Presidential Debate 2008

Title:
Presidential Debate 2008 : Barack Obama VS John Mc Cain



Number of Hours Listening/Watching:
3 hrs



Summary:
The debate started with the introduction by the moderator Jim Lehrer of the NewsHour of PBS,
He welcomed the two presidential candidate Obama and Mc Cain. Jim Lehrer begin with a quote
from Gen. Eisenhower dated 1952"We must achieve both security and solvency. In fact, the
foundation of military strenght is economic strengh."
First question was about financial recovery plan on Wall Street. Obama was the first to answer
followed by John Mc Cain and so on and so forth. Base on the way the questions, I think
Obama has the leverage and was smarter than Mc Cain. I made that assesment after watching the debate and some feedback and comment from various sectors, newscasters and reporters
as follows:


Stephanous, ABC: Barack Obama A-minus, John Mc Cain B-plus. People wonder whether
Obama has the experience to be president, to handle national security, and I think on aswer
after answer, he showed confidence, he showed toughness and he showed he belonged on that
stage.


Denver Post: Obama says he would send "two to three brigades"to afghanistan. Mc Cain implies
tha Obama is wet behind the ears on military matters. Obama retorts with perhaps his best
line of the night because it critiques Mc Cain temperament. Obama says that has previously
reference extinction for North Korea and sang song about bombing Iran. So I don't know
how credible that is.


Washington Post(Robinson): The debate.. The all important grumpiness factor here's the
politically incorrect way of phrasing one of the central question about tonight's presidential
debate. Did John Mc Cain come across as too much of a grumpy old man. That might not be
a nice question, but it's and important one. Americans like to vote for the nice guy, not the
grumbling prophet of doom. Throughout the 90 minute debate, Mc Cain seemed contemptuous
of Obama. He wouldn't look at him. He tried to belittle him whenever possible-homw many
times did he work" Senator Obama just doesn't understand" into his answer? His body language
was closed, defensive, tense. Mc Cain certainly succeeded in proving that he can be aggresive,
but the aggression came with a smirk and a sneer. Obama addressed Mc Cain as John but
Mc Cain addressed Barack as Senator Obama.

MSNBC-Chris Mathews: Obama Looked More Presidential" than Mc Cain.

CBS-Katie Couric: The issue of meeting with Iranian officials without preconditions and Henry
Kissinger's position on that came up during my recent interview with Governor Sarah Palin,
Now, after that interview I called Secretary Kissinger to clarify his position- he said he does
support face-to-face talks with high-level officials in Iran without preconditions.'

CNN-Gloria Borger: I think you'd have to watch this debate, Anderson and say Obama held
his ground. He didn't give an inch to Mc Cain on the issues of talking with Iran.

NY Daily News: The final Verdict on Eight Years of Failed Economic Policies" After all those
months of buildup, it took exactly 106 seconds for the gloves to come off, when Obama laid the
blame for the current economic mess on Republican leadership in Washington. This is the
final verdict on eight years of failed economic policies promoted by George Gush and supported
by John Mc Cain, Obama said, taking direct aim at his GOP opponent. Obama seemed at ease in
the early rounds as Mc Cain struggle to find his feet.

Comments:
Obama is a great debater and much smarter than Mc Cain. Though he was always belittled by
Mc Cain, he stood his ground and never give up. He argued points by points with Mc Cain. Obama stayed calm throughout the entire debate which more like a presidential.

New words:
Grumpy - obsolete: arrogant, imperious
Precondition - prerequisite
Solvency - the quality of state of being solvent
Contemptuous- manifesting, feeling, or expressing contempt