Liveblogging the First Presidential Debate!
I know I said I wouldn’t drop the post until 8:30, but I’m getting restless, and figured I could ramble on through the online internet pregame show as well (oh why not?). Go ahead and hit the jump to see how this all works!
First and foremost, I’ll be watching this via cnn’s live online broadcast. If you’re running around trying to find a way to watch the debate because you just can’t get to a TV in time, go ahead and check it out.
This debate, as I’m sure you know, almost didn’t even happen, thanks largely to a political move that John McCain initiated by suspending his campaign. But, as we learned this morning, John McCain backed down from that so called “suspension”. Thus, while the two men hoping to be the next President of the United States of America are mixing it up in Oxford, Mississippi, we’ll be right here, you know, saying stuff… hopefully some of it insightful.
And you can join in and say insightful stuff as well! We perform all of our liveblogging events in the comments section so that anyone who wants to can be a part of the experience as well. All we ask is that you keep your language relatively clean (I can get a potty mouth… er… potty fingertips, so who am I to look down on the occasional s-bomb and f-bomb here and there?), and you don’t engage in spam or try and sell porn.
If you don’t want to jump in, no big deal, just keep hitting F5 or your refresh button to bring up more comments.
And with that being said, I’m going to hit the publish button, and I’ll see you in the comments section!
206 Responses to “Liveblogging the First Presidential Debate!”
Got something to say?
WHY NICOLE?!?!?!!? WHY?!?!?!! WHY WOULD YOU GET A PALIN-DO?!?!?!!?
And in case you have no idea what I’m talking about, I’m watching CNN’s pregame show. I’ll be honest, I like Nicole (LASTNAME). She’s the political lady that lives in the CNN internets as far as I know, and given that most of my live watching is on the internet, I almost feel like I really know her, and yes, I do realize that I have something bordering on a problem.
The thing about this debate, and I’m going to say it right here. This debate, and the spin war that is to take place after, is an absolutely vital, I mean inconceivably vital, moment for the McCain campaign. Ever since the Palin/Convention bounce faded, the McCain campaign has been under siege, and if they can’t pull it out here, I really don’t see anything that will let McCain make this election even competitive.
And, here is probably the single good thing that the stunts of this week have possibly done for McCain: According to CNN, Obama is greatly favored to win this debate. No one wants to go into the first debate with high expectations.
On the other hand, I’m really hopeful regarding that McCain ad. This is not lowering expectations, Obama makes me nervous when he debates, but in that McCain Wins The Debate ad, I think McCain may have just broken every single debate rule that ever existed.
Gods of fate and the jinx… please please please do your duty.
Okay, John Aravosis from Americablog, and Amanda Carpenter (apparently from Townhall), are up there I guess blogging right from the CNN studios. And, you know something, I never really get all that self conscious about blogging until I see bloggers on the TV. I mean, they always get people who are either attractive or very serious looking, and I always think ‘man, I’m not a blogger that would do well on tv’.
That article in the Memeorandum box about GOP concerns about Palin is interesting. Kathleen Parker’s not the only conservative who thinks she should maybe, you know, go home.
Well hey, Kyle, neither am I.
You know, I see all that stuff, but what really has me leery about that is the possibility that all of that bluster of Palin go home is all the biggest expectation lowering exercise in the history of politics.
Heh, you know, when I picture other bloggers, I always picture fat guys with holy t-shirts that occasionally sniff at the arm pits to guage if it’s shower time. Partly because it makes me feel better, and partly because it’s my only frame of reference.
*ahem*
oooh… I wonder if they’re going to have the mood meter up! I wanna see the mood meter!
Okay, finally found CNN on my cable. I never go down that far.
Kyle, look who’s speaking now! William Bennett! Fat guy par excellence! (Fathead, too.)
heh.
I’ll tell ya, I’m really really glad that there are only four of these things… I really don’t know if I could have handled the whole ten townhalls that McCain initially proposed.
Also, and this is for Terry who should be joining us at some point. According to Oliver Willis, Joe Biden will be available after the debate for interviews, but Palin will not.
Well, I don’t know; maybe in Palin’s case even meeting expectations will hurt her….
Alas, Kathy, the cnn online pregame show is not the same as the TeeVee broadcast. I’m getting my Nicole Lady in the Internet Room Lapin.
Are we surprised?
Ah, boo, they’re cycling through the same twenty minutes or so of coverage online, that sucks.
You know, Kathy, you would think that, but Bush… well, that’s really all I have to say… Bush.
