McCain makes my skin crawl

oh good. i missed the last 2 threads so i'm glad i caught this one.

Drink one for each mention of "cronies"

Damn Obama called out McCain

If McCain says "m'friends" in that patronizing tone one more time, I'm gonna hurl.

CRONIES! cheers!

I was wondering... is process through which McCain wins town hall debates the process of talking on topic yet confusing people so totally that they think he's said something profound when he's just insulting or complimenting people without any data to back him up?

Also: M'friend and crony! Agh!

If you're drinking for "fundamental," you're already plastered.

I think McCain is trying reeeeeeal hard to not look like an old grump.

I don't understand Life, according to McCain.

Obama's a newbie with no record to speak of, yet he's somehow responsible for the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac crisis.

"Senator Obama has never argued with his party leaders."
Maybe because he tends to agree with them? Which McCain didn't do nearly as often as he has this year.

blah.blah.blah.earmarks.blah.blah.blah...

Not working.

I'm glad you voted against spending bills, John McCain. You knew they would pass without your vote. Meanwhile, those of us in Arizona are really enjoying our shitty freeways...

Dear Senator McCain,

When Obama answers the question, and then you ramble accusations in your patronizing tone, it makes you (not Obama) look bad.

Cheers.

"reaching across the aisle" [drinks]

"croneyism" [drinks]

Just waiting for maverick now...

Let me say this: Liberman was a mistake. We elected him because we thought he would be a liberal (or at least liberal-ish) Senator, given his past in the Democratic party.

We were wrong.

And Senator McCain, I'm sorry, but I can't look at your proposal for the economy because your health policy is so completely blinding.

Mccain can multi-task now? He couldn't when it came to his campaign and the economy.

I find McCain's answers long-winded and only vaguely on topic. What's with the Republican ticket not answering the acctual question?

REFORM!...... anyone have an egg timer... how long before he calls himself a maverick, my friends?

McCain, I'd really prefer it if you didn't refer to me as your "friend"...

Agreed, Yoshimi. We're watching in our student center, big screen TV, it's wonderful. And many many folks just raised their hands in the air as if to say, "WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?!"

Hmmmmmm, great idea McCain. Let's have a spending freeze on everything but your precious war. That'll really help.

Man that's a barfy tie

what is up with the over head projector references? Is it too supertech for him?

"we're not rifle shots here... We're Americans!"
Thank you for clarifying that, Senator McCain.

My partner is a teacher of children with special needs in a public school. Oh, my God, how bad would a spending freeze be? You have no idea . . .

I like this Child of the Depression's question, but McCain's answer totally contradicts his earlier statement, as far as I can tell... and of course there's a spending freeze on "other programs", including health and education services.

And what's his obsession with earmarks? And why's he shoving health insurance talk in there when he doesn't understand that some people can't get Private Coverage!

It's like the two candidates have almost switched rhetoric!

At least both candidates can pronounce "nuclear" :)

Yay for doubling peace corp Obama!

man, is it just me or does McCain seem extra frail tonight? I feel bad for him almost as much as I fear that his win would result in a Palin presidency.

Obama is looking AWESOME!

I like how he actually answered that online question instead of fumbling like McCain did.

omg if he mentions his bullshit taxes mantra one more time...

"Like nailing jello to a wall" Nice, McCain.

I AM NOT YOUR FRIEND!

oh let obama respond tom!

Is it me but is this debate kind of sluggish?

I think Tom's going to have a meltdown over the time limits...maybe he'll try to nail jello to the wall...

Loyolalex, I think I have an idea. I did some substitute teaching for Special Needs children before I got my current job, and also I might have been a special needs case during school if I had the diagnosis I have now.

Let me repeat that: I could have been a special needs case myself, and I *did* work with them, though only in passing. I am in awe of people like your partner, Loyolalex, who help these children every day.

McCain is not my friend. Ever.

I supported Clinton in the primaries but the more I watch Obama the more excited I get about him. I feel so lucky to get the chance to vote for him next month.

