Live Blog and Chat: Presidential debate
posted at 8:00 pm on September 26, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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I’ll be live-blogging the first presidential debate, scheduled to start at 9 PM ET. I’m using the Cover It Live system again tonight, but I’m combining it with the Ustream chat room from my show. That way the community can interact with each other as well as with me while I live-blog the debate. Jazz Shaw from The Moderate Voice will be moderating the chat, and don’t forget to register at Ustream to participate!
Here are the keys I’ll watch in the debate:
- If they stick to foreign policy, McCain has to get aggressive with Obama and demand specifics. McCain wants to emphasize his long experience on foreign policy and military affairs. Obama needs to keep the debate on general themes and criticize George Bush while avoiding getting pinned down on specifics.
- If the debate switches to financial policy, which I expect, the dynamics change a little bit. Obama is perceived to be stronger here, and he will need to get specific in order to demonstrate that. McCain still needs to aggressively push Obama on his inaction on Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae in 2005-6 and emphasize that government meddling created the financial meltdown.
- Obama reacted poorly when Hillary Clinton went after him in Pennsylvania. If he starts stammering his way through questions, he’s rattled. And no one gets under people’s skin like McCain.
I’ll watch the debates on C-SPAN. No one is providing an embeddable live-stream for the debate, as far as I know.
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Inflate your tires!
capitalist piglet on September 26, 2008 at 9:28 PM
The polls will differ.
ManlyRash on September 26, 2008 at 9:28 PM
I’m listening a delayed feed… so far, I’m disappointed in McCain’s not taking Barry and the Democrats to task for the Fannie/Freddie fiasco, nor has he mentioned that his co-sponsor of SB190 (to oversee Freddie/Fannie) and that all dems voted it down.
Missed opportunities by McCain – big time.
electric-rascal on September 26, 2008 at 9:28 PM
Obama goes off-topic, away from the financial rescue, away, AWAY! Then he spins off into full BS mode about tired old liberal idealism.
indythinker on September 26, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Calling for a new electric grid? That is not needed!
ConservativePartyNow on September 26, 2008 at 9:29 PM
NICE LINE! “It’s hard to reach across the aisle from that far to the left.”
Pilgrim on September 26, 2008 at 9:29 PM
“Broadband lines into rural communities…” – Obama
I am changing my vote!!!!111!!
carbon_footprint on September 26, 2008 at 9:29 PM
nice jab
slackerjpt on September 26, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Hard to reach across the isle from that for to the left! Ouch.
Ordinary1 on September 26, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Obama would rather that Exxon was run like Bear Stern maybe, so that it lost money?
RBMN on September 26, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Yup. Your point?
ManlyRash on September 26, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Yes! No to ethanol subsidies! Finally someone said it live on the air.
There goes, Iowa, though. Whatevs.
SouthernGent on September 26, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Leher’s voice is very similar to McCain’s. A couple times I thought McCain was cutting Obama off.
Mattpat11 on September 26, 2008 at 9:29 PM
What is cost contract?
Virginia Shanahan on September 26, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Does anyone think he might be saving it? I mean there will be a debate on the economy later on…
ninjapirate on September 26, 2008 at 9:30 PM
High Speed Internet in every pot
Ordinary1 on September 26, 2008 at 9:30 PM
McCain is owning him.
Can’t wait for Lehrer to bring in the bear for the cage match.
HornetSting on September 26, 2008 at 9:30 PM
He’s not black. He’s Pacific Asian American.
Or, according to Biden last week, he’s black.
But his mother is white…
Wait. I’m confused.
madmonkphotog on September 26, 2008 at 9:30 PM
Is the live chat working? I’m not seeing it right now…
dmarie on September 26, 2008 at 9:30 PM
The SunSword plan: Turn welfare recipients and illegal immigrants into Soylent Green and sell it to China!
SunSword on September 26, 2008 at 9:30 PM
Obama is fighting on Macs turf when it comes to spending.
John Doe on September 26, 2008 at 9:30 PM
I don’t know about this defense spending point. McCain needs to watch his story telling.
BuckeyeSam on September 26, 2008 at 9:30 PM
Yeah…Mac is doing a bit better now.
Pilgrim on September 26, 2008 at 9:30 PM
Where’s the fighter jocky?
Over.
1GooDDaDDy on September 26, 2008 at 9:30 PM
McCain talking about eliminating incompetent, corrupt federal workers.
