McCain: The Adult in the Room
By Matt Rooney | September 26, 2008
The media is spinning away but they've never quite understood the American mind. That is why they're losing viewers, and that is also why they can't understand taxpayer opposition to the Paulsen Plan. The pundits often forget that Americans look for a leader. The more commanding candidate wins debates.
Earlier this week, I laid out exactly what Senator McCain needed to do in order to win the first debate. Thankfully for the free world, Senator McCain did two things very right tonight:
1. HE WAS LIKABLE
If McCain's "suspension strategy" succeeded in any respect, it certainly seemed to deprive Senator Obama of debate prep time he could've desperately used. Obama was uncomfortable, defensive, condescending and unable to provide concise answers. He rambled and was hard to follow. And if Obama called Senator McCain "John" one more time, I was going to chuck my remote at the television. Talk about an unattractive level of disrespect.
Senator McCain couldn't have presented a more compelling contrast to Senator Obama's weak performance. He thought about his answers, responded to inquiries confidently and even cracked a joke or two. Senator McCain was on-point, calm and authoritative. Obama harped on the past and McCain painted a more attractive, optimistic vision by focusing on the future- particularly in reference to the Iraq War.
McCain was undoubtedly the adult in that room.
2. HE ATTACKED
There's the MAC attack! He got under Obama's skin by pounding home issues that represent the public's lingering concerns about the Democrat nominee. I heard the words "naive," "wrong" and "dangerously wrong" at least one dozen times respectively. Obama was clearly rattled by the end of the debate. McCain even attacked Obama's ridiculous presidential "seal." Don't let the press scare you: these are the debate moments that voters remember and discuss at the water cooler.
ROUND 1: MCCAIN
The media is spinning away but they've never quite understood the American mind. That is why they're losing viewers, and that is also why they can't understand taxpayer opposition to the Paulsen Plan. The pundits often forget that Americans look for a leader. The more commanding candidate wins debates.
Earlier this week, I laid out exactly what Senator McCain needed to do in order to win the first debate. Thankfully for the free world, Senator McCain did two things very right tonight:
1. HE WAS LIKABLE
If McCain's "suspension strategy" succeeded in any respect, it certainly seemed to deprive Senator Obama of debate prep time he could've desperately used. Obama was uncomfortable, defensive, condescending and unable to provide concise answers. He rambled and was hard to follow. And if Obama called Senator McCain "John" one more time, I was going to chuck my remote at the television. Talk about an unattractive level of disrespect.
Senator McCain couldn't have presented a more compelling contrast to Senator Obama's weak performance. He thought about his answers, responded to inquiries confidently and even cracked a joke or two. Senator McCain was on-point, calm and authoritative. Obama harped on the past and McCain painted a more attractive, optimistic vision by focusing on the future- particularly in reference to the Iraq War.
McCain was undoubtedly the adult in that room.
2. HE ATTACKED
There's the MAC attack! He got under Obama's skin by pounding home issues that represent the public's lingering concerns about the Democrat nominee. I heard the words "naive," "wrong" and "dangerously wrong" at least one dozen times respectively. Obama was clearly rattled by the end of the debate. McCain even attacked Obama's ridiculous presidential "seal." Don't let the press scare you: these are the debate moments that voters remember and discuss at the water cooler.
ROUND 1: MCCAIN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r_jTgGeVU4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfZcMdsp_Jg
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I take you that you will be satisfied with a president that approaches every problem with meandering dialog and meaningless anecdotes. Sadly the rest of the world will not and neither will I.
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I thought Obama did a good job. He has clearly been prepped and he has obviously been practicing not only the proper catch phrases, but the skill of getting to the point-- which admittedly, he did quite well. Having said that, I still do not believe for a minute that Obama is ready to be President.
I thought McCain could have hit him much harder on the economic issues. Obama has lofty ideas and great dreams, but considering the $700 billion "rescue", he could not name anything he'd scale back but for energy issues, and in fact, added new programs to his litany of dreams. Who the hell is going to pay for that? Taxpayers, that's who. Obama won the exchange on the economy, but not because he is more equipped to handle it, but rather because he tossed out the magic words. McCain was remiss in not pointing out that the republicans are actually the ones fighting for the middle class and all Americans with this "rescue"-- not the democrats.
