McCain: Cone of silence or no cone of silence?
By Jimmy Orr | 08.18.08
Thar’s a conspiracy a bubblin’ out in the land-of-the-tubes…
Well, there’s two. But one has to do with the alleged finding of Bigfoot. One conspiracy at a time…
Seems that when John McCain was supposed to be in a soundproof vault Saturday night or as Saddleback church pastor Rick Warren put it, a “cone of silence,” he was actually in his motorcade.
The deal going in to the high-profile first meeting of the two candidates was that while Barack Obama was being questioned by the best-selling author, John McCain would be in a disclosed - but soundproof - location in the building unable to hear the exchange between the two.
Not so. Yesterday on CNN, Warren confirmed that McCain was not in the building when the forum began. So how do we know if McCain listened or watched any of the discussion beforehand?
Warren told CNN Sunday evening, “we flat out asked him” if he heard any of the questions. The McCain campaign “confirmed that McCain did not hear or see any of the broadcast” in the motorcade or after he arrived.
There had been speculation before the CNN interview that John McCain perhaps might have heard something. NBC’s Andrea Mitchell brought it up on Meet the Press.
“The Obama people must feel that he didn’t do quite as well as they might have wanted to in that context, because that — what they’re putting out privately is that McCain may not have been in the cone of silence and may have had some ability to overhear what the questions were to Obama.
This exchange got the McCain folks pretty upset. So upset that campaign manager Rick Davis requested a meeting with the president of NBC news stating that it is “abandoning non-partisan coverage of the presidential race.” Politico has the full letter here.
The New York Times’s Elizabeth Bumiller got a hold of McCain spokeswoman Nicolle Wallace who took umbrage at the charge.
“The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous,” Ms. Wallace said.
Regardless, bloggers - like folks over at the DailyKos - don’t buy it.
CNN says they talked to McCain’s camp and they said no one in his camp was listening. The honor system, are you kidding me? I think it is pretty clear at this point McCain did indeed know the questions in advance.
Preparing its readers for Warren’s appearance on Larry King Live tonight, FiveThirtyEight.com lays the foundation for what they say is factual.
If McCain was in the motorcade, then there would be absolutely nothing, other than his honor, that would prevent him from hearing Obama’s questions. However, it is probably impossible to verify whether McCain had in fact heard any of the questions. The only people who could say for sure were the people in the motorcade with John McCain.
What we can possibly verify is whether the McCain people had violated an implied or expressed promise to have arrived at the venue by the time that Barack Obama’s interview began. Warren implied to a national audience that McCain was in a quarantined area at the time Obama’s interview began, but in fact McCain was not.
So, big deal or not? Larry King should get a big audience tonight.
<< Obama back on the campaign trail | MainComments
2. Guy | 08.18.08
So, when Obama does not do well, it is another grteat right wing conspiracy. When McCain does well, he must have cheated.
You guys are idiots.
3. Galic | 08.18.08
More damage control from CNN & MSNBC and the ignorant Obamakins…Obama was terrible once again when the scripts are not pre-written for him, thats why he dodges debates…The mainstream media has frankly put the security of our great country at risk with an Obama coronation media like CNN & MSNBC is the only way Obama managed to steal the Dem nom. It’s extremely concerning that so many Americans could care less about who their candidate really is?? simply amazing and frankly scarey.
PLEASE WATCH AND SHARE WITH EVERYONE ASAP
“The Last 100 Days”
Hon. James David Manning, PhD.
4. Steve | 08.18.08
“The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous,” Ms. Wallace said.
Talk about your non-sequiturs.
5. Larry Matthews | 08.18.08
Please read the certified transcript of the debate. Look at the question related to education for both. There was one statement of fact and then two questions for Obama. He replied to all three. With McCain, Pastor Rick added the phrase…”now don’t give me your standard stump speech before questions two and three. He did not get the chance to even ask questions 2 and 3. Why? Because McCain quickly responds… Yes.. Yes… and fire the poor teachers! Well questions three dealt with how to handle poor teachers. McCain was not asked that question on the camera. Plus he answered exactly three questions.
Honesty…fairness…integrity? I call bulls–t on this.
6. Ellen Withrow | 08.18.08
Whether he did or not does not change our view of him or the GOP. While we honor him for his service, his bringing it up each time he speaks does not influence us either, we do not feel he is presidential material.
7. VLM | 08.18.08
What’s the big deal whether he was in a special room or not. It seems that Obama’s people realize that their man looked like the rookie that he is up against a veteran. This is only the beginning of the many debates that will prove who is a real leader compared with someone without any experience to be the chief executive of our nation, a rookie with no military experience, not even a Boy Scout experience. What a joke.
8. harris gross | 08.18.08
Why should McCain be different than any other politician? His goal is to get elected, elected, elected and will do anything towards that goal. I ask everyone out there. Do you believe he did not hear the questions.
By the way I am sick of hearing about each candidates religion. I do not care about their faith or lack of it.
9. Dean | 08.18.08
McCain was able to answer questions because he’s got experience at doing so. He’s done town meeting after town meeting.
Obama has to make excuses and float conspiracy theories. He can’t answer questions in a forum like that, and he’s proven yet again he’s unprepared to be president.
10. pc4hillary | 08.18.08
“If McCain was in the motorcade, then there would be absolutely nothing, other than his honor, that would prevent him from hearing Obama’s questions. However, it is probably impossible to verify whether McCain had in fact heard any of the questions. The only people who could say for sure were the people in the motorcade with John McCain.”
I do not think Senator McCain’s “honor” has ever been in question. This is slanderous and liable information being put out by the Obama camp in my opinion, and I am sure that McCain does not need to cheat to beat Obama. Obama is defeating himself just fine.
It is Senator Obama’s blatant lies, told in a church, to a Pastor in front on millions of American viewers that need to be addressed.
11. Anwar Parvez | 08.18.08
It seems all democrats are holding onto is how the other party is ruining everything instead of any solid plans of their own. Now that Obama has doen poorly in a debate - even that’s McCain’s fault somehow?
12. Max | 08.18.08
Obama still sucked so it doesn’t matter. He is a babbling idiot that got his butt kicked at all the debates between Hillary and himself and considering how fast his approving rating is dropping he’s scared to death about having to debate McCain now.
13. Ralph | 08.18.08
It is the biggest deal of the campaign. I felt that he cheated anyway. His age to answer the questions before the questions were completed told me and the viewers that he studied the questions before hand. The crowd was going wild to a ficticious perfomance. That said, that just adds to the reasons of why he’s not fit to be the commander in chief. Americans want a clean slate and he cant offer that.
14. BadBrad | 08.18.08
Just goes to show you how stupid Obama is, this guy is going to negotiate with our foreign adversaries? And they are all adversaries…
15. Billy | 08.18.08
“confirmed that McCain did not hear or see any of the broadcast”…
That is a a good lawyerly response. Just because he didn’t hear or see the broadcast does not mean that his campaign advisors and writers weren’t watching it.
16. Eric | 08.18.08
I can not believe this is on the CSM website! Apparently Mr. Orr does not believe in punctuation. It is very sad that this poorly written “blog” should appear under the heading of what was once a great publication.
18. Billy Bob | 08.18.08
That is just so wrong on both the McCain’s camp side for not offering a disclaimer and the Church’s side for not telling all before McCain’s matter of fact, to the point, one word answers - HINT. We should have checked his coffee cup for the answers as well. McCain did drink a bit more from his cup than Obama.
That to me, says much more about character today as opposed to character at a earlier time in McCain’s life. When a pass president said he did not have sex with that woman, McCain now says I did not peek at the questions. Well if the rules were followed, we would not have to wonder if he did.
Obama was not on a level playing field, but he still did alright by offering thoughtful answers to the questions and not putting on a smiley face for the audience.
19. katiec | 08.18.08
It was so obvious that Mccain was aware of the questions to be asked.
He even answered some before Warren got the whole question out.
His performance consisted of campaigning, pandering and talking
about war.
Religion and government should be separated, but questions concerning
ones belief should be answered with integrity and Mccain showed he
had none.
20. ds | 08.18.08
You have got to be kidding me!
Is it possible for the republicans to win ANYTHING without cheating!?!?!
What a bunch of crooked SOBs. It will be great in November when Obama wins the HONEST way. This was a Christian forum! what an AFEWUL place to willingly cheat.
McSame is just that, the same lying piece of S**t that bush is. Way to go GOP, for picking another winner. Good Job, cheaters!
21. margaretdm | 08.18.08
I think that it’s absolutely OUTRAGEOUS of Andrea Mitchell’s statements. She should only WISH that she could be like JOHN McCAIN who has qualities like HONOR, VALIANCE & SACRIFICE! ! ! She’s a POR-DEM who should never be given creedence again. SHAME ON YOU, ANDREA! ! !…but, actually…you know that you’re on the LOSING TEAM! ! !…’POOR LOSER’! ! !
22. Heather | 08.18.08
This seems almost childish. What difference would it make if he heard or did not hear. I mean this man wants to be the President of the United States.
Is he going to ask Putin to not listen to his press conferences? Maybe ask the terrorist to not listen to his press conferences?
This seems to stupid for words.
23. Jim Clark | 08.18.08
With everything that has gone on during this election, would anyone believe what the McCain group says as the truth, there is every indication that the McCain Group will lie to your face. Who would believe that in the motorcade, they heard nothing of the Obama interview, and the Obama’s questions. It is impossible to verify whether McCain had in fact heard any of the questions. The only people who could say for sure were the people in the motorcade with John McCain, believe that!
As it was stated,”What we can possibly verify is whether the McCain people had violated an implied or expressed promise to have arrived at the venue by the time that Barack Obama’s interview began. Warren implied to a national audience that McCain was in a quarantined area at the time Obama’s interview began, but in fact McCain was not”. Take that for fact.
24. Bud | 08.18.08
Obama failed misserably and unfortunately his camp is trying in vane to erase the whole event. It’s a very disappointing but sadly predictable response from a candidate that has no sound footing other than “change”. It was never more obvious than during the Saddleback event. Too bad Obama has nothing more to add than to accuse McCain of cheating.
25. The Joker | 08.18.08
From the desk of The Joker: this election process is going to be the “Joke of the Century!” Come on now: Honor System with politicians is a joke in its own right. Honor and politics just don’t mix.
26. Mark Bohannon | 08.18.08
Prisoner of war or not, McCain is a liar and a flip-flopper (you name the issue)! Not to mention the fatc that he’s a Repub - that alone brings his integrity into question. The Repubs and their phony “morality” no longer fool anyone except the uninformed and uneducated. Those who strive to emulate Christ do not take money from the poor to give to the wealthy. Christ-like people do not condemn or judge homosexuals, prostitutes, non-believers, or anyone else for that matter. Remember “judge not…”? Christ followers are commanded to give their last dime if their brethren needed it, not complain about social programs like welfare, no matter what perceived abuses to the system exist. If welfare and social programs aren’t working properly, it is the government’s fault for trying to cause such programs to fail (more Republican doings). Most people who claim to be Christians today don’t know the meaning of the word, or The Word!
27. sieben | 08.18.08
Honor system???????? Are you kidding me. The Republican party has stuped to the lowest level of politics in the history of American politics7 its going to get worse. They are prepared to do WHATEVER is necessary to win.
28. mpenn | 08.18.08
Just because McCain could formulate coherent responses to his questions, the Dems assume that he knew the questions in advance?!? Do the Dems have such low expectations of their own candidate that they feel one can only properly respond if they have cheated?
Please, this is a presidential election - not American Idol.
29. robt | 08.18.08
Just excuses being made up for the benefit of his lemmings to try to explain BOracks inability to think on his feet. If you have ever heard him speak extemporaneously, you know he is an imbecile, Harvard or no Harvard.
30. Kevin Curran | 08.18.08
What matters is that McCain, the self proclaimed straight talker, pretended that he had been in the “cone of silence” while Warren conducted the Obama segment. Had McCain admitted that he hadn’t been in the “cone” the forum would have been written off as a farce. As it was, the pundits drooled over McCain’s assured perfomance and praised the format.
McCain may call his cuteness straight talk but my mother would call by another name; the sin of omission.
31. DaraLynn78620 | 08.18.08
If it’s a lie that McCain was ‘quarantined,’ then any assurances coming from that camp cannot be trusted. They’ve already proven they lie. Hell, they’re politicians and by definition, that makes them liars.
32. Henry | 08.18.08
Hard to trust a pastor? I believed it when he said McCain was in cone of silence. Can’t trust a pastor? oh for shame. Pastors and politicians in the same boat? given the more favorable audience for McCain maybe they should have looked at the two headed coin?
33. Ed | 08.18.08
So with no evidence at all, it is ‘pretty clear’ that McCain cheated? And the Obama camp accuses McCain of negative campaigning (some of which is legitimate), at least come off the pedestal and admit that your camp is no different than any other political camp (democrat or republican), and will say or do anything to advance the cause.
34. Pat | 08.18.08
POWs never lie? Kinda like Christians never lie? I’ve known more than one that did.
35. Eb Jeb | 08.18.08
Who Cares! While replies may have been “smoother” if the questions were heard I doubt the content was altered. And if Mr. Obama started the interview without KNOWING that Mr. McCain was in a sound proofed area, it just goes to show more of his inexperience!
Mr. Obama’s camp is absolutely playing into the hands of everyone who dislikes him every time they come up with statements like this. “He heard the questions.” “She got all the votes.” Mr. Obama’s lack of common sense is what is hurting him! He is responsible to make sure that things are done right.
Removing his name from the Florida primary. No one told him to do that, he and his “people” did that on their own. Therefore the DNC is breaking the law by awarding him a single Florida vote! I hope they all go to jail for being so stupid! How can you penalize one candiate because another did something, remove their name from the race, for something the other candidate did. Now Mr. Obama and his people are complaining because again they failed to do what any reasonable group or experienced group would do.
Mr. Obama and his close supporters keep proving exactly what the Clinton and the McCain camps keep saying. He and his supporters lack the experience to lead.
Grow up or go home! And the media now takes it upon themselves to whine for Mr. Obama instead of pointing out how his inexperience is affecting his run. What a poor excuse for a bunch of “professionals.”
36. Shane | 08.18.08
He McCain not in the “cone of silence” (a room with no TV in cell phone and PDA age, you must be kidding me), is the same as in. I had more faith in the fairness of the forum, I’m really shocked that Warren let this happen.
37. Vicki | 08.18.08
Oh pooooo! I do not remember where I heard that McCain was going to be in a “cone of silence” but I do remember at the same time I heard that the radio also said that “Infact McCain would not even arrive at the church until Obama was almost half finished.”
