At Saddleback, Obama Is Asked Who His Wise Men Are

McCain seems so rehearst. I dont feel that he opened up at all. It was just talking points and a stump speech. I have already made up my mind, the only way John McCain will get my vote is putting huckabee on the ticket. I am with the other disanfranchised conservatives, the GOP and McCain have been ignoring us and courting the left. I may just stay home this year. I got an email this morning discussing the possibility that the conservatives and evangelicals may form a new party. I would love the opportunity for a new party. I am very unhappy with both.

So disappointed to read who his chocies are. ou are known by the company you keep and of all the amazing wise people he must know…to choose his wife andhis mother is like the runner up in some beauty contest. That was so unexpected I am floored.

No contest, McCain just blew him away.

McCain answered questions Obama didnt want to touch. I say if you have a view I dont agree with fine, but at least have a view don’t try to be vague.

Who cares about this heading….McCain won hands down. Pundits said Obama answers tortured and tentative, as always. He really shouldn’t have declined the 10 town hall meetings and the Fort Hood forum and the internet debate. Really, Obama looks weak here.
Warren had to finish Obama’s stammering answers half the time and my husband was frustrated by that.
Change the heading of this to something more meaningful than Obama lets the missus run the show (he said she always controls the remote too). Obama whipped, not just by Michelle, but by McCain!
McCain ’08/Hillary ’12

I thought the question about Proverbs-LIGHT-considering how much trouble people need to deal with these day’s..instead the wisest should remain as those explored inside a leader’s mind..not all the outright “flings” of modern times..the reason I like the older Senator John McCain..Sen. Obama is a LIP-smacker..everything s a delectible morsel of life…what–baloney.

To me this wasn’t who won, who lost, or who was better. This wasn’t a debate. They both have their own individual styles. I thought they both did very well although I don’t agree with McCain’s viewpoints.

You two who call yourselves conservative but are staying home are a joke. I’m probably far more conservative than either of you, both politically and religiously, but I will cast my vote against Obama, and the only realistic way to do that is to vote for McCain.

mccain just diminished the claims by the critics about him being an old senile guy…actually it was obama who sounded old, and senile. mccain was sharp, on topic, quick witted, and fast on his feet. in fact obamas answers took so long that the moderator had time to ask mccain extra questions-while obama bumbled along. most importantly mccain connected emotionally with the audience.

I thought McCain was supposed to be reluctant to use his POW experience. I guess not. And what he did to his first wife gets, what, six words, and that’s it? Farcical. Just a stump speech. I didn’t hear anything from McCain that changed my mind that he’s absolutely wrong for America. Obama sees things as they could be; McCain sees things as they were.

Held his own? Majority were Republicans? What does this have to do with who I feel in my gut will lead this country? Obama let me know that he plans to tackle an issue with a get all his advisors around the table and choose a course of action based on which ever way the wind’s blowing that day, whereas McCain let me know exactly where he’s coming from, that he can make rational, deeply clear cut decisions, with the added bonus of WH advisors.

Obama compared Colburn to terrorist Ayres in his last debate. Now he is a wise man?

Obama should start worrying. He is so worried about getting votes that he can’t say what he really feels and people are starting to see that. I know what John stands for will the real Obama please stand up and stop trying to be cute with the the michelle and grandma references.

If the lazy liberal were out everyday talking to people in every part of this country, as John McCain does….maybe he could speak better publicly. I don’t want a President who just reads speeches. I love McCain’s humor too.
The Georgia/Russia conflict couldn’t come at a better time for McCain. Polls show Americans trust McCain more regarding Foreign Affairs.
We need a leader, not a wimp who’s wife is considered formidable and “wise” by Obama.
GO McCAIN!!!!

McCain has the experience. Obama calls for “change.” Appropriate change requires experience. The next generation needs an experienced runner to pass the baton, not one new to the race and who will stumble when pressed by other world runners who will direct him to the fallout shelter.

