome, it will be terrifying for one segment of the population.

And that is when crazy shit will happen.

It's funny how many Americans seem to think so differently than the rest of the world. I haven't heard a single non-American (primarily Australian, but encompassing a few other nationalities as well) express hope that McCain will get into office. What's with that?

Lainey/Stella - this astounds me. I just don't get it, but I guess I'm not meant to.

I am very close to tears.

The only consolation in Canada is that generally speaking, the Liberals and Conservatives can only get away with a few degrees of change on either side of centre...so while I don't want the yahoo that's leading the Conservatives as my PM, at least he won't fundamentally change the way the country is run...he wouldn't be allowed. Doesn't seem to work that way in the States.

If this was a football game,

McCain 12
Obama 19

After a rough first half, Obama began using McCain's vaunted strengths against him. Obama was ahead for only 40 percent of the debate, but he's the only one that scored a touchdown. Each team had a fumble and Brokaw made a bad officiating decision when he asked that Manhattan Project versus Silicon Valley competitive business question and then didn't even think about asking Obama. It was a good question if badly worded. McCain had a brief rally on his comments on Russia, but Obama was in control for the last 40 minutes of the debate. The last play of the game, Obama kneeled it and took his sweet smooth time allowing all the people who just came to see what the quaterback looks like under pressure to get their vote's worth. Barry's got ground game. Barry can run. McCain's town hall didn't get him a win. You think MC wants that Pakistan question back?

This is good since, despite lying about more things in that first debate, it was my impression McCain won in Oxford. Debate 2 went to Obama by a larger margin.

Thanks, Admin11, I may have to head that way. I'm just across the lake from one of the Canadas. I don't know which one. The one across from Detroit?

Seriously, you sure you want us? We don't know shit about any country other than ours and even that is a dubious statement. We know more about Kim Kardashian's ass than we do about our own damn country...

Oh Jakes your fucked. The CIA is now on the way to your house. They use a special software that only picks up key words. Its a secret new technology they call Google.

Em, Lee:
How do you think any kind of insurance works? It's called a risk pool. It's about all of us looking after each other. Ever heard of "community"? And good luck with the no taxes thing. I assume you enjoy having no roads, failing bridges, an under-supplied military, etc. Hope that cave is cosy this winter.

My argument would be that anyone who dies for lack of simple healthcare represents an entire life's worth of a drain on resources, and in the long run it works out better for everyone if all the people in a given society are healthier and happier and better able to work.

of course, I support a system of government that is as heavily socialized as is possible while still retaining capitalism, and working for society as a whole should take precedence over working for yourself, though there's no reason for these to be mutually exclusive goals.

Wow PaddyDog, way to show you know nothing about Obama's plan.

Part of the Federal budget will go to a newly created independent bank that pertains specifically to infrastructure and will fund new and ongoing projects which is expected to create around 2 million new jobs and stimulate about $35 billion a year.

Silver lining:

I can't fucking wait for this week's Eloquence.

"Admin11 - I could NOT agree with you more. Why does the US get to do what it wants, and Iran/N. Korea/anywhere the fuck else can't??? Who appointed them sheriff, judge and jury? Why?? WHY??? It frustrates me to no end, this sense of entitlement, this sense of being the moral barometer of the world. This very thing keeps me awake at night. Seriously. This is why the world is in the state it's in right now, and it's terrifying."

/pedant
American exceptionalism derives from the revolution. Instead of just happening to grow up somewhere and be of the same kinship group, Americans left a nation that would not allow them to do as they liked and moved somewhere where there was supposed to be enough room for everybody to do their own thing for all eternity. Then they ran out of room.

farfalina

well said, but one would think that an entire country would be enough room to do what you want. My point is that no nation should be able to do what they want on a global or cross country basis. Indeed this is one of the principle arguments that the United States seems to make when enforcing their own policies on other countries.

Ganesh,

I love that idea. Could you spread the word? Maybe get more people to vote for him instead of McCain? Ya know, for the sake of learning and all..

Bravo Mr. Rhyme. Bravo.

I cringed every time McCain said "my friends." The folksy stuff doesn't impress me.

Does anyone here live in a town where there are "Joe Six Packs"? Can anyone tell me whether people will actually vote for McCain/Palin?

Posted by: kalafraja at October 7, 2008 10:37 PM

Memebers of my family, who don't like change, are hooked into FoxNews like junkies, and whose outlooks remain stuck in 1962. They'll vote McCain/Palin. I'm the token Democrat and progressive of the family.

It's exhausting.

Either that or the Comish was going to do us all a favor and slaughter the Six Packs, and have his way with the "hot, but not yet trashy" Teeny Bopper Six Pack.

Then again, I always imagine Dr. Cox from Scrubs quitting the Doctoring profession to wreck havoc on society. (And I haven't even had my coffee yet.)

Alex: I don't know what thread you're following but I was responding to Lee who said taxes were the same as robbery. I'm all for Obama's plan (and I have not only read it in detail, I have explained it to potential voters when I canvass them). In fact I want him to tax the uppper tax bracket event more (and yes, I am in that bracket myself).

Pookie - a tiller refers to a rototiller, which is an implement used to turn soil. Basically, it's used in gardening/farming to mix up soil before seeds/bulbs are planted.

So...he will have a relaxed and steady hand on the machine that will disturb the surface...destroy the status quo in anticipation of starting over?

@Pookie & kalafraja:

"firm hand on the tiller" is NOT about rototillers (though that did describe what the repugs are doing to our constitution).

a tiller is the long piece of wood attached to a boat's rudder that allows you to steer.

a firm hand on the tiller is needed to steer the ship of state in stormy, perilous times.

yes, I read too much.

Thank you Walter, so I guess I got a tiller in my pants then.

"Pookie - a tiller refers to a rototiller, which is an implement used to turn soil. Basically, it's used in gardening/farming to mix up soil before seeds/bulbs are planted.

So...he will have a relaxed and steady hand on the machine that will disturb the surface...destroy the status quo in anticipation of starting over?"

Tee hee. Is the machine...in his pants?

You forget Kalafraja that many Joe Sixpacks love them some bass fishin' so they probably got the metaphor just fine.

"Thank you Walter, so I guess I got a tiller in my pants then.
Posted by: Pookie at October 8, 2008 11:39 AM"

as long as it ain't a Rototiller, Pooks