Official Presidential Debate #2 thread

[DisgruntledVirus]

What are thoughts/expectations of both candidates tonight?

Town hall format (which McCain likes)
Tom Brokaw is the moderator
Going to be over domestic/foreign policy

Tonight at 9 pm EDT.

Discuss.

Stickied for discussions regarding tonight Presidential debate.

PC Surgeon
AnandTech P&N Moderator

 

[jpeyton]

Obama's going Kyra Sedgwick tonight and closing out this motherf****r.

 

[StageLeft]

I just don't expect that we'll get anything new out of them; not sure I'll bother watching.

 

[JJChicken]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I just don't expect that we'll get anything new out of them; not sure I'll bother watching.

Really? I thought it was going to be explosive with all the character assinations going out there. I hope McCain trips over his feet :laugh: Now THAT would be funny!

 

[Tab]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I just don't expect that we'll get anything new out of them; not sure I'll bother watching.

Ditto, but I'll probably watch a few clips later on.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: Tab

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I just don't expect that we'll get anything new out of them; not sure I'll bother watching.

Ditto, but I'll probably watch a few clips later on.

Yea they may put in a couple quick punchs but i think they will hold off until the last one.


Does anybody know if the questions will come from members there and if so are they screened beofre or allowed to ask anything?

Oh here is how it is set up...


"Tuesday's match-up at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., will be moderated by NBC's Tom Brokaw, with the questions to be culled from a group of 100 to 150 uncommitted likely voters in the audience and another one-third to come via the Internet. The Gallup Organization -- as in past debates like this -- has the job of making sure the questioners reflect the demographic makeup of the nation.

Brokaw selects the questions to ask from written queries submitted prior to the debate, according to the "contract."

An audience member will not be allowed to switch questions. Under the deal, the moderator may not ask followups or make comments. The person who asks the question will not be allowed a follow-up either, and his or her microphone will be turned off after the question is read. A camera shot will only be shown of the person asking -- not reacting."


Yep does not sound like anything will happen.

 

[Capitalizt]

Prediction: Our favorite senile old senator will not be bragging about republican foreign policy or the republican economy. Both have record low public opinion.

Instead, he will go all out in desperation mode and attack Obama personally. He is down to one of his last 2 chances to smear Obama in front of a huge audience. I predict he will bring up his "terrorist" connections and try to make people afraid of him. It's utter nonsense, but that won't stop him from trying.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: Tab

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I just don't expect that we'll get anything new out of them; not sure I'll bother watching.

Ditto, but I'll probably watch a few clips later on.

Yea they may put in a couple quick punchs but i think they will hold off until the last one.


Does anybody know if the questions will come from members there and if so are they screened beofre or allowed to ask anything?

Oh here is how it is set up...


"Tuesday's match-up at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., will be moderated by NBC's Tom Brokaw, with the questions to be culled from a group of 100 to 150 uncommitted likely voters in the audience and another one-third to come via the Internet. The Gallup Organization -- as in past debates like this -- has the job of making sure the questioners reflect the demographic makeup of the nation.

Brokaw selects the questions to ask from written queries submitted prior to the debate, according to the "contract."

An audience member will not be allowed to switch questions. Under the deal, the moderator may not ask followups or make comments. The person who asks the question will not be allowed a follow-up either, and his or her microphone will be turned off after the question is read. A camera shot will only be shown of the person asking -- not reacting."


Yep does not sound like anything will happen.

"DON'T TASE ME BRO" v2.0 could be entertaining

 

[TraumaRN]

Originally posted by: Capitalizt
Prediction: Our favorite senile old senator will not be bragging about republican foreign policy or the republican economy. Both have record low public opinion.

Instead, he will go all out in desperation mode and attack Obama personally. He is down to one of his last 2 chances to smear Obama in front of a huge audience. I predict he will bring up his "terrorist" connections and try to make people afraid of him. It's utter nonsense, but that won't stop him from trying.

And yet if he does that, it will probably cost him, especially if Obama refutes it quickly and calls him out for focusing on personal attacks and not focusing on things that matter, the economy, health care etc.

 

[Lemon law]

This is McCain almost last chance, and with the McCain polls now sinking as fast as the stock market, McCain really needs something that will change the campaign back into his favor.

A lot of people like McCain, McCain's problem is that more people think that Obama is doing the straight talking.

Other than going negative, McCain has yet to find anything to hurt Obama with, and with only four weeks to go, its desperation time for McCain.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
This is McCain almost last chance, and with the McCain polls now sinking as fast as the stock market, McCain really needs something that will change the campaign back into his favor.

A lot of people like McCain, McCain's problem is that more people think that Obama is doing the straight talking.

Other than going negative, McCain has yet to find anything to hurt Obama with, and with only four weeks to go, its desperation time for McCain.

Do you think he may upper cut him?

 

[Ferocious]

Thanks for the reminder.

I need to head over the local video store and pick up a couple DVDs for tonight.