I’m 50, female and an a Hillary supporter who just said I was going to vote for Obama — then said forget it, I’m staying home and not voting. Infact the meeting with Rick Warren changed my mind. I’m not staying home I’m going to vote for McCain.
38. DavidB | 08.18.08
Seems to more more a question of Warren’s veracity than McCain’s. CLEARLY, Warren flat out misled the viewing public. Obama (and his fanboies) should be questioning Warren.
39. alex | 08.18.08
What does “prisoner of war” have to do with being or not being a liar? The real fabrication comes from Warren assuring the audiance that McCain was unable to hear Obama’s answers. Would you trust either McCain’s or Obama’s people to tell you the truth in this case? They are all politicians. If their lips are moving…
41. mc | 08.18.08
There was no cone of silence. This was suppose to be a fair showing according to Pastor Warren who lead us all to believe McCann was in this cone of silence when in fact he was not even in the church. We are not all stupid enough to think that McCann is not a liar and didn’t hear the questions prior to getting to that church. I am disappointed in Warren.
42. Henster123 | 08.18.08
When you turn the election over to celebrity pastors, you have to expect this.
We all become sheep.
43. Alan | 08.18.08
Wait just a minute! It was NBC who said McCain was in a sound proof room. It’s NBC who lied.
44. Frederick Parker | 08.18.08
Although I am an Obama Democrat I believe John McCain. How about the person(s) on his staff who prepare his “briefings?” This - will very shortly become a “what did he know and when did he know it” issue - all of which we voters have every right to ask!
45. JAB | 08.18.08
I debated about whether or not to write what I really think. When you talk about John McCain, you’re talking about the man who used revered religious symbols (Moses, etc.) to smear Obama and then called it a big joke. You’re also talking about the man who said you have to have a sense of humor about the Corsi book which even mainline media says is filled with lies and smears. If I were Rick Warren, I would have had McCain in a real cone of silence or made it clear from the beginning that he was not where he was supposed to be. To me personally, the biggest moral issue of this campaign is the religious and other smears in the campaigning. How they campaign shows a lot about the candidates. JAB
46. jim page | 08.18.08
This is very strange.Even when and as we dicuss religion and faith ,we are not sure if some are not being disingenious. Whichever camp that created the situation or made it possible is a cheater. That shows their character. If they can cheat with faith,they will surely cheat with politics. They have disqualified themselves.We can not have liars and cheaters lead our country.Enough harm has been done to our country over the last eight years.We have been cheated and lied to . We will not tolerate it anymore. This is the time to sweep these liars and cheaters from Washington. We neen a fresh change. We need a new leadership. We have to gain our moral stand in the world.The old system is broken .Let’s replace it with the ideals that have always made America strong and great. Let’s reclaim our country.Let your vote count. If you are happy with the way the country has headed the last eight years, then vote for the same people that brought you this misery. If not, then show them the door.Vote for a better and bright future.
47. Harbinger | 08.18.08
At this important juncture, this is what the campaign for U. S. President has come to? None of the founding fathers of this country would have passed the “Jesus Test.” Could this country get any more dumbed down than it now is, or more divorced from reality?
48. Phil Sexton | 08.18.08
Nor is there any way to verify that Obama wasn’t given the questions ahead of time by his friend Warren.
These people need to get a life!
49. Arthur King | 08.18.08
atching Senator McCains performance at the Forum on Faith I was struck in a number of instances that McCain started out slowly, bashfully saying he hoped the questions would not be too hard, then seemed to catch fire and race ahead as though… well, as though he had practiced. The issue of whether McCain’s entourage had arrived at the facility before it began, in order to be put into quarantine, is not the issue. What struck me when I watched McCain is that it seemed very likely that McCain had the actual questions slipped to him some days in advance and had been conducting practice sessions. There were two telling points where McCain became overly eager and rushed ahead before the questions had been asked, to the obvious surprise of Rick Warren. Unless we are to assume that McCain has undisclosed skills as a mind-reader I am afraid it is more reasonable to assume that a sympathetic aide to Rick Warren, without Warren’s knowledge, took it upon himself to give McCain the written questions some days in advance, a courtesy that did not appear to be extended to Obama. If McCain had spoken first that would have been less obvious, but since Obama did the contrast was quite striking. McCain on the stump, when asked a question from the audience, does not have the instant and incisive answers that he had at the ready at the Forum. It was telling to watch Cindy McCain’s expression, which struck me as one of surprised delight. To my mind that was a clear sign that to the extent the fix was in, Cindy was not aware of it and was pleasantly surprised and slightly stunned by McCain’s performance.
If that is the case, and Warren is a bright enough man to also figure that out, there is likely to be some soul searching and internal discussions at Saddleback this week. Warren should have a very clear idea who had access to his questions and who did not, so it will not be a long list of people he will need to have that talk with. And then Warren will be faced with a moral dilemma. Clearly he likes McCain, both personally and for some of his positions, but balancing that will be Warren’s responsibility as Pastor to his large Congregation. What should he make of a candidate who appears to have seen a copy of the test in advance, and chose to use it on exam day? What does that tell the American people about the candidate? If Warren discovers that to be the case, and elects to suppress that information, what does that tell us about Warren? I would not care to be in his shoes this week. The issue is explosive enough to do damage to McCain’s chance to be President. No one man would relish being placed in that position. If there was ever a time for Warren to pray for guidance, this is it.
And the entire issue could have been avoided if McCain was less eager, was less inclined to charge ahead, less inclined in a way to show off how well he could answer the questions without even stopping to think about them. Incisive, quick, concise? Yes, but also so at variance with his recent more rambling performances that the contrast was inescapable. The questions are inevitable. The implications are troubling. In life we rarely are given the questions in advance.
51. Joe Fine | 08.18.08
Isn’t reporting what but not why kind of irresponsible? Do people think McCain knew some of the questions ahead of time because they are simply suspicious, paranoid or jealous, or were they confused by the fact that he did seem to answer at least one question (on merit pay for teachers)before it was asked. Listening to the forum live that particular moment was jarring “Yes, Yes, and find them a new line of work”. Very succinct answers to a specific series of questions not yet asked (except half an hour earlier to Obama). Why not just ask McCain’s people how he know to say that specifically. I’ll keep checking these pages for a reasonable answer to that very specific question.
52. Klaus | 08.18.08
Of course McCain knew the questions before he went in - Not once did he ask to have them repeated because “he did not hear” (to gain time to find an answer).
- Typical Republican cheating again.
53. John Campbell | 08.18.08
So now we learn that the preacher who enjoys tax exempt status while hosting political events that don’t include all the candidates also has a problem telling the truth. Or am I supposed to believe that he didn’t know McCain was late?
54. Dee | 08.18.08
McCain has a great deal of experience cheating and using the influence of his family and wife’s family to cheat his way to power.
He cheated while on the USS Forrestal. McCain wet-started his A-4E Skyhawk which “cooked off” and launched a M34 Zuni rocket. Results: 132 sailors died, and countless others wounded. McCain was whisked off the USS Forrestal onto the USS Oriskany, and all was forgotten, thanks to his father.
McCain couldn’t even fly jets without downing them…5 jets within a little more than 20 flight hours.
McCain cheated while a P.O.W. He gave the enemy information that could have resulted in failed missions and the death of brave men. For that information, he could have gone home, but he knew if he did his father would have never forgiven him for disgracing the family name.
He cheated on his first wife because she was no longer the beauty he had married due to a car accident that resulted in massive injuries. In order to save her legs, surgions had been forced to cut away sections of shattered bone leaving her much shorter and in a wheelchair, then a walker. She still uses a walker to this day.
McCain cheated when he used his power to cover up Cindy’s drug theft and prescription forgery.
On and on it goes….
55. zotdoc | 08.18.08
So, since the Obama people would have cheated they assume the Mcain folks did. The implication is that somehow if McCain knew the questions in advance he would give a different answer, according to the Obama folks. I’m not buying it. This whole thing is turning into a circus!
56. Bob | 08.18.08
What about the Republican dirty tricks dept and their bid to wipe out high profile Obama supporters? They took out Bernie Mack, Isaac Hayes and the failed attempt on Morgan Freeman. Its a conspiracy, plain and simple……
57. John Walker | 08.18.08
Whether he listened in or not, McCain reneged on the agreement, period. That alone brings his integrity into question. As usual, his campaign trots out his former POW status as if that alone should assure us he would never listen in on Obama’s interview- shameless and absurd. It strains credulity to think he didn’t benefit by this underhanded tactic. What else would they be listening to while waiting in the Limo? ESPN?
58. MDXabier | 08.18.08
What is fair, according to the Obama campaign, is anything and everything that benefits their candidate. The moment anything reflects poorly on their candidate, it’s not fair.
Let’s look back to the Clinton/ Obama debates. The media gave all the questions FIRST to Clinton, and then he got a chance to improve on her response—but, basically, he just said, “What she said.”
I think they could’ve given them the questions in advance and had him go first, they would’ve complained about him having to go first. (All this guy and his campaign have done is whine.)
What he needs to remember is that IF he gets the presidency, he’s not going to get a chance to do things over, and he won’t have anyone to look to for the answers.
59. Delilah | 08.18.08
I beg to differ, While i was watching the question answer session i found it odd when John McCain asked Pastor Warren a question like “When are you going to ask me about the Supreme Court Justices?” I was wondering how someone who was supposed to be in a cone of silence even knew that, that question exsisted. Well now I know.
60. Becca | 08.18.08
Any person involved in such a deal would, of course, abide by all rules BY BEING WHERE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE, at the agreed upon time, right??
Why would one subject themselves to speculation by not doing so?
Rick Warren, a second-grader is capable of assuring that no one cheats in a game on the playground.
THE FACT THAT MCCAIN WAS NOT IN THE CONE WHEN THE QUESTIONS STARTED MAKES THIS ENTIRE DEBACLE JUST THAT, AND NULL AND VOID.
Now, let the debates begin……….OR something sort of like debates, but you know, maybe a little help here or there for the old guy.
IMAGINE NO GOVERNMENT…………IT ISN’T HARD TO DO.
61. Fred Lue | 08.18.08
It is quite obvious that McCain knew the questions beforehand. One strong piece of evidence was the fact that he responded to a three or four part question so quickly, and just as quickly explained why he answered so quickly. “Because I knew the questions, dummy.” It is also very interesting that a former prisoner of war does not lie or cheat. So I guess he did tell the enemy what they wanted to know. He is indeed a non-liar. Good going McCain.
62. Craig Worsham | 08.18.08
Don’t you think that if McCain had heard the questions, he would have done a better job answering? The evidence against seems so obvious; if he knew the questions (and answers) in advance he could have crafted his answers to better advantage. He could have created a sharper contrast between himself and Obama. If he did hear the questions, it didn’t help him… or harm Obama.
63. Tony in Wilton, ME | 08.18.08
Why does this surprise anyone? The McCain campaign is being stage managed by the same folks who brought you the Florida debacle and subsequent anointment of GWB by Antonin Scalia & the Supremes in 2000 and the matching Ohio mess in 2004. There is no depth too low for the Texas smash mouth political crowd.
64. regina blackwell | 08.18.08
the whole hour with mccain was a sham. mccain cannot take his eyes off the teleprompter even for a second. he definitely knew the questions.warren told a lie even before he started. if mccain was late warren should have delaued the program and not started asking obama any questions. it just goes to show that America and Americans will never be fair to anybody other than white.
65. DaveDan | 08.18.08
Was McCain truthful in his response that he did not hear the broadcast?
Well, he said he was trying to listen “through the wall.” when questioned about the comforts of the quiet room. What the hell does that mean if he was not in a cone at all?
Someone needs to not ask whether McCain heard the questions, but whether in any way he was informed of the questions. If our politicians can’t keep straight what is sex, now can we expect then to understand and be truthful about “did you hear the broadcast”??
66. Jason | 08.18.08
But… he’s a former prisoner of war. How could these allegations even be considered?
67. Joe Fine | 08.18.08
“The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous,” Ms. Wallace said.
Just speaking as a private citizen and not a campaign organization, I am curious as to why being a POW inherently makes one honest. I’ve heard John McCain lie before. Big Deal. He’s human. He’s vain and self protective like most politicians. He cheated on his first wife by his own admission, right. HE did thing is the Keating 5 affair which were not honorable, for which he has expressed regret. So please stop insulting our intelligence with “he was a POW therefore incapable of venality.” By his own admission he’s not perfect.
I guess one other thing bears mentioning. Sen. McCain’s campaign officials were not POWs. They, as most political operatives are about as dishonest and amoral as they come. Cheating, to them, is a tactic not a question of honor.
68. Henry Landis | 08.18.08
We’ll probably have to wait for someone’s deathbed confession to learn whether McCain really cribbed on this one. Maybe we’ll get lucky and be able, also, to resurrect the fifteen minutes on Nixon’s tapes “lost” by his campaign.
69. Change NOW | 08.18.08
mcbush abiding by some “honor system” is about as straightforward as the “straight talk express” and about as “maverick” as somebody who votes with Bush 95% of the time…..panacea to right wing but anathema to true believers of change……the saddest thing the world has yet seen besides bush is that mcsame was offered up as a sacrificial lamb who admits on a daily basis to not knowing anything and apparently, ignorance is bliss, as he is somehow purportedly still in this thing, according to biased MSM such as CNN….mcbush doesn’t support any biofuels, alternative energy, only drilling as of last month (before that, he opposed it) and now nuclear……if mcbush III happens, it ain’t gonna be pretty for nobody…..his “honor system” is about as transparent as a “coalition of the willing” which now consists of us and 2000 georgian troops whom we just flew back…that about sums it up now…even britain said, hey, we’re outta here…y’er on your own…
“mission accomplished”
70. Janice McDaniel | 08.18.08
Who is McCain trying to lie to it was so apparent that he had the questions before hand that I couldn’t stand to listen to him. He was wanting to answer before the question got out.
I think Warren should admit he thinks so also. This is an outrage. To think the far right pulled this, I think McCain is a phony, his story of the cross in the sand has also been debunked. It is a copy of someone else’s book.
I hope all of America gets all the story. I will now campaign for Obama!!
71. rhino | 08.18.08
The only reason anyone is concerned about the whole issue is that Barak Hussein Osama Obama is a left wing media messiah and they are so afraid that the truth will come out and that we would be better off having Mickey Mouse or Quick Draw McGraw as president. The very fact that Osama Obama got the nomination shows how low the scrapings are in the Democrat barrel.
