I loved that Schieffer's questions were mostly, "How is your economic policy better?" and "Are you confident in your running mate's ability to be president?"
As my friend Allie put it: "Barack--you're awesome. Discuss."
And he handled everything beautifully. While McCain tried to dance around and ignore every question he didn't like, the only question Obama "evaded" was the mudslinging one, but only to say that the accusations weren't the important issues. He's right, of course.
Even better was the opinion tracker of undecided Ohio residents. Like, at the beginning, they were mostly the same with little noticeable variation. But by the last 30 minutes, every time Obama talked they shot up, and every time McCain talked they plunged. Except when he talked about Palin, and the men's still stayed medium-positive. hmmm...
Some of my favorite quotes from tonight (See if you can guess who said what):
"Typically what's happened is there's been a debate between more money or reform. I think we need both."
"Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush you should have run four years ago."
"I think the fact that [attacking me] has become such an important part of your campaign, Senator McCain, says more about your campaign than it says about me."
And he handled everything beautifully. While McCain tried to dance around and ignore every question he didn't like, the only question Obama "evaded" was the mudslinging one, but only to say that the accusations weren't the important issues. He's right, of course.
McCain, on the other hand, had some trouble. It seems he tries to use whatever catchphrase he can come up with, whether its Obama's campaign's or his own, to his advantage. He talked about bringing the change we need (I thought change was Obama's thing?) and not wanting to spread the wealth. Wait a minute, what's wrong with spreading the wealth? Isn't sharing one of the first things you learn in kindergarden?
As soon as he talked about how Autism was especially close to Palin's heart, everyone I was watching with looked around at each other, like, "Wait...doesn't baby Trig have DOWN'S SYNDROME?" Big difference, McCain. And also, thanks for calling all us pro-choicers "pro-abortion," RIGHT AFTER OBAMA SAID, "Noone is 'pro-abortion'." 'cause everyone knows, if you're pro-choice, you support killing babies.
As soon as he talked about how Autism was especially close to Palin's heart, everyone I was watching with looked around at each other, like, "Wait...doesn't baby Trig have DOWN'S SYNDROME?" Big difference, McCain. And also, thanks for calling all us pro-choicers "pro-abortion," RIGHT AFTER OBAMA SAID, "Noone is 'pro-abortion'." 'cause everyone knows, if you're pro-choice, you support killing babies.
Even better was the opinion tracker of undecided Ohio residents. Like, at the beginning, they were mostly the same with little noticeable variation. But by the last 30 minutes, every time Obama talked they shot up, and every time McCain talked they plunged. Except when he talked about Palin, and the men's still stayed medium-positive. hmmm...
Some of my favorite quotes from tonight (See if you can guess who said what):
"Typically what's happened is there's been a debate between more money or reform. I think we need both."
"Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush you should have run four years ago."
"If I occasionally have mistaken your policies for George Bush's policies, it's because on the core economic issues that matter to the American people — on tax policy, on energy policy, on spending priorities — you have been a vigorous supporter of President Bush. We need to move in a new direction."
"Congressman John Lewis, an American hero, made allegations that Sarah Palin and I were somehow associated with the worst chapter in American history, segregation, deaths of children in church bombings, George Wallace. That, to me, was so hurtful. And, Senator Obama, you didn't repudiate those remarks. Every time there's been an out-of-bounds remark made by a Republican, no matter where they are, I have repudiated them. I hope that Senator Obama will repudiate those remarks that were made by Congressman John Lewis, very unfair and totally inappropriate."
"I mean, look, if we want to talk about Congressman Lewis, who is an American hero, he, unprompted by my campaign, without my campaign's awareness, made a statement that he was troubled with what he was hearing at some of the rallies that your running mate was holding, in which all the Republican reports indicated were shouting, when my name came up, things like 'terrorist' and 'kill him,' and that you're running mate didn't mention, didn't stop, didn't say 'Hold on a second, that's kind of out of line.'"
"...I don't mind being attacked for the next three weeks. What the American people can't afford, though, is four more years of failed economic policies. And what they deserve over the next four weeks is that we talk about what's most pressing to them: the economic crisis.
Senator McCain's own campaign said publicly last week that, 'If we keep on talking about the economic crisis, we lose, so we need to change the subject.'
And I would love to see the next three weeks devoted to talking about the economy, devoted to talking about health care, devoted to talking about energy, and figuring out how the American people can send their kids to college. And that is something that I would welcome. But it requires, I think, a recognition that politics as usual, as been practiced over the last several years, is not solving the big problems here in America."
"Congressman John Lewis, an American hero, made allegations that Sarah Palin and I were somehow associated with the worst chapter in American history, segregation, deaths of children in church bombings, George Wallace. That, to me, was so hurtful. And, Senator Obama, you didn't repudiate those remarks. Every time there's been an out-of-bounds remark made by a Republican, no matter where they are, I have repudiated them. I hope that Senator Obama will repudiate those remarks that were made by Congressman John Lewis, very unfair and totally inappropriate."
"I mean, look, if we want to talk about Congressman Lewis, who is an American hero, he, unprompted by my campaign, without my campaign's awareness, made a statement that he was troubled with what he was hearing at some of the rallies that your running mate was holding, in which all the Republican reports indicated were shouting, when my name came up, things like 'terrorist' and 'kill him,' and that you're running mate didn't mention, didn't stop, didn't say 'Hold on a second, that's kind of out of line.'"
"...I don't mind being attacked for the next three weeks. What the American people can't afford, though, is four more years of failed economic policies. And what they deserve over the next four weeks is that we talk about what's most pressing to them: the economic crisis.
Senator McCain's own campaign said publicly last week that, 'If we keep on talking about the economic crisis, we lose, so we need to change the subject.'
And I would love to see the next three weeks devoted to talking about the economy, devoted to talking about health care, devoted to talking about energy, and figuring out how the American people can send their kids to college. And that is something that I would welcome. But it requires, I think, a recognition that politics as usual, as been practiced over the last several years, is not solving the big problems here in America."
And finally...
"I think the fact that [attacking me] has become such an important part of your campaign, Senator McCain, says more about your campaign than it says about me."
I think the winner tonight is clear.
