Thanks, for posting that Kate!

Wow, Kate. This is certainly damning evidence. Why isn't the mainstream media on top of such relevant and breaking news!?!? Bahaha. You're hilarious.

At the risk of being ostracised and hoping that I will remain in the good graces of our host I will repost a (edited) comment I made on an earlier post that is apropos this post's topic:

Too early to tell for sure, but it looks to have been a draw which means Barack Won.

This debate - foreign policy being the main topic - was supposed to be the one where JM wiped the floor with BO's sarcastic smirk. He didn't. BO did very little umming and ahhing - something many blogs were anticipating. He may not have been on teleprompter but he had clearly been very well rehearsed and prepped and it showed. That JM didn't lay him out umming and ahhing on the floor means that BO beat expectations.

The timing of the debate - in the midst of the financial crisis took its toll on JM both in terms of energy and in terms of prep time and it showed. Had this past week been more tranquil news-wise I think he would have been far more aggressive in a good way - more pointed in his rebuttal of BO's weak logic both on foreign affairs and on the economy (ie - BO never did say what programs he would cut in a downturn but rather argued that more new programs and spending would bring about a recovery).

But in the long-run it is more often than not only one or two moments in a debate that resonate and ultimately determine who won. John McCain had none of those moments that would hurt him but he also didn't land any kill shots either. Barack on the other hand had several potential ones:

- the one noted above

- his saying "You are right John" several times (who coached him to do that? It seems like a very dumb idea to me.)

- some of his utterances on Iraq, Afstan and Pak will maybe float to the top...

- and then the most interesting one to me...

The only moment where he seemed to break-away from his practiced choreography was in response to the bracelet comment and perhaps at that moment we saw, maybe for the first time ever, the real, unrehearsed Obama:

Seeing a chance to retort to the evidence of the 'realness' of JM and his commitment to the troops via his bracelet and realizing that he too had been given one of those things, he thought it would be clever to volley back with it. The only problem was the bracelet was little more than a trinket to him - a political prop - something he didn't look at every day and muse about the sentiment and the name behind it (like JM clearly does with his) and he stumbled over the name as a result, thus revealing the shallowness of his conviction to the American fighting forces and a lack of appreciation of the sacrifice that "service" means. He's in this for the power and the glory, not for the betterment of his country.

This may have been one of the greatest 'tells' in American political history.

It's all relative eh steve...guess you missed the part where McCain didn't stumble ...he's has the name memorised.. he knows it 'by heart'.

Check your notes Obamessiah. Because you don't give a damn about the Sgt. or his mother, I understand why you wouldn't be bothered to commit their names to memory.

At the core of Obama is a puff ball..all style/talking points and no substance or experience.
Of course Gen y's and x's like obama because they wouldn't know substance, integrity, experience or honor..if they fell over it.
This posting by Kate is one of multitudes like the death of a thousand cuts.. that if you listen to them all in total CAREFULLY and CLOSELY.. very slowly the clear picture emerges..see above.

Gord that pretty much sums it up, trinket vs guiding moral philosophy.

"Too early to tell for sure, but it looks to have been a draw which means Barack Won."

Gord, just because the left says this is the case doesn't make it true. The polls themselves are very unreliable in this election. One "poll" favouring O by the MSM consisted of 14 democrats together in one room...

What we saw last night was a man who spoke from experience, reaching into his plethora of real life experiences to address the questions vs. someone with very unrealistic, impractical ideas that were not well backed up by fact, very emotional arguments.

Yes Obama is at times a much more eloquent/polished speaker, he certainly was at any point that he was using his prepared notes; however, on any issue relating to foreign policy McCain easily out performed Obama. The question then is, does the American public prefer someone who sounds good while they're speaking or someone with a clear grasp of the implications of what he's talking about?

I believe the key difference is that McCain will be able to successfully implement his policy ideas; whereas, Obama will be largely unsuccessful at achieving any of his lofty goals.

Incidentally, perhaps I needed HD to see it, but I couldn't see any bracelet decorating Obama's wrist...not that it really matters, foreign policy shouldn't be based on sound bites from a grieving mother no matter what her viewpoint. I thought it was a ridiculous argument for both sides to be trying to make.

DRUDGE POLL: WHO WON THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE?...

MCCAIN
68% 245,936

OBAMA
30% 108,318

NEITHER
2% 8,981

Total Votes: 363,235
Yup, looks close to me.
Many times today I've seen poll results calling Obahma the winner of the debate.
On closer examination, they're actually giving results of who won from previously 'uncommitted' voters.
The above question from Drudge, doesn't use such tactics.

Geeze, I think we are reaching here. He stumbled over saying the guy's mother gave him the bracelet. It is a non issue. It looks like you're grasping at straws trying to find a reason to declare McCain the winner.

Just bling.

Kate: If your are able to locate and post a longer snip of the event - one that shows John McCain's comment prior to the above moment and alos that shows Barack's words in conclusion that in their own way reveal much about his priorities - minimizing short-term pain even though it means losing the war - you will have a far more powerful indictment of what BO's bracelet comment reveals - the emptiness of his moral character.