God, Obama's on the defense again. Stop it. Kick him in the jimmies, Obama.

McCain sounds bitter when he jokes.

Senator McCain, you're no Ronald Reagan.

How's McCain going to get anything done if he's not popular with either party in Washington? Gawd, he makes me sad.

McCain looks uncomfortable and awkward and nervous, and his jacket looks too tight. I've also heard him parrot several things Obama just said a minute before. But how cool is Obama? It's Kennedy and Nixon.

"The straight talk express lost a wheel there, John."

Hah.

McCain's $5000 tax credit is so mind-numbingly stupid. Yeah, I wish purchasing good health coverage and then getting taxed on those benefits only amounted to $5000. Are people really reeled in by this nonsense?

... and not in a good way, Violet Moore.

Nuclear power is safe and clean. Has he never heard of 3 Mile Island or Chernobyl?

Can someone please explain WTF a "pork barrel" is? McCain always brings it up and I have no idea what the heck he is talking about.

Lelah-

from Wikipedia: "the term "pork barrel" refers to the appropriation of government spending for projects that are intended primarily to benefit particular constituents or campaign contributors."

Obama is killer on the alternative energy. McCain sounds like he heard about nuclear energy a few years ago and never gave up clinging to the idea.

Why does it always feel like McCain is attacking Obama?

hah. tom and his lights.

Poor, Tom. He's losing it.

Why does it always feel like McCain is attacking Obama?

THAT ONE?! How condescending!

Lelah-

from Wikipedia: "the term "pork barrel" refers to the appropriation of government spending for projects that are intended primarily to benefit particular constituents or campaign contributors."

Why does it always feel like McCain is attacking Obama?

Did I miss the "maverick" or has McCain actually shown restraint in the last 50 minutes?

"all kinds of goodies!" ahhhh McCain is so creepy right now.

Thank you, L. McCain angers me to the point that I forget about Wikipedia.

"Sen. Obama will find you." Oooo, I'm scared
lol, McCain, just lol

Hannah - I think Tina Fey burned him on the empty "Maverick" buzzword last Saturday. Maybe he learned?

Oh hell no, you're not putting my health records online.

God, I miss the days when Republicans pretended to be against big government...

No, we go across borders to get affordable medication in Canada.

why does mccan't sound like he can barely breathe? wtf? i think it just makes the possibility of a palin presidency more salient. *shudders*

Oh, and a $5k tax credit for health insurance? That is not enough for me, even if I don't get sick.

Hair transplants? OMG. He's so insulting!

Am I overlooking a vital point here, or is a tax credit not very useful for poor people with low incomes (and therefore little to no income tax)?

Every small business owner would give their employees health care if they could? YEAH RIGHT! My last boss was rich beyond belief, did he offer me health care? Nope. Because he couldn't afford it? Nope. He was just a cheap prick!

Aww, McCain's all pissy.

McCain says "mandates" like that's *always* a bad thing. At least the fines are probably less than the difference between the tax credit and the coverage one actually needs. The only thing that makes sense is the "cross state lines" theory... *if* one is allowed to be covered without prejudice for pre-existing conditions. Most states don't.

I'm so sick of all the "earmarks" and "pork" comments. On all sides. That "overhead projector" at a planetarium is more likely the projector that puts stars on the ceiling and teaches students astronomy and supports scientific research. A previous attack by pundits accused Palin of getting pork to study the mating habits of salmon- which will help keep salmon alive, which will help keep the fishing industry alive, which will keep people alive...

Earmarks are not always evil and it does no one any good to play like the only things worth spending money on are bombs and bailouts.

*rant over*

Wow, Obama is at 100% amongst undecided Ohio women. FTW!

If McCain says "m'friends" in that patronizing tone one more time, I'm gonna hurl.