YESSS!!!
indythinker on September 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM
What is your point, exactly?
Entelechy on September 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM
Scrub the NEA!
Ordinary1 on September 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM
eh eh eh eh eh eh ehe
carbon_footprint on September 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM
ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah…
dmarie on September 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM
Don’t say pot around Obama.
HornetSting on September 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM
invest in energy?
custer on September 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM
Memo to McCain:
Most Americans have no idea what you are talking about when you say “D.O.D”
Mark1971 on September 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM
Like what? Yeah, Obama…like what needs to be cut?
SouthernGent on September 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM
Nevermind. Got it.
Virginia Shanahan on September 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM
LOL
BuckeyeSam on September 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM
Lehrer? Fixed price contracts at DOD (and obviously other places) isn’t a MAJOR CUT???
ever heard of the $600 hammer???
Pilgrim on September 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM
Anybody lose audio for like 2 seconds?
Mattpat11 on September 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM
Think McCain is winning on detail, Obama on style.
Spirit of 1776 on September 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM
Tom? WTF??
carbon_footprint on September 26, 2008 at 9:32 PM
On nights like this, the chat traffic can’t keep up. At least that’s been my experience.
RBMN on September 26, 2008 at 9:32 PM
These guys are expecting laugh lines and are missing them…
Pilgrim on September 26, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Obama looks flustered, right now.
Star20 on September 26, 2008 at 9:32 PM
OK, I got here late…is this debate on the economy now? Did they switch the topic?
dmarie on September 26, 2008 at 9:32 PM
No specifics from Obama.
Obama has never referred to Bush as President Bush.
madmonkphotog on September 26, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Obama has crazy eyes…I think he’s gonna crack. So much for the zingers.
I think we need a “There you go again…”
HornetSting on September 26, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Started rough. Looking a little better. Get this cat back in a town hall format fertheloveofpete.
cgoode777 on September 26, 2008 at 9:32 PM
yeah but they fixed it.
Pilgrim on September 26, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Obama is sooo cool. Google for government! WOW
Ordinary1 on September 26, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Let’s talk about Obama’s Global Poverty Act and his civilian national security force.
BuckeyeSam on September 26, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Jim is having none of Obama’s blathering…lol. I’m surprised, but pleased.
SouthernGent on September 26, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Obama doesn’t take the ethanol bait. McCain will win any fight on that.
indythinker on September 26, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Did I hear Obama say McCain was right about cutting spending?
olddeadmeat on September 26, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Zingers have crack in them? No wonder I can’t stop eating them…
Pilgrim on September 26, 2008 at 9:33 PM
Obama is one true stuttering fool..needs to memorize his carefully prepared talking points rather than read them from crib notes…
AUINSC on September 26, 2008 at 9:33 PM
Called it, pre-game. No foreign policy discussion, no national security discussion. Once again, the media is in the tank for Obama. The debate process has turned into one big joke. All that’s left is for the MSM to call Obama the clear winner, if they haven’t already.
fogw on September 26, 2008 at 9:33 PM
No, we need a hatchet!!!
RBMN on September 26, 2008 at 9:33 PM
This is actually a good debate, Lehrer is handling this much better than the primary debates were done for both parties.
Typhonsentra on September 26, 2008 at 9:33 PM
Why entitlements? UGH!
DOH! Here come Obama’s spending.
Virginia Shanahan on September 26, 2008 at 9:33 PM
How exactly do you grow a capitalist economy from the bottom up as Obama suggests? Isn’t that the opposite of capitalism?
theregoestheneighborhood on September 26, 2008 at 9:33 PM
McCain going for a spending freeze to pay for financial rescue – awesome.
Obama: keep spending money we don’t have
indythinker on September 26, 2008 at 9:33 PM
There really isn’t anything that McCain has proposed that he needs to cut all that much. Everything Obama wants has to be cut.
Connie on September 26, 2008 at 9:33 PM
Why isn’t education left to the states?
BuckeyeSam on September 26, 2008 at 9:33 PM
Spending freeze is good. Now Obama is the far leftie again, which he just claimed not to be.
Entelechy on September 26, 2008 at 9:33 PM
childhood education? he means sex ed for kids.
madmonkphotog on September 26, 2008 at 9:33 PM
INCREASE early child education and vitamins for all!
