First "Debate"

Obama and McCain met on Saturday in a Town Hall/Debate. It was very interesting. I have said that when McCain and Obama went head to head, it would be a one sided ass kicking with the articulate Obama wiping the floor with the older McCain. I was right about a one sided ass kicking, but wrong about the victor.

McCain was funny, decisive, and presidential. Obama was elusive, vague, and said nothing. I expected Obama to say nothing, but be very fancy about it. He was not.

The most telling question was about when a baby has human rights. I am a huge States Rights guy, and believe that abortion is absolutely the right of the individual state to say yes or no to the procedure. McCain, a big Pro-Life guy, said that human rights for the baby begins at conception. The correct answer for his base. Obama, the most Pro-Choice guy in the Senate said that the answer to that question was "above his pay grade." (verbatim: "I think that whether you are looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity, you know, is above my pay grade") What?? Above your pay grade?? What?? I know you don't like to answer questions but... What??? You are running for President of the United States of America, and you say that the answer to when a baby has human rights is above your pay grade??? If that is true than the only people above your pay grade are the collective people of the United States of America, from whom you draw your power. And if it is up to the People, then the best way for them to decide is LOCALLY!! Shoot it back to the states, BUT Obama would never do that, so why did he not give the answer his base wanted to hear? That the baby has human rights at birth, not at conception. I don't get it.

Slightly less interesting was when Obama insulted Clarence Thomas by saying Thomas wasn't a "strong enough jurist or legal thinker." Right...

McCain said in answer to the question of which Justices he would not have nominated he picked the four liberal justices, Justices Ginsburg, Breyer, Souter, Stevens... Wait. Hold on. McCain voted to confirm Ginsburg, Breyer and Souter. He was in the Senate when they were nominated. If he was so agisnt them, why did he not vote against their confirmation??? Inconsistent? I think so.

The most telling thing about this debate was what the campaign camps did afterwards. Both, of course, claimed victory, but then the Obama campaign did something that winners never do. They started making excuses. They said that McCain heard the questions or was tipped off before hand so he had time to think about his answers... Interesting. Obama campaign, if you think your guy won, why are you making excuses for him??

Transcript