I watched bits and pieces of the vultures at cnn 'analyze' the debate,when some black dude made the remark..."geez,McCain had to drag out that tired old POW story again..I'm so sick of that" Nice! and totally non-partisan!

I have to disagree, even though I'd like to see McCain win, I don't think the fact that Obama could not remember the name is a gaffe. That does not have any significance. There are a lot of Canadian soldiers whose names I have forgotten, but that does not mean I no longer appreciate their contributions.

Wasn't even close. Content and directness trumps style everytime that those attributes belonged to McCain an order of magnitude more than Obama. Add in a few fact gaffes about HK & Obama's own voting record and Obama's performance looks even more empty and fabricated.

If Kerry's debates were like Diet Pepsi then Obama's performance is Coke Zero. If the Left insists on diet drink leaders they will always offer voters people that are plastic and devoid of real moral substance and character.

I'm sure Obama's "handlers" are happy that he didnt screw up, we have to remember it's the dems election to lose.

I have to disagree, even though I'd like to see McCain win, I don't think the fact that Obama could not remember the name is a gaffe. That does not have any significance. There are a lot of Canadian soldiers whose names I have forgotten, but that does not mean I no longer appreciate their contributions.
Posted by: sf at September 27, 2008 4:27 PM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I disagree. If I'd taken the time to wear a bracelet bearing the name of a fallen soldier on my wrist, that name would be seared into my brain. That he couldn't recall the name from memory demonstrates to me that the bracelet is little more than a prop to "prove" his military-supporting bonafides.

if BHO's bracelet carried the name of a fallen soldier like say....'Jeremiah Acorn Annenberg Ayers Alinsky' i wager he'd have had it memorized....

Well, I agree it is a gaffe - a minor one - to jump in with pride but not be able to follow-up by rolling the name off without hesitation.

I didn't watch the debate, but have read a bit following it.

The MSM tell people who won, and most people are more than willing to unconsciously absorb that opinion. Subtlely, it becomes internalized - "I heard Obama won".

McCain should push for many more debates - over time his comparative strength could be shown, and it would help dilute what may turn out to be a comparatively weaker Republican performance in the VP debate.

What a load of crock. I called him on it and expected this to be the "You forgot Poland" moment.

Surprisingly, none of the "pundits" on Fox News, and there were 4 of them, picked it up either. This newsbuster joker must feel smart, but frankly the debate was so drab that you can't blame people for zoning out. Is it really worthy of extensive coverage? Doubt it.

Ali Sina, Understanding Obama: The Making of a Fuehrer

Vaknin explains: “Narcissistic leaders are nefarious and their effects pernicious. They are subtle, refined, socially-adept, manipulative, possessed of thespian skills, and convincing. Both types [cerebral and somatic] equally lack empathy and are ruthless and relentless or driven.” These were the very traits that distinguished Hitler and Khomeini. Many of these traits can be seen in Obama. As for his ruthlessness, perhaps his support of legislation to let babies die if they survive abortion, gives a glimps into his soul, that he may lacks empathy, does not value life, and if in the position of power can be ruthless...

Newsbusters?

In the immediate aftermath of the debates it was overlooked by the broadcast media even fox - they had a TV show to produce and that perhaps was a distraction. But on many blogs from the NRO the corner on down it was picked up on very quickly. whether is has legs remains to be seen but Kate via newsbusters is certainly not alone in bringing this up.

Obviously not an off-the-cuff comment.

However, I did find it interesting that he was debating John, Tom, and Jim.

Wow... Kate... wow.

That's the best you got?

I guess you gotta claw at anything when you're supporting a tired old man who is one heartbeat away from turning over power of the world's most important country to a beauty queen whose deep knowledge on foreign affairs amounts to being able to see the Kremlin from her front porch.

Rush limbaugh mentioned a poll on Wed or Thurs that said BO was ahead by 9 points. He then told of the poll breakdown that the poll consisted of poling more black people than normal, 90% of blacks are said to favour BO so polls can easily be skewed.

but of course you'd feel more comfortable knowing joe biden was to lead the free world if the 'ONE' got his neck caught in a mangle ?

I thought "the bracelet" was a major gaffe for Obama which betrays his lack of human warmth and empathy. Even so, Zero will probably add it to his standard stump speech and plays it up relentlessly, much as Napoleon dined on poulet Marengo after battles to immortalise his favourite "victory." Also, he'll probably make a big deal of meeting with disaffected veterans and carefully-selected clones of Cindy Sheehan several times in October.

These musings brought to mind a passage in Erich Fromm, The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness (1973), at 371-72. Albert Speer recounts one of his dreams:

...The wreath arrives. Hitler steps toward the right of the hall where there is another memorial with many wreaths already at its base. He kneels, and begins to intone a plaintive melody in the style of a Gregorian chant, in which is repeated again and again a long-drawn-out "Jesus Maria." Numerous other memorial plaques line the walls of this long, high-ceilinged, marble hall. Hitler, in an ever-faster sequence, lays wreath after wreath, which are handed to him by the busy adjutants. His plaintive tones become more and more monotonous, the row of memorial plaques seems to be endless.