Hilly-Billy I am sure that Obama’s lack luster answers are some how Hillary and Bill’s fault I am sure the pundits will find a reason to make it that way.

No, what he said was he does not believe that justices legislate from the bench, referring to the ones who twist, misinterpret, and rewrite laws on a whim, or to just set a precedent based on some pc society made liberal fad.

McCain was well-rehearsed for a change, but Obama was far more genuine. Nothing here changed my vote.

McCain number one…..He will be the next president of U.S.A.
Americans vote for president with certain values regardless of the
party…..
McCain=country first……..

Nice try spinners. Anyone who actually watches the footage will see the following:
McCain: Very quick and decisive in his reponses. No room left to guess what his real position is. On occasion sounded reheared
Obama: Fumbled and stumbled his way through answers. Often left one wondering what it is he believes. Stuttered, excessive “uhs”, try to be too cutsey with his jokes.
For you spinnners out there just please look at the question about when a child/fetus gets human rights. Obama was so stupid to say that rather than take away people’s rights to have abortions we should be asking how can we bring down abortion rates. Excuse me, can you be so stupid to say this in a Christian setting????? The way to bring down abortions is to BAN THEM.
And, once again, I’m pro choice, but this was just stupidity.

I believe McCain won the night. He did what he had to do which is pander to the very conservative right. McCain also has a very compelling story.
However
When I think of his positions on the economy, health care, Iraq etc It confirms my choice for voting Obama.
This calls for a debate. Where we don’t just tell stories but a debate on the issues. That “my friends” is where Obama has the advantage.

John McCain is for real!! He blew Obama out of the water. Obama may be “well spoken” but McCain speaks “from the heart” and out of strong conviction.He knows what he belives in, and that’s America!! He touches the electorate in an emotional way. I have always felt that McCain was the “Inspirational” one. Now, maybe others will agree. I can’t wait for the debates!!

Obamaramble is at it again. I will sleep well at night with McSane at the helm.

Vanessa,
Obama on Iraq: The surge will NOT work, and in fact will have the opposite effect of increased violence.
The Outcome: The surge has succeeded greatly and beyond all expectations, thanks to John McCain pushing it through despite the risk of political suicide.
Obama’s response: I believe we could still have won without the surge, and I refuse to say the surge worked.
PLEASE TELL US OF THE GREAT POLICY DECISIONS THAT BARACK OBAMA HAS MADE

Kim,
A lobbyist tie has no bearing on his position toward Georgia. Unless you are actually suggesting that we should not support Georgia!!!
You only continue to make a fool of yourself. And don’t forget, that now Obama, after 3 attempts, came around to McCain’s position.
Barack Obama just steals other people’s positions. Don’t DRILL, ok DRILL. Georgia needs to cooperate. No wait this is Russia’s fault. etc etc.

doesn’t matter how short and direct his answers are when they are scary…

dl, I agree.
Obama gave a direct answer about his prior drug abuse. IT WAS SCARY.
We’ve got a former drug addict running for office.

News flash JA your current President GW was a drug user and big time boozer and he’s in office with the finger on the nuke trigger.

I’m not voting for an anti gay.

JA
Obama was not a drug
addict duh.
Neither was he a guy who cheated on his wheelchair bound wife.
Cindy mccain was a drug addict (that’s not spin like your bologne)
and John McCain did cheat on his wheelchair bound wife.
(and I try to avoid that topic but you want to play on a field of creating mud… well there is a lot of mud lying around John mccain’s behavior…so i wouldn’t go there if I were you)
Barack tried to answer the questions honestly…Mccain didn’t even look at the guy asking the questions he gave a stump speech to evangelicals.
that’s the truth of the matter.

McCain was pandering. He knows he needs the conservatives to win. He was saying exactly what they wanted to hear.