Did you guys see this?

http://www.streetprophets.com/storyonly/2008/10/3/124140/859

My employer pays about $ 20,000 for my health benefits. and i know how lucky i am- neither of my brothers has health insurance (one of whom has four children). how exactly is mcain's $5000 going to help pay for $20000 worth of benefits?

oh, and enough with the "america is the greatest ____" platitudes. give me something real here, dude.

FYI, my mom told me that Palin will be on SNL this Saturday to play... Tina Fey. Yeah.

can McCain please just answer the question when he opens his mouth and stop giving a opening 30 second "we're americans" and/or "_____ is the singlemost WORST thing that america is facing" spiel!?!?!

Big Kudos to Obama for giving voice to the fact that we are overspending in Iraq!! The corruption and graft in Iraq due, in part, to the massive money being poured into that country is deeply shameful.

Just once, I would like Obama to turn and look JohnnyMac in the eye, shake his finger, and in total redress, call him out on his bullshit.

Alyssa, that might even be meta if anyone thought she could do it.

And bajababe, I wish McCain *would* just answer the questions. It seems he doesn't do that because his points are so weak and/or partisan.

Woo! I like his thoughts on genocide

Have I missed any questions regarding Women's Reproductive Rights?

McCain's rhethoric around him bringing our soldiers home with "honor" is pissing me off!

Obama's, McCain's just ranting about how cool the American military is

How is it that McCain is getting away w/skewed references that were discredited during the VP debate: i.e.- "he voted 94 times against cutting taxes"

ok, proven that this includes anytime Obama voted against additional tax cuts for the already wealthy...McCain still used it

And why does he want to know about how much Obama would "fine" people not following his health plan....

how about that 5k being taxed McCain?

and I know this has been repeated over,and over, and over during this posting...

but seriously, "My friends"

I am NO FRIEND OF JOHN MCCAIN

this does not work to make me feel more connected to the good ol' maverick..

wait, can you still be a "maverick" if you call yoruself one?

"beneficially effect the situation" w/a "cool hand"

oh like "bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb Iran"

McCain is the biggest asshat

and former pres. Ronald should be no one's hero!

Thank you to that woman for comparing what we're doing in the Middle East to Vietnam! No one has done that for years and the metaphor still applies in many ways.

If American blood is America's greatest asset, why not spend American money for American healthcare?

Am I the only person that doesn't see leaving Iraq without a "victory" as NOT the worst thing in the world? It just seems so petty. People are dying because we can't admit we were wrong? Senator McCain, you were involved in wars that we lost, and you've gone on to have a successful career in the Senate. I don't see how this is phrased by you as being one of the worst ideas possible. Another 100 years in Iraq just so we can claim "victory?" How shallow and empty that victory will be with 1000s more dead and wounded just so America can save face.

Wait, I thought (five minutes ago) Johnny's hero was Reagan...where'd this Teddy fella come from?

Is it just me, or does McCain look like Senator Potatohead?

Beside that distracting thought, why does McCain only quote Roosevelt when it suits him (as in, "talk softly..." but not his thoughts on national parks)?

Fuckin' A. You go, O.

Wondering the exact same about the National Parks Rebecca!

Damn Obama's kicking ass and taking names tonight

I'M NOT YOUR FRIEND GAHHHHHHHHH.

"I'm gonna get Obama m' friends. I'll get him." But how is a secret I'll take to the grave! Coincidentally, that'll be in about 3 months.

ca we do some women's issue discussion please, tom?

"I'll get Osama m' friends. I'll get him" But how is a secret I'll take to the grave! Coincidentally that will be in about 3 months...

Everyone catch that?

McCain knows where Osama Bin Laden is!

Why is he wasting his valuable skills and expertise on this silly white house race?

How was Obama wrong about Iraq? Did the surge really work? I didn't hear anything about a peace treaty or that we absolutely, definitely won and we can leave now.
Why do Republicans love being in Iraq so much?

Yeah will any of the debates discuss women???? PLEASE!

How would you apply pressure to Russia without starting a cold war?

