The Debate: Liveblogging III

10:14: McCain sounds angry and passionate; Obama seems cool.

10:13: Obama and McCain sparring over what Kissinger said; Obama defending himself on preconditions...but haven't we heard this debate before? A dozen times before?

10:11: Obama brings up McCain's comments about PM Zapatero... zings Obama: "I'm not going to set the White House visitors schedule...I don't even have my own seal yet." (Audience can't laugh, so line lays flat."

10:10: Obama cites Bush's overture to Iran...

10:08: Obama: A is not the most powerful person in Iran. So he might not be the most powerful person to talk to. Obama: "Sen. McCain mentioned Henry Kissinger, who is one of his advisers,...who said...we should meet with Iran without preconditions." 

10:06:  Obama agreeing with McCain on Iran. Playing into McCain's strength? But Obama calls for "tough, direct diplomacy" with Iran.. "this notion that not talking to people punishes them" is "not working."  McCain:  mispronounces Ahmadinejad... seems fairly angry... blasts Obama  for  wanting to sit down "without precondition" to person "who espouses the extermination of the state of Israel"... says sitting down with them legitimizes them....

10:04: On Iran: McCain says that if Iran gets nukes, it's an "existential threat" to Israel. Says "We cannot allow a second holocaust."  Talks about League of Democracy... lays the case for tough sanctions in Iran...

10:02: McCain is spending the entire foreign policy portion defending the war in Iraq.

10:01: Obama: "I've got a bracelet too." McCain: "You might think that, with that kind of concern, that Sen. Obama would have gone to Afghanistan..."  sneers and mentions Obama's subcommittee again....

10:00 A Democrat notes that McCain called new Pakistan PM "Kadari" instead of "Zadari."

9:59: McCain on parents of troops: "We don't want defeat." McCain recalls lessons of VIetnam... "I know how hard it is for an army and a military to cover from that."

9:56: McCain says that "Sen. Obama doesn't understand" quite a bit...seems to be a preplanned line.

9:55:  Lesson learned from Hillary? Obama is NOT discursive tonight. He doesn't seem cowed by McCain. And, again, McCain refuses to meet Obama's gaze.

9:54: Obama responds as if McCain is a crazy uncle...Obama justifies taking out terrorists even if Pakistan opposes.. calls it "the right strategy."

9:53: McCain demonstrates a solid understanding of the region here... but isn't very tough on the Pakistanis....

9:52: On Afghanistan, McCain concedes a "mistake" -- assume he means the U.S.'s mistakes. McCain: "If you're going to aim a gun at somebody...you'd better be prepared to pull the trigger."  McCain: "I'm not prepared to threaten" Pakistan, like "Obama wants to do."  McCain claims Obama says he would "launch military strikes into Pakistan" ...  McCain calls for replicating surge strategy in Afghanistan.

9:50: Obama's wearing a flag pin and McCain is not.

9:49: McCain: predicts a wider war "if we adopt Sen. Obama's plan."

9:48: McCain finds it tough to look Obama in the eyes. McCain keeps returning to what Gen. Petraeus says...

9:47: Obama calls for more troops in Afghanistan....

9:45: McCain recalls troop visits...says troops said "let us win:"  McCain: "Sen. Obama refuses to acknowledge that we are winning in Iraq.." Obama: "not true, not true."  McCain explains the surge strategy... McCain says Obama voted to cut off funds for troops.... Obama: Sen. McCain "opposed funding for troops in legislation that had a timetable because he didn't believe in a timetable...we had a difference on the timetable...we had a legitimate difference on timetable...I understand the difference between tactics and strategy is not whether we are employing a particular approach..the question is, was this wise?"

Tags: debate | McCain | Obama

Comments

McCain's sneer about Obama's lack of hearing was chilling. He hates him.

Posted by Elizabeth | September 26, 2008 10:05 PM

Agreed that Obama is not backing down from Mccain, showing more edge than previous debates, very good to see.

Posted by Ken | September 26, 2008 10:20 PM

Mccain is old and sour and suffering from PTSS. We need a cool head...and preferably one containing some brains. We get that with Obama.
If McCain can't even look at Obama or treat him with respect, how can he be expected to deal with our real enemies? I honor McCain's past, but he is not the best man for our future.

Posted by barb | September 26, 2008 11:57 PM

We should thank McCain for the frequent reminders of just how OLD he is. I kept waiting for him to tell us about when he fought alongside General Grant.

Posted by kathie | September 27, 2008 12:44 AM

I remember this debate about 'preconditions' vs 'preparations' from the Democratic primary debates.. only then it was over the endless exchanges with Obama saying that his health care plan was "universal" because anyone in the country would be able to participate - vs Clinton saying that it wasn't, to be "universal" a plan must include everyone even if we have to force them to participate.

Much ado over an extremely thin point of contention.

Posted by JS | September 27, 2008 2:03 AM

And Zardari is the President of Pakistan, not the PM!

Posted by Prasanth | September 27, 2008 7:17 AM

McCain's claim to be the only one to know the difference between tactics and strategy, and then claim that "The Surge" is a strategy when it is a tactic, is just bizarre. He seems so fixated in his anger on one point - I would hate to see him be in the position to make strategic decisions when he can't see beyond his own nose.

Also, how can you seriously say McCain demonstrates knowledge of central Asia? To call Pakistan a failed-state before Musharraf's coup is demonstrably wrong. And anyone in the US government apologizing for the incredibly stupid and counter-productive strategy of propping up Musharraf again demonstrates that they think tactics are the only thing. That was the Bush method, and McCain's campaign is nothing but tactics.

Posted by The Third Policeman | September 29, 2008 12:25 PM