Ohhhh, how do I get that? I just tuned to CNN.
Surprised about what?
UGGGHH!!!!! Why do some casters feel as though they MUST use the term “Maverick!”
Soledad O’Brien. Pretty. Hyperactive.
Cnn.com They should have a link on the main page to watch the debate coverage live.
brb so I don’t make a peepee in my pants!
How fueled do you think she is? Six cups?
Yawnnnnnn. Yes, Wolf, you have a very cool set of toys there. Oh my god, who cares?
I don’t know about her, like I said, I don’t have Soledad, for some reason I’m listening to someone named Jessica Yellin (no, really). But as for me, I’m about to pop open my second Full Throttle!
Surprised about Palin not answering questions.
Hey now, that’s the best political team on the teevee you’re talking about there!
OHHHHH! Wait a minute! The lightbulb just went off! Are you watching the debates on the INTERNET?
Oh, no, not surprised in the slightest.
Jessica Yellin is a blogger, I think.
Hi all,
what feed are you guys watching?
yes.
on the internet.
incidentally, I share John Cole’s frustration with the undecideds. HOW ON EARTH CAN YOU BE UNDECIDED AT THIS POINT!?!?!?!
I ask because yet another undecided is being questioned on the i report coverage.
I’m watching my CNN on tv. I think I’m doing it wrong.
HIYA TERRY!
Kathy just figured out we’re watching it on the internets! I’m watching it on CNN.com, but you can watch it on MSNBC I think as well.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
To Kathy: Internet liveblogging, you’re doin’ it wrong!
Kyle, did u know there’s a tropical storm named after you?
Yeah, I did. If it’s anything like me it’ll be very cranky, but won’t actually do much damage.
Kyle, I see the link for CNN live but what do I click to actually get in the room?
All is not lost, I was at dinner tonight with my Mom and 3 Aunts ages between 60-70 and even though they may not be Obama fans, they, in no uncertain terms, do not support Sarah Palin.
A little bit of footage of Obama actually arriving at the debate site. You know, here we go again. I remember right before he delivered his acceptance speech, I was a mess, and you could tell the way he walked out on the stage that his pulse was easily lower than my own.
I just don’t know how anyone can remain THAT calm.
And now there’s some random Republican shill talking about how McCain’s suspension had nothing to do with politics.
here’s something else that needs to be considered that I just picked up a few hours ago; McCain, not being on the committee involved, had really nothing to do with the process, nothing…
sigh…
I can’t watch on the TV yet because my son is watching Nickelodeon.
Clicking in the link should put you in the right room, Kathy. It did for me anyway.
Terry: That is a very good sign. You know, my boss was just a shade shy of being a PUMA type right up until McCain announced Palin, and now it’s just, well, we’re friends again! YAY!
Tis okay, Terry, I never watch on tv, always watch via live stream, anyway.
Off topic, I probably shouldn’t have decided to start pounding the energy drinks… I’m going to have to pee all night now.
I have to say, how anyone can say his calmness is not an asset is beyond me.
No kidding. the man does not get fazed, period. I wish I had the man’s stoicism.
Okay, we’re about ready to go, anyone have any predictions, thoughts, etc?
And they just brought up Mike Huckabee’s little jab at McCain regarding the attempt to cancel the debate, and I just wanna say, I’m glad that man will never occupy the Oval Office, but as far as Republicans go, I just can’t help liking the guy.
I think you’ll see more talk on the economy that McCain will really want.
heh
Okay, you can get the debate hall now, we are two minutes to go time, I’m hoping I can find a feed with the mood meter, I really like those things.
Whoa, and CNN just hiccupped hard.
?!?!?!?!
Awww Keith is doing the debate, yeah.
There we go…. MOOD METER BABY!!!!!
Damn. I can’t get the live debate because I need the Turner plug-in and when I tried to install it I screwed something up and now it won’t install.
ok no just David Gregory…boo.
Keith is doing the debate? Sweet, at least we’ll get a head start on the post debate spin, hopefully! Sometimes I wish I had cable and was at home during this time. Son of a crap, I can feel my blood pressure rising… Here comes Lehrer with the cold open.
Try MSNBC, Kathy.
I’m glad no cheering , that can be distracting.
Come on Obama!
First question: Gentlemen, at this moment tonight, where do you stand on the financial recovery plan?
ohhhh, McCain bringing up Kennedy. Pandering.