McCain did an excellent job with national security. He was calm, assertive and he made his points... including a few jabs or two (or three!) at Obama's utter lack of experience, judgment and leadership.
I am really looking forward to the next few days. I have a sneaky feeling Obama will be back on the defense and we're going to see McCain's numbers start to inch back up.
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Senator Obama - Mr. McCain's way to refer to his opponent - even called him "Jim" in his "I've got a bracelet too, you know" comment.
People who notice are not likely to be impressed by Mr. Obama.
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“ Obama gets The McCain beat down in debate”
No doubt Obama camp is happy they kept lowering expectations for his debate performance because Obama got his clock cleaned by John McCain who kept the young inexperienced candidate looking immature and childish talking in circles. All Obama could do was interrupt with bogus claims of "lying" and looks of frustration and despair. (Not a good performer, unless someone writes a pre-written speech for Obama to study or read on teleprompter) On Iraq and all else, Obama keeps looking to the past instead of the future? Where’s the change Obama? McCain understands the next president has to look to the future and secure not only victory but also stabilizing a fledgling democracy. Obama kept up his all season stupid rhetoric, the war was wrong, the war is wrong, I’m black that makes me qualified to be president!
Especially since he stupidly picked 30 years in Washington, pro war supporter Biden (whose son is a lobbyist) as VP. Slapping the face of 18 million democratic voters, who David Axelrod said he don’t need. Again proves Obama is unstable and does not have the experience to make important decisions or have control over this great country.
Obama said seven times or more that he agreed with McCain. That’s good for McCain because when McCain is President Obama can work with him to get needed reforms through a failed Congress. McCain displayed a thorough knowledge of world affairs. Obama did not! And talked in circles and really had no coherent thoughts other than his main talking points from his pre-written campaign speech.
Bottom line; Obama got “ The McCain beat down” only because of the lowered expectations Obama just barely got across the finish line. Obama definitely finished dead last. No surprise we all know Obama is not good on his feet, as Hillary wiped the floor with him 20 plus times! Bottom line McCain had a great night while Obama is going home licking his wounds. Of course you can expect to hear the tabloid cable news , better known as Obama News Networks CNN & MSNBC media made fairy tales, that he was great, too bad for CNN that voters finally realized these two Obama news networks are not very truthful and bias. They offer voters looking for facts…NOTHING…
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I agree with your points, but you're clearly leaving out the counterpoints:
1. Obama disrespectful by calling Senator McCain, "John"? I owe it more to frustration and trying to correct McCain. And if you want to talk disrespect, how about McCain not looking at Obama once, even though he was directed to several times by Jim Lehrer? Obama looked at McCain and addressed his responses to McCain.
2. I think Obama got his water cooler moment in by making reference to the Beach Boy song McCain sang about bombing Iran.
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Obama lost the debate when he had to look down to read the soldiers name, during the "i gotta bracelete too" moment. Doesn't he wear the bracelet "everyday"?
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McCain was McCain and no one that has a serious look at who the two men are and what their track record says about them would vote for Obama...an Obama vote is either a hard core democrat voting..or hard core "I want to in and/ cool" type...or someone infatuated with voting for a black person...objectively speaking the man is unqualified for the job
...and when he talks about the world and international affairs he is very superficial..."we have to have a deadline for leaving iraq" becomes "we will go back in if necessary" that is a truly childish simplistic naive response
...the let's help the 3rd world is like a grade 8 essay...naive simplistic out of touch with reality..movies give better insights into the 3rd issues than Obama does
...then his comments about the UN...anyone who has done a high school essay has a better grip on the realities of the UN
...and then he has these lofty superficial ideas that seem to be well intentioned but if you look at his record he doesn't walk the walk
...there is not a chance he is ready to be president so then the powers that get him there will be the real president
...his inability to stand up to the people in his circle is the opposite of what you want in a leader
...his ethical compromises make you wonder who is obama really?
