I'm on about a 30 minute delay with the debate and I can't help but start blogging about my thoughts....I'll update this throughout the debate when I feel so inclined:
1) Why does McCain pronounce "Washington" like "Warshington"? When did the "r" get put in there? He's been around Sarah Palin and her wacky pronounciation too long...
2) Did McCain just say "Fannie and Freddie Mae"? Yes, I rewound the Tivo and he certainly did. Umm it's Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He is blinking like crazy and shaking like a leaf. He is clearly trying to control himself and my prediction is it's not going to work!
3) ENOUGH about Joe the Plumber already! Obama is going to cut 95% of our taxes!!! Shut up about Joe Plumber, McCain! Again, what is it with these Republicans and the "Joe's"? Joe Six-Pack, Joe Plumber...if my name was Joe I'd want to change it ASAP.
4) Instead of calling him "Senator Obama", McCain says "Senor Obama". The lack of enunciation is wearing on me...
5) I LOVE IT that Obama is calling out McCain on saying he supported a tax increase for those making more than $42,000. He even said Fox News disputes that he did that...ZING!
6) McCain is more senile than I thought...he's claiming he hasn't supported George Bush, yet he has voted in agreement with Bush 90% of the time. Ninety percent!!!!! I only wish Obama could've responded to that claim, but they switched to the next question.
7) Talking about negative campaign ads and we're back on Joe the Plumber? Please, please, please give it up...this is as bad as Palin and her maverick comments!
8) Bravo to Obama for calling McCain and Palin out for not stopping the comments such as "kill him" at their rallies. I agree, that was totally out of line and something should've been said to those people by the Republicans to stop it. If you don't believe racism is still prevalent in our country and isn't being somewhat used by the Republicans, just read this article that my mother-in-law sent me from the New York Times. It's pretty scary stuff...
9) What out of line t-shirts is McCain talking about at Obama rallies? I need to see these!
10) When the "Why is your Vice Presidential candidate better than his?" question was asked, I am guessing it took all the will in the world for Obama to keep from cracking up laughing and saying something along the lines of, "Ummm....have you see the Katie Couric interview????" I haven't heard McCain's response to this question yet but I'm sure it's going to be a doozy...
11) McCain's response...she's a role model to women. YIKES. Let's just say that if she's a role model to women, I don't want to be a woman anymore.
12) McCain's reaction to Obama saying that Joe the Plumber would pay zero in fines for the employee healthcare issue... "Zero?!" in disbelief. Priceless. McCain cracks me up with his facial expressions. I love it that Obama finally called him out on all of this bullying about "Joe Plumber". FINALLY. Then Obama went on to say that if Joe wanted to provide his employees with health insurance he'd be granted a 50% credit so he could afford to provide it.
13) McCain sits up there like a smug little Grinch smirking, blinking, looking around the room, and flashing his yellow bottom teeth. Obama is calm, cool, and collected. He looks, acts, and sounds Presidential. Best of all, his plans for the country are the ones that will get us back on track.
14) McCain's healthcare plan is a joke. PLEAAASE. The $5,000 credit isn't going to cover squat. PLEASE let me move to Canada or England if this man is elected President (the countries he suggested Obama's healthcare plan mimics). I'd much rather be in those two places than an America where McCain is in charge.
15) Obama on education: AMEN. As a college professor with a husband who is a middle school teacher and a mom and mother-in-law who are both high school teachers, education is one of the absolute most important issues to me. I hear stories and see firsthand how poor the education system is in our country and how many children from lower-income are not given a fair opportunity for quality education from the very start. Education has got to be reformed or else we will continue to see an even deeper division between the lower, middle, and upper classes in our American society.
16) McCain on education: "throwing money at the problem is not the answer". It might not be the absolute answer, but it is certainly PART of the answer. I could go on and on about the poor conditions Karl teaches in and how much more he could accomplish in the classroom with more and better resources. There is no question that more money would help education. Higher salaries would also provide a greater incentive for talented college students to go into this line of work! As it is, who would want to be a teacher, work harder than most office jobs, and be paid peanuts in return??? Only those with the very best intentions at heart instead of an eye on the almighty dollar. While it's great to think people should want to do what's best for society and forgo the big salaries, it just isn't realistic.
McCain also said we need to support programs like Teach for America. Yes, these programs are important, but how can these programs thrive when the teachers are forced to endure such dismal conditions at the schools where they are placed? Two Teach for America teachers already quit at Karl's school this year and we're only two months into the school year! Unless conditions are better and more money is put into education, Teach for America teachers will continue to serve their time and then get out of the profession to have a less stressful and higher paying job like all of their old college friends, if not sooner (as was the case for the two teachers at Karl's school).
FINALLY, the end of the debate and Michelle Obama and Cindy McCain take the stage. The image that astounded me was that of the Obamas embracing each other, ear to ear grins on both of their faces, and waving to the people in the audience, while John McCain and the Ice Queen stood probably two feet away from each other like deer in headlights, waving timidly. I know this is a very superficial thing, but which couple looks most like a "first couple" that you could be proud of? The Obamas, hands down. These are the people who will best represent the United States, give our country a better name globally, and help to improve our country's economy and most pressing issues. They not only LOOK more Presidential (and more like the type of strong and confident couple I want leading our country), they ARE because of what Barack Obama will do for our country!!! I have no doubt that Michelle Obama will help him to turn our country around as well.
So far this is the best picture I can find of the two candidates and their wives after the debate, but if I find a better one to illustrate my point I'll definitely post it:
Here's another one of the Ice Queen looking less than thrilled to be there...
Vote wisely this November, and I beg you to look past things such as race. We might pretend that we don't know anyone who would let race affect their vote, but I know deep down that I know a lot of people who might actually fall prey to this. We are all the same, no matter what color, height, weight, nationality, age, etc. and it pains me to think some people would be so small minded as to let these differences affect their vote when they know deep down which candidate would best help our country as a whole.
**Now, to view the ACTUAL "Joe the Plumber" conversation between Barack Obama and Joe the Plumber, click here. It seems that Joe the Plumber was actually quite satisfied with Obama's plan!
AND ONE MORE THING THAT YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO DO...visit this website to see what our country would be like with Palin as President...click on the various items throughout the room. Click on the door on the wall at least three different times to see what happens there. WOW...whoever created this website is a comic genius! The scary part is...a lot of it is true.
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