72. Tom in Alabama | 08.18.08
Johnny Mac began answering many of Pastor Warren’s questions even before Warren completed the question. Of course McCain was listening in on the same questions that Warren had posed to Obama in the previous hour. Republican dirty tricks are not confined to “swiftboating” tactics nor in planting false rumors. There is a long history of this “win at any cost” cheating in Republican politics.
73. Waynev | 08.18.08
I would believe John McCain long before I would believe Obama. Obama let the world know what his values are for saying he never heard Rev. Wright’s messages on hating white people while attending Wright’s church for nearly 20 years. I suggest Obama and McCain both take a lie detector test and lets see which one rocks and shakes the machine. I place my bet on the Obama machine crashing to the floor. In fact I would suggest that this one question forum be performed on the Larry King show.
74. Don Huffman | 08.18.08
I dont recall the specific question, but at some point I heard McCain state that he had cheated and already had his answer. If the broadcast is reviewed that will show. Wheather he was referring to something else or not I dont know.
75. Peter Gillespie | 08.18.08
McCain was a collabo in vietnam! Why they keep harping on this is beyond me.
76. Betty.Wil | 08.18.08
Whether McCain did or didn’t listen, he still failed to meet the terms agreed to with Obama. That failure is a broken promsise. It is cheating. McCain’s actions throughout this campaign have been less than honorable. The attack ads, the spin, the swiftboating all add up to show me that he’s taking a “win at all costs”, and “honor be damned” approach. With that pattern of behavior firmly established, why shoud this time be any different? If he had the chance to listen to the questions ahead of time, I think he would. Even if he didn’t, he still broke his promise by not following the terms of the agreement. He did cheat! This is not the man that I want leading the country.
77. PinkKnight | 08.18.08
OK, people are starting to get out of hand here. Enough with the “conspiracy” theories. Lets get down to the facts of this race and focus on what’s important for the future of this country. We are talking about people that will affect our “country” and the world. They are not running for high school class president. From now on, if there are “hard” facts then present them, if not move on, that goes double for the media. These two candidates each had their moment to say what they wanted to say. No matter where McCain was, that did not affect the answers Obama gave. If they aren’t happy with how he did, they only have Obama himself to blame.
78. Chapman | 08.18.08
Once again the Republican has to be given the benefit of the doubt. They refuse to play by the rules agreed to & then feign outrage when questioned about not following them (”you’d question my integrity”???). Why do the Republicans continue to be given opportunity to cheat??? The forum should NOT have proceeded until McCain had complied with the terms of his agreement.
It does concern me that Obama’s people would allow it to proceed without explicit knowledge that the agreement has been kept. It did appear that McCain knew which questions were coming & was well prepared with his answers & knowing he was not in this so called “cone of silence” does NOTHING to put my mind at ease. Certainly a great advantage may have been gained & simply having that as an open question isn’t fair for either candidate.
79. Roger B Mason | 08.18.08
I am an Obama supporter and my first impression was that John McCain put on an extremely impressive performance, followed by, Could he have had some kind of edge? followed by, Give the guy credit for a good job well done, followed by this relavation!! Could John McCain have had an edge? He most certainly could have and I now believe he did. I even remember one question being answered prior to it being completely asked, with John McCain answering “No”, “No”, and some further explanation. Looking back, I would have to say that this performance by John McCain was too smooth and too relaxed to have been presented by him without an edge!!
80. Bruce | 08.18.08
Is that an excuse for Obama fumbling all over his words? First I do not believe an honorable person like John McCain would have to cheat to answer these questions, and second Obama doesn’t need any help digging a hole deeper than the Grand Canyon.
He is the Empty Suit candidate (Obama) with nothing to bring to the table.
81. perez24 | 08.18.08
It doesn’t matter whether McCain heard the questions, didn’t hear the questions, or fed the questions into Rev. Warren’s ear…Obama sounded like an idiot who cannot answer a question.
82. howard foley | 08.18.08
With the way McCain answered the questions so quickly and in one or two words,than continued on with his reply, he knew in advance for sure.
Any other time, he has a hard time reading off his notes that he has in front of him!!
83. Vickie from Texas | 08.18.08
Who gives a flip? Don’t you think they both anticipated possible questions and were drilled by their advisors in advance? McCain didn’t say anything that he hasn’t already said or written. I think we need to see and hear a face to face debate. McCain will wipe the floor up with Obama when it comes to foreign policy!!!!!
84. Stephen | 08.18.08
So, let’s see… Obama knew the forum; knew who was doing the interview; has a team of people to prep him on potential questions; but didn’t do so well because he had no idea what he was going to be asked. Is that correct?
85. dale | 08.18.08
mccain did answer some of the questions before the preacher even finished asking them. at the time i thought it was funny, rather odd, that he knew what was being asked beforehand. as for his answers, i thought maybe he was wired and was answering with karl rove in the background feeding the answers. then, he sure took advantage to preach about his old war stories.
i think hes too old for the job.
anybody that answers that quick, without thinking about the question, should NOT be president. he acts too stiff, like he’s paralized already. fear, probably. maybe just mad he dont get his own way.
i think mccain’s wife would be much better choice for president…
86. Kem Weber | 08.18.08
Sounds to me like Obama’s smoke and mirrors campagin is beginning to clear and the mirrors are breaking. His handlers and surrogates sense this also and are doing what all rats do when their ship starts taking on water. Scratch and claw for air.
87. dburck | 08.18.08
Another question would be how come his story about ‘how being a prisoner of war and the cross marked in the dirt gave him faith’ is IDENTICAL to Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s from “The Gulag Archipelago”. He apparently plagiarized a moving story froma book he is very familiar with to gain the greatest empathy with a Christian audience, and glossed over his own admitted breakdown in the hands of his torturers. His humility is a sham.
88. Bob | 08.18.08
McCain was answering questions before they were asked. Doesn’t that give you Republicans a clue?
89. jackie kidd | 08.18.08
It was obvious that he either heard the questions or he was given the questions in advance. Sen. Obama’s answers were more sincere. Rick Warren is a pimp with a capital P
90. Janet | 08.18.08
Rick Warren is another evangelical fraud.
Call Or email Saddleback Church and let them know how you feel.
info@saddleback.com
(949) 609-8000
91. Sandy | 08.18.08
What about McCain addressing Supreme Court justices well before Rick Warren asked the question? And then responded with “oh, well talk about that later?” Sorry folks………..man knew the question before he ever stepped on stage. Not to mention the stacked audience of Rick Warrens congregation. Obama was doomed to fail before he ever stepped onstage. This forum should have never come about.
92. Jon Burgard | 08.18.08
“The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous,” Ms. Wallace said
Guess it was outrageous to accuss him of cheating when he was cheating on his wives too.
93. HollieSeven | 08.18.08
Where does it say that Obama accused McCain of cheating??
NOWHERE!!!
This came from the press.
The Press does not speak for either candidate
94. Doug | 08.18.08
2. Guy | 08.18.08
So, when Obama does not do well, it is another grteat right wing conspiracy. When McCain does well, he must have cheated.
You guys are idiots.
No, You are an idiot. But worse than that, you are a naive fool to believe McCain and the Republican Party would not cheat, lie, and fabricate mistruths to get McCain the presidency. Silly you! An Historian you are certainly not!
95. Khiva | 08.18.08
McCAIN CHEATED. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT. HE KNEW THE TEACHER QUESTION IN ADVANCE. WHAT A TOTAL SCUMBAG HE IS. I FOR ONE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF CHEATERS AND LIARS IN THE WHITE HOUSE. McCAIN DOES NOT HAVE THE INTEGRITY TO BE ELECTED DOGCATCHER.
96. das | 08.18.08
You can hardly blame it on McCain. What were they doing starting the interview without McCain in his “cone.” CNN screwed up, pure and simple. And it doesn’t change the fact that Obama floundered, that would have happened anyway. I think this is a conspiracy to save Obama by pointing fingers at someone else.
97. Ignatius | 08.18.08
Regarding the question on whether or not, John McCain listened in, or watched any part of Sen. Obama’s discussion with Pastor Warren, the fundamental question for the McCain campaign is: why did he not stay in the “cone of silence” as agreed, while Sen. Obama was on? This sounds like cheating on the part of John McCain!
For those who knew John McCain at the Naval School in Annapolis, Maryland: his Naval career was essentially, social promotion -got by on family and name recognition, rather than dint of hardwork and intelligence like his classmates. John McCain came was the last in his graduating class; crashed several expensive aircrafts before he could get his permit to fly; and may have been kicked out were it not for his father, who was an Admiral at Annapolis.
If just wish John McCain could play straight and fair in his life!
The records in the limousine should be examined, to find out, if John McCain, contary to the voiceferous denial by his campaign, actually, listened in, contrary to the rules.
98. Patrick | 08.18.08
The Messiah will be elected in November. Whether McCain knew something or not, even if he eats eggs for breakfast, makes no difference. “True Believers” do want to know let alone want the truth.
99. Mozart | 08.18.08
As a former Obama supporter and one who is now on the fence, I thought both did quite well. Their demeanor and their mindset honed by their environment (one’s academic and philosophical the other’s clarity of well formulated thought, determined sense of purpose)came across well. The fact they both made mistakes but McCain’s was in relation and contrast to Obama’s(McCain’s gaffe of $5 million dollars clearly indicates lack of prior knowledge and of Obama’s response)could have easily been avoided had he been privy to Obama’s responses. That fact alone, to me, strongly substantiates Rick davis’ defense.
Another problem I have is that all these excuses for a less than stellar performance by Obama are coming from his and his campaign’s surrogates. CNN, CBS, Andrea Mitchell and the whole NBC organisation including MSNBC, CNBC as well as Chuck Hagel, Lincoln Chaffee, the NY Times, the Washington Post, LATimes, the Daily Kos, Huffington Post are all brazenly in bed with the Democrats that their credibility is automatically suspect. None of these so-called news sources has the guts to call their guy what TheWSJournal charged McCain a couple of weeks ago,”stupid”, regarding his tax statement. Talk about maintaining your credibility, that’s an example worth emulating.
100. Judy | 08.18.08
First, I don’t think Obama’s campaign is making any excuses. Obama did a good job so they don’t need excuses. But I do think it’s strange that McCain kept cutting Pastor Warren off like he already knew the questions he was going to ask. At the time, I didn’t know that the questions were supposed to be a secret. What bothered me more though was that McCain never gave specific answers. Unlike Obama, he kept shifting the topics off of himself like a strategy. For example, when Obama was asked about a time he failed, he gave details about self-pity and drug and alcohol use during his teenage years and the lesson he learned about why he should think about other people instead of just himself. When McCain was asked the same question, he only said “I failed in my first marriage. I think America failed when …” and he went off topic.
101. Vector Pilot | 08.18.08
Not only did McCain know the questions, there was someone behind the curtain answering them. That dude is too old to know what where he is or what’s going on……
102. Bob | 08.18.08
“The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous,” Ms. Wallace said.
That’s McCains spin? How dare they question my honor, I was a POW? McCain camp wants to turn this around and make legitimate concerns about the fairness of this event reflect poorly on Obama in order to distract from McCain’s documented character flaws. It would take either an ostrich, a kool-aide drinker or an extremely naive person to not realize that McCain had control over when he left the hotel for the event and chose to wait until it had started for a reason.
103. Billy | 08.18.08
I am confused about the “combat veteran” campaign. I have been in combat, and I am going for my third tour, does that make me a Presidential Candidate? Actually we have hundreds of thousands of veterans, does that make them all “experts” in military affairs? I have been in the military for 17 years, received three degrees, gone to many, many, many places, seen combat, led Soldiers in the heat of battle, received the Bronze Star, but this does not make me a Presidential Candidate! So please get off the military experience, most of you don’t even have any, most have not seen combat, and just because you have, does not make you a leader. I have seen numerous failures in combat, my last commander was a coward, could not make a decision in the heat of combat, and he was a moron, and yet he has “military experience” and he is also a “combat veteran”, but I would not trust him to lead three men to the bathroom!
104. Vector Pilot | 08.18.08
Not only did McCain know the questions, there was someone behind the curtain answering them. That dude is too old to know where he is or what’s going on……
105. Doug | 08.18.08
7. VLM | 08.18.08
What’s the big deal whether he was in a special room or not. It seems that Obama’s people realize that their man looked like the rookie that he is up against a veteran. This is only the beginning of the many debates that will prove who is a real leader compared with someone without any experience to be the chief executive of our nation, a rookie with no military experience, not even a Boy Scout experience. What a joke.
And I suppose you think you have to be a militarist to be president. Another silly mindless Republican who turns the blind eye to the facts. This question was about honesty and integrity…not qualifications to be president. Get it straight. You are a joke for waisting mine and others time with your silly ass thought process. Read your history books. The greatest leaders have not been militarists…and certainly, there is no precedent that would suggest that our president have any military background. That’s what the president have advisors for. Leadership, honesty, integrity, compassion. Now you have a recipe for the president. Take off your silly blindfold, remove the wax from your ears, and listen carefully…YOU ARE A DIE HARD REPUBLICAN THAT CANNOT SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES.
106. Miguel | 08.18.08
Those who exclaim that John McCain would not possibly cheat don’t know him very well. John McCain cheated on his first wife, and was highly involved in cheating hundreds of thousands of U.S. Citizens out of thier life savings in 80’s, just to name a few instances.
107. POW | 08.18.08
Are you accusing that a POW cheated?! Are you even intending that a POW could cheat?!! Or lie?!!! Next thing you will say that Pope is political!
People, now you are strinking at the root of honor. Remember, if a POW says he’s in a cone of silence, he IS in a cone of silence. If the emperor says he is wearing new cloth, he IS wearing it.
It’s just like the democrats to fail in a contest and crib about cheating. And of all, this outrageous accusations about POW! Grow up! Get smart! Learn to outsmart these politico-religious con men.
108. Art Newpher | 08.18.08
I watched the debate with seveal friends - and McCain DID NOT answer the question before it was asked! Warren asked 2 questions to which McCain responded Yes-yes! THEN McCain added onto his answer what conservatives have always believed - that Poor teachers should be fired. Just becasue that is what he believed and wanted to make points with conservatives - he made that statement! And it only made sense that Warren might ask a question like that - so for him to tack that on to his answer is NOT a streach!
Now get real and stop guessing and vote on the answers!
109. Fearless Bear | 08.18.08
I did not see or hear the forum. It seems to me that the unproven cries of “foul” by Obama’s people are as loud as they are because he (Obama) performed miserably. Is not that the real story here?
110. Amused | 08.18.08
Ok, not to over simplify this (God knows people don’t like simplicity when dealing with these matters).