“Barack Obama just steals other people’s positions. Don’t DRILL, ok DRILL”
HAHAHAAHAHA
I guess McCain stole Sean Hannity position. McCain did a complete 180 on drilling. Voting against drilling for the past 15 years and now it’s politically convenient he changes *cough* flip-flops on drilling.
Obama is for the compromise bill a bi-partisan group placed forward. A bill that has limited drilling but also plans to become energy independent by reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% and building Plug-In Hybrid cars etc

Right DL,
Just what the US needs is someone to soften up our image. Hey, let’s elect Barack Obama. Then we’ll look as weak as the French and everyone will love us! LOL
Get real, Obama fudged the Georgia conflict IMMENSELY and it’s already showing in the polls (Rasmussen and Gallup +1 Obama and the other tied now).
First Obama comes out and says both sides need to compromise, basically refusing to acknowledge what Russia had done (invade a SOVEREIGN NATION). Then Obama makes another attempt to correct his position but it doesn’t fly. Eventually he just adopts McCain’s view.
THREE STRIKES AND YOU’RE OUT OBAMA.

Obama looked tired and bored, but answered the questions with thoughtful consideration, although I could not really decipher his answers..trying to please both sides…..McCain seemed much more decisive and to the point..

Obama is not surrounded by wise men, he’s surrounded by wise guys from the Moveon.org mafia.

You just have to love Republicans the Congressmen holding talks in the House chambers while Congress is adjuroned for their yearly vacation. Question is if they were so far changing the law why didn’t they back when they were in the Majority??? Oh thats right its pure politics right now an election years and fodder to throw around. Not to mention the oil companies are drilling in our off shore waters and on land here in America and drilling alot of new wells.

Chris, I’m sure the 3000+ innocents who were murdered on 9/11 wouldn’t think poverty, gas, and education would rank on their top ten evils list.

We need a leader, not a wimp who’s wife is considered formidable and “wise” by Obama.
GO McCAIN!!!!
Posted by: Debra
Are you serious? That pretty much says it all about what Mccain thinks of his steppford wife. Now, go into the kitchen and was the dishes or whatever it is stupid women like you do!

It looks like the GOP’s got some internet trolls posting comments here. Surely after watching both candidates’ responses, no rational, thoughtful, intelligent, and wise human beings would say, “wow mccain blew obama away” and “i’m disappointed that he chose his wife and mother to be sources of wisdom and guidance.” First, those two comments are asinine and designed only to persuade. Second, those two comments were repeated nearly verbatim several times by “different” people here. those are two of the biggest signs of “astroturfing” which means when corporate interests post virally to make it seem like it’s a “grassroots” movement. nobody with a brain likes mccain. yeah you can use that.

Jeremy
Russia is threatening Poland because of the way the Bush administration has handled foreign policy…
ignoring there need to be a world financial and commerce center…until this past week…all the while kind of ignore it while crazy “Love the bomb bombbomb” McCain is off threatening them with all kinds of other stuff…barely hitting at what they want…. and putting missiles where we said in all honesty we wouldn’t put missiles…
that’s how to make us safer…
if we need to put missiles where we said we wouldn’t put missiles …we better be better at foreign policy than Bush, Cheney and John mccain.

Lets see 26 years in the Congress and Senate, and took no time to try to stop his party members from spending like drunken sailors, passing laws that have wreacked havoc on our banking, secutities and insurance industries, and cost us trillions in national debt by borrowinbg money to pay for the tax cuts. Yea he’s some leader, just one of the followers if you ask me.

Emm, I live in New York. My Unit was activated that same day. I volunteer to go to Iraq because I felt it was my duty to serve my country. The 3000+ that was murder in 9/11 was done by 19/21 Saudis not Iraqis. This has everything to do with poverty, education, gas price, and heath care in America. I respectfully that you visit the inner cities in America and ask which is more important: War or Economy?

Chris, I was referring to your comment on McCain’s “Osama” answer. You remember, the one who sponsored the entire attack?