McCain: Oh don't you worry. No cold wars here. Only 100 year long hot wars in my game plan!

Does anyone else hear McCain's voice shake and tremble when he breathes in between words/phrases? It pains me to say this, but I almost feel bad for the guy when he shows that vulnerability of an old man..... and then he says some moronic, slanderous comment.

I'll save my empathy for those who actually deserve it.

Silly girls, we women are a "special interest group"! I mean, we're a minority. What we want is peripheral to what the men think is general interest!

/sarcasm

... and in fact, we're at approximately 51% of the population. That' equal, plus a little more.

Hi everyone... new here, but I'm a frequent reader.

So.. according to McCain... We can go after Russia for unprovoked attack, but we need to carry a big stick when it comes to the middle east? Hmm.

And another note. My partner and I both agree that McCain probably smells like moth balls.

Loving the open thread, btw.

I'm not John McCain's fucking friend.

llevinso:

I'm guessing that we won't hear anything specifically on women. We are invisible, it's because we are not organized, we don't have a common demand that we are willing to unite on and we are not working with other feminist groups.

WTF is with Tom Brokaw only telling Obama about time? McCain is going over continuously and Tom just says "Thank you senator McCain"

I'm not John McCain's fucking friend.

"This will only require a yes or a no."
Poor Tom...

Since only one of the candidates has anything positive to say about women, or women's issues, asking questions about it probably seems to be unfair to the other one.

But Rebecca, girls aren't good at math, so I'm sure that 51% is still somehow the minority. Ask a guy, I'm sure they'd know more. /sarcasm

Tom, that EVIL question was very stupid.

In John's defense (I can't believe I'm saying that), he may have a bit of a cold. I have one, and so do half the people I know. I know I'm short of breath after talking for a few minutes with this cold.

Followingthru, even if it's unfair, it's important to know. Mothers/daughters/sisters/aunts/cousins/selves' futures depend on it.

And in the meantime, McCain continues to talk about mutually assured destruction and bending Obama's position on diplomacy.

Okay I'm about done with the economy and foreign policies...I get their stances on all those policies...McCain is an idiot and Obama actually thinks before he speaks...but my god what about women's rights, education, civil rights, glbt rights...just sayin'

BTW I. am. not. your. friend. McCain. so stop patronizing me.

I propose that we ban the following words in any and all political conversations:

fundamental
cronyism
maverick
Holocaust (unless one is talking about the actual Holocaust and not trying to come up with some comparrison)
precondition

Go Obama for giving his wife credit

Interesting final question!

What McCain doesn't know, could fill the white house (probably why he wants in)

oops. haha.

Sorry, I forgot to label my above comment as sarcasm.

I certainly don't think it would be unfair, and I certainly do think that it is important, and they should be talking about the issues that are important to, and heavily weigh on women.

"I don't know what's going to happen."
Wow, John, that is SO profound.
Although it would be really awesome if we had a president with precognition.

Obama needs to answer that question. It's like the classic interview q - what is your biggest weakness? This has been coming up over and over in these debates, and I very rarely hear a real answer from the candidates.

I want to know that the next pres has an idea what his (or her) faults are. After seeing one who can't comprehend his arrogance, we have to find a candidate who can reconcile him/herself with personal shortcomings.

wow,.... McCain just turned the "what don't you know" question into an opportunity to scare us!

I don't know what is going to happen, none of us know what's going to happen,...

shit, something bad is going to happen. definitely with an unknown country that we don't know where it is on the map

Priceless, Tom...lol

I'll see your brought up by a single parent Obama with an absent overseas father and raise you with me being a POW.

And just to be fair... McCain didn't answer a darn thing either. Only tossed in a nice reference to tills. Thanks for that.

Priceless, Tom...lol

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that overall the debate was kind of a snooze fest for me. Maybe just in comparison to the nuttiness of the VP debate, or maybe I'm longing for the Clinton days, but honestly I came away from this feeling less than inspired. IMHO, Obama won the debate, but I'm not seeing that charisma of Change We Can Believe In. Or maybe I just need to cut my meds dosage...