And Obama comes out very solid, very crisp, and he lays out a strong point plan. Get’s a good move on the mood meter.
Did McCain miss that Lehrer already made the announcement about Kennedy? And he’s back home, right?
McCain sounds dejected.
And the pandering didn’t go well on the mood meter; dipped immediately. And frankly, McCain is kind of rambling here and he’s not doing well… “This isn’t the beginning of the end of this crisis, this is the end of the beginning?” What the hell does that mean?
And Obama is doing what I think he does best in not just looking at the symptoms but the root cause, now moving on to John McCain who said he would vote for the plan, and is for some reason now bringing up Dwight D. Eisenhower for what reason I have no idea?
Huh. There’s a difference between accountability and scapegoating.
I agree Kathy, and McCain sounds kind of beat down.
Obama makes good point on ordinary people being hurt.
Personally, and I don’t think anyone is surprised on this, I think Obama is right now dancing on McCain’s head at this point.
That thing Jim Lehrer did about asking them to talk to each other was stupid.
Is John ditching his party??
The next question is basically what would you do as President to steer us out of this economic crisis.
Whoa. Did you catch that? He tried to make a joke and it fell flat on its face.
hehehe, and John McCain is warring against pork barrel spending, he is opening himself for some major punishing… Let’s see how Obama gets back.
His voice is shaking.
Here comes the maverick speech.
I didn’t catch the joke.
Repeating all his worn-out cliches.
Obama is really going after McCain and not letting him go.
“My friends”
Drink!
Five million dollars?
Ah, gotta get my drink
And the only people really digging McCain’s answers here are the Republicans.
$5,000 for health insurance? Clearly he hasn’t had to buy his own insurance since the 1930s.
McCain just can’t stop smirking, that’s a bad habit.
And McCain is starting to force a smile.
Choose which tax code you want? What?!
Here comes the tax lie.
Holy crap… McCain’s barely holding on….
Actually, I wasn’t sure if that was an attempt at a forced smile, or trying not to cry. Seriously. For a moment there he looked to me like he was about to cry.
And, right now, if you’re wondering why I’m not saying much, it’s because I’m pretty entranced at this point. I hate to say this, but this is so far the best performance I’ve seen Obama hand in during a debate this election season.
This is amazing. Obama offers specifics, McCain just repeats the same generalities.
Ew ew ew… did anyone see the lip lick right there? Very reptilian
McCain can send ya to prison…woo hoo
“John pointed to me being liberal. Mostly that’s just me opposing George Bush’s policies.” NICE!
GOOD ONE! That’s the one Sarah Palin said she was going to do.
Watchout! He’s gonna send you to prison!!!!!!!
Why do you say that you hate to say it, Kyle?
Spending freeze?
Okay, I don’t hate to say it.
OK Jim Lehrer is being annoying
Jesus, can you see the look on Obama’s face, it’s saying, “Wow, John, you are really making this easy for me?”
You think that was on purpose, saying Kennedy and Clinton first?
Oh, and here we go, John McCain, straight up lying about Barack Obama’s health plan, Obama had better get in there and kick his ass over this.
yeah, it makes him look like a Maverick-y Maverick.
I think the “freeze spending” remark is going to come back to haunt McCain
“Excessive spending” over and over again. Jeebus, did someone replace McCain with Mike Gravel?
Dear John — Not only was spending out of control, but the Bush tax cuts were, too. Cuts are essentially spending, you tardbag.
Hot damn. Obama’s not going to let him get away with anything. And there’s that Miss Congeniality again. He’s just repeating lies.
Ewww he brought up Palin
TORTURE?!?!?!?!!?
BULLSHIT!!!!
BULLSHIT!!!!
“MAVERICK!”
Oh, that was terrible, the creepy smile rears its head!
Terry, I agree with you about Jim Lehrer.
There’s going to be some fact checking tomorrow.
WELCOME TAS!!!!!!
You liking the bloodbath so far?
Someone warned me that Lehrer did a job on Kerry in one of the debates in 2004. I didn’t see it though.
Go John McCain!!! We are behind you.
NEaring one trillion on war spending — spending. McCain ignores that spending. Fucking tardbag.
Heya Kyle, just flipped on CNN’s live feed.. Figured I’d swing by before I head to the all american karaoke night down the street.
Bloodbath… take off your beer-goggles!
Yeah, he’s saying McCain is wrong!!
Simple is always better.
HOLY CRAP!!!!!
“YOU WERE WRONG!”