There is absolutely no way or proving or disproving whether or not McCain heard the interview. If he did, well – that’s just wrong. At the same time, if he was delayed – the people hosting the interviews should have delayed them until his arrival.
All of this aside, I fail to see how McCains alleged foreknowledge of the questions could possibly effect or change the lame answers and crappy performance of Obama?
Discounting McCain’s answers and removing them from the equation all together – Obama’s responses were downright pitiful .
Look at the bigger picture people – don’t buy into the MSM smoke screen.
111. Mike Diaz | 08.18.08
Saying that he was in the Green Room when asked and lying about it, in a house of God is low.
You’d rather win a discussion in church, than be honest in a house of worship. You’re a small man McCain.. a small man. I still can’t believe that you’re the best the GOP has to offer..
112. GD | 08.18.08
Insofar as a politicians’ religion is concerned, the only thing I am interested in is this, does the religion he believes in make him an exemplar of ethics, morality, integrity, and honesty. Here comes the test - tell me the names of the politicians in the last 50 years that had all (or any) of these attributes.
It truly cracks me up to hear a “man of the cloth” pontificate on the imperfect nature of mankind yet claims his faith is the “one true faith”. Let’s see, imperfect man creates the perfect religion. Someone explain how this is possible, please!
114. RadianChalant | 08.18.08
Rick Warren lied in his church and on national television that John McCain was in a cone of silence in the church. McCain was not in the building at all; he was in his motorcade. His campaign said that no one from the McCain camp watched Obama answer questions….No One? McCain’s campaign is riddled with many untruths, okay……..lies. Rich Warren and John McCain both cheated and lied. They stacked the deck against Barack Obama. Cheaters never win; most certainly cheaters mostly win here in the USA. Just look at Bush. Barack for President.
115. Jim Dooley | 08.18.08
So it turns out Mr McCellphone was not in the cone of silence for the first thirty minutes of Obama’s questions. His team was quoted as saying he did not listen to any of the broadcast during this time. And naturally no one on his cell phone would feed him the questions. WHY IS THERE NO OUTRAGE OVER THIS SCAM?
116. Franklin | 08.18.08
To the people who claim McCain’s ‘honor’ should never be questioned… what about the Keating scandal again? McCain should be elated that Obama won the primary because you’d be hearing that name every 2 seconds from the type of campaign Clinton ran.
While the government took a blind eye to Keating stealing billions from the coinpurses of the elderly, McCain was riding on the thief’s jet, his in-laws were making ‘investments’ in Keatings holdings and his family was staying at Keating’s luxury resort in the Carribean. Oh and all of this was being done in the name of ‘getting the government out of business’… sound familiar? The taxpayers were left holding the billions in bills.
Oh wait, he ‘paid back’ Keating for all his bribes about 5 years after the fact. I guess that’s enough to excuse him, by Republican standards.
117. Robb Swanson | 08.18.08
Whether John McCain took advantage of the fact that he was not isolated in the “cone of silence” during the questioning of Barak Obama or not isn’t really the point. The point is that John McCain agreed to a format and procedure, and then for whatever reason, chose to ignore the agreed upon “cone of silence”, leaving himself open to the questions that are now swirling around.
Why didn’t he simply do what he agreed to do in the first place?
118. Keith | 08.18.08
Some people here amaze me. There are fools here who assume that because McCain demonstrated an ability to reason and see where the question was going he is not actually smart but a cheater. Think for a minute folks, if you can. Assuming that McCain was given the questions a head of time do you honestly think he would have practiced to a point where his responses would come so readily that it was obvious that he was previously prepared? I know 8-year old retards who have better sense than that. The fact remains that, once again, B. Hussein Obama has proven himself far too junior to lead. Here’s what really amazes me. The left claims Bush was far to inexperienced to lead and yet there was no issue with them electing another inexperienced Governor years before. Bush had the sense to elect a highly experienced Washington insider as his Veep in the form of Cheney and yet Bush is a moron. Clinton did the exact same thing when he chose Gore and he’s a genius. The hypocrisy of the left is monumentally staggering.
119. Daryl Ducharme | 08.18.08
Well, this is all good and well. Little quibble here, nothing to do with the actual things all Americans are dealing with. Could we get Nader and Barr ( at least ) in some debates with these two so the quibbles can be over issues and their many facets rather than whether or not someone listened in.
Cone of Silence?! How about poverty, health care, war, corporate crime, government budget bloat and all the issues that affect so many people. We need to at least scratch the surface on this stuff.
– Humor On –
Besides, McCain should spin it like this,”America is tired of a President who doesn’t listen. I listen.”
– Humor Off –
120. shixxle | 08.18.08
“The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous,” Ms. Wallace said.
CAN WE STOP BEATING THE P.O.W. THING? since when does being locked up for 5 years QUALIFY YOU FOR ANYTHING??
GMAB!!
121. OG | 08.18.08
Give it a rest.
Who cares that McCain was a POW, does it have to be injected into every part of this facade race?
They said he would be in a soundproof room… he wasnt.
Not that I care, but who cares that McCain was such a horrible pilot that he got captured and injured himself because he did not know how to eject from his craft properly… it has nothing to do with his ability to lie and cheat.
I would not think an honorable POW would mingle with known Mafia members either, but McCain did a fine job there with Joe “Bananas” Bonanno didn’t he?
122. John | 08.18.08
It would seem possible that both candidates were provided the questions ahead. Why not? This was not a factual test, it was a chance for each man to express his views thoughtfully. I would have thought that each should have had the questions in advance. Most people are missing the point. It’s not which questions were asked, but how each man responded, that matter. McCain was not necessarily required to be at the church while Obama was interviewed. That seems a likely possibility to me. Why would he be required to be somewhere when they didn’t need him yet? The only requirement may have been that he be sequestered while in the building, if he was present. After all, this is not a CIA operation! Someone should ask Pastor Warren to clarify the ground rules on this before everyone assumes that some rule has been broken. But, soundproof or no soundproof, the fact remains that Obama did poorly because his depth as a religious person is very shallow, liberal, and oriented toward liberation theology, which is no theology at all. McCain has already written a memoir of how faith and life intersect for him, and he has a deep history and experience to draw upon from his life in the military and as a POW. His values have been tested under fire, and Obama’s have not. And it shows.
123. Mary | 08.18.08
Two candidates, with two totally different styles. I felt Barack fielded the questions with honestly, and did not appear to be falling back on stumps. McCain on numerous occasions fell back on auto replies, many of which were about his prison camp woes. Mr McCain, I respect your service to our country, and I do believe you to be a patriot, however I am starting to tire of you using it for votes. Yes, I know you could have been released far sooner than you were, but you were just so good and special and could only think of the other guy, makes me wonder if you were starting your campaign years ago. I can see how some would differ greatly from Baracks economic views, or his stand on Choice etc, but to say he did not fare well with Mr Warren makes me question your objectivity
124. scott | 08.18.08
Funny debate(?) McCain did a lot better than I expected him to. I don’t know if this means he was briefed or listening in. Some of the “quick answers” could have been because he had very definite feelings on the topics and wanted to sound “decisive” by jumping in. Let’s face it, the questions in the series were in a fairly logical order and the train of thought flow, so to speak.
That said, Obama did very well also. I don’t think the Obama camp is complaining because they think he did poorly; they suspect that the event wasn’t conducted fairly. Big difference.
I was impressed with both of them - in spite of myself - although they both also showed their weaknesses and things that make me worry about either one of them.
Can’t wait until the head-to-head debates begin. That should help.
By the way, my observations of Obama and in speaking with people who met him: he does not need the ‘prompter; he is intelligent and quick on his feet. Sounds like Limbaugh-like propaganda…
125. robert | 08.18.08
silly, silly, silly. It was a euphamism! Do you think that Pastor Ricks church is the “control” center from the old “Get Smart” sitcom? And that silence cones fall from the ceiling?
None of the questions were anything new for either candidate. 3 most influential… its a elemenatary question (still a good one). The issue was probably not even addresses to the candidates. They are both honest and respectable people (also very busy), Its not like McCain was going to sit in a concrete room in the basement reading a Louis L’Amour book for an hour.
126. Andy | 08.18.08
I have often heard it said in Washington that it is not whether there is impropriety but whether there is the appearance of impropriety. The fact that Senator McCain stayed in his motorcade during Senator Obama’s questioning when he said he would be in a ‘green room’ isolation gives the appearance of impropriety, and gives rise to the question of whether he watched the questions.
But there is no true way to verify whether he did or not; in this case the mere appearance sinks his ship in my opinion, and I must say for general purposes that I hold both candidates in equal disdain, and do not think either one will address the problems we currently have in any real manner.
127. Kees | 08.18.08
There are two disconnected situations here. Senator Obama did have a bad showing. And, Senator McCain was able to hear the questions before hand. They are in no way related.
Senator Obama will do better the next time around. Senator McCain’s honor will still be in question.
Senator McCain should have defaulted when he showed up late. The Reverend could have explained the situation. Had Mr. Obama pulled that trick, then he too should have defaulted.
128. Tim B, Dallas, TX | 08.18.08
109 Fearless Bear: “I did not see or hear the forum. It seems to me that the unproven cries of “foul” by Obama’s people are as loud as they are because he (Obama) performed miserably.”
If that doesn’t sum up the reason why this country is in the mess it’s in, I don’t know what does. If you know nothing about the forum other than what you’ve heard, why do you think you know what really happened? What makes any one person here more believable than any other person, other than one makes a point that may fit with your preconceived notions?
The wholesale destruction of legitimate political discussion in the U.S. has left us rudderless and adrift, unable to solve any of our numerous problems because truth gets buried under miles of the irredeemable sewage we dare call “debate”. We’ve become as dysfunctional as the Soviets were… how’d that work out for them again?
130. cecil9 | 08.18.08
The Obama groupies will think and say anything to protect their guru. They are like worker bees protecting the queen and its tank of koolaid. That the queen must survive rules their every act and word, and they attack in mindless swarms at every perceived threat. I remember their sort in the 1960s with their starry-eyed migration to San Francisco. Their utopia fell into ruins in short order as reality laid a firm grasp on their hungry stomachs and their drugged euphoria turned to despair. And so it is with the new-age messiah named Obama. They will ignore his flaws right up to the very moment the koolaid passes into their gullets.
131. mudfish | 08.18.08
“How dare you not trust us?” asks the right-wing smear machine. Ummm?
Ironic that this is the same smear-machine that slandered, lied about, and belittled John McCain in 2000.
So now McCain does the ultimate flip-flop and joins them. This is truly a new W. regime in the making.
132. XDEM | 08.18.08
Mr. Obama can not succeed without having a script. He has very few original ideas and even fewer ideas that will work in the long term.
Another reason I left the party.
133. Bob | 08.18.08
“I did not see or hear the forum. It seems to me that the unproven cries of “foul” by Obama’s people are as loud as they are because he (Obama) performed miserably. Is not that the real story here?”
You did not see or hear the forum yet you are able to make an observation on what happened? Have another glass of Kool Aide! The only thing that seperates John McCain from John Edwards is a few years. Past conduct is a good indication of future behavior. We should not be surprised by John McCain we should expect more of this going forward.
134. M James | 08.18.08
It has to be true. Doesn’t it?!?
If it isn’t true that John McCain’s camp heard the questions and answers beforehand it would mean that all of Obama’s answers really do look vague, slippery, obscure, oblique, non-commital, slick and political on their very own merit. Couldn’t have that on the Left now could we?
It’s called diversion. When you don’t like what the light reveals, shift the focus somewhere else!
If McCain had never responded, Obama still sounded just like he always does. Not a halfwit in the world needs anyone to tell ‘em how to perceive such an obvious fraud. Obama ” ahh, er, uhhh, ummm ….above my paygrade”. Must be very hard to have to vote for him. Bad enough for conservatives to have to vote for McCain but theirs is an easy pill to swallow compared to such an obvious stuffed, elitest shirt as Barak Hussien Obama!
135. Jeff in Orlando | 08.18.08
Since Democrat politicians frequently practice the art of lying i.e. Bill Clinton, John Edwards and other prominent party members, it follows that Democrats think others practice the art as well. They just assume since they don’t tell the truth others do the same. We have fallen to a new low when we no longer take a person’s word as the truth. McCain is the product of the Naval Academy where the honor code was alive and well during his time. Having gone to an institution that also had a strong honor code, you learn over time your word to another means something. I find it disgusting that others would deny McCain’s denial as disingenuous.
136. Darrell Hitchens | 08.18.08
It is obvious that John McCain had foreknowledge of the questions. He was answering them as they were being asked. His handlers in the audience were mouthing the same answers as they nodded their heads in approval. The stories that John McCain used to expand his answers were practiced. It was as if he had time to consider the relevance of each story to each question. John McCain is not a nimble, think-on-the-fly kind of mind. He is the same man who was in office for all of those years when nothing got done. He is a masthead for the same corporate interests that George Bush was.
137. Anne | 08.18.08
I have read all responses. Am I the only one who heard Obama say that he researched before hand the question about 1.48 million orphans?
138. Repumocrat | 08.18.08
Co’mon, you guys really think Democrats are honest goody two shoes who wouldn’t cheat? And whatever makes you idiots think that the Republicans are so damn honest honorables ? These are professionals who are into grabbing the most powerful office in the world. It is the dumbed-down American public who thinks in those fairy tale terms. The American public is so naive and are constantly manipulated by the powers that be.
139. Deputy Chief | 08.18.08
Obama lost and those that support him are looking for a reason to justify the loss. Let us have another debate and when Obama loses again, what will be their excuse. I am sure they will find another stupid rationalization. If Obama should win the presidential election, this country deserves what the ignorant majority gets, an incompetant, unexperienced person.
140. nathan | 08.18.08
#4 Steve — Thank you for that comment. I was going to say the same thing my self, but you beat me to it. I recognize that your comment was with all due respect for those of opposing views, but are you sure that these people understand what “non-sequitur” means?
141. Sue | 08.18.08
Editorial comment. Shouldn’t the second line, read,
Well, there’re two. (There are two)
not
Well, there’s two. (There is two)
142. martin | 08.18.08
The point is the forum was conducted poorly and the back-to-back style a questionable execution. Both candidates should have been on the stage and then the same question should have give each candidate. The order of answering should alter such that each has to answer some of the questions first.
143. Bob | 08.18.08
I can’t believe all the people on hear saying how stupid Obama is, and how he failed in this “debate.”
Obama took time to intelligently answer all the questions given to him- including some of the most difficult ones. Apparently there are to many bigits and idiots our there in our country that couldn’t pay attention long enough to understand.
McCain on the other hand answered questions with sentence long responses- and decided to completely dodge a number of questions all together, only to ramble on about something unrelated.