JA
that shows your quickness
we will not know if the surge has worked for a decade.
and considering we used the same tactics to create the quiet in Iraq as we did almost 30 years ago in Afghanistan… giving radical muslims money and guns and assistance to fight a common enemy that we could not get under control with military alone…
again “reagan’s freedom fighters”
an action which 10 years later gave us who…who did those freedom fighters become?
oh that’s right …the taliban, al qaeda and Osama bin laden.
so as Biden has said we have no idea what hornets nest may now come oput…but the right decision may have been not to risk the billions of our budget and lives to try and reach what we have…what chances are is a temporary peace.
and just so you know most middle east ecxperts on alqaeda (besides the ones who work for Fox) say the removal of al qaeda has a lot to do with them not wanting to be seen as the bad guys by the muslim countries helping them…
was it worth it…did the surge worth it… we won’t know for a very long time…saying it worked is pretty much like putting a big sign up on a carrier saying “Mission Accomplished”
and that is why Obama is right…not mccain.

Stephanie
and some people are voting for McCain because he was a POW and he acts like a strong Napoleon.
some people ARE so naive.

Sorry, Chris. I can’t locate the post now. I thought you posted about McCain naively saying bin Laden was a viable evil, rather than focusing on domestic evils. My bad. It’s late and with all these posts, some disappearing, others appearing in real time, I’d say kudos to both candidates for not losing it. Night all.

McCain is clearly more of a Presidential candidate than Obama is. It’s clear, now, that Obama will lose in November!
McCain 08!

McCain’s story of the cross in the sand was very moving and defined his faith in Jesus Christ. McCain captured the hearts of Americans tonight with his stories and direct answers. McCain will blow Obama away in the debates…..it’s clear to see that Obama can’t think and speak without a teleprompter or a speech written by Axelrod.
Obama was walking a “tight rope” tonight and its clear that he fell off without a safety net.
McCain won not only the evangelical vote, but the General Election as well tonight!

The paid Obama bloggers are out in force tonight. No one could possibly think that his answers were better than McCains.

McCain did better than expected. Remember that this was held in a predominately Republican county in California. McCain held his own but his policies will catch up with him in the end. Barack’s team should learn that McCain will not be a push over.

I’ll tell you this. Unless McCain picks a very conservative Republican as his running mate this conservative and many others are staying home.

I think mccain went ultra conservative tonight to set up for a not so conservative VP.

LeeLee 07, you need to wake up. One poll. The last thing that I remember is there is more than one poll and Sen. Obama is leading most of them.

sure all these ultra conservatives are going to sit home if McCain doesn’t pick a real conservative….AND RISK AN OBAMA PRESIDENCY, REALLY?
I don’t buy it. McCain can pick anyone as his VP, I WANT HIM AS PRESIDENT.
Obama just isn’t ready, doesn’t have the stuff. Please Senator Obama, go put some time in at the Senate…143 days is not enough.
McCain ’08

Vanessa that’s right…Obama is so good at debating that he dodged Hillary at every opportunity and now with McCain passed at his offer of 10 town halls, one debate at military base in Texas, and Google debate….really, dear we all know OBAMA DODGES DEBATE AND IS RELEIVED HE ONLY HAS 3 BEFORE ELECTION DAY. Anyone who has done their homework know Obama’s track record with debates.

Watch the Republican primary debate. Watch for McCain and then come back and report.

Too bad Obama had such a crummy audience tonight. McCain, like Bush, put the blame for a poor education soley on teachers. Nothing was said about crappy administrators, or kids or parents who come to school and assault teachers..NO, it was just “bad teachers” again. Bush said that in 2000. I was going to vote for McCain, but I will remember this one!