While I may not have been impressed with McCain's answer to that last question, at least he answered it. I didn't hear a clear answer from Obama--he steered away and went on a tangent.

Obama's answer was a joke, but a good closing statement. McCain's answer is obvious, and insults geography teachers. His closing statement is... not bad, since it's very inspiring, but "specialist". It seems both people of a certain generation and people of a certain career path can relate to it, but besides thinking it sounds pretty I was kind of lost.

Petty election moment:

Have you noticed the way Barack and Michelle Obama look at each other. I get the vibe that they actually love one another, that they are proud and supportive of one another. I think occasionally Cindy McCain gives John one of those looks, but I have never seen him look at her the way. She is always in the background nodding and smiling that fake ass smile, but she never really looks like his equal. I look at Barack and Michelle and think that they have an actual partnership.

Obviously that's not a real reason to vote for or against someone, but it's just one of those things that makes me dislike him on a personal level.

While I may not have been impressed with McCain's answer to that last question, at least he answered it. I didn't hear a clear answer from Obama--he steered away and went on a tangent.

AlmostAmanda: I feel the exact same way. I totally love Michelle Obama and I like to think they have a fairly happy marriage

Disappointed that there wasn't really any discussion of women's issues or basically anything but foreign policy and the economy...but I'm happy that Obama realizes paying for mammograms and maternity care/leave is important to women!

While I may not have been impressed with McCain's answer to that last question, at least he answered it. I didn't hear a clear answer from Obama--he steered away and went on a tangent.

Disappointed in Obama for stuttering and not answering questions, but thoroughly creeped out by McCain.

On another note: "we may have to deal with some country that we don't even know where it is on the map"??
Maybe YOU don't. Generally a basic knowledge of geography is helpful to being prez. Just sayin'

If the next debate doesn't discuss women's rights I will scream. I know that Obama has a 100% rating with Planned Parenthood but I want to hear him TALK ABOUT WOMEN'S RIGHTS! I actually want to hear what he has to say.

1. I am getting REAL tired of being called "my friend". I am not your friend. It makes me feel like those idiots who friend you on Twitter and facebook just so they have a high number of "friends" showing.

2. Did anyone else notice that McCain only addressed one female questioner by name?

3. As someone who works for a non-profit health insurance company, I can tell you that you absolutely already have a choice today and now of healthcare. It just depends on how much you can pay for it. Oh, you don't have the money for it? it's not going to help some people to only have $5000. You run the gamut from myself, who only sees the doc once a year or so, all the way to a baby born to a low-income family who ends up with $1.3 million dollars in medical bills and hospital costs because they're born with a deadly illness no one predicted. But McCain think $5000 should be enough for their premiums, right?

4. I would far rather people stay on topic and go over time than vice versa. And yes, we should kill Osama Bin Laden. I've said that since day one. Finding him and killing him does not equal invading the entire country of Pakistan. Which, I note, only Obama can pronounce correctly.

Did anybody else notice that when the candidates went around shaking hands, Michelle Obama was shaking hands too, but Cindy McCain was just walking around with her hands locked behind her back, keeping a minimum 5-foot distance from the people? I just found that interesting.

how about...why the hell wont they open up the debates to third party candidates?

I usually have a pretty good ear out for dog whistle politics (states' rights, and the like), so I'm wondering if the phrase "without preconditions" is a code word somehow, because McCain uses it CONSTANTLY--in this debate, the last one, and other speeches. It's an especially weird thing for McCain to harp on, considering that even Kissinger has recommended meeting with Iran without preconditions.

http://www.nsnetwork.org/node/977

A commentator mentioned after the debate saying McCain should have brought up Ayers. I'm glad he didn't since that "association" is heavily based on incredibly flawed logic.

If anyone wants it I've posted the transcript from the debate on my blog. http://www.aftercancernowwhat.wordpress.com

That "m'friend" thing bugs me as much as Palin's winking.

