Presidential Debate -- my thoughts at the time.

I'm not an expert on any of these issues, and the following are the comments that came to me as I watched the first debate (foreign policy and national security).

9:01. They've already pointed out that Obama is black and McCain was a POW. Shocking.

9:02. Since "foreign policy and national security" apparently includes the "global economic crisis"... will they talk only about that? I want to hear from McCain regarding foreign policy.

9:03. McCain is actually here tonight, which is nice to see. I want to hear his views on the issues, rather than the typical blasting of the opponent that we've been seeing.

9:04. And the first topic is the financial crisis. Not surprising in the slightest...

9:04. "Biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression." (Obama). True, but... depressing.

9:05. Obama points out that trickle-down economics aren't working for the common people. *shocking*

9:07. "The greatest fiscal crisis... probably... certainly in our time." (McCain). Like what Obama said, but without the nice ending to it. *shrugs*

9:08. "This isn't the end or the beginning of the crisis. This is the end of the beginning." (McCain). I'm a bit confused.

9:09. "Part of it has to do with an economic policy that says that regulations are always bad." (Obama).

9:12. Awww, they're smiling and laughing together. So sweet.

9:13. So Obama has that flag pin that they always wear, but McCain doesn't. (I'm not saying it means anything at all... I just realized this is pretty much the first time I've ever seen one of them make a speech, etc. without one... I could just be blind).

9:14. "We Republicans came to power to change government and government changed us." (McCain). I like that he's recognizing that his party had at least some part of this.

9:15. "I've got a pen. This ones rather old, but I've got a pen and I'm going to veto..." He's making jokes? It wasn't funny.

9:16. First major criticism/accusation: according to McCain, Obama supports earmarked bills.

9:16. Obama brings up tax cuts to the wealthy (McCain's plan). He says that he plans to provide tax cuts to 95% of the working class.

9:17. "So they've got money... to fill up on gas." (Obama). Lol, like we have that here right now. :)

9:18. "I didn't win Miss Congeniality in the United States Senate." (McCain). That's a really weird mental picture.

9:18. "I don't know where John's getting his figures, but..." (Obama). In his head he's thinking 'um... wtf?!'

9:20. Is it just me or when McCain just said "America" he sounded oddly like Bush?

9:21. McCain clarifies his tax cuts (reducing business taxes)... briefly. Then goes back to pork barrel spendings (and continuing to say that Obama supported them). Obama motions to the moderator that he wants to respond.

9:22. McCain wants to know Obama's definition of "rich."

9:22. "If you make $250,000 or less a year, then you will not see a dime of tax increase." (Obama)

9:23. McCain is smiling as Obama criticizes the health plan ($5,000 credit to people, but increase in health care taxes). It's mildly creepy.

9:24. I want McCain to talk more about himself than he talks about Obama. Please?

9:25. "Senator Obama has voted to increase taxes for people who make under $42,000 a year." (McCain) "John, that's not true." (Obama) "It's true. It's a fact. You can look it up." (McCain) Why is McCain laughing/smirking now?

9:26. "We're not going to be able to do everything that I want to get done." (Obama). Not be able to because lack of money in budget, due to obvious reasons. According to Obama, we need to work on... energy independence, health care, competing in education (compared to other schools). [You mean No Child Left Behind isn't working?], work on infrastructure, fix energy grid. "We've got to eliminate the programs that don't work and fix what we do have so they work better and cost less." (Obama)

9:28. "No matter what, we have got to cut spending." (McCain). He tries to make a joke about "how far left" Obama is. He thinks ethanol is nonsense. (I think that's what he said... it was a bit mumbled). Defense spending is "very important and vital." McCain comments that he has been involved in budget spending... and people going to jail due to bad contracts.

9:31. "John mentioned me being wildly liberal, but mainly that's me opposing President Bush's [I didn't catch what word this was] policies."

9:32. "How about a spending freeze except for caring for our veterans, national defense, and several other vital programs." (McCain).

9:33. "We're currently spending $10 billion dollars a month in Iraq... we've got to look at bringing the war to a close." (Obama)

9:34. "We have to have offshore drilling and nuclear power." (McCain) I'm okay with nuclear power (assuming it's with newer and more efficient and safe plants), but offshore drilling? I need to learn more about it, but it doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

9:36. "I want to make sure we're not handing over health care to the government, which is basically what would eventually happen under Senator Obama's health plan." (McCain)

9:36. McCain also brings up (yet again) that he has cut spending and Obama has increased spending.

