Blogs For Victory

Tonight, I’ll be live-blogging the Second Presidential Debate over at VoteBitter.com.

VoteBitter.com has a nifty shirt for sale from their website:

Click here to get your shirt!

Click here to check out the liveblogging of the presidential debate at 9 PM Eastern.

UPDATE, by Mark Noonan: As an aside, Obama’s old friends at ACORN hired ID thieves to canvass for voters in Nevada. Some people say that all the voter fraud and illegal fundraising is just all coincidental – nothing to see here, just move along….

Bad news for Obama: Dukakis on the Election: Obama Knows How to Win.

Debate Blogging: Lie #1 – Obama says Bush and McCain fought against regulation of the financial industry.

What about the poor, Barack?

Populism from McCain – cut spending, energy independence, low taxes…NEW THING: buy up the bad debts and renegotiate the loans of Americans who have lost massive home value over the past year.

McCain works slam into Wall Street and Congress on answer to whom to appoint Treas. Sec.

Obama dodges the issue (as did McCain), but shoots right into class warfare, and then yammers on with the middle class tax cut…once again, Barack, what about the poor?

“Greed and excess in Wall Street and Washington” – excellent, John, excellent. Hammers Fannie and Freddie, ties Obama to them…points out the connection between Donks and Disaster…points out McCain’s efforts to correct the issue and the way Donks resisted change.

Obama sounds like GW on what is in the bail out package…which makes this the first time I’ve had some respect for him, but also makes me wonder how his lefty friends are viewing this.

Lie #2 – Obama once again blames deregulation for the problem. Absurd claim that he was out there warning about the problem while he was taking vast amounts of cash from Fannie and Freddie.

Obama dodges on whether the economy will get worse before it gets better…attacks lobbyists. McCain points out that economy will get better or worse depending on what we do…re-emphasizes home owner support, his warning about looming crisis and positive note about the quality of American workers.

Obama feels their pain…

Lie #3 – Blames Bush for deficits as if Clinton recession, 9/11, war and Donk-surged spending never happened…

Yadda, yadda, yadda, affordable education, reduce insurance premiums, Evil Lobbyists, yadda, yadda, yadda never answer the lady’s question.

Why trust McCain? McCain says because he’s a proven reformer and a man who has proven he can work with people of good will from the other side…McCain also directs people to look to independent groups to get the low down on whom is doing right and wrong…

Side Note: Mrs Noonan says this is boring, bring on Palin!

McCain on entitlement reform – we need to reform, in a bipartisan manner, to figure out how we can fix this problem. Nuke power – energy and jobs! But, main thing – it takes a full reform proposal, not tinkering around the edges.

Obama does himself well in hitting Russia and Venezuela as part of the risk of energy dependence. Wants us free from foreign oil in 10 years – says that JFK’s challenge to go to the Moon is same sort of challenge, foolishly states we didn’t know how to go to Moon, just as we don’t know how to get energy independent in 10 years…thing is, we did know how to go to Moon, just had to build the rocket to take us there.

Obama: By the way, did I mention that Bush is Chimpy McSmirk BusHitler and McCain is just like him?

McCain: We’ll work together – which ticks off fellow conservatives, but plays well in current political climate.

Obama: Some of us might remember 9/11?

McCain comes on strong for clean coal and offshore drilling…oh, wait; that was Obama…what do you lefties think of him, now?

Obama: Yadda, yadda, yadda, Peace Corps, community service, “involved” in military service (whatever the heck that means), yadda, yadda, yadda…

Obama: Class warfare, kill the rich…

Lie #4 – Implies that the rich aren’t paying their fair share…

wants “all of us to make sacrifices”…except the middle class, of course, who not only don’t have to sacrifice but will have a tax cut…and what about the poor?

Side Note: A home builder calls and pretty much says they’ll jump through hoops to get us to buy a house from them…I’ll check it out Saturday.

Obama on entitlements: Can’t guarantee we’ll do it in two years, want to do it in first term: translation – I’ll kick it down the road. Tax cut for 95% of Americans…that means that 285 million Americans get a tax cut. I guess the other 15 million get it in the shorts. Provides nothing on what he proposes to do about entitlements.

Middle class, middle class, yadda, yadda, yadda (don’t you hate Bush?), yadda, yadda…

McCain on entitlements: Social Security, we can do it, it ain’t hard – Reagan did it, I’ve taken on my own party, Obama never has. Medicare – more tricky; commission to figure out what we need and then set up bi-partisan program like the base closing commission to take partisan politics out of the issue (Ed Note: Not sold on the commission idea, but taking politics out of it will appeal to independent voters).

McCain on environment: Burnishes up his Green credentials (which grates on my very last nerve, but it does work well in current politics); points up Nuke power as Green. Clean up environment, alternate energies – economy jobs.

Obama on environment: Says we’ll create 5,000,000 new jobs by Green tech…says who? We need to make an “investment” – translation: “taxpayer, bend right on over”. Good hit on McCain for his energy votes – but we need a fact-checker on Obama’s assertion.

Stupid Statement: Obama says we need to help China with its energy problems…I can see what he’s saying, but there’s not one in a million who give a two penny dam about China’s energy problems…

McCain: Obama voted with Bush on energy; “I’ve voted against this pork”. Oil drilling is a “bridge the gap” effort – points out that any greater supply will reduce price of oil; good Reaganomics.

Obama on private health care: Was asked if health care should be a commodity or (presumptively) a government benefit…doesn’t answer the question. Lower my medical premiums by 2,500 per year? I only pay 240 per year…slams McCain’s health care plan, but still doesn’t answer the question.

