favorite debate moments

[jfb]

My top three:

1. Obama explains that he supports a ban on late-term abortions, "as long as there's an exception for the mother's health and life".  McCain responds with an incoherent jumble of sentence fragments, highlighted by repetition of the word "health" with air quotes, because, you know, health is a made-up concept that only new-age tree-huggers believe in.
2. Obama describes at length how his health insurance plan works for small businesses, and what's wrong with McCain's alternative.  The moderator turns to McCain for a response, which is:  "Joe.  You're rich.  Congratulations."  McCain was speaking into the camera, and in a close-up, it probably made sense, but on ABC (part 6), which had it in a wide shot, it's hilarious:  Instead of responding to Obama's points, McCain is suddenly talking to an invisible guy across the table from him.
3. Speaking of health care... referring back to Obama's analogy that a spending freeze is "using a hatchet where you need a scalpel," McCain explains: "That's a hatchet... and then I would get out a scalpel."  The patient appreciates your consideration.
   

Overall, I thought it was a good debate, both in general and for my candidate.  Schieffer mostly didn't let people run on at length, and except for the tiresome Ayers/ACORN hash, kept them talking about matters of substance.  Obama, I thought, talked directly to voters about things that affect their lives.  McCain seemed lost in the weeds, speaking in inside-the-beltway code words, earmarks and litmus tests and pork barrels and "elections have consequences" and "health."  He did make an effort to connect with "Joe the Plumber" but of course that turned out to be mostly nonsense.

What'd I miss?

Comments

[dougo.livejournal.com]

Senator Government!

[perci.livejournal.com]

I happened to be in the car during the entire debate and so I listened to it on the radio. I wish everyone who might vote for McCain could have done that. With nothing visual to provide distraction, the utter nonsense that comes out of his mouth is just so starkly apparent. There were some Joe the Plumber moments that were really confusing.