9:37. "Spending restraint has got to be a vital part..." (McCain). "I know spending can be brought under control because I have been fighting excessive spending my entire career."

9:37. Obama points out that it's been Bush who's been doing this, and McCain has supported Bush and voted in favor of his budgets.

9:38. McCain says again that he's not Miss Congeniality. But he tells us that he's a "Maverick of the Senate". (And he says that Palin is one as well).

9:39. Lessons from Iraq. "You cannot have a failed strategy and then expect to be successful in a conflict." (McCain). Really? You can't be successful if you're failing? I'm shocked.

9:40. "We will come home with victory and honor." (McCain). "We will succeed and our troops will come home, and not in defeat." "They have succeeded and we are winning in Iraq."

9:40. Obama on Iraq. He points out that he and McCain have fundamentally different ideas on this topic. (No, really?). Senator Obama points out that he's been against the war from the beginning (cites why), points out Afghanistan (you know, where Bin Laden actually was...). "Soon to be a trillion [dollars spent on the war]." "Al Qaeida is resurging now, stronger than it has been since 2001."

9:42. It's really interesting to watch the face of the other candidate as they watch the opponent talking.

9:42. "We have to use our military wisely and we did not use our military wisely in Iraq."

9:43. "I'm very proud of my vice-presidential selection." (Obama) "They have done a brilliant job [the troops at reducing violence]." "John, you like to pretend the war started in 2007 with the surge. The war started in 2003. At the start of the war, you said it would be quick and easy. You said we were going to find weapons of mass destruction. You were wrong. You said we would be greeted as liberators. You were wrong...." (Obama)

9:45. "I'm afraid Senator Obama doesn't understand the difference between a strategy and tactics." (McCain). Main point - he says that Obama doesn't understand how the military works.

9:46. "Senator Obama refuses to admit that we are winning in Iraq." (McCain) "That's not true." (Obama). Obama is now trying to interject. McCain won't let him. :)

9:47. McCain is shaking his head as Obama points out what he actually believes, as opposed to what McCain is painting it to be. "Senator McCain said, in the rush to go to Iraq, 'we've been successful in Afghanistan.'"

9:48. "We should end this war responsibly, we should do it in phases. But in 16 months, we should be able to reduce our combat troops, provide relief to our troops and they're families, and [focus on Afghanistan." (Obama)

9:49. McCain misquotes someone regarding Obama's plan.

9:49. "Those success are fragile." (McCain). I.e., if we leave now, Iraq will be screwed up again.

9:50. New troops to Afghanistan? "Yes... as quickly as possible." (Obama) "Two to three additional brigades to Afghanistan." Oh snap, Obama points out that Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11, but we have 4 times more troops there than in Afghanistan. "It's not just more troops."

9:52. Pakistan needs to get rid of the safe havens for terrorists. (Obama)

9:52. McCain admits it was a mistake to leave Afghanistan and claim a "victory."

9:53. McCain doesn't want to "threaten" Pakistan "as Senator Obama apparently wants to do."

9:54. "The same strategy that [Obama] condemned in Iraq needs to be used in Afghanistan." (McCain)

9:54. "It's not just the addition of troops that is needed, but a new strategy." (McCain)

9:55. "I never said I wanted to attack Pakistan. Here's what I said, and John can disagree with me if he'd like. (Obama)

9:56. The background of the debate has words on it. I want to know what it says...

9:57. "I don't think that Senator Obama realizes that Pakistan was a failed state... anyone who was around then understood that." (McCain)

9:58. McCain supported involvement Bosnia, Kosovo, etc. basically, he has a record of involvement in issues like this.

9:59. McCain tells a story about a woman who's son died in Iraq (gave a bracelet to him to wear). And other people who have lost children... don't want the war to be lost. My heartstrings are being tugged.

10:00. "I have a bracelet too." (Obama). Pointing out that he knows how war affects people.

10:01. "Senator McCain, no one's talking about defeat in Iraq." (Obama). I'm impressed at how calm he is, even when McCain tells something that is basically a blatant lie.

10:02. McCain comments that he has actually traveled to these places and "I know what our needs are." He says that Obama's plan (date for withdrawal) will certainly lead to failure in Iraq.

10:03. Moderator points out that although they have spoken equal amounts, they've gone over the allotted time per question. :) Now... Iran?

