FWIW:

My Cincinnati paper reports about 211,000 new Ohio voters for 2008 over 2004. About 123,000 of those are from the county that encompasses Cleveland. I’m going to guess that there aren’t going to be a lot of McCain votes in that group. About 67,000 of them are from the county that encompasses Columbus. I have no idea which way that’ll cut–academics at Ohio State, students, and black.

BuckeyeSam on October 8, 2008 at 7:13 AM

I did not hear one question about Ayers. It does not seem to me that most Americans are all that concerned about it. What exactly does Steyn think McCain can do about that?
Terrye on October 8, 2008 at 6:52 AM

It’s Andy McCarthy, not Steyn, although I would imagine that Steyn concurs with McCarthy’s indisputably accurate observations.

Just for starters, education was an issue that came up and McCain should have seized that opportunity to point out that Obama funneled millions of dollars to perpetuate Bill Ayers unabashedly radical plans to turn children into Maoist agents, including hundreds of thousands to Stalinist Mike Klonsky through his “Small Schools Workshop”.

Buy Danish on October 8, 2008 at 7:18 AM

For those that haven’t seen how it’s done… here’s Yuri Bezmenov for your viewing pleasure if you wish to see what has been and is taking place in our society:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x32cxf_yuri-bezmenov

CC

CapedConservative on October 8, 2008 at 7:34 AM

Buy Danish on October 8, 2008 at 7:18 AM

But Danish — that would involve John McCain leveling pretty harsh criticism at a Democrat! He can’t do that. McCain only harshly criticizes Republicans!

Andy McCarthy is exactly right. That debate performance by McCain did not meet my expectations even remotely. Honestly, just by watching the debates, Obama would come off as a more appealing candidate to me — and I’m pretty damn conservative. (No, I do not and would not support Obama because I know he’s a closet radical and would be a disaster as President — I’m just evaluating what Obama actually SAYS during these debates).

Everything Obama says ties back to a clear campaign narrative. Republican deregulation, trickledown economics, and greed have hurt the country. We need accountability and change. My policies will restore America’s greatness and put the middle class first. EVERYTHING OBAMA SAYS ties back to one of those three points.

What is McCain all about? A menagerie of gobbledygook. Some “I’m not going to raise taxes” here, a little “$300 billion bad loan buyback” there, some “we will have victory in Iraq” over there, with wit and witticisms as seasoning?

Outlander on October 8, 2008 at 7:40 AM

“Point” Made a big “point”. Coffee- more coffee

anniekc on October 8, 2008 at 7:42 AM

I think that people are more apt to vote for McCain than they’re letting on.

Then again, I also tend to think out of my ass.

Make of that what ye will.

Tuning Spork on October 8, 2008 at 7:46 AM

McCain-PALIN!

profitsbeard on October 8, 2008 at 7:50 AM

It’s not “McCain’s Economics are Bush’s”.
*
It’s “Obama’s Economics are CARTER’S”.
*
21% Interest Rates / 12% unemployment
*
It’s bad, but it could get A LOT worse.
*
That’s the picture McCain needs to paint.

marklmail on October 8, 2008 at 7:53 AM

I wish I were ol’ Bob’s age. Then I could just retire.

Obama’s gonna win and he’s gonna tax the shit out of my business.

I am not a happy camper right now.

Tuning Spork on October 8, 2008 at 7:54 AM

Since John McCain didn’t bring it up,, maybe it really isn’t that bad!

How was he supposed to do that? “I’ll get to your question about the economy, but first, let’s talk about Bill Ayers.” He answered the questions that were presented to him. And he did answer them.

Jim Treacher on October 8

Well, golly, there were many times I would have brought up Ayers. Ayers has to do with, what’s that word,, uh, uhh uhh, JUDGMENT!!! THE WHOLE ENTIRE DEBATE IS ABOUT JUDGMENT!
OK?? One glaring shouting in your face moment was when idiot moron airhead Obama brought up 911!!!! That would have been a great time for McCain to thank Obama for bringing up 911,, and saying something to the effect of,, “I am glad to hear Senator Obama loves his nation,, I would ask him why then he chooses friends who bomb the pentagon, and one such friend, since he mentions 911, Bill Ayers, was quoted in the news just 3 days after 911, as saying America basically deserved it!!!”
That might be a thing to say!!!
I agree so much with the headline of this post!!
This is not just about some election!! We have a communist airhead palling around with terrorists who thinks he is the next messiah, 3 weeks from winning the Presidency of the US!!
McCain, continues to stubbornly refuse to confront this! Obama is the national security issue!! McCain has the opportunity to reveal this the America and all he can do is talk about taxes!
I don’t care what the question was,, they kept asking the same questions over and over to waste time! At some point,, after being asked for the 6th freakin time what his health care plan is, he could have turned to the cameras and say to America,, “Friends, I answered this health care 5 other times, and the clock is ticking,, I have something that concerns me a great deal and that is the judgment of Obama! You are going to have a lot more to worry about than just your health care, because blah blah blah blah!!!”
So freakin sad!! So freakin sad!
That is what leaders do!
I am voting for Sarah Palin! But I am so sick of all the Bob Doles, John McCain’s, Grahmnesties, new tone Bushes, and all the other half baked so called Republicans that continue to close their eyes to what is actually going on in America with the Democrat party! The Democrats are getting away with treason!
Republicans need to start winning at the local levels right away! We have few national leaders that are going to make a difference. Now is the time to start winning at the local and state levels! That is where we have to take back this party!