McCain on private health care: Feels our pain, make delivery more efficient – but then hits: Points out that Obama’s plan is still a “government will do this, government will do that” plan, with punishments for people and companies who don’t follow Obama’s commands on health care…McCain, on the other hand, proposes to free up the health care system and corrects Obama on health care plan – not just 5k given and taken, but 5k to allow individuals to have a choice rather than mandate what they shall have.

Health care: Privilege, right or responsibility? McCain – a responsibility, mistrusts government mandates – one again hammers Obama on his punishments for people who don’t follow Obama’s commands. Obama – a right; which means that Obama hasn’t thought the matter through; if its a right, then you have to conscript the health care professionals to provide care to all and sundry. By the way, don’t you hate insurance companies? Vote for me: I’ll pander to your anger, hatred and envy!

Lie #5: Obama once again claims McCain is all about rampant de-regulation.

McCain on national security: “America is the greatest force for good in the world”; excellently Reaganite. Takes knowledge, judgement and experience (ie, it takes me, not Obama!) to lead America in national security issues. Obama was wrong about Iraq, wrong about Russia – does not understand our national security challenges, we can’t afford to give a President on the job training.

Lie #6: Obama lies about how McCain supported the liberation of Iraq.

Hey, isn’t it terrible that we’ve spent money to liberate people? Don’t you hate those dratted Iraqis who have caused us to spend money on them rather than on our own precious little selves? Hate! Envy! And the world hates us because of Chimpy! Darfur! Fundamentally change our policy – meaning, I guess, that rather than attack, we’ll retreat.

Obama: we should “strongly consider” intervening in any other country than Iraq where horrible things are happening…but, hey, we can’t fix it all, so we have to work with allies…’cause we know the French will send in the troops, right? Hey, Biden says the French helped us kick Hezbollah out of Lebanon….That will be the Obama Doctrine.

McCain: Obama was flat wrong on Iraq and the troop surge. “Victory”, “Honor”…Obama asks for a dictionary.

Side Note: Mrs Noonan says this is still boring…geesh, where’s Palin and can we fast forward this?

Should we go into Pakistan? Obama: Chimpy screwed the pooch. Taliban “stronger now than any time since 2001” – which is a statement, by the way, which is perfectly meaningless…we need to know, Barry, if they are strong enough to drive us out of Afghanistan or attack us here in the United States. After much dancing around, if we see bin Laden in Pakistan, then we’ll go in…

McCain: Flabbergasted that Obama opined that he would go into Pakistan…we need the cooperation of the Pakistanis, hard as that is, so talking about going into Pakistan is counter productive (Ed. Note: and to say such a thing is the proof that Obama hasn’t a clue what he’s talking about). Rather than talking about attacking Pakistan, working with Pakistanis to build up support for anti-Taliban/al Qaeda elements…

Lie #6 – Obama claims he never advocated going into Pakistan. Obama now “clarifies” his past foolishness, but its still a lie…

Obama gets a follow up: Hits McCain on “bomb, bomb, bomb Iran” – no one has told Obama that such sentiment is popular.

McCain gets a follow up: points out Obama’s lie about what he said vis a vis Pakistan. Wisdom – “I will not telegraph my punches”.

Do we put in an “acceptable dictator” in Afghanistan?: Obama – pull out of Iraq (yeah, no duh, Barry…like we’re not already doing that); troops in Afghanistan being attacked…Obama states he lectured the President of Afghanistan (which is a sure way to rebuild the respect for America in the world).

McCain – improve Afghan military, increase forces and change tactical environment ala’ Iraq – and then digs at Obama for being against victory in Iraq, and is refusing to endorse the policy necessary to win in Afghanistan.

Russia: McCain – no renewed Cold War; turns Bush’s statement about Putin around in McCain’s favor…makes it clear that he understands just what sort of man Putin is. Need to support Ukraine and Georgia; punish Russia for attacks on other nations.

Obama – Russia is one of the central issues we’ll have to deal with. (Ed. Note: no, its not – its important, but not central) Need to help Russia’s targets rebuild their economy…does Obama have any idea what the economic situation is in, say, the Baltic States? Does he know where they are? Oh, and Bush sucks.

Putin’s Russia an “Evil Empire”? Wants a “yes or no” answer…Obama yadda’s for a bit, McCain says “maybe”, and shows the wisdom of answering a question with care.

Defend Israel with US troops or wait for UN if Iran attacks?: McCain: UN is worthless due to Russia and China on any US assistance to Israel. Moves into the Iranian nuclear issue – asks what you’d do if you were an Israeli regarding Iran’s actions towards Israel? Hits Obama on his willingness to meet with Iranians without pre-conditions. Build League of Democracies to deal with Iran and other such troubles…”we can never allow a second Holocaust to take place”.

Obama: Can’t allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons; “I will do everything that is required to prevent it” – will not allow “veto power” to UN, must use “all the tools” we have – translation: “we’ll go to the UN and won’t make a move without UN’s permission” – must have direct talks with Iran in order to tell them that if they behave we’ll be nice, if not we’ll get mad (like they can’t figure this out on their own).

Lie #7 – Says President Bush refused to talk with North Korea.

What don’t you know, and how will you learn it?: Obama – “here’s what I do know”; which is not what you were asked, Barack, old buddy. Yadda, yadda, yadda, “young people”, “college”, “fundamental change”, extraordinary journey”, “new direction”, yadda, yadda, yadda…

McCain – I don’t know what will happen at home and abroad. Challenges around the world – we’ll be talking about countries we don’t hardly know about today. I know what its like to keep hope going through difficult times and rely on others for support…times are tough, we need a steady hand at the tiller, country first.

Commentary: McCain did well, Obama did well – but McCain hit the themes, I think, which will resonate better with the undecided voters. Obama hit on class warfare while McCain hit on populist themes. The next few days will start to tell the tale.