Goes to show you…. Simple people like simple answers.
Anyone else remember when he asked Warren if they were going to get back to the questions about Supreme Court Justices? It was before Warren had even brought up the issue! He obviously knew the questions before hand (which Obama could have been provided as well).
144. Phil Waste | 08.18.08
Here is the real McCain.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1024927/The-wife-John-McCain-callously-left-behind.html
Go to this link for eye opening info. Please note even Reagan and Perot knew him for what he was.
145. Just Judi | 08.18.08
I had so looked forward to the Saddleback forum, and I am left feeling disappointed and deceived. Not just by John McCain, but by Rick Warren. I have been a huge fan of his since I bought his book, The Purpose Driven Life, which I have used as a guideline for my life. Now I look at the book and feel duped. By buying that book I helped yet another crooked evangelical pastor get rich.
146. tedp | 08.18.08
I thought they both did pretty well, but Obama’s criticism of the so-called American Way of Life, as embodied by unsupportable unjust wars overseas, and the expectation of Entitlement to endless credit - both national and personal, was what is needed in our leadership. What really got me is when he said that the presidency currently has too much power relative to the other branches of government. True, and bold to say it.
No matter how you slice it, we have some tougher times ahead. Suck it up, don’t be vaguely promising that, “Our best days are ahead of us,” as McCain did. I do respect McCain, and am sure a McCain administration would thankfully not fulfill all his campaign rhetoric. He knows what he needs to do to win office, but as we have seen, once in office there is little to prevent a president from acting as they wish. Seems likely he will return to his centrist values, but because of his military affiliation, there is the worry that he will continue our injurious National Defense State mentality.
147. Dave | 08.18.08
Ahhh, the tinfoil hat people of all persuasions. Did he or didn’t he, only the people there know and they haven’t been paid enough money yet to prove something that is a farce anyway. Every speech or answer that Obama has ever given has been tailored to what ever crowd he is in front of. The same can be said about McCain, Clinton, Bush and most all of the recent national politions. It is the very nature of the current process where the party platform carries more importance than either “what the people want” or “what is best for the country”. It is all about power. The difference between the canidates can only be determined by their voting records, if any, and their circle of associates. Consider the facts. One is a proven patriot and the other has a documented history of associating with people with anti American adgendas. Personally I love this United States of America, with all it’s flaws, as it is and those who preach anti american dogma or plant bombs to destroy and kill are a waste of air! Obama wants to change the ONE Nation on earth that the entire world cries to in a crisis, sneaks into to escape economic hardship or persecution. I think a whole lot of people need to get a reality check and decide what “change” really means!
148. Jason | 08.18.08
Politicians cheat? Your kidding me right? You mean, in this day and age, a politician would lie? I can’t believe it. This shakes the very foundation of all that I believe in. I may have to go lay down and drink some tea. This kind of earth shattering revelation makes me all woozy.
150. Not Ted Haggard | 08.18.08
We’re all overlooking the obvious: McCain is a “mindreader” and knew the education question was coming before Warren asked him. God works in mysterious ways . . . and so does Kreskin!
151. Juraco | 08.18.08
Please! Most of the questions were completely predictable. Both candidates had a pretty good idea what the questions would be and did their research before going on the show. It just seems one did a better job than the other. NO conspiracy here!
152. ds | 08.18.08
Attention Republicans!
Just because you cant understand Obama when he speaks because he uses big words that you’ve never heard, doesnt mean he did a bad job answering the questions. I understood his answers, every single one of them. I think he did a wonderful job.
Obama is pro-choice, you will never see eye to eye with him on that so anything other than “at the time of conception” is a bad answer to you. Guess what, abortion is legal, as it should be, and it will stay that way. get over it!
153. Mike K | 08.18.08
McCain is a breath of fresh air in an atmosphere that is polluted by Obama left wring fruitcakes who do not have one viable solution other than tax and run
154. Rich | 08.18.08
The Republican’s cheated! But the Democrats do not cheat when the democratic press provides 100% attention to Obama and his trip overseas.
155. Andy | 08.18.08
Who cares if he was a POW. The Civil War is over. Arizona wasn’t even a state.
Besides, he didn’t need to hear the questions in advance. How hard can it be to tell a hall full of evangelicals exactly what they want to hear?
156. Bart | 08.18.08
Whether McCain listened in is beside the point, he cheated when he refused to follow the rules and sit in the soundproof booth.
McCain has a history of lying and cheating. McCain cheated on his first wife. He has let his campaign misrepresent the injuries he received ejecting from his plane, as injuries sustained from torture, despite the fact that the record shows he broke his arms during the ejection. He has refused to release his POW records, so anyone can independently verify his stories. His campaign has run numerous deceptive, mileading, false and even ludicrous ads. He went to his motorcade instead of doing the honorable thing and sitting in the soundproof booth. You would have to be naive to think that a guy who was willing to vote against his own anti-torture bill for political expediency, might not listen in? Anyone who doesn’t think this McCain is capable of cheating once again, is an idiot.
157. Peter Traub | 08.18.08
John McCain clearly cheated at the debate last night, and the proof was in the question regarding Supreme Court Justices. After dancing around the question, he threw in at the end, that he “by the way” would have supported “Scalia and Roberts” in direct juxtatpositon to Obama’s answer. The question only asked who would he have not nominated, not who he supported. He would only have known to throw out those names if he knew Obama added them to his answer. Are we so partisan that we do not care any more if we elected the dishonest?
158. shannonsj | 08.18.08
What a croc. It takes more to be a journalist than calling someone a liar. It takes the ability to think clearly and articulate the facts without filtering. You don’t just say “clearly he cheated” because another media outlet suggested it. If you have tangible proof, report it. Otherwise, leave it out. I see statements like this and I turn the page (or channel) and don’t come back.
159. CHUCK | 08.18.08
HOW CAN MCCAIN TALK ABOUT HONOR???
1) MCCAIN BLEW UP THE USSS FORRESTAL
2) MADE 32 PROPAGANDA FILMS IN HANOI IN EXCHANGE FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT
3) HAS A STATUE OF HIS LIKENESS IN HANOI FOR HIS SERVICES TO THE NVA
4) DUMPED THE MIAS UPON HIS OWN SAFE RETURN AND CALLED THEIR FAMILIES ‘KOOKS’
5) TOOK MONEY FROM THE S&LS (HE WAS SUPPOSED TO MONITOR) IN THE KEATING FIVE SCANDAL,
6) DUMPED HIS WIFE WHILE SHE WAS TERMINALLY ILL FROM CANCER IN THE HOSPITAL
7) BEFRIENDED JOE BONNANO, HIS MAFIA CONSTITUENT
HATED BUSH, BUT NOW IS HIS BUDDY AND CLONE
9) CONSISTENTLY SAID WE SHOULD BE IN IRAQ FOR 100 YEARS, BUT NOW SAYS 18 MONTHS, COPYING OBAMA
10) ALLOWS ONLY LOBBYISTS TO RUN HIS CAMPAIGN
11) KILLED THE NEW GI BILL OF RIGHTS, WHILE CLAIMING TO SUPPORT VETS
12) SUPPORTS TORTURE, WHILE LYING ABOUT HAVING SURVIVED TORTURE
SHOULD I GO ON???
MCCAIN IS A FIRST CLASS LIAR.
160. Bob | 08.18.08
Obama gave thoughtful and truthful answers to serious questions. McCain gave impulsive, memorized, answers, full of campaign rhetoric. As soon as Warren used the buzzword (i.e., “abortion”) McCain spouted out his prepared response.
Please, Lord, not another 4 years….
161. Mike | 08.18.08
Who portraits McCain as so honorable should think twice. For me he has a flawed character as John Edwards: McCain had an affair and left and divorced his disabled wife, a wife that waited for him while he was a POW. Don’t believe me look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCain what he write about himself. So judge for yourself….
162. fletc3her | 08.18.08
Oh lord, the McCain spokesperson feels the need to remind everyone that John McCain was a POW? Oh my god, he did cheat!
163. Peter Brunner | 08.18.08
Obama does badly whenever he can’t script his lies beforehand, that we already knew. We won’t know the full Obama story until long after he is President, because McCain refuses to allow a full frontal assault on a poor mixed-breed immigrant whose birthplace is still being questioned. You see, despite how the mainstream media has been trying to paint him lately, McCain has been kind to foreigners who want to become assimilated into our culture. Obama sure has, even to the point of forgetting his Muslim father, stepfather and brother. What a success story we have here!!!
164. JJ | 08.18.08
If McCain is the holy master, why did he steal his “cross in the dirt” POW story directly from a Russian author named Alexander Solzhenitsyn? A true Maverick and a liar.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/8/17/122230/161/239/569299
165. alex | 08.18.08
I found it weird too… all his answers were too straightforward and quick for an old man. Also, the education question was dubious as well… Plus I think one tiem McCain actually said something like “are you going to ask me X question next? And indeed it was that question! Obama did OK but he was going through a thought methodically while McCain just seemed too quick in comparison to his usual showings…
166. Terry | 08.18.08
Warren asked “Who will you pick to help you lead when you are pres?”
McCain said “General Petraus”
Obama said “My Granny”
Bwahahahaha……you “O” boys are a bunch of loser whiners!
Go ahead insult the evangelicals and Rick Warren, sounds like a winner to me! That’s really going to help you get votes from that group. It was what he was trying to do wasn’t it? What a maroon!
167. Timbo | 08.18.08
SUCH AN HONORABLE MAN -EH?? DON’T YOU REMEMBER LINCOLN SAVINGS & LOAN? MCCAIN COST AMERICANS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND LIED. DON’T FORGET YOUR HISTORY.
168. Marc | 08.18.08
Give the guy a break. To me, it looks like he’s always in “a cone of silence”. If the GOP had wanted someone who could actually answer questions intelligently off the cuff, they wouldn’t have fought Ron_Paul so hard.
169. jim | 08.18.08
First of all, Barack Obama did not do poorly at all. He got quite an ovation and regular cheers from the audience.
John McCain though did far better than anyone expected, and so a kind of Bush effect made it appear that therefore Obama must have floundered. He most certainly did not.
As far as the cheating question is concerned, if anyone who objectively watched the interviews (it was not a debate) believes that John McCain, who has had innumerable verbal missteps over the last months, did not know the questions beforehand is deluding themselves.
Of course he knew the questions just like he does at all his so called town meetings, which just like in Bush’s campaigns, are always staged.
Remember, McCain’s primary handlers are indeed top Bush campaign advisers - proud Rovian followers. Do you think they would ever take the chance of a bad performance by McCain that could have doomed him before an already doubting conservative base?
All you McCain cheerers here, just go back and watch how the Senator is practically unable to let the Pastor finish question after question before answering. Watch how his answers are clearly tailored for the audience at hand even if the questions aren’t necessarily. This is John McCain we are talking about here.
He is not a noted orator, and more times than not over the last many years he has looked very uncomfortable in all issues remotely related to his faith. Be honest.
He did far better than anyone expected including his most devout supporters and he wasn’t where he had agreed to be when he was supposed to be there. Instead he was supposedly in his motorcade. Think about that.
Obama’s interview lasted an hour. It took McCain over an hour to drive from his hotel to the studio? He arrived just before his turn came. What was he doing in his limo (which no doubt has a television) all that time?
If he wasn’t in his limo, where was he during most of that time? Was he back at his hotel room memorizing answers and questions? All we know was that he was supposed to be in a silent room before Obama even began his interview. That would make McCain well over an hour late.
If he is telling the truth, than he and his handlers must be the worst planners in Presidential history (except for Bush team). They can’t even arrive within an hour of the requested time. What kind of regard does that reflect for the audience and the host (and his opponent) when he extends such a discourtesy?
If you believe him, he is at least incredibly disrespectful. If you don’t he was clearly up to something dishonest.
Either way, he was not acting particularly Christian, and if you yourself honestly consider these facts, how can you come away with any feeling other than suspicion and disgust at this performance. Stop seeing what you want to see. See what actually happened!
170. WTF? | 08.18.08
All you people that say Barack Obama is an idiot need to get a clue. He has achieved more scholastically than has their whole family. The ignorance that’s displayed on this forum is laughable. These right wing politicians wrap you around their fingers and they don’t give a damn about you or your family. Keep living in your little black and white world and voting against your own self interest.
171. Ben | 08.18.08
For those who say Democrats are complaining… What would your reaction be if Obama did the same thing?
172. Roddy | 08.18.08
The anger from the Obama people confirms it: McCain had a great night (who would have thought?!)
While Obama was long winded and monotone, McCain by contrast was concise, energetic, and funny.
Plus, the visual contrast between Obama and McCain didn’t provide the Kennedy/Nixon contrast most Democrats were looking for. Obama was taller, but looked gangly and puerile next to McCain.
The question as to why the Obama people didn’t want to do a town hall debate tour with McCain was answered Saturday night.
173. Gabe | 08.18.08
i think it’s stupid not to think that McCain listened to questions before hand. I mean these people have millions and millions of dollars invested into McCain and Obama. If anyone thinks for 1 second that McCain would be honest and not take this opportunity is totally naive about american politics or any politics for that matter. Obama would do the same thing. so get over it, your war hero is nothing more than a lying, cheating politician. and true war heroes are not self proclaimed like he is they are the ones who never made it out alive so that ppl like McLame can go on to prance around like they are some kind of Conan.
174. cecil9 | 08.18.08
I believe the democrats have suddenly developed a keen sense of morality.
John Edwards has been banned from making a speech at the Democratic National Convention for having an affair and lying about it.
In his place, Bill Clinton will be speaking.
175. Jim Crigler | 08.18.08
I was hoping you’d get around to bigfoot. It would have been more interesting.
176. Jill | 08.18.08
McCain often has trouble speaking “off the cuff.” I was surprised how quickly and consisely he answered. If he had not previously heard the questions, how could he not take a few seconds to think and answer? It is true that he answered the question about teachers before Rick Warren could finish. The fact that John McCain was a POW has nothing to do with this situation. He has always tried to act as though he doesn’t wish his POW days to be talked about and how many times did he refer to it during the questions, MY FRIEND???? He came home to a crippled wife and soon divorced her. Where is his integrity in that situation? Google for “John McCain’s First Wife.” Also read what Ross Perot has to say about him. Ross Perot is reported to have paid Mrs. McCain’s surgery bills while John was a POW.
177. gern | 08.18.08
If McSame would only stay at home and verbally abuse his wife and other women as he usually does, we wouldn’t have this debate.
Speaking publicly and spontaneously is never easy. Our current appointed idtiot-in-chief is total evidence of this.
