The First Presidential Debate: Past vs. The Future

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd have to say Senator Obama scored a 9.5, and senator McCain scored about a 4. On the topic of the econamy McCain and Obama didn't give much detail about what the congress is doing about the bail out crisis, having been in Washington D.C earlier that week for a photo op confrence. However, the senators did clash over the issue on how they would manage the econamy when they took office. Senator Obama restated a plan he has been proposing for a while now to heal the econamy; this plan is supposed to cut corperate loop holes that allow executives to make millions of dollars and have tax breaks to secure their profits while they ship jobs overseas, and give tax breaks to 95% of the middle class. He also said he'd help home owners be able to stay in their homes, and use oversight to secure the tax pays money, and even give it back if squandered.

McCain basically said cut government spending, suggested having a spending freeze on everything except military affairs and veterans. And also didn't mention anything about getting rid of the Bush tax cuts which are part of the problem. McCain also tried to lie and say Obama would raise everyone's taxes. McCain had just days earlier say the ecomamy's fundamentals are sound. Now all of a sudden he sees that there is a problem and is urging house republicans to bail out these federal banks after saying the government's involvment would only exaservate the problem.

On Foreign Policy and homeland security Obama stated his view that the war in Iraq was a mistake and the only way to stabalize our country and our econamy as well as mend wounds and rebuild bridges is to get out of Iraq. Obama noted that we should give Iraq back it's country and focus on Afganastan which we forgot about during the envasion of Iraq and as John McCain suggested we could just muddle through it. Obama said we need to focus on Al Queda in Afganastan and Pakistan where they are the most strong, and even use diplomacy and tactics to weed out the Taliban in North Africa, Asia, and in The Middle East where they have factions. Obama promised to meet with our friends and our advisaries without preconditions. He did say he would have preparations, but not preconditions. He wants to restore America's standing in the world.

McCain wants to continue in Iraq until we achive victory. However he never says exactly what that is. He brings up David Petreaus a lot, and says Obama never met with him, but Obama has agreed to meet with him when he is president and take his advice if he thinks it's necesary. McCain critisized Obama on his stance reguarding the Serge debating whether or not Obama knows the difference between tactics and strategy. It was the only compelling argument McCain had during the entire debate considering that now the Serge is working in bringing down sectarian violence, however McCain agreed to give Preisdent Bush authorization of this war, beccause he believed that we would be in and out of there quickly, and that we would be greated as liberators, and that there was no history of violence between sunni and shia and there had been. Obama wants us out of Iraq asap, and McCain doesn't know when we will be out, and even the President of Iraq wants us out now. McCain views the idea of meeting with our advisaries without preconditions as dangerous and naive.

McCain went out his way to try to paint Obama as inexperienced and naive, but it back fired. Obama had some nice explinations and come backs that McCain didn't see coming. For example bringing up the whole Spain blunder, and the fact that McCain sung songs about bombing Iran. McCain seemed angry the entire debate and didn't even look Obama in the eye. Obama was even very candid and generous in his answers not going out of his way to blast John McCain every chance he got. Obama looked confident and presidential and spoke elequently. My conclusion is that Obama won the debate, hands down.