Tag Archives: obama

Thoughts on the first debate

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This was a very anticipated debate and I think it lived up to and exceeded my expectations. I was very impressed at Barack Obama’s ability to not only go toe-to-toe with McCain on foreign policy issues, but to even take the upper hand in a variety of moments.

I think McCain played his part well as far as his campaign is concerned. He attacked Obama in a merciless fashion, saying “he doesn’t understand” about Obama multiple times — to the point of annoyance — and pushing his experience to the forefront. Where I think that hurt is that it also showed his age, his possible unwillingness to cooperate with anyone who thinks differently, and it didn’t show a large enough separation from the Bush Administration.

Probably the one thing that stood out for me from this debate the most is the fact that McCain did not look at or address Brack Obama directly at all. He consistantly and adamantly avoided any type of eye contact despite the plea from moderator Jim Lehrer — and the format of the debate — for the two candidates to talk amongst and between themselves. Throughout the night Obama called McCain “John” and looked in his direction while addressing him as “you” and “your policies.” I don’t know how much that will register with the undecided voter, but I lost a bit of respect for McCain because of it.

It think Barack Obama did as well as could be expected, but I also think he went a little too light on McCain. He didn’t mention the Republican majority in Congress for 6 of the last 8 years, didn’t push McCain’s 90% agreement with Bush enough, and did not mention any sort of poll stating the opinion of Americans on the war, which would have been in Obama’s favor. Also his many mentions of agreeing with McCain will be thrown right back in his face, despite each of them having a significant “but…” after them. Those will be blown way out of context but nontheless, they will be used. This is something Barack will have to fix in the next two debates.

I think McCain had the edge in the emotion category with all of his stories. I think people will connect with them, despite the need for some fact checking. Things like Eisenhower’s two letters (no letter of resignation) and Barack’s Afghanistan hearings (Obama is the chairmn of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs, so he wouldn’t hold one on Afghanistan, but he did attend running mate Joe Biden’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Afghanisan once) had major factual errors.

And maybe the most important aspect of the debate: NO MCCAIN FLAGPIN. That communist bastard.

Maybe it’s just me…

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…but the speakers at the Republican National Convention are sounding a little paranoid in their attacks on Obama. They obviously see him as a very real threat.

Not that the Democrats didn’t take their shots at McCain, but I’m hearing a lot of bad jokes, applause lines and yee-haw guffawing that is a little too much in bad taste.

But maybe I’m just biased.

Obama/McCain: Argument about “More Experience”

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One of the main arguments against Barack Obama for President is that McCain has more experience, or rather, Obama does not have enough experience.

My favorite rebuttal against that is this: Look where experience has gotten us so far.

My question to you is does this work? My (admittedly naive) view on it is that the government has been filled with old, white men for so long that we need an injection of youth with a background that is a little farther off the norm of a privileged upbringing (not that Obama was not privilaged, but perhaps less so.) Maybe McCain is a “maverick” (def. One that refuses to abide by the dictates of or resists adherence to a group; a dissenter – dictionary.com) but on (my personal most significant) issues like the war, abortion (repeal Roe v. Wade? is that considered maverick?), gay rights, stem cell research and health care, McCain seems right in line with the rest of the old, white guys.

Barack Obama in Grand Rapids

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I attended the much ballyhooed Barack Obama campaign rally in Grand Rapids, MI today. It was an interesting experience, having only been at one before: Bob Dole for President ’96. I was 16 then and only attended as part of my high school’s marching band.

This was pretty cool, seeing as that Obama and Sen. John Edwards picked Grand Rapids to announce their new alliance. Edwards endorsed Obama in an encouraging speech that praised Hillary Clinton and called for “One America.”

The crowd absolutely ate everything up, which was expected. We were pretty far away, but I kind of liked that as I was able to survey the crowd. I’m more interested in people’s reactions to things thatn the people themselves a lot of the time.

Obama himself hit us with his standard stump speech. This was only interrupted once when someone in front of him fainted in the crowd, and he had to call the EMTs over. He even tossed them a bottle of water as the crowd applauded the hero of America and collapsed Obamans everywhere.

It’s pretty exciting to see people of all shapes and colors so adamant about showing their support and being so passionate about politics. Granted this is all a little more sensational than your standard, run-of-the-mill politics, but that’s probably a good thing.

This is not an endorsement of Barack Obama. Have I already done that? I can’t remember. Anyways, I’m saving my endorsement of whichever candidate (not McCain, that’s for sure) for later. Maybe they’ll call me up and have me fly into Atlanta to announce it or something.