Voterspeak reacts to the second debate
A few Voterspeak members gave us their thoughts about the second presidential debate on Tuesday, the town hall-style meeting at Belmont Univeristy with Barack Obama and John McCain, moderated by Tom Brokaw.
Here's the transcript, as well.
Kendall Garvin, 29, unaffiliated: I did not like the blatant disregard of the rules that the senators agreed upon. I understand that each candidate wanted their side of the issue to be heard, but rules should be followed. I also didn't like how some questions were not clearly answered by both candidates.
One issue that I clearly agree with Obama on is his platform on conserving our fuel usage. It is a very simple thing that each American can do and will also improve the environment. I also agree that the answer to the fuel crisis is not to simply produce oil, but to invest in alternative energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal and others. Drilling is just a short term fix of the crisis we are in right now.
I also agree that proper health care should be a right and not a responsibility. A country like America should not have just a health disparity among the "rich" and the "poor". I like the idea of offering all Americans a federal health plan. Many lower income people will avoid going to the hospital because of lack of insurance and/or the knowledge of how much the doctor bill will cost even with insurance.
Kate Peeples, 27, unaffiliated: I didn't think many of the audience's questions got answered, sadly. Seeing as this is the only debate format that includes any sort of audience input, it's pretty disappointing that their questions weren't really answered - even as each of them walked over to address the audience member in particular. It seemed both McCain and Obama spent most of their time attacking one another's reputations. At this point, I can't imagine that this evasiveness, whether on purpose or not, could possibly sit well with voters, both committed and undecided ones. That being said, I thought Obama was the clear winner in this debate. He appeared much more "presidential," and as at least one commentator put it, appeared more like a "calm leader," which is something I appreciated seeing from him.
Deonna Kelli Sayed, 34, Democrat: Both McCain and Obama seemed to be in good form. I tensed when either candidate criticized the other. Give me facts and insights, not side swipes! I appreciated Obama's method of breaking down and listing his actions (even though we know a politician's promises never go very far). Obama quoted facts and figures, particularly regarding energy, allowing the viewer to actually learn something during the debate.
The segment on health care and insurance just confused me. Obama seemed to be more informed but I'm unclear how his policy will work. McCain commented that one state may have cheaper health care options than another, but how can families afford to cross state lines with
fuel so expensive?
Obama is right about how the rest of the world perceives America. Having lived overseas, I can attest that being an American carries a lot of baggage that wasn't there before Bush was elected. Most people do not see us as a "force for good" as Obama and McCain suggested.
I'm sad that many see American foreign policy as downright malevolent. Obama needs to calm down when it comes to Pakistan. That country is about to explode due to US presence and their own internal issues. If Pakistan goes, all bets are off for any stability in the region. Neither candidate really gets what is going on in Afghanistan. The US needs to involve the Taliban in government and invest deeply in developing the country rather than putting in more combat troops. McCain was absolutely right about Russia and Putin's KGB mindset. Thankfully, Obama linked our energy policy to Russia, which shows insight.
The last question asked was probably the most important. Obama said unexpected challenges are the biggest obstacles. His comments on the American Dream? Is that still around? McCain's comments were too general for my taste. I wanted a personal answer, not a political one.
I felt a little bad that McCain's few attempts at humor throughout the debate fell flat. I hoped Tina Fey would pop up in the audience to give him some support. But honestly, we didn't gain any new insights regarding candidate positions on the issues. Same stuff, different day. Is anyone ready for election season to be over?
Comments (1)
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1. I have seen Advertisements where Obama says the constitution needs to change.
A. In other words he does not believe in the constitution.
B. He wants to put judges on the bench that will legislate from the bench and usurp the president and congress and end the checks and balance system.
C. It is clear he wants to end the 2nd amendment.
D. His family in Kenya is holding Corsic.. sp prisoner who wrote “The case against Obama”
E. In other words he does not believe in the first Amendment.
F. With all his government regulations he does not believe in free enterprise.
1. He believes everyone should have a house whether they have worked to earn it or not.
a. He is a socialist.
1. He has been involved with ACORN that wrote the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), the law that forced us into communism. The CRA forced banks to finance loans to Obama’s constituents that could not pay the load back.
2. He opposed your 109 bills to regulate Fannie May and Freddie Mac which lead to the current crisis.
b. Entitlements and redistribution of wealth means socialism.
2 Barrack wants to wave a White flag of surrender to terrorist.
Waving a flag of surrender to Islamic extremist that want to kill all infidels …which is everyone that is not born Islamic is not a security plan.
He said he wanted to slow our investment in the missile defense,
He said he wanted to leave Iraq which would have allowed Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas set up camp in Iraq.
He wants to cut the military Budget.
He does not want a wall along the southern border
In other words he wants us The U.S to be a sitting duck for terrorist.
Already the Mexican Mafia is functioning across the southern border.
Obama plans to destroy the American Economy by giving entitlements to those who do not earn them and will burden the working poor to a state they will accept communism.
Barrack does not want to have independent energy and when he says McCain opposed bills that would help alternative energy you need to realize that those energy systems need to pay for themselves otherwise it becomes pork. The Ethanol subsidy is actually increasing the cost of our food, cattle feed and everything corn is used in processing.
Barrack wants to raise the price of gas to $10 a gallon because he does not want anyone to drive a car. By doing this he will remove our freedom to travel as we please and lay the foundation for a fascist government to control us by controlling our movements.
His tax plan will cost us jobs because it will increase employers cost and force them to lay people off.
His health care plan is a joke. He ran in the primaries on Universal health care. We don’t have the money to fund Social Security or Medicaid, and we can’t borrow anymore.
Obama’s community reinvestment act has lead to the current economic crisis and has lead us to socialism.
Entitlements are a socialist philosophy.
You are born with inalienable rights to determine you own destiny, life, liberty, pursuit of happiness and free enterprise.
Barrack and his liberal cohorts have destroyed these constitutional rights and plans to places judges in office that will take away the rest of our rights.
Barracks Education system is to Brainwashes kids into believing in socialism and that others should have to take responsibility for your problems. If you can’t pay for a house we will make your neighbor pay for it. Already there are several lawsuits in the courts where the liberal teachers are teaching socialist values and the environmental religion violating the law requiring separation of church and state.
His church openly crosses the line between church and state. The black church is a political organization.
John McCain is the only one running for President that has fought four our country and our freedoms; John has tried to stop Freddie Mac and Fanny Mae. McCain has tried to stop campaign finance which is the root of the corruption in Washington.
John McCain has fought to end illegal immigration that lowers our workers wages, reinforces gangs, brings drugs into the country and secures our country from terrorist and other illegal foreign activities; While Obama welcomes them in and wants us to pay for their Heath care, Welfare and incarceration.
Posted on October 11, 2008 1:47 PM