Wait! Are you saying Iran’s influence is NOT greater? So we don’t have to bomb Iran now?
Obama speaks of mis-management… at least he has that community organizer experience.
What the hell is McCain talking about ?
Why is he telling stories and not answering Obama’s points against him?
Who the hell is this guy? Are you getting Troll Points for this GJ?
It’s a shame that Obama has to say the surge reduced violence, because it would be political suicide to say it didn’t.
Obama…get with the winning strategy in Iraq. It is true, you would not admit that the strategy was winning….
Good, Obama bringing up the Afghanistan point
LOL. Ethnic cleansing does wonders to reduce violence.
If anyone is watching the mood meter right now, even the republican line isn’t doing that well when McCain is talking.
Go John Go John Go John Go John!!!!
And how can Obama just put that 16 months time limit on withdrawl? How did he arrive at that number? Pull it out of thin air? Just throw out a number, America will buy it.
Oh Jesus Christ, Iraq is NOT the central battleground. Al-Qa’ida WASN’T THERE before we got there.
Did McCain say that General Patraeus would be going to Afghanistan? I thought he was replaced.
Mood meter…..schmood meter. No worries!
Obama is doing fantastic, especially considering that he’s not the kind to lie relentlessly in order to win points.
I think Obama is doing a good job about Afghanistan and Pakistan. It will be interesting to see how McCain answers this.
McCain is looking more and more pissed.
You some Al Qa’ida expert? You know their where-abouts? How do you know these things?
Hmmmm John what about your running mate threatening Russia?
If he’s not willing to cut off aid to Pakistan, then he’s not willing to change the policies we had after the Russians left Afghanistan.
“If you have to do things, you have to do things?”
What kind of things, Mr. McCain? I’m just curious–sounds real shady to me.
Afghanistan wasn’t forgotten from 1998 - 2001, when Unocal wanted to build a pipeline there and Taliban representatives were visiting the White House and Houston. Christ, does McCain ever tell the ucking truth once? This guy is such a lying douchebag.
Pakistan is not our friend.
Walnutz is putting me to sleep.
“SUNG SONGS ABOUT BOMBING IRAN?!?!?!”
Hey GoJohn, in fact I’m an expert in practice — studying Middle Eastern affairs, learning Arabic, spending so many hours a week on these issues that it’s like a job… So I know a hell of a lot more then you. Now go away.
Actually, tas, he’s right in the sense that after the Russians were defeated in Afghanistan and left, the U.S. lost interest in the country. Yes, there was the pipeline, but in terms of counterterrorism work, the U.S. just dropped Afghanistan while Al Qaeda got stronger and stronger. That may be the only accurate thing he’s said all evening, but he undercuts his own point by saying he won’t cut off aid to Pakistan.
Now he’s talking about opposing Reagan’s bombing in Lebanon as an example of how he wouldn’t Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran? Are you serious?
Pakistan was a “failed state” before Musharraf? Yes, because all failed states are able to develop nukes. Fuck you, John.
Here’s John McCain’s record:
http://www.johnmccainrecord.com/index.html
Listen to McCain’s record!
You guys are just repeating crap that we are all watching!
And, griping to each other about it.
Enjoy.
And he’ll send them into harm’s way every chance he gets and every chance he doesn’t get.
What the hell is Walnuts talking about? He’s pulling out pity points now? Jebus I forgot what the hell the question was?
General Patreaus predicts defeat?? What is McCain saying?
We didn’t ignore Afghanistan though, Kathy — we paid attention to them for business purposes. We didn’t pay the right attention to them, but just like the US doesn’t give a shit about other oppressive regimes around the world, we didn’t give a shit about Afghanistan, either. Nor did we shun the country, though. From what I heard, John implied that we just ignored Afghanistan after the fall of the USSR but that’s not true. Our governments were perfectly willing to deal with the Taliban when energy money was involved.
New question: What is your reading of the threat from Iran to the security of the United States?
“STRAIGHTTALK”
Drink!
Second holocaust, why do they keep using that phrase?
Ahhh, League of Democracies.. So we can just not talk with the rest of the world. That’ll help diplomacy!
“League of nations”? Oohh… can Superman head it up, or would it have to be like the back benchers like the Falcon, or whatever?
I am personally offended by that “We can’t have a second Holocaust” crap. Stop trying to rack up political points lying about Iran being the same as Nazi Germany.
At every single step of the way, Obama is simply showing up McCain on level of knowledge.
