|
By Nisha | October 7, 2008
 …We’d feel like we won the lottery tonight!
The second 2008 presidential debate tonight was set up in a town-hall format, with Tom Brokaw moderating. We hope you were glued to your TV (or C-Span webcam) all evening like we were, but just in case, here’s all the highlights you need:
The debate started off with the only topic everyone wants to talk about: the economy. Both Obama and McCain offered varying plans for how they would handle it once in office. Obama’s response: tax cuts for the middle class, tax hikes for the rich, more oversight with the bailout, and more regulation of the markets. McCain’s plan: lower taxes, reduce dependence on foreign countries for energy, buy up bad home loan mortgages, stop the “Washington spending spree.”
McCain also suggests a spending freeze on everything except defense. Obama says the last time that he heard of that was Herbert Hoover.
Both Obama and McCain talk about their possible picks for Secretary of the Treasury, such as Meg Whitman and/or Warren Buffett.Â
Please note: McCain praised Meg Whitman’s EBay for creating jobs on the same day that Ebay announced 1,000 layoffs. Ouch.
Obama answers just about every question with a variation of “I’m going to help the middle class” or “the failed policies of George W. Bush.”
Both McCain and Obama take turns claiming that they saw the crisis coming years ago, they tried to warn everybody, but nobody listened, and their opponent did nothing. Yeah, we’ve heard that one before.
McCain party line: Washington is broken, but I’ve been a consistent reformer among these hacks!
Obama: Washington is broken by GWB and his cronies, and I’m coming to Washington to fix it!Â
Other highlights: McCain calling Obama “that one” and saying nailing down his policies was like “trying to nail jello to a wall.” Both candidates closed strong with well thought-out, patriotic speeches, until somebody stepped in front of Tom Brokaw’s teleprompter and Tom yelled at the candidates for breaking the rules for the sixtieth time. Our verdict: both candidates did well, but Tom Brokaw outshone them with all his jokes and his relentless remprimanding of the candidates for breaking the rules. Go Tom!
| 