...even a quick look at the facts makes it obvious that bush, the republicans,the free market system and lack of regulation did not cause this financial crises..it was an effort to legislate naive ideas to the free market system that got the crises in motion followed by a democratic refusal to heed the warnings of Greenspan...yet with a straight face Obama throws out his usual scape goat stereotype accusation that "its all bush's fault"...that demonstrates a scary lack of ethics and knowledge
..economists don't understand economics so there is no way the general public can...it is not a science...and when obama talks economics he really really doesn't get it
..mccain was simply being honest when he said it isn't his long suit...that does not mean obama knows it better than him it means he doesn't know economics as well as he knows foreign affairs and national security
..obama is lost in all three areas...
...the only thing I can imagine the CNN type front pages are doing is hoping to influence the undecided voters who will just go along with the claimed popular opinion that obama did well and then go vote along with the crowd...they just keep trying to help obama create this "image" of the winner
...an election in dangerous times is far to important to be treated this way
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Memo to Obama:
“I agree with what she said” might be OK when the debate opponant is a member of your own party.
“I agree with what he said” is not so good… when the opponant is, in your own words, the “third term of Bush.”
Oh, and having a bracelet “too” does not make you the equivalent of Sen. McCain. Nor does frosting your hair make you look more mature.
I am a Democrat. Always will be. But this year I am voting for the guy that earned his grey hair, and knows whose bracelet he is wearing.
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Matt, I totally agree with your summary on last night's first Presidential Debate.
In addition, the most pathetic comment from Senator Obama last night was when Obama very childishly tried to interrupt Senator McCain in order to hold up his arm and point to his wrist, while stating "I have a bracelet too."
Obama has absolutely no idea what that bracelet stands for and the sacrifice that it represents.
Senator Obama's whinny interruption of Senator McCain (who was speaking at the time about the Mother who gave him the bracelet of her son who was killed in Iraq) came across as just another self-centered, insensitive ploy. Senator Obama was trying to show that by "having a bracelet too" that he really cares about our soldiers in Iraq. Unfortunately for Senator Obama he came across as a crass grandstander.
Also, one of the Fox News Reporters (after the Debate) pointed out how unseemly it was for Senator Obama to keep calling Senator McCain, John. My take on Obama's indulging in this behavior is that it is meant to be disrespectful and patronizing.
Senator Obama's disdain for those who challenge him is nothing new. In the Democrat Party Primary, Senator Obama constantly treated Senator Hillary Clinton with the same type of disrespectful manner (there are numerous examples). You might remember when he gave Senator Clinton the finger (on stage) when he was supposedly scratching his face (with his MIDDLE finger)! There are lots of videos of Senator Obama's disparaging and outrageous antics.
Senator Obama behaves in a very juvenile, bulling and egotistical manner but he carries off these behaviors in such a manner as to be able to say, 'Oh, no that is not what I meant by....such and such.' This is classic very "passive aggressive' behavior.
However, the behavior also serves a purpose. I believe that Senator Obama's purpose is to send a message to his Supporters to let them know that it is okay to indulge in this type of demeaning, condescending and bulling behavior with Senator Obama's opponents (this is an actual tactic).
Also, I would like to share a summary of my overall thoughts on last night’s debate:
McCain = Statesman
Obama = Political Science Professor
McCain = Leader of Action
Obama = Ponderer of Action
McCain = Man of Humility
Obama = Man of Arrogance
McCain = Reformer, Agent of Change For The People
Obama = Corrupter, Agent of Fat Cat “Old Boys Club”
McCain = Quietly Accomplishes Great Things
Obama = Boisterously Takes Credit For Others Work
McCain = Total Service To Country
Obama = Total Service To Self
McCain = Will lead US out of Economic Crises
Obama = Will lead to demise of USA Economy and Democracy
VICTORY FOR McCain/Palin08 for
REFORM, PEACE and PROSPERITY
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