"m'friend . . . m'friend. . . m'friend"

COMRADE!
COMRADE!
COMRADE!

I don't believe you, McCain. I know you're not my friend, and I know that you know that you're not my friend.

Since someone brought up dog whistle politics... "That one"'s been covered, but how about when McCain said that "Obama talks too loud?" It was in the context of the Theodore Roosevelt quote, but it still seemed severely sketchy.

Hey- not a regular poster- but did you guys notice the way Cindy followed McCain around, two steps behind him and arms folded behind her back, like she had no autonomy and was waiting for instructions? This was while Michelle was out confidently interacting with people on her own. Amazing and telling difference- not just between Michelle and Cindy but between how McCain and Obama treat their partners. I've been in both kinds of relationships, and it was actually a little painful to see.

The obvious pro-Obama spin from most media outlets was expected after the second Presidential debate. What was noticeably absent was how Obama's statement to Tom Brokaw's question about health care, is that Barack Obama said it was a right.

This is pure undeniable socialism. The problem is that Barack Obama's world view and his supporters will lead us into an institutionalized culture of death.

This is evident by his radical pro-abortion stance that was even willing to tolerate infanticide. The danger is that every argument that can justify abortion on demand can justify euthanasia. In both cases the value of human life is determined by an arbitrary decision and leads to the dehumanization of us all. We have to seriously consider if America should go down a direction that has proven fatal for millions of people in the past.

Socialized medicine that is predicated with the values of a culture of death will realize unprecedented evil in the future. It is also troubling that no country has implemented universal health care without it becoming rationed care with doctors having power to decide who lives and who dies. Even in the United Kingdom it has been argued that it is morally acceptable to kill people with dementia or help them kill themselves. It seems that more Americans are willing to accept socialist view points, but I am afraid they have failed to think this through and the dangerous place it will lead to.

http://whyimnotademocrat.blogspot.com/

@bluecollarphilosopher

Hong Kong, with the freest markets in the world rated by the conservative think tank group the heritage foundation, has socialize health care. Even worse the government owns all land and only leases it to companies and create public housing for individuals. Major socialist principles if you ask me. It seem capitalism and the free market is the slippery slope to socialism not Obama.

Actually 9 out of 10 of the freest economies in the world have socialized medicine. It seems that more conservatives are willing to accept socialist view points, but I am afraid they have failed to think this through and the dangerous place it will lead to.

It's really disappointing that certain important issues are not being discussed as much as they should be (or, actually, many issues aren't being discussed at all). I know the moderators only have time for a certain amount of (mainstream media's handpicked questions)...But I really would like to hear some more discussion on at least some of the following (really they could at least pick two and I would be satisfied):

1. women's rights (health care, abortion access, ERA, equal pay for equal work, violence against, economic situation...)
2. drug war (harm reduction, treatment vs. incarceration, no knock raids, problems caused by prohibition - i.e. violence, police abuse of power, mass incarceration, black market profit fuels gangs terrorist org.s, drug myths/hysteria...)
3. prisons (racism/forced labor(=slavery), access to health care, voting rights, alternatives to prisons, PIC, massive incarceration rates, huge expense...)
4. education (NCLB mess and aftermath...'nuff said", "dumb-ing down of population", global competitiveness, math/sciences, budget cuts force cuts to arts, sports, after school programs, head start/early childhood learning, nutrition...)
5. farming (family farms, subsidies, food stamps/nutrition programs),
6. poverty,
7. civil rights (bush doctrine/shredding of the constitution,
8. Judiciary (VERY IMPORTANT - no more right wing ideological judges!),
9. oversight and transparency in government (regulation, voting)
10. fixing/reversing all harmful decisions made in the past 8 years (patriot act, telecom immunity, etc.)

So these are just *some* of the issues that I want to hear more about. (I'm sure there's a million more that I just didn't list here) And yes, I know the economy is very important, but November is less than four weeks away and I still feel that there is SOOO much more that I need to know. ~nervous~ (Less than four weeks away!)

