10.07.2008 9:34 pm
Have the debates really helped define the candidates’ positions?
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Debates have been a long-held tradition in politics. And we vary them between the stilted podium-anchored statements and tonight’s “town hall style” meetings.
The debate tonight sounded very much like the previous one to me, however. Sen. Obama worked very hard to paint Sen. McCain as a clone of President George Bush. McCain worked hard to describe Obama as a product of the Washington establishment — without the ability to reach across the aisle and promote change.
Do these debates do anything to help voters really understand the candidates’ views on the issues? Or do they confuse you more, as the candidates highlight the flaws they perceive in their opponent’s plans?
Please comment below, or vote in the poll:
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Kurt is the director of social media for the Post-Dispatch, where he has worked since August 2002. He's been a journalist since 1982, covering municipal government, courts, education and two hurricanes as a reporter before becoming an editor. 
Is it me, or did McCain look really old? Even his movements. He doesn’t move across the stage, he contorts and relocates….When he walks, he looks like he’s trying to dance with Walter Brennen.
We finally turned it off after Obama repeated verbatim something he had said earlier. Even one candidates criticism of the other has not changed in weeks. This campaign started out with so much promise, but the candidates have fallen into old habits. I’m a bit disappointed by both candidates. I was hoping for so much more. Can we move up the election a few weeks?
Anybody that saw a “clear” winner is a “clear” moron.
The guy you like not proving to be an idiot does not a debate winner make.
Pretty boring, very little really said.
Pretty sure we still have a tight race, oh wait, a sure winner, the polls say so. Poor Al Gore, poor John Kerry - and please comment about stolen elections…it will show how blinded by a party you are.
As someone leaning Obama, I thought he seemed presidential. Perhaps it is just the physical and verbal contrasts, but Obama makes McCain look small and angry. It may just be a reflection of Obama’s ability to convey strong leadership without seeming overbearing.
Unfortunately, these debates won’t matter much. People always complain that politicians are not specific, on the one hand, and not personable enough on the other. Most have already made up their minds and I think this election is closer than the polls indicate. This election is very similar to the primary campaign between Obama and Clinton and I believe more character attacks are yet to come.
Mike,
No need to call names.
I just came back to re-check these since Tuesday night and I am discouraged by so many of the postings. With so many ABSOLUTELY STUPID people in the country it is amazing that we haven’t self-distructed by now. Please…..Be Informed or Be Quiet!
I don’t like or want to vote for either candidate, and for the first presidential election since I started voting in 1972, I think I will just sit this one out.
I really dont care about debates, or POW status, or if you’ve been endorsed by Oprah.
Not long ago, both candidates met with President Bush in closed door meetings regarding the economic crisis. If you want me to vote, make transcripts (Not press conference spin) from that meeting available, then I’ll see what the candidates are really made of, and I would vote.
Former St. Louis anchor Julius Hunter, interviewing Ronald Reagan on the economy, July 22, 1982: The President———”My projections are that the signs are kind of mixed when you bottom out in a recession. But in these last few days, the Federal Reserve, cutting the discount rate for the banks — the prime rate being set by the banks at a lower rate. The interest rate was 21-1/2% percent when I started a year and a half ago. For the first time in several months we are showing an increase, small though it may be, in the gross national product.Now, I’m not going to jump up and down and say that, well, you know, there’s going to be a boom just around the corner. It won’t get cured that way. The previous seven recessions have seen the government using what I call a quick fix — artificially stimulating the economy, pouring printing-press money into the marketplace. And, yes, temporarily there is an easing of the situation. But look back at those recessions, and you’ll find that about 2 to 3 years later, we would have another recession, deeper and worse than the one before. This one is the deepest and the worst of those since World War II.Now, what we’re embarked on is a plan to restore the economy, to restore industry — not a quick fix — to get back to where we’re on an even keel without government deficit spending, without the government having to go into the market and use up the capital that belong to the people.”——–He said the previous govts. used “quick fixes” and “artificial money” (b.k.a. as stimulus pkgs.) and 2 or three yrs. later being right back in a WORST and deeper recession than the one before.(a.k.a. wallstreet patchup/bailout, sounds like Bush 04′-08′).” He goes on to state (and I think this is the most eerely, similiar to the present time statement of the interview)…….”This one is the deepest and the worst of those since World War II.” (subprime mortgage crisis now being the cause for what experts say is the worst economic disaster since WWII)…….”Now, what we’re embarked on is a plan to restore the economy, to restore industry — not a quick fix — to get back to where we’re on an even keel without government deficit spending, without the government having to go into the market and use up the capital that belong to the people.” (in present time called $700 billion dollars of taxpayers money)…and these yahoos that robbed me and every other hardworking true American grinder went on a $400,000 resort vaction just days after the bailout??????!!! WTF???????!!!!….NO MORE DE-REGULATION,NO MORE GOOD OL BOY/REAGAN POLICIES, NO MORE GW, NO MORE MCSAME, NO MORE REPUBLICANS!!!! OBAMA/BIDEN 08′ Just out of the blue stumbled upon this article. Wiki Julius Hunter for the full article. Just for extra strangeness…the article also includes commentary about our then bouts with Russia. Scary. PRAY!!!!
No hard questions have been asked of Hussein, none. How about asking him why he paid $400,000 to ACORN to register the dead, under aged, fictitious persons, Illegal aliens, felons, etc? Hussein did that by using a different named non-existent company to issue the check to. Crooked stuff. ACORN got the money and did the registrations.
Due to complaints from many states to the FBI, they FBI has raided many of their offices country wide sizing computers, records, etc. They are still raiding ACORN offices.
How does Hussein explain that????????
Can the PD get an answer? Can any of you?
God have mercy on this country when Obama gets elected and the boys at Freddie and Fannie (who were a BIG part of this financial crisis) become cabinet members, and you and I lose our homes and retirement accounts, and can’t afford healthcare…will you still be patting yourself on the back????? Get the facts! (and not from the brainwashing media)