AND WHY ARE WE DEBATING RELIGIOUS POINTS DURING A CONVENTION. DOES SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE MEAN ANYTHING ANYMORE?
178. Ron | 08.18.08
It’s not about wehther McCain was in a “CONE OF SILENCE” which we know that he was not…. It’s about him deceiving all those poor Christians into believing that he is so sharp…. 1) answers questions before he is even asked. 2)
Asks John Warren ” When are you going to ask me about the Supreme Court Judges”
3) When asked by Warren how it was like being in the room, He replied ” I was putting my head to the wall to see if I could hear anything. So now the cheater must repent and ask for forgiveness for he has sinned and the people know his sin, because he wears it on his forehead.
179. Mike | 08.18.08
It is a fact that McCain broke the rules, so what else is new in the world of Presidential politics? Obama offered thoughtful and honest answers to the questions. McCain was pandering to “social conservatives” by telling them what he thinks they want to hear, an old Republican ploy to keep them on their leash. Obama was speaking to the audience as if they are adults. McCain was speaking as if to children with an attention deficit who only care about two issues - abortion and homosexuality. Look at their answers as to how to deal with evil to REALLY get a picture of their souls. Obama understands that there are many forms of evil; that only God can defeat evil and we can only be soldiers in that cause by confronting it, humbly, at every opportunity; and that many times in history, evil was committed in the name of good. To McCain there was only one simplistic answer - “defeat it” by tracking down and killing Osama Bin Laden - an answer that only a simpleton could love.
181. R. Williamson | 08.18.08
The system is broken — Organized religion is broken! Washington is broken!
You know, deep down inside, that there is no invisible man who lives in the sky. So why do we let the charlatans of the church try and lead us like sheep? You also know, deep down inside, that again we’re being offered Tweedle Dee and Dum to select between.
Vote NO on incumbents — EVERY ONE OF THEM MUST GO.
182. Brad | 08.18.08
To say that some of the answers sounded rehearsed, well duh? You’re about to be interviewed by a pastor, you think maybe the topic of religion might come up? You know the audience cares about topics like abortion, good bet that will be on the list too.
Think about yourself and and any job interview you’ve been on. You would try to imagine the possible questions the interviewer may ask you and your potential responses. While you may not know the “exact” form of the question, the subjects are usually not a surprise.
183. Peter Brunner | 08.18.08
McCain is a verified hero who suffered brutality at the hands of his captors in Vietnam that would make most of you sissy pseudo-Americans puke. Boo hoo, we are mean to the folks in GITMO because we mess with their bedtime… Not a single one of them could claim (and show, as McCain has) he has had his bones broken or had bamboo sticks slid underneath his fingernails. Why McCain can speak with such control and ownership of his ideas? Because they are his ideas, unlike Obama, who relies on his handlers to write mellifluous speeches that will confuse his ignorant listeners. The truth about Obama? We’ll find out only after our media turns on him… Have you heard how Muslims treat women? homosexuals? I only hope the truth is revealed before election time.
184. Joviel | 08.18.08
Want to see the difference between the types of people who gravitate to each party? Read the literacy of the posts. The Dems generally try to offer (admittedly biased) thoughtful arguments, the Repubs thump their chests, insult the other side and proclaim their innate superiority. Jackasses. The fact that so many Americans follow this party says volumes about the average American. Never were so many people so proud of being so dense. Read the above and tell me I’m wrong.
185. MARCO ESCOBAR | 08.18.08
All of you are wasting your time. Dont you know this is a country of haves and have nots, it dosent matter if you’re right or left. Its the era of corporate greed and unaccountability at your expense, unless you’re in the club. All this media on the candidites to get your mind of our oil “war”. Wake up people the corporations own you and your life…freedom was taken from you a long time ago…Happy voting!
186. montysano | 08.18.08
I thought Obama did quite well, giving thoughtful and nuanced answers.
It was obvious that McCain cheated.
187. HollieSeven | 08.18.08
the obama campaign did NOT make these accusations, the press did.
“For their part, an Obama spokesperson told CNN’s Mike Roselli they are not pursuing whether McCain heard any of the other questions. They say they assuming McCain had the same information they did.”
Obama did very well during the forum. His delivery is different, but was thoughtful and honest about tough questions that he knew wouldn’t be popular in that forum
188. whatever | 08.18.08
A lot of people of the right and even some of the media seem to think that Obama had a “bad performance” the other night. . .I will admit that I am an Obama supporter but I what I heard was a thoughtful person who did not agree with a lot of the positions of the people in the room, yet he went before them, was respectful of their positions, held his own stances on the issues and did not rub his position in anyone’s face. How is that a bad job?? He could not win on that situation. What did you expect? Was he supposed to go in there like McCain and yell Pro-Choice!!! At least he didn’t pander to the crowd like McCain did with picking every liberal learning judge on the bench without regard to their scholorship.
I thought both candidates did a good job considering the situations they were in. If McCain did hear the questions before. . . well shame on him, if not, they should both be judge with respect to environment they were in relative to where they stand on the issues.
189. Vinny | 08.18.08
C’mon haven’t any of the DailyKooks ever watched Get Smart? The “Cone of Silence” NEVER works. So even if he was in the “cone” would that have been full proof? 
Chief, I request the Cone of Silence!
The movie just came out guys get a life…
190. kelly | 08.18.08
The question about McCain’s honor has been brought up. I do question alot of things about McCain. I will preface this by saying I voted for him in 2000 and thought it was terrible what GWB and his minions did to McCain. Beginning in 2004 at the Rep convention McCain has been IMO a complete sell out.
He does have some past issues with his divorce and cheating. I don’t care about either but he is running in a party of hypocrites who pander to a large minority who vote on what candidates (or right wing media) folks say but don’t necessarily do.
Anyone ever heard of the Keating 5? McCain may have some honor issues there.
I remember his criticizing Bush and then telling him “it isn’t all politics George” then 4 years later bending over and taking one for the team despite Bush showing how inept he was by then. I remember his calling Falwell and his ilk agents of intolerance then sucking up to them.
McCain has changed his fundamental position on so many things.
Lastly, I am sick of the war hero talk. McCain was not a hero, he was a victim. There were 1000’s of POW’s and there are likely millions of prisoners in the world now. Think how many N. Korea has in camps, are they hero’s or victims. We in the USA use hero cheaply. The 9/11 victims were that, victims, not hero’. The guys who brought the plane down in Penn., if that happened, were heroes. The only thing heroic McCain probably did was not jump ahead to get out of the camp first.
If you would have asked me 4 years ago who I wanted in 2008 I would have said McCain but not now. His desire to win trumps his values. He seems to have lost some of his mental sharpness and that decline becomes steeper and steeper over once it starts. He is stuck in a cold war mentality and his ideas are those of the 20th century, not the 21st. The surge has not worked, not at achieving the ultimate goals which are no closer than before. He is wrong about energy. His stupid tax holiday on gas was wrong.
McCain is likely a good man but like so many, his desire for the Presidency is greater than his integrity.
191. Nikki | 08.18.08
I watched the entire session for both candidates. I was impressed with the way Rick Warren asked all the hot-button issues in a matter-of-fact way, without and meandering.
Obama was magnificent - he gave thoughtful, meaningful and sensible answers to all questions. I especially, loved his response to “How should we deal with evil?” and he answered, “With humility, and without doing evil in the name of good!” (or something to that effect).
McCain’s responses were simply his stump speech broken up into fragments. All questions, except maybe the one on education, somehow led to his time as a POW and to national security. All he could do was thump his hand on the table going “off-shore drilling!!” “defeat evil!” etc- dramatical but purely rhetorical.
Obama assumed the American people to have intelligence when dealing with issues. McCain did not. I suppose McCain is right!
192. Gracie | 08.18.08
“The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous,” Ms. Wallace said.
Uh, duh, we know he cheated on his wife. So being a former POW does not prevent cheating.
193. azkmb | 08.18.08
Funny! Why don’t you just debate McCain then Obama? With real americans asking questions in a room not a scripted media event?
God help us if you are voted into this office. THe world does not need you there. Stay in Congress please!
194. Y.B. Hoel | 08.18.08
Several months ago, I was excited that we would have two fine candidates to choose from in November. Neither man is perfect, both, apparently want to lead this country to a better place. Now, I feel tired and disappointed in the whole process…because the American people (regardless of whose blog you read) are devisive and mean spirited…this is the real reason nothing ever gets accomplished. Don’t blame these guys who stand up for us, blame yourselves for the awful things you say and do.
195. TJ | 08.18.08
John McCain did perform a lot better than I expected. As for him performing better than Barack Obama, I don’t think so. It’s just everyone expected McCain to appear as a doddering dolt. However, to his credit, he has been at this for a long time, and none of the questions posed were any he’s never asked before.
In other words, if you’ve been following the presidential race, McCain was terribly predictable. I responded to each question before he with the same answer as he. The only questions I did not answer were about the three wise men and the “one” Supreme Court Justice –McCain named four. To my credit, the first name I gave for the three wise men was General Petraeus. 
Although I disagree with McCain’s stance on many of the issues, I found his performance to be quite endearing. However, I don’t only vote for the candidate I like, I vote for the candidate who supports my interests and who represents my viewpoints. And I happen to like Obama better.
196. Matt | 08.18.08
Par for the course. Shows being a prisoner of war has absolutely no bearing on ones honesty, integrity (and in McCain’s case especially, competence).
–matt
197. Carson Grey | 08.18.08
McBush is seething with lies and yes - as a POW he’s still a cheater.
Lobbyists
Wars
Tax cuts for corporations
That’s the McBush way!!
198. gettyleigh | 08.18.08
On the whole . . . this means nothing to me . . . . McCain could confess that he was actually the one that hung Jesus Christ on the cross and I still would not vote for BO . . . . The fact of the matter is they both have closets that are full of skeletal remains . . . . nonetheless Obama is not presidential material . . . . in another eight or twelve years he may have gained the experience to gain my support . . . . but presently it just isnt so . . . . my biggest beef about the whole deal is that not a single independent candidate was invited to the forum . . . . how is that a representation of equality? . . . . beyond that . . . . not every swinging richard in the country is aligned with the bel;iefs of the church; in fact, what ever happened to the idea of keeping state and church separate? The idea is just dandy when it benefits the church . . . but boy oh boy when the church has an agenda, the good sheapard and his flock sure dont mind crossing the invisible line in the sand. Holy hannah, even the church has skeletons in its closet; consider the INQUISITION and the WITCH HUNTS . . . oh yea, I imagine that many of you think the fact that those events happened in nthe past exhonorates what they have done . . . yet they are here today because they sold us down the line that if we don’t follow their systems of belief we are going to hell . . . think about this . . . there is no clear line that defines right from wrong . . . . and likewise who we choose to run our country is not ever going to be free from fault . . . as it stands they are merely the lesser of two evils
199. marc christophe | 08.18.08
The comment by wtf epitomizes the problem with those on the left. WTF suggests that we vote out of self interest. Well, WTF, in the adult world there are those of us who believe that a democracy is undermined when people vote purely out of greed, self-interest and a desire to “get things” as opposed to the big picture. To educated adults, the desire for “change” is not a good thing when the proponent of “change” refuses to explain “what” he will change and “how” he will change it. What are Obama’s intentions? Punishing workers by redistributing their hard-earned wages to illegal aliens and welfare-leeches? “Taxing corporations” so that retail prices go up (passing those taxes on to working families)? Has it occurred to you Obama-dimwits that socialism has failed everywhere it has been tried? Have you Obama dimwits ever stopped to look at the flood of refugees going FROM communist nations TO capitalist nations? As far as Obama’s alleged “education”, the fact that a leftist-liberal received cushy grades from a liberal-left university is not impressive. Obama is an empty suit with a head to match.
200. KD | 08.18.08
Bottom line is that it was not a level playing field. Obama was given X amount of questions, Mcaain was given more, and it was very clear on more than a couple he knew what they were ahead of time. When he was so “quick” to answer them the guy asked more, despite that being an unfair advantage to Obama. Again, more than once it was stated by the church that Mcain was in a “cone of silence” and indeed he was not. This shows us that they are, like so many others out there, liers. So what is to be trusted from this? Take us at our word???
For the record Mr. Mcain, I am not your friend, every sentence does not need to begin with My Friends and end with cause I supported Reagan.
201. Tim B, Dallas, TX | 08.18.08
In the past 4 years McCain has changed his position on nearly every major GOP platform issue - immigration, tax cuts, campaign finance reform, the list goes on. After repeating Bush’s hollow lie that the U.S. does not torture and that he doesn’t support torture, McCain voted against restricting the CIA to the Army field manual standard of interrogation. The torture victim supports torture.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you should have known this already - John McCain is just not the “maverick” of 2000 anymore. If John Kerry’s flip-flops were a legitimate issue for you in 2004, McCain should be a nonstarter this year. After all, he could easily flop back the other way after the election, right?
202. Frank D | 08.18.08
From the range of comments here, it would seem that hardy anyone actually watched the forum. I suggest watching a re-run, if available. Preferably one that has not been further “edited”. Better still, find someone who you trust that has video taped the segment. Than sit down, calm yourself, and watch with as few preconceptions as possible. Find the facts. Hearsay and innuendo accomplish nothing. BTW, I am a registered DEM in an overwhelmingly DEM town in the middle of a DEM state. I do not have an axe to grind, nor am I making a judgement call. At least not on the forum. All this stir over what MAY have happened is, in this case, pitifully ludicrous and grossly non productive. The issues and the candidates’ stand on them are what count. Act like an intelligent voter and you may actually become one.
203. Mark Free | 08.18.08
You know darn well he (McCain) listened, as much as you know the “man of God” looking over the whole thing knew he was not in the booth.
I love his spokespersons’ response:
“The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous,” Ms. Wallace said.
Exactly what does a former prisoner of war have to do with cheating? After all the former prisoner of war cheated on his first wife didn’t he?
He even said to Gods man on earth it was his greatest regret…well let’s face it getting caught was his greatest regret, ’cause now he gets free beer!
And did she (Wallace) never see Hogan’s Heroes? LMAO!!
204. JohnnieB | 08.18.08
Folks, settle down. The topics were given to BOTH candidates prior to the broadcast. In a letter to NBC news, the McCain campaign correctly stated:
“In his official correspondence to both campaigns, Pastor Rick Warren provided both candidates with information regarding the topic areas to be covered, which Barack Obama acknowledged during the forum when asked about Pastor Warren’s idea of an emergency plan for orphans and Obama said, ‘I cheated a little bit. I actually looked at this idea ahead of time, and I think it is a great idea.’”