LeeLee 07, Here comes another chicken, in a republican forum, RIGHT, you need to check yourself before you make comments like that. In a debate, the audience will be mixed. Remember that I told you first.
Let me make my point. War Vs Economy, Ask America what she thinks? War vs. Health Care, Ask America what she thinks? War vs. Poverty, War vs. Gas Price, Ask American what she thinks? Hold up, why don’t you ask the troops in Iraq (remember, I am war veteran w/20years) if they want to stay in war for another 5, 10, 20, or 100 years?

Too bad Americans will only get 3 chances to see these two together in debates, as Obama dodges. He had so many opportunities to strengthen his skills with Hillary and then with offers from McCain. He cannot only speak to American people from speeches and prompters. His confidence in this area is very lacking and we know it.
McCain was terrific tonight and I’d bet the majority of Americans who watched would agree he is the stronger candidate.
My 14 year old daughter noticed how Obama always looks down or away and McCain maintains eye contact with Warren and audience. Another point regarding his confidence, not to be confused with his arrogance.
McCAIN ALL THE WAY TO THE WH!

LeeLee07, I don’t feel that Obama has the experience or the know how to deliver what this country needs. No argument, no debate – those are the facts.
You are entitling to your opinion. Just remember that the forum took place in conservative republican arena. Here are some of the facts on Sen. Obama.
• Fully Close the “Enron Loophole”. which prevents the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) from fully overseeing the oil futures market.
• Ensure That U.S. Energy Futures cannot be traded on Unregulated Offshore Exchanges.
• Work with Other Countries to Coordinate Regulation of Oil Futures Markets.
• Call on the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice to Vigorously Investigate Market Manipulation in Oil Futures.
Show me the facts on Sen. McCain (26 years)
Almost forgot, I respect people that serve their country (military, peace corp., etc…) my self served Army/Air force (20+). I served in many combats around the world (panama, Somalia, Balkans, Iraq1 &2, Haiti, to name a few) and respect men/women that served in combat.

I have sat watched and listen to all the so called conservatives and other that feeling Mccain is the one that they trust to keep our country safe. That’s only because of our all (true american patriots)volunteer military.My question is would they feel the same way if there were a draft? I am willing to bet any their opinions could change very fast. If things keep going like they are with all this cowboy politics there will be a Draft again. Mccain keep making the same empty promise that Bush made to track down and capture Bin Laden, he has had about 7yrs to help do just that with no result. He says he know how to do it. What’s the big secret? what does he know that Bush doesn’t? Someone please answer me.

Debra, tell your 14-year-old daughter that when people are processing data – thinking they will look in different directions, depending on how a person’s brain works. Obama did far more thinking than the quick McCain answers.

The draft will not come back, just as abortion will always be legal….we’ll never go back to the 70′s, so for bettye to ask what would we feel if there was a draft?….I don’t know but Kathy Griffin visited our injured/disabled vets (here) back from Iraq and said 90% of them want to get back to their unit. She was on Anderson Cooper the other night and was moved to tears with these guys and gals who are so committed. God bless them and Senator McCain for loving our country enough to serve…I’m ashamed to say I don’t think I could….I wonder if Obama ever thought of it? Community organizer doesn’t count.

I do thin those McCain supporters who say ‘I can’t wait for the debates’ might have to be careful of what they wish for. I think firstly people mistake Obama’s thoughtfulness for lack of decision. McCain gave rehearsed stump answers where he turned everything either to Vietnam or Iraq [or abortion]! In an audience of social conservatives, he was always going to get a better response. Though i do feel Obama answered the question on his own personal faith and about him as a person better than McCain. I think given a more partisan and political forum Obama will be more immediately impressive.
The other thing, is that the Saddlebakc forum will give grist to the ‘McBush’ argument. I thought that was McCain’s most party political performance so far.(Maybe thats why it might have been one of his best.)

oops.. my brain was racing a little fast.. There is No Way I want a babbling Obama discussing US interests with other national leaders on my behalf.

The worst thing about this is we get another idiot who has an invisible friend sitting in the oval office.
Is it no wonder things are screwed up?