Ordinary1 on September 26, 2008 at 9:33 PM
I agree, Lehrer is pushing them to commit
olddeadmeat on September 26, 2008 at 9:33 PM
BO took the bait
custer on September 26, 2008 at 9:33 PM
Obama wants out of Iraq NOW! Smart. Real Smart.
Star20 on September 26, 2008 at 9:34 PM
McCain plays the $700 billion energy independence trump card.
indythinker on September 26, 2008 at 9:34 PM
We don’t need early child care education funding. No more indoctrination centers. Leave the kids alone and stay out of my pocket to pay for your liberal brown shirt camps
church on September 26, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Offshore drilliing and nuclear power. Yes. Employment.
Get him.
BuckeyeSam on September 26, 2008 at 9:34 PM
700 billion being brought up is a good thing. Screw them, especially the ingrats.
Entelechy on September 26, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Welfare, Socialism, Communism..Iraq…get him on Iraq.
Oh John…you had me at no more welfare for terrorist countries…don’t go down that road.
HornetSting on September 26, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Bambi “truth squad in action.
Over.
1GooDDaDDy on September 26, 2008 at 9:34 PM
McCain really is doing much better. He’s calm and collected. Obama is frantic.
Mattpat11 on September 26, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Obama keeps saying he agree’s with Mac.
change? what change?
Drunk Report on September 26, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Nuclear powah ftw!
carbon_footprint on September 26, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Yay…climate change. Clinton!
SouthernGent on September 26, 2008 at 9:34 PM
The CNN reaction line is the best part of this whole show.
Typhonsentra on September 26, 2008 at 9:34 PM
What’s wrong with a spending freeze? Obamuuuuh didn’t like that. No sir.
capitalist piglet on September 26, 2008 at 9:34 PM
McCain highlights nuclear power – Obama can’t go there because of the green freaks. BRILLLIANT
indythinker on September 26, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Obama opposes Nuclear power. Jobs and power to the people, GO McCain! Oh. He mentioned climate change. Nobody’s perfect.
Ordinary1 on September 26, 2008 at 9:34 PM
bambi likes to get that little cocky look when McCain challenges him
John Doe on September 26, 2008 at 9:35 PM
I’m in on the glowing green stuff
slackerjpt on September 26, 2008 at 9:35 PM
Sweet. BO’s first big mistake!
Spirit of 1776 on September 26, 2008 at 9:35 PM
ok, Nuke. power..ok.
HornetSting on September 26, 2008 at 9:35 PM
LOL of course the O doesn’t want to freeze spending
tee866 on September 26, 2008 at 9:35 PM
Amen.
Lehrer: “Rule the country.” (?)
BuckeyeSam on September 26, 2008 at 9:35 PM
ACORN, ACORN, ACORN – Say ACORN dammit!
dugan on September 26, 2008 at 9:35 PM
Haha, McCain back with the 500 billion. PREACH IT!
Spirit of 1776 on September 26, 2008 at 9:35 PM
We could get all of our 700 billion. Goodie! 20% for ACORN. Awesome
Ordinary1 on September 26, 2008 at 9:36 PM
That smirk and that cadence, if I have to hear it for 4-8 years, will destroy my ears.
Entelechy on September 26, 2008 at 9:36 PM
Finally. McCain hits ObumBa on nuclear power! 700K jobs. He needs to circle back on that repeatedly.
SunSword on September 26, 2008 at 9:36 PM
I’d like to slap McCain for not saying how we got into this bailout mess!! Why doesn’t he do it???
Star20 on September 26, 2008 at 9:36 PM
Leher just said the president “rules” the country. Monarchs rule, not American Presidents.
highhopes on September 26, 2008 at 9:36 PM
I think the debate is turning towards McCain by now.
El_Terrible on September 26, 2008 at 9:36 PM
SLAM! No government healtchare! SLAM!
SouthernGent on September 26, 2008 at 9:36 PM
What are the tough decisions he is going to make and I would like him to give me an example of when he has ever made a tough decision. Oh I forgot he was against the war in Iraq when he wasn’t even in the Senate to cast a vote. How brave, how tough.
church on September 26, 2008 at 9:36 PM
Stop paying for illegal aliens…that will fix the healthcare problem.
HornetSting on September 26, 2008 at 9:36 PM
Amen. You know when Obama cannot respond–he doesn’t interrupt.
BuckeyeSam on September 26, 2008 at 9:36 PM
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