See http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/08/did-mccain-just.html for the complete letter.
205. Laurie | 08.18.08
The real issue is the pastor lying to all of us. That makes the entire event a charade. Hope he sold even more books to add to his $$$.
206. Michael J | 08.18.08
Hey, McCain cheated on his first wife years ago. What’s to stop him from cheating in this interview? Cheating probably comes naturally to him.
207. Teacher | 08.18.08
Speaking of the truth and bad teachers, let’s talk about the Bush friends making money off of the Voyager program. And how Bush has appointed education overseers who have no experience in education at all. Maybe those bad teachers & school systems are an example of saying something is broken so you and your friends can profit from fixing it. There are many more issues here than just McCain being in the wrong place. Where is pastor Warren when the tough questions need to be addressed?
208. robert free | 08.18.08
I am not a perfect idiot!(I have several parts missing.) BUT, if any of you believe the republicans didn’t take advantage of this opportunity to try and get a political edge in this race, then you know nothing about your republican party history and you may well be perfect!
209. Arye Michael Bender | 08.18.08
So, if we elect another president because he lies and cheats better than the opponent, we’ll get another George W. Bush. And we’ll absolutely deserve what we get!
210. KJ | 08.18.08
I’m sure that Obama counciled with his GRANDMOTHER before making this outrageous allegation. He is so inexperienced and last night’s answers proved that over and over again. I’m also sure that if it were the other way around, it would somehow be turned into a racist issue. Hey - way to go CNN/NBC. This is a great example of why no one listens to you. They name streets after you - ONE WAY!
211. Ron | 08.18.08
Who would have expected a War Hero to be so deceitful ? He was asked for some insight into his Religious beliefs and he took the opportunity to give his stump speech. John McCain even said he was sorry for his failed marriage. When you leave someone who has loved you and now becomes bedridden, for a younger ,richer heiress to a fortune, and you do it while you are still married to your first wife, I don’t think that it qualifies as a “failed marriage.” It doesn’t take genius to know what happened.
212. Jerry | 08.18.08
I guess I just have to quote Ann Coulter on this one….”If Democrats had any brains, they’d be Republicans”…Are democrats so stupid to think Rick Warren’s questions are original? Both of these candidates have been campaigning for months now. Haven’t all these questions been asked before? How stupid not to know that! Here is the difference between Nobama and McCain. McCain is astute and prepared enough to anticipate the kinds of questions a Conservative Christian Pastor would ask. Nobama did not have the sense to adequately prepare for what he should have known were going to be very difficult and challenging questions for a left-wing liberal with a questionable moral compass. This is simply more proof to me that Nobama is not qualified to be President of the United States.
213. Drew | 08.18.08
McCain didn’t really have to do much more than recycle his stump speech. Americans today react to the impression of leadership, not leadership. They want a candidate who appears certain in his beliefs, not one who actually is. They want to know everything they need to know about the could-be President in minutes, not hours. And McCain’s brand of sound bite rhetoric works perfectly toward achieving that goal. Again, I fear we’ll get the leadership we deserve.
214. dan | 08.18.08
I guess if you’re a POW it follows that you in no way possible could ever consider a thing like cheating.
I guess we can release all those Gitmo prisoners as long as they promise to never be terrorists again since POWs never lie or do anything dishonorable.
216. Shelley D. | 08.18.08
I agree that Senator Obama appeared to be stammering-however he is one to think about his answers while talking. His being not at his best really has nothing to do with Senator McCain being out of the ‘cone of silence’.
I was surprised when listening to McCain- he says to Mr. Warren…”let’s get back to the Supreme Court question…”. Well-thing is, Mr. Warren HAD NOT ASKED HIM THAT QUESTION YET. Right then I knew something was wrong.
217. Karolyn | 08.18.08
When Warren asked the question about evil (Does evil exist and if so, should we ignore it, negotiate with it, contain it or defeat it?), McCain was saying the words “defeat it” before Warren even finished the question. There was even a point in the forum where Warren said “Good, you’ve got all my questions” and another where McCain said “I cheated a little bit”. Read the transcript, watch the video. It’s perfectly obvious that McCain had the questions beforehand. He never even took a minute to think about any of his answers. Experience? I don’t think so. Liar? Absolutely! That’s what the GOP does best. Think about all the lies that have spewed forth from the White House in just the last 7 ½ years! Perhaps McCain’s statement that HE didn’t listen to the Warren/Obama exchange was truthful but did anyone ask him if his support staff listened and then told him what questions to expect? Again, why wasn’t he in a sound-proof area where he was supposed to be? I was at the entrance to the church at 3pm that day and stayed until well after 5pm. Traffic was not an issue so there’s no excuse for him not being there where he couldn’t hear. McCain is just a war-mongering liar - plain and simple. A horrible choice to lead this great country of ours.
218. MWS | 08.18.08
It is very important to understand the difference between knowing the questions in advance and hearing another interview. I would be willing to bet that both nominees had a pretty good idea of what the questions were before the interviews. I don’t see anything unfair about that part of it, either way.
The unfairness becomes an issue when McCain hears the interview of Obama. Which clearly makes it easier for him to formulate the best answer because he already knows the question, and the ANSWER from his opponent. That is completely biased and unfair.
In my opinion, it really doesn’t matter if McCain actually heard the interview or not. He clearly was not in a “cone of silence” or anywhere else that would have prevented him from listening to Obama’s interview. Whether he “cheated” or not… it doesn’t really matter. The entire thing was flawed from the beginning by the possibility that McCain could have a huge unfair advantage.
Whether he actually “cheated” is sort of irrelevant right? They failed to create an unbiased interview environment. If that was going to be the case why not just let the cat out of the bag and not LIE to everyone about the cone of silence. Why not just say “Well, Mr. Obama… you get to go first because of the coin flip, so there’s a slight chance that Mr. McCain could be listening in… it’s all part of getting to go first… so Good Luck.”
Why is it so hard to just be honest?
219. jjv | 08.18.08
Yes.. Yes… and fire the poor teachers! Well questions three dealt with how to handle poor teachers. McCain was not asked that question on the camera. Plus he answered exactly three questions.
Honesty…fairness…integrity? I call bulls–t on this.
*****************************************************************************
It has LONG been the position of the right that teachers ought to berated strictly on job performance, ie how well their students LEARN. This is why JM offered his belief the poor teachers should be fired. Any discussion about our education system always comes down to this for Republicans.
Republicans are for educating our children, giving them all the tools needed to succeed in the world WITHOUT government handouts. The Democrats are interested in growing the bureaucracy and protecting the teachers and their Unions.
220. Ron | 08.18.08
John McCain !!!!! LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE …… CHEATER CHEATER he didn’t need her… and he does it with such a straight face…….. WOW.
221. omgbbq | 08.18.08
Divide and conquer. Working perfectly, as evidenced by the polarization of the responses in this thread.
If you asked 10,000 Americans how good a job they believe government does at handling its various duties, 80+% would say “not very good”. From the response to Katrina, to VA hospitals, to consumer products (lead in toys) to the FDA (tainted peppers) to immigration to education to the postal service, all the way down to the local DMV. And yet we have one party that answers all questions presented to it by proposing yet another government ’solution’, and another party that pretends it doesn’t.
Meanwhile we all pay more for less, get more in debt, and the scope and scale of the ineffective government grows each day.
Now we have the perfect storm of incessant political campaigning that began even before the last campaign completed, and has kept us all mezmerized and agitated and distracted for the better part of 4 years. The politically correct blank slate empty suit demagogue, promising amorphous ‘change’ versus the maverick bipartisan insider hero promising ‘better times ahead’ … and we all play our parts by lining up across from each other to shout the loudest about which is best.
The tempest in a teapot of “who heard what and when did they hear it?” is distraction number 198,647,369 in a multiyear process that has numbed us, divided us, distracted us, and added to our already cynical distorted idea about ‘what is best for the country’.
What would be best is if politcal campaigns lasted 2 weeks starting in mid-October, and if the ‘government’ had no more force in society and in our lives than to field an army and make laws relating to interstate and international issues. But that is never going to happen so by all means lets bicker about which of the current charlatans will screw us over the least.
222. Bob | 08.18.08
If McCain heard then he sure did a poor job of answering the 1st question of which people he would rely on in his administration the most: Petraeus, a soldier, and Meg Whitman.
Get real… he didn’t hear a thing.
223. Craig, USA | 08.18.08
All you people act like being a prisoner of war somehow makes a man more honest. He CHEATED on his wife who stayed figuratively by his side while he was a prisoner of war. He CHEATED on HER, why not now?
224. jjv | 08.18.08
Hey, McCain cheated on his first wife years ago. What’s to stop him from cheating in this interview? Cheating probably comes naturally to him.
****************************************************************************
Obama says he did grass and coke years ago, so what’s to stop him from doing it again? In fact how do we KNOW he isn’t still doing drugs?
225. jefflz | 08.18.08
The only difference between the bumbling McCain who gave a confused explanation of the Surge in front of a grocery cheese display and the McCain who answered Warren’s questions at Saddleback before they were asked is that he was thoroughly coached ahead of time. Anybody who believes the McCain campaign wouldn’t cheat still believes in the Tooth Fairy and Weapons of Mass Destruction
226. Wbaere | 08.18.08
So, If Obama gets elected and Putin “cheats” on an agreement, then what?
The world does not play fair and people lie. Get used to it if you want the job as leader.
227. a veteran | 08.18.08
Knowing what I know of McCain… If he wins this election the is a high probability for another world war. He doesn’t have the mentality for president.
228. Myra | 08.18.08
In this debate, Obama thought about the question before he answered. Carefully thinking out an answer is what I look for in a candidate. We have endured 8 years of President Bush who insisted on having policies and programs his way even if information did not support his decisions. As a nation, we need more thorough thinkers not people with rhetoric and slogans. Thinking does not play well on glitzy television but thinking is not visual action word. Remember: this was not a debate, it was an interview. In an interview, there are no winners. And Rev.Rick Warren should not have said that McCain was sitting in a sound proof booth. A conservative Christian pastor should remember that “thou shalt not lie” is on the 10 commandments. Maybe he should visit a courthouse and read them.
229. Chris D | 08.18.08
Those who vote Republican are on the wrong side of the bell curve. Republican candidates will try to use your belief-system and base emotions to manipulate you into voting for them. They don’t actually care about *you* or what is best for the country. You want Christ? They will give you Christ. You want Vengeance? They will give you vengeance.
Apparently it doesn’t take much to trick someone slightly less intelligent than yourself. This is what the right-wing of American politics has become. Talking heads generating the sound-bites you *want* to hear.
Obama wasn’t incoherent or dodging questions. He was giving thoughtful answers. But, you won’t be able to understand what he said because you don’t want to. To you, it is just too complicated to bear. You want easily digestible “straight-talk”, regardless of the complexity of the issue at hand. And so you turn to McCain. He’ll “tell it like it is”, he’s the “real deal”, he’s so chuck-full of moral Baptist fiber and warhawk POW action, how could you NOT vote for him. I mean, he is the IDEAL president in times like these, don’t you think? So please, come November, “use your gut” and vote McCain!
231. Undecided | 08.18.08
No matter what candidate you are for, I am truly amazed at the pure and complete ignorance in people thinking that a POW makes you completely righteous, truthful and a reason for election. He does deserve honor and respect but to think that a POW is incapable of any wrong doing is the same as saying George W is a good president. Take the blinders of political siding with Republicans or Democrats and decide who is better at pulling this country out of the toilet. Who is going to make Americans responsible for not living within their means? Who best will handle energy, health care and social security crisis etc? I personally believe that the most honorable thing to do is cast your vote for the person who YOU think will serve our country best, not what your party line tells you.
232. Don | 08.18.08
The good old Republican con artists think they have fooled us again.
This was a forum on faith and values organized by a right-wing Christian minister - so isn’t it fascination how their boy John had to duck and dodge any meaningful discussion of his religious principles.
Talk about lobbing a softball over the plate - take a look at how Rick Warren prompted McCain on the question of how he would eeal with “evil”. McCain, focusing only on Bin Laden, said if he was President he would chase Bin Laden into the “Gates of Hell”. So what is he waiting for?
I’m sure General Pateus would be willing to drop the Senator out of a helicopter in Northern Pakistan so McCain can single-handedly kill all those evil terrorists. Now that his buddy Mashariff is unemployed, maybe they can hunt down Bin Laden together.
234. tracy | 08.18.08
No matter what ever happens, the Democrat Party will cry foul.
Only because they really can’t measure up.
If they had the least bit of honesty about them they would have told
OBAMA to stop lying for the past two days when he was denying he voted
against aiding babies that survived abortion. How can he live with the
thought of killing all those innocent little tykes. Michelle is right there
with him in the killing of those babies….she claims it is a woman’s right!
235. matt-satx | 08.18.08
“The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous,” Ms. Wallace said.
lmfao…ask his first wife about his history w/cheating.
…but that’s not the point. McCain’s answers seemed scripted, well rehearsed, and pandering out to his audience. He seemed very much like a Bush clone. “took alot of prayer” cross story, etc, isn’t this the same guy who not long ago offered his wife for a topless contest? Obama’s answers seemed to take thought, were heartfelt, unscripted. He seemed like a real human, w/real faults, who can take the time to analyze a problem before making a rash decision. I am proud that he stuck to his beliefs even when they went against the beliefs of those questioning him (pro-choice, etc) that took courage (and he did it w/a thoughtful answer) instead of merely giving into Pastor Warren, wonder if McCain did the same thing to the Vietnamese?
236. Lynn | 08.18.08
Reading the blogs immediately after the debate, the Obama supporters slammed McCain’s answers as “stump speeches” and praised Obama’s answers as “thoughtful.” Now, since Warren acknowledged McCain was in his motorcade during the first 30 minutes, the Obama supports are saying McCain did well because he knew the questions in advance (and conversely, that’s why Obama did not do as well.) Keep in mind that Warren said he told BOTH candidates the first two questions in advance. Really, it seems that All the questions were pretty basic questions that any presidential candidate should be able to address at the drop of a hat. The “cone of silence” was just showbiz fluff. Both candidates gave answers that reflected there views, and in keeping with their past debate styles. The fact they were in the same venue accentuated their differences of approach and viewpoints.
237. JohnnieB | 08.18.08
Again, just go look at the CNN interview with Warren afterwards (http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/08/pastor-warren-contradicts-self-on-cone.html). He clearly states that all topics were given to both candidates in advance, and that, in fact, one explicit question was given in advance to Obama, but not to McCain.
Let’s not demonize folks without facts. There is no reason to think BOTH candidates would not be well prepared to speak on the topics.