JellyToast on October 8, 2008 at 7:58 AM

@LegendHasIt on October 8, 2008 at 3:26 AM

“And are YOU saying that McCain is capable of articulating cogently? He may speak slightly better than President Bush, but his ACTUAL UNDERSTANDING of most situations that a Chief Executive has to deal with is much too shallow to endure close examination anyway.”

Absolutely, where he is lacking is in the “eloquently” category. Obama is better at that except that after he gets past his bogus mantra of “HOPE you’re not paying close attention, let’s CHANGE the subject” there’s very little substance in his words. McCain beats Obama hands down when it comes discussing subjects in terms that Americans can think about 5 minutes later and not then wonder, “Hmm, WTF did he just say?!”

I agree, the media filter is stuck in Obama-apologetics mode but that’s not McCain’s doing. In fact, I could argue that McCain was the only Repub who had any chance at countering that skewed filter.

My original point was that there are times and places for passionate displays of partisanship and that the debate forum is not one of them under the current circumstances. That’s what the campaign trail is for and McCain has recently turned up the heat on Obama’s predilections to constantly align himself with nefarious types and the Democrats culpability in the current economic disaster that has been thrust upon us. Also, Palin is doing a great job at flying wingman and forcing the MSM into doing their job at vetting both sides of the political aisle, witness the recent blue moon CNN coverage of “The One”’s BS denial of having much contact with Ayres and company.

Actually, I agree with you that we are in a cultural war (soliloquy “which will have lasted longer, the Cold War or the Cultural War?”) but as Rummy might say, “We fight the war with the politicians we have.” We are in a stupid time in American culture, one not unlike that of the 1920s. Let’s hope it’s cyclic and that jar back into reality isn’t as depressing as it was back then.

Sailfish on October 8, 2008 at 8:06 AM

Only God can win this for McCain our country now.

JellyToast on October 7, 2008 at 11:54 PM

If God were to take a direct hand in this election, I doubt it would be to get McCain elected. God tends to think waaayyyy outside the box. If he took a direct hand in this, I would suspect something more along the lines that McCain dies in his sleep and Palin takes over, asking Mitt to be her VP, and then winning.

However, knowing God’s justice… I fully expect that he will make us suffer for the choices our country has made over the last few decades. We will suffer through them and hopefully repent of our nation’s sins, and come out the better for it. After all, he disciplines those whom he loves…

dominigan on October 8, 2008 at 8:13 AM

Zogby is the most accurate historically.

Zogby was accurate once. Why that guy keeps getting paid attention to is a mystery.

Tuning Spork on October 8, 2008 at 8:17 AM

That minority of republicans that are going to stay home and wait for 2012 or 2016 is small I think.

johnt on October 8, 2008 at 1:39 AM

However, I think it got larger after this debate…

dominigan on October 8, 2008 at 8:20 AM

Well, zogby has obama falling again in polls, I think it is within the margin of error so McCain could actually be ahead.
I feel a little better since I vented.
McCain may not have hurt himself as much as we think,, but Obama could not have helped himself much either,, especially with his stammering and “I’m green behind the ears” thing.
If the momentum now continues with McCain in the polls and McCain keeps Palin out there and ramps up attack ads,,, this doesn’t have to be over. Especially with one more debate. I hope it’s not a town hall meeting.
Stupid questions! With all the serious issues out there and over 6 million questions to choose from, and idiot Brokaw picks “What don’t you know and how will you know it!”
What a mockery!

JellyToast on October 8, 2008 at 8:28 AM

Have to agree with Andy McCarthy at National Review.
Obama is just cruising through the last weeks of the campaign implementing his line in his book for dealing with whites:
“It was usually an effective tactic, another one of those tricks I had learned: People were satisfied as long as you were courteous and smiled and made no sudden moves. They were more than satisfied; they were relieved–such a pleasant surprise to find a well-mannered young black man who didn’t seem angry all the time.” pg 94
——–

McCain is either holding back the good stuff for the last two weeks or he is just going through the motions just to get it all over and back to being a full-time Senator where he has decided is a better place to be these next 4-8 years.

albill on October 8, 2008 at 8:45 AM

RushBaby on October 8, 2008 at 8:13 AM

“He’d better sign off on some real partisanship from the rest of his campaign, though.”

Yeah, I’d also like to see him get more aggressive in defending the decision to take the fight to the terrorists and those regimes that abet them. Iraq and Afghanistan are battlefields in the real war. He could easily defend Iraq by simply pointing out that prior to 2001, the US had been attacked almost every two years (WTC ‘93, Khobar Towers ‘96, Nairobi ‘98, USS COLE - 2000) along with other non-US targets (East Timor 1999, Phillipines, Sudan, &c.)

Since invading Iraq and Afghanistan, significant attacks on US targets has come to almost a halt. Some is because of increased security, sure, but my bet is that the biggest reason is that those countries who previously abetted the terrorists know now that the US has the wherewithal and will to force regime change. They look at Iraq and Afghanistan and realize that those who used to be in power are no longer there and they know that there’s a better than 50% chance that if they let their little friends hit us again, we may suffer but at least one in their cabal will be doomed to a similar fate.

Actually, it’s probably too late for him to make that case, what with the Democrat-orchestrated economic meltdown but if the question comes up again on the trail or in the debate, I think a defense similar to the above would resonate with most Americans.

Sailfish on October 8, 2008 at 8:57 AM

McCain did not do what he had to do last night.

ronsfi on October 8, 2008 at 9:35 AM

It’s true. . .it’s depressing. . . it’s lost.
Even my most optimistic conservitive friend conceded last night as we watched the debate, Obama wins

Willie on October 8, 2008 at 2:16 PM