McCain can’t pronounce Ahmadinejad?
Good answer from Obama about meeting with Ahmadinejad.
The sneer is now permanent on McCain
I agree, Kyle. That comment about what “no preconditions” really means was terrific.
Oh jesus, this is like watching Katie Couric interview Sarah Palin… And no, Obama is not playing the role of Bible Spice.
Yes, got the Spain gaffe in
So we can’t legitimize other leaders by face to face meetings with them… I wonder what McCain thinks about JFK’s meetings with Khrushchev, then. I wonder what McCain thinks the results of the Cuba Missile Crisis would have been in his world of diplomacy. Christ, he speaks of a “Second Holocaust” — October 1962 would have been such!
McCain’s policies are just plain scary.
That’s enough fun for me tonight. If anyone needs me, I’ll be drinking my ass off at the bar down the road.
Did he just say South Koreans are taller? What does that mean?
Here we go, McCain just lost it.
Is it me, or did John McCain just throw a temper tantrum right there in the middle of the debate?
John McCain looked into Putin’s eyes and saw K-G-B? This has gotten to the point of self-parody.
Terry, I think that comment was a reference to the widespread malnutrition in North Korea. The people there are basically being starved by their government. That’s my guess about what he meant.
Not just you, Kyle. He threw a temper tantrum.
Thanks Kathy, I just had no idea what he was talking about.
This was actually the first I’ve heard about the difference in height between South and North Koreans, but knowing about the rampant starvation, I just figured that was what he meant.
You know, I can’t remember who wrote it, but someone wrote that there’s just something about the guy that frustrates the hell of out of his opponents…
Final question: What do you think the chances of another 9/11 happening are?
Okay, that was the first thing Obama did that disappointed me; he gave credit to McCain on the torture issue.
Are you asking us?
You know, I’m looking at the mood meter, and I have been looking at that mood meter all night long, and I’m going to say one thing; Obama won this thing outright, there’s no counter spin anyone can dispute that.
Kyle, that was tactical.
Or strategic.
No, Kathy, I was just saying that that was the final question of the debate.
Am I wrong, or did McCain say that missile defense ended the Cold War?
Now, McCain just went straight for I’m more experienced than him, so there.
Oh, okay.
Obama couldn’t take it when McCain seemed to compare him to Bush, saying he was stubborn. That was a stretch.
John McCain, I’m a POW…
Drink!
That’s a lie about the POW issue. Someone should re-air that video of McCain browbeating that woman whose brother is MIA.
I’m pretty sure John McCain just lost.
Alright folks, what did you guys think?
Notice how gracious Obama was shaking John’s hand. John still couldn’t look him in the eye.
I certainly think he did. And I have to say this: I am so envious of Michelle Obama. It must be something real wonderful to be loved as Obama so obviously loves her.
Terry, you are right. And also Michelle Obama walked over and shook their hands.
Okay, I’m going to give my thoughts real quick, because I’m positively thrilled at this moment, and now it’s time for me to close up shop and go home.
I think this was a great performance for Obama, easily his best debate so far of the season. On style, he looked far more composed and presidential, and in substance, he was not only in command of the facts, but he was aggressive, he was unwilling to let McCain get away with a point, and he was assertive. By contrast, McCain appeared tired, and at times whiny as though he was trying to convince the electorate that “Obama just doesn’t understand!”
I don’t think there was a contest here, I think Obama whiped the floor with McCain, and from what I saw on CNN’s mood meter, at least the focus group agrees with me.
I think Obama did well and held his own with McCain on foreign policy. As someone who has watched him thru all the debates, I know that debating isn’t always his strong point.
And I will guess that people are not as concerned about foreign policy and security of the country right now.
McCain was MASTERFUL? What is he smoking?
I think Obama did a great job controlling his frustration with McCain. He never lost it. And McCain is so infuriating.
Well, goodnight. Thanks for joining me, but it is now time for this tired puppy to head on home!
Also, when we look at what a President will be taking on in January, I can’t imagine a person thinking that John McCain is ready to lead. Just look at the way he has been running his campaign. Look at the way he has been handling himself the last few weeks. Look at the decisions he has made. It has been downright embarrassing.
As opposed to Obama who has been running his campaign exactly how he said he would. He has been focused on issues, focused on talking to the American people. That’s it, no drama.
When John McCain talks about his past experience, I don’t think that John McCain exists anymore.
[...] colleagues noticed it in our liveblogging before I did, but I think it’s a question that needs some [...]