10:04. "We cannot allow a second Holocaust." (McCain). We need to form a "league of democracies. A group of countries [French, British, etc.] that share common values, common interests, common ideals." Sanctions on Iran. "Their government is lousy, so their economy is lousy." "We can act, and we can act with our friends and allies and reduce this threat as quickly as possible."

10:06. "Ironically, the single thing that has strengthened Iran in the past several years is the war in Iraq." (Obama) "So obviously our policy over the last 8 years has not worked." "Not only would it threaten Israel, who is our stalwart and our ally..." Okay... Israel isn't always right in everything they do. Just because we believe that they have a right to exist as a country doesn't mean that we should blinding support everything they do.

10:08. Oh snap. McCain can pronounce Ahmajinidad's name. He also says that Obama wants to meet with him and Chavez without preconditions. (Reminds me of the situation in which McCain refused to acknowledge if he would meet with the prime minister of Spain...)

10:10. Obama points out meeting without preconditions "isn't just meeting for tea."

10:12. Obama points out that McCain wouldn't meet with the prime minister of Spain... and Obama points out that they're an ally.

10:13. "I'm not going to set up a meeting schedule. I'm not president. I don't even have a presidential state." (McCain).

10:13. Meeting with someone who makes comments about Israel (wants to wipe them off the map) legitimizes those comments and is "dangerous."

10:14. Obama is smiling as he tries to stay calm as to not yell at McCain for making more stuff up about him. Obama then tries again to inform McCain of what "preconditions" mean. More about Israel. GAH! Can I slap someone?

10:15. Moderator tries to cut off McCain. (Only partially successful).

10:16. Moderator -- Russia. Competitor? Enemy? Potential partner?

10:16. "Our entire Russian approach has to be reconsidered." (Obama) "Their actions in Georgia were unacceptable... unwarranted." "We have to explain to the Russians that 'you can't be a 21st century power and rule like a 20th century power.'" "We also can't return to a cold war policy with Russia." Nuclear proliferation -- we have to work with Russia on that.

10:18. McCain's turn. "[Obama] doesn't understand that Russia committed serious violence against Georgia." "It's not acceptable behavior." Putin = KGB? He once again mentions his international travel. "We have to watch Ukraine."

10:22. Two important things to keep in mind when dealing with Russia. (Obama) "Foresight and anticipate some of these problems." "The second point I want to make is the issue of energy." (They gots the oil... we needs the oil.) We use 25% of the world's oil, but have only 3% of the world's supply. We need alternatives - wind, solar, diesel, "and yes, nuclear."

10:24. McCain thinks Obama doesn't really support nuclear. Offshore drilling will help to "at least temporarily."

10:25. "I have to correct the record here. I've never said that I object to nuclear waste, I've just said that we need to store it safely." (Obama)

10:26. "What do you think is the likelihood that there will be another 9-11 type attack on the continental United States?" - Moderator.

10:26. (McCain). "Much less than the day after 9-11." Main points of his response - We're still not safe. He and Lieberman set up commission to look into what really happened. We need people who are trained interrogators so we "don't ever torture a prisoner ever again." "I think America is safer today than it was on 9-11, but that doesn't mean that I think that we don't have a long way to go before we can make America safe." "That means doing a better job along our borders."

10:28. (Obama). Main points. Not enough -- transit, ports. "The biggest threat to this country is a terrorist getting his hands on a nuclear weapon." Focus on Al Qaeda. "The way we are perceived in the world..." "We are less respected than we were 8 years ago or even 4 years ago." We need to restore the sense that "America is that shining beacon on the hill."

10:30. "Senator Obama still doesn't get it. If we fail in Iraq, it encourages Al Qaeda. They will set up a base in Iraq." I thought we already beat that to death?

10:33. "There has never been a country on earth that has seen its economy decline yet maintains it's military superiority." (Obama) "The next president has to have a broader vision over all strategic challenges that our country faces. That has been missing over the past 8 years."

10:34. "I honestly don't believe that Obama has enough experience..." More comments about how Obama sucks, basically.

10:35. "I have the ability, knowledge, and backgrounds to protect this country and keep it secure." (McCain) "I don't need any on-the-job training. I'm ready now."

10:35. Obama's a lot calmer than I would be after those accusations. "I don't think the way children around the world look at America is the same [as when his father was younger and first came here]."

10:36. McCain reminds us that he was a POW. And he likes the veterans.

10:37. "And that ends our debate tonight."

10:37. They all shake hands. The candidates greet their spouses, and then all 4 shake hands.

That was an... enlightening debate.