So, what about you guys, are there any issues that you feel disappointed for not hearing more about, especially at this point in the game?

(also, please note, I only saw snippets of the debates, so if any of these issues were brought up, my bad, I merely meant this post to be a "in general these are the issues that I wish I was hearing MORE about")

I know this is way, way late, but I just had to chime in --

TheBrawn re: comment @ 9:31 --

This is what I actually said to the TV at that point: "We're not rifle shots, we're shotgun blasts! To the face. While quail hunting."

Okay, I just have to chime in on the planetarium issue. Here is a letter to the editor that I'll be sending to a bunch of papers. In case you haven't guessed from my username, I'm an astronomer (and a female one).

Dear Editor,
Senator McCain said Sen. Obama supported a congressional earmark of "$3 million for an overhead projector at a planetarium in Chicago, Ill. My friends, do we need to spend that kind of money?"

The Adler Planetarium to which Sen. McCain refers is one of our key education and public outreach partners for many NASA projects. Sen. McCain's criticism of the heart of the Adler Planetarium is anti-science, threatening to kill off one of the best ways we have to communicate science to the public. The suggestion that this is somehow just an overpriced tranparency projector is disengenous at best.

In fact, a planetarium (at the Cleveland Natural History Museum) helped to inspire me to become an astrophysicist.

Sincerely,
Dr. 1spacescientist

Random youtube for your amusement

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=OBghD0XBN5M

Being an Aussie and quite (most likely) oblivious to the finer points of the Obama/McCain debate, I thought this was the most relevant thing I could contribute (And it's perhaps a little insight into what coverage some of the non-American world is seeing)

Does anyone else think McCain belongs in a nursing home? He came off as either an ass, confused, or senile.

Does anyone else think McCain belongs in a nursing home? He came off as either an ass, confused, or senile.

Dear John McCain:

Things not to mention the next time you talk:

-Joe Lieberman
-"my friends"
-Cronyism
-Earmarks (we all knows where the She-Bush stands on those)
-Adler Planetarium (was requested, not yet approved, and the Planetarium is EDUCATIONAL not froo-froo)

Thank you for playing. You can collect your prize from the stage after you exit...

I heard that the debate had absolutely no sparks in it-from either party...

all I can say to that...is...figures! Neither party in my opinion seems to give a damn. What I want to hear from the candidates is how they are going to run the damn country, not pointing fingers at each other-and yes, this includes both McCain and Obama!

This is still and will be the worst presidential election ever-both candidates suck on every issue! I do not support either one of them and quite possibly wont this November. That is because I don't believe either one of them can lead for the next four years. However, I feel obligated to choose one over the other. But, for small government, vote independent. It seems to be the only way to get this country out of the hole it is in and bring some REAL change to the United States-not empty promises.

RoseColoredGlasses, could you please go into further detail on how both candidates "suck on every issue?" Like how do they both suck on womens' right? Or how do they both suck on Healthcare? Or what about the Iraq war? Education? The economy? Please elaborate.

I about came undone when McCain snarkily (did I just make up a word?) said 'I'll actually answer the question (snicker, snicker),' proceeded to ramble seemingly endlessly, yet NEVER answered the frickin' question! And Obama had actually answered the question quite definitively, despite McCain's implication that he didn't. (Talkin' about when Brokaw asked if they would make Congress address Social Security within the first two years - Obama said not the first two years but definitely in the first term, McCain didn't bother to answer it.) The man just makes me want to throw up. I had to stop listening after that.

McCain, that's just plain dirty of you. Telling the undecided voters lies right about Obama's integrity right before time runs out for the question?

I felt really bad for Barack-- it was a no-win situation. Avoiding the question if he defends himself, acknowledging a falsehood if he ignores McCain.

Barack! Stop talking about your voting history and his! We've heard it all before. Stick to your strong points!