Fromm analyses the dream as follows:

...Speer clearly expresses in a Chaplinesque style his view of Hitler's necrophilous character. He sees him as a man who devotes all his time to paying homage to death, but in a very peculiar way his actions are entirely mechanical, leaving no room for feelings. The wreath-laying becomes an organizational ritual to the point of absurdity. In juxtaposition, the same Hitler, having returned to the religious belief of his childhood, is completely immersed in the intonation of plaintive tones. The dream ends by stressing the monotony and the mechanized manner of his grief ritual.
...[Speer] recognizes that all that is left are the dead and the necrophilous, mechanical, boring Hitler.

Hitler and Obama could be as one in this regard.

Awwww, lookit that!

Kate's mad that Obama trumped McCain's 'bracelet moment' (given by a mother who said "don't let my son die in vain") by showing his own bracelet (given by a mother who asked him to end the war).

So she's gotta try and make hay by showing Obama say "uh" a few times?! How damning!

Doesn't she realize how pathetic this makes her look? (and does she really think this is more egregious than McCain practically coughing up a hairball while trying to pronounce the Iranian president's name?- let's see that!)

Fact is, McCain's point amounted to: we've already thrown all these lives into the pointless quagmire of Iraq - let's keep throwing in some more so we can't say the other ones "died in vain".

It's a carbon copy of Bush's malarkey. They couldn't care less about the troops. It's all about "let me keep murdering them, in the name of all the ones I've murdered already".

Bush and McCain can't and won't admit their mistake - so they continue to demand young men and women die for it...without end, one supposes.

However, they were both kicked to the curb last night by Obama who says the way to truly honour the troops is by ending Bush and McCain's mistake. And he placed the blame squarely on Bush and McCain - the troops can't and don't die in vain when following the orders of the Commander in Chief. But the war is/was amistake, and we know whose mistake it was.

Judging by the polls, the people know it too.

No wonder Kate's posting utterly unremarkable videos, trying to pretend they're damning.

She wishes!

What happened to the real real? Is he at work at the airport?

How's the girlfriend roger?

Do you t'ink it's izzy to 'member ev'ry bracelet that you wear?

Oops, sorry, wrong election.

THe guy speaks in clumps of about four words, separated by an "uh" or two. I liked his remark about the "next time the US went to war", or words to that effect. I guess that cancels out the fans who thought it was war-no-more with Obama. What's his position on marijuana? Perhaps the same as on cocaine? Let's ask Larry Sinclair.

Gord Tulk,

Here is a link to a video clip that includes about 20 seconds prior (to the clip that Kate posted), where John McCain is speaking about the bracelet he wears.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=HFRTTYe_1h0&feature=related

Hey sports fans, I watched the debate and I'd have to agree with most of the political pundants and analysis after it was over. There were no major screwups or gaffs. It was certainly close to a tie unless the observer was a dieheart Dem or Rep. And as most of the panel there agreed, there was no knockout punch or memorable soundbyte that would have defined the debate.

Personally, I would have given it to McCain only because Obama's answers were more like "Me too" replies and not cold hard facts.

As to the VP debate, I predict Biden will be so intent on nailing Palin (pun?) that he will screw up with a fair share of gaffs as he has done consistently of late. Palin will have to come out on the offensive and take the fight to the Dems.

The family asked Obama to stop wearing the bracelet. He ignored them of course.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/warner-todd-huston/2008/09/28/family-told-obama-not-wear-soldier-sons-bracelet-where-media

What about the part when Obama says he wants to invest in education...math and science...didn't we know that China just sent up a shuttle and had a space walk!
Why didn't McCain get the opportunity to remind Obama that the US did the space walk thing 50 years ago! That China is, in fact, behind the US.

SO WHAT?

SO WHAT?

BTW- China is not, I repeat, NOT, behind the US. The US spacewalkers are all in diapers or are pushing up daisies now, that's history. Have you been to Cape Canaveral lately?, I have and it looks like a wrecking yard with tour guides that spend all they're time giving excuses why the Russians were the first in space. They sounded like sore losers at a football game, it was distasteful and unamerican. It made me sick.

sl

If Obama thought we needed to sharpen our kid's math and science skills so we can have a space walk, well, it's a "been there done that" scenario. Obama could have injected something about making cars more enviromentally friendly, or ways to harness the wind or sun. Why the Chinese space walk?
No, I have not been to Cape Canaveral, but I do know a family who has recently had a member on a shuttle crew. Obama would be happy to know that the American education system IS actually churning out astronauts.

If Obama thought we needed to sharpen our kid's math and science skills so we can have a space walk, well, it's a "been there done that" scenario. Obama could have injected something about making cars more enviromentally friendly, or ways to harness the wind or sun. Why the Chinese space walk?
No, I have not been to Cape Canaveral, but I do know a family who has recently had a member on a shuttle crew. Obama would be happy to know that the American education system IS actually churning out astronauts.