 

[SP33Demon]

If McCain doesn't land a KO tonight, he's finished. There won't be enough time between the last debate and election day to make up the difference unless Obama pulls a H.Dean-esque meltdown. Obama just has to hold serve at this point...

 

[thraashman]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
This is McCain almost last chance, and with the McCain polls now sinking as fast as the stock market, McCain really needs something that will change the campaign back into his favor.

A lot of people like McCain, McCain's problem is that more people think that Obama is doing the straight talking.

Other than going negative, McCain has yet to find anything to hurt Obama with, and with only four weeks to go, its desperation time for McCain.

You say that as if McCain has even tried to do anything other than go negative. McCain's entire campaign has been one long negative ad. He's quite frankly and honestly one of the most worthless human beings on the planet. If by some blighted curse upon this world McCain gets elected, the day that his old ass dies in office I'm throwing a parade and playing "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead".

 

[Xavier434]

The interesting part will be exactly what is said and how it is presented when taking into consideration many of the Americans who are not as attentive to the media, but choose to watch the debates and the remainder of their knowledge mostly comes from hear say. A lot of info will be new to many of them.

 

[jonks]

I'd love to see McCain try to play the Ayers card in front of this audience. He's real brave saying that shit in tv ads or on stage at a republican rally. Would love to see him try to "change the conversation" in his "respectable campaign" to the guilty by association game. It will give Obama the chance to shake his head, look America and the townhall audience in the eye and say "really, is this what people here are concerned about? Show of hands folks, anyone here want to talk about the economy? the wars we're mired in? Your jobs, your homes, your 401ks, your children's education, college tuition, the credit crisis? Or do we want to talk about a guy who did terrible things when I was 8 years old? I voted for a bill in Illinois that would have taught kindergarten students how to protect themselves from sexual predators and strangers, and John McCain ran nationwide ads claiming I wanted to teach them about STDs and condom use. Does anyone here believe that? Does anyone here really think that is worth discussing?"

Good luck John.

Just found out my cousin will be in the audience. Hope he gets to ask a question

 

[Tab]

Originally posted by: DeathBUA

Originally posted by: Capitalizt
Prediction: Our favorite senile old senator will not be bragging about republican foreign policy or the republican economy. Both have record low public opinion.

Instead, he will go all out in desperation mode and attack Obama personally. He is down to one of his last 2 chances to smear Obama in front of a huge audience. I predict he will bring up his "terrorist" connections and try to make people afraid of him. It's utter nonsense, but that won't stop him from trying.

And yet if he does that, it will probably cost him, especially if Obama refutes it quickly and calls him out for focusing on personal attacks and not focusing on things that matter, the economy, health care etc.

True, but honestly what else does McCain have to offer about himself? He's a member of the unpopular party, he's not charismatic, a Bush supporter, has a week VP, we're still in Iraq, Afghanistan is going south along with the economy.

Also, I think his campaigning has gone way too far, Obama supported teaching pre-schoolers about child molesters but the McCain campaign spins it and accusing Obama of supporting sex ed for kids. :disgust:

I hope that Obama brings this up in one of the debates, McCain couldn't even keep a straight face when he getting grilled about it on The View.

 

[MikeyLSU]

I think McCain does well and will bring up points to make people second guess Obama.

McCain's back is against the wall and this is the end of the road if he doesn't come out strong today.

Will it be enough, who knows? I can only hope.

 

[evident]

prediction: mccain is gonna accuse obama of being a muslim

 

[Stoneburner]

You know McCain's in trouble when he hasn't declared victory yet.

 

[frostedflakes]

Originally posted by: jonks
I'd love to see McCain try to play the Ayers card in front of this audience. He's real brave saying that shit in tv ads or on stage at a republican rally. Would love to see him try to "change the conversation" in his "respectable campaign" to the guilty by association game. It will give Obama the chance to shake his head, look America and the townhall audience in the eye and say "really, is this what people here are concerned about? Show of hands folks, anyone here want to talk about the economy? the wars we're mired in? Your jobs, your homes, your 401ks, your children's education, college tuition, the credit crysis? Or do we want to talk about a guy who did terrible things when I was 8 years old?"

Good luck John.

Yeah I'm almost hoping McCain doesn't try to bring any of that up, because Obama will make him look like a fool if he does. He could either go that route, or bring up the Keating thing.

 

[Moonbeam]

We don't know who Obama is? That's why he picked Sarah Palin. Everybody knows who she is. But we don't know who Obama is which means he's an unknown. And the unknown is full of monsters. The unknown is the edge of the earth. McSame has an advantage. Everybody knows he's Bush.

 

[OrByte]

The rules for this debate suck.

I want to see some actual debating.

 

[Farang]

The character stuff will be brought up by McCain or Brokaw (probably Brokaw) and both candidates will give pre-written answers to them. That'll be the part where everyone holds their breath but other than that I don't expect much else.

 

[RightIsWrong]

I would like to see unscripted questions being asked by the audience and have each be allowed a follow up question if the candidate gives some known to be debunked talking point answer.

But I know that that is never going to be allowed. We can't allow "Gotchya" questions even if they are coming from the voting population.