238. Paul Viscetto | 08.18.08
Larry King would have a big audience tonight if he wasn’t on CNN.
Believe CNN or McCain, what a choice.
239. andrew cacioppo | 08.18.08
There is no question McCain got the questions early. He answered all three parts of the education question before it was even asked.
How McCain supports can claim he won the night, when he so clearly cheated is laughable. The fact that this war hero would throw away his honor and integrity just to get an edge in an interview speaks volumes to what kind of man he really is.
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”
Luke 16:10 - New International Version (NIV)
240. SLC_Raider | 08.18.08
The fact that McSame was able to answer the questions before the “Pastor” even finished asking them, makes if very clear that he knew what the questions were before he arrived. But can anyone really be suprised that the “Religious Right” would give their “Rightwing Neocon” canidate McSame the questions in advance. You have to give credit to Obama though, as he agreed to do this even though he had to know it was a set-up and that McSame would have scripted answers to pre-determined questions while he would have to provide answers on the fly.
241. - m00n - | 08.18.08
“Arye Michael Bender
So, if we elect another president because he lies and cheats better than the opponent, we’ll get another George W. Bush. And we’ll absolutely deserve what we get!”
Right. So we shouldn’t vote for either of these crooks.
242. Chris | 08.18.08
I will be voting for Obama, however, I believe that McCain’s integrity cannot be questioned. Out of all the BS that happens in Washington, I think we can all agree that McCain has stood out as a man who’s honor and integrity is more valuable to him than the power, sex, and money that many of the people we elect and that he would NEVER allow it to be called into question. There are some things for sale, for this man, honor is not one of them.
243. JohnnieB | 08.18.08
Get the facts, folks. Both candidates had ALL topics prior to the broadcast. http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/08/pastor-warren-contradicts-self-on-cone.html
244. TheTruth | 08.18.08
John former prisoner of war McCain former prisoner of war might former prisoner of war have former prisoner of war done this former prisoner of war or maybe not former prisoner of war, but he former prisoner of war sure didn’t former prisoner of war play by the rules former prisoner of war. So that former prisoner of war makes him ideal former prisoner of war to be Bush 3.
former prisoner of war
245. leonard | 08.18.08
If you are not satisfied with how completely Bush has torn our country down and want to see it go further into the toilet, don’t vote for the man of color(Because that is all you HATE sighted people can see), vote the McCain-Bush ticket and get your wish.
I have heard people say McCain is a maverick and votes against his party. What drivel that is. He voted with Bush 95% of the time and it had to be something really bad for McCain to not vote with him that 5%.
We are more in debt than we or any other Nation has ever been, and it is getting worse for the USA each and every day under Bush and the Republicans. If you think it will get better under McCain, research Bush’s policies, because that’s what you are going to get for a third term. Think of your kids, grandkids, and so on, since they will have to pay for your fallacies. Is this your wish? Then you better close your mind and vote for McCain!
246. john | 08.18.08
watching it on TV or not, all of McCain campaign aides in the motorcade would have blackberries and mobile internet devices (like iPhones) and there was plenty of live blogging on the event. McCain cheated and lied in a forum on faith!
It is despicable.
247. Michael Wright | 08.18.08
I am a black man, and a member of a church where I am the only person outspoken about the hypocrisies, and flip flopping of Barack Obama. For me this Election is not about race, or political party, but rather, the future of our nation. Obama states that he believes marriage is between 1 man and 1 woman, but his actions has spoken to the contrary. He said he is Pro-life, but yet he supports abortion. Mr. Obama, you have to make up your mind. Please read a page from John Kerry’s Book. Black America has a lot of prejudice and it is beginning to show more and more in these elections, values totally go out the windows for the sake of skin color, and the promise of government handouts. I am not big on John McCain but it was obvious that he beliefs are more heartfelt. He clearly in my mind won that debate.
248. Obama did Great | 08.18.08
First of all, this isn’t a conspiracy because Obama did poorly. I’m tired of hearing that from pundits and right wing blow-hards.
Obama WON. Period.
He showed intelligence and moral fabric in his answers. The personal struggle between politics and faith played out in all of his answers. It spoke to how genuine he is.
McCain on the other hand, joked around and gave flat, non-thinking answers that do no one well. Anti-abortion candidates say what you want to hear and you know what… the abortion rates stay the same. Barack attacked it in a multi-faceted manner. Forget the bandaid. The answer lies in bringing down the amount of unwanted pregnancies. Fanning the flames of wedge issues like gay marriage and abortion is all McCain did. And for those of us who have brains, we just laughed and thought, “my god, this is a terrible performance.” For those who like their world view spoonfed to them in sound bites and ignorance, they applauded loudly.
Again, Obama won. And he didn’t even have to cheat.
249. worldbfree4me | 08.18.08
McCains touching “cross in the dirt” story about his life as a POW, stolen from “The Gulag Archipelago” by Alexander Solzhenitsyn
250. Obama did Great | 08.18.08
Johnnie B… having the “topics” is quite different than having the exact QUESTIONS.
But nice try with your “facts.” Good job with the truthiness…
251. kelly | 08.18.08
To Peter Brunner,
Are you such a moron that you don’t view sleep deprivation as torture? Do you really think that stress positions, hypothermia, and waterboarding aren’t torture?
I am a traditional Republican and I voted Rep. for every election up until 2000. I knew Bush and knew just how stupid he is. He truly is the candidate that Mencken described way back in the 20’s.
I am ashamed that my country, one of the greatest in the world, one that while not perfect, has always been on the whole a force for good in the world has done what it has done.
I truly believe that Bush is a moron too stupid to understand what he has done, that Cheney is truly evil and should be tried for his crimes, ditto Rumsfeld. I believe that Rove is a truly bad man and I believe that if he is guilty in the Alabama governor case, which I believe he is, he should be tried for treason and should be hung if found guilty.
You need to turn off Rush and Hannity and maybe read a little to understand what torture is and is not.
252. CK | 08.18.08
Propaganda, propaganda, propaganda. Most of these posts are pure BS straight out of the misinformation rulebook. Check out the propaganda wiki (URL below) and then re-read some of these posts. No wonder we seldom get anything useful done in our political system. These techniques are common and both sides use them, but leave all the techniques to the professionals and let the citizens have an honest discussion. Most of these posts sound like pure campaign BS or “towing the party” line, as some say. If you are campaigning for a candidate then let it be known so that we can consider the source of the comment, because that goes to the credibility of your argument. If you are not campaigning, then take a second to read through the propaganda techniques being used on you and stop being persuaded against your will. Power to the People!
I like to use a more academic standard when supporting an argument or candidate such as: I think Bob Barr would be the best candidate for these three (independently verifiable from a reputable non-partisan source) reasons. 1) he has hair and I like hair 2) he eats food and I sell food 3) He ’states’ that he will support the constitution and I like the constitution, etc etc.
It is not easy trying to write a persuasive argument without using at least some of these techniques, but at least if everyone is aware of the ways we are being manipulated we can call a spade a spade and a bullchitter a bullchitter.
253. Geo | 08.18.08
As for Presidential qualifications, I am not so sure that being a POW is a good thing. I have heard very bad things about the mental and physical ramifications of being a POW for an extended period or even a short period for that matter. I know Vietnam Vets and many of them came back affected in some form or fashion even those who were not POWs. It was a noble thing they did but a bad thing done to their minds and bodies - The damage done to them does not lessen the nobleness of their service to our country.
I am very sure that I question the qualification and mental state of any man or woman that has been subjected to POW conditions for an extended period of time especially under the regime of Ho Chi Minh. To survive POW one must become a convincing master of deception!
254. chuck | 08.18.08
“30 seconds” comment was McCain’s tell.
Anyone else pick up on that?
It sounded like an eager rebuttal. He totally injected this: “Can i just have 30 SECONDS to discuss energy” I was like, wtf? Seriously? Is he cheating and being stupid about it?
Remember when you heard “30 seconds” earlier? Yep, when Warren told Obama he had 30 seconds for this last question. “What would you tell the American people if there were no ramifications?” Obama used it as an opportunity to talk about the energy crisis and stress sacrifice.
Now, for McCain to interrupt a question unrelated to energy and say “can i just have 30 SECONDS to talk about…” energy, seemed really really snarky, silly, stupid, fishy, cheating to me…
And then he continued that way. He came off as the cocksure jock who snagged the questions to the test and just showed off…
30 SECONDS. sheesh.
255. cad | 08.18.08
I find it hard to beleive what is talked about hear it isn’t Mccain or Obama but the fact that the mormon paster lied to the public he should of told the facts as they were and not lead us to think Mccain was in the room. This would of answered all these charges. Looks like the mormon leaders are liars, at least this one deceives. Doesn’t satan do that? It seems satan sides with the republicans.
256. Jim Dandy | 08.18.08
There is something else not mentioned here. McCains story of the Cross in the Dirt seems to have been copied directly from a famous book written by the famous Russian author that just died recently. Many of the pundits remarked they had heard this story numerous times at McCains stump speeches but that he embellished it in ways they had never heard before. Do todays pundits not read the classics anymore or are they willing to have a plagiarist as Pres. ? Lying is wrong, lying about your religion to win votes is a Rovian tactic.
257. Jason | 08.18.08
I love how even up to the alomost 300th commnet, a Republican has not responded to post #5.
You all conveniently ignore this simple fact, which is proven by the vido transcripts, and go on to bash the commnet form Obama supporters as if they are Obama speaking himself.
Anyone care to address commnet #5. It proves JOhn McCain is a cheating liar and not fit to run the this nation now or ever.
258. S Pell | 08.18.08
When McCain was asked what it was like being in the room, in the cone of silence, he replied “I was putting my head to the wall to see if I could hear anything…”, clearly intending to convey the impression that he had been in the room. If there was nothing underhanded going on, he should have stated, at that point, that he had not been in the room. The fact that he attempted to lead us to believe that he had was disengenuous, and consistent with his having cheated.
259. Jay Sweet | 08.18.08
I sure was hoping for a CHANGE in the way important issues were addressed in this campaign. Sadly, we have degradation into a peeing contest between candidates yet again.
“Cone of silence” or not, a better way of handling this forum should have had McCain and Obama on stage along with Warren at the same time - as was suggested by an earlier poster. If part of the intent was to create a cozy living room conversation atmosphere, then I’m sure that could have been improvised without giving anyone an appearance of being better based upon where they were seated.
In my opinion, John McCain did a super job of responding to the questions posed than Barack Obama did, simply by answering them without dancing around in tangents too much. McCain is known to have a good sense of humor. He may just use some interesting anecdote as a means to get his thoughts assembled to pose an effective response. That is true humor effectively used and comes from within a person, not from cue cards. It also goes a long way to draw attention to the speaker.
There is no “perfect” person. There are people who have their act together better than others. The latter category comes from experience, knowledge and a solid religious foundation. I believe that Obama is seriously lacking in experience. Even if he surrounds himself with more experienced people in a Presidential administration, will he be smart and experienced enough to make a choice once given input from his advisors? Better he should get four or more years of worldly experience and study global intricacies from the outside before attempting to become the President of the greatest freedom-based country on this planet.
260. claire | 08.18.08
BOTH candidates are freaking pathetic. we are in more trouble than anyone wants to admit right now.
261. rick boyer | 08.18.08
We are 16 years behind where we should be because the current administration has moved us backwards for 8 years, while we should have been moving forward for 8 years. 8+8=16 Sorry American people, but we asked for it and we got it because we voted our faith and our emotions instead of taking an intelligent view and voting for what our country reallly stands for. We are running out of time and we need to get it right this time. Think; people! Both Obama and McCain are execellent canidates. We have good choices this time. What does our country, our world really need? I’m leaning towards Obama, because of McCain age thing. I’m 68 and I am good today, but not so great, maybe tomorrow. The cover up can be hard to detect. We must take an overall view, and not “do” another single issue election decision.
262. denfenster | 08.18.08
Confirmation that McCain did much better than Obombus. I was waiting to hear this. when the whine you know they lost
263. Reality check | 08.18.08
I find it interesting that when the liberal canidate loses the debate, the liberals feel the need to cry foul play. Face it, he lost because he is pretending and that will come out more and more as future debates occur. If Obama doesn’t have someone to craft his answers ahead of time, his lack of experience and leadership skills will become apparent to even those who have been fooled by his pretense. Face it, he doesn’t have a plan any more than the Democrats have a plan. They have been in control of Congress and have accomplished nothing because they never had a plan in the first place. Elect Obama and you will have the entire government controlled by people who don’t have a clue. Maybe the mess they will create will be just what you deserve.
264. Jason | 08.18.08
@Michael Wright, you are pathetic. If your mind can’t grasp pro-life and legal abortion exisitng together you are just an idiot. Pro-choice people want choice, the do not promote death. Stop living in a world so black and white when there are infinite shades of gray you just refuse to accept.
Is is you, the anti-abortion people, who have a utopian view of society, a society that you do not underatnad, yet attempt to bend and change to suit you twisted vision.
Fact: People wil get abortions if they are legal or not. Why not provide a safe means to do so.
When your wife gets raped, no abortion?
Get a grip on reality, then you can preach.
265. Linda | 08.18.08
I believed John McCain was in a cone of silence because a man of God told me he was. So, it is a ginormous deal if a big-deal-Christian like Warren lies to us. We have to have leadership now. We have to find our way in this changed world at a time when we can’t push back at Russia. It is a big deal if a presidential candidate is cheating and treats us like we’re stupid. That’s Bush III. That’s how we ended up in a never-ending war in Iraq, waiting to WIN it on undefined terms.
Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices. Voltaire 1694-1778
We’ve been duped. If we let it go, what will McCain do with presidential power in his hands? Think he’ll cover up all the things Bush did with presidential power in his hands? Do you really want things to stay the same?
266. King | 08.18.08
How did Oabam lose again ? I missed that one. Or is this just yet ANOTHER example of the right wind repeating lies over and over ad nauseum until they are repeated in the media.
Obamas answers seemed quite though out and educated comparted to McCain. who was giving sound bites and pandering to scared people.
For clueless fools, I guess it is a win if they hear the words “no gay marriage” or “surge is working”
Lemmings.
267. Bill | 08.18.08
What I find disturbing is this: You have a religious leader who is pastor of a megachurch and is a best selling author who put this whole charade together. He makes it a point to say McCain is in a “cone of silence” and cannot hear the questions in advance. He then told the press an out and out LIE about McCain’s whereabouts during the Obama part of the interview. Why should this Warren character be validated by the media? The media needs to call Warren out and find out what he new and when he knew it. On the other hand, I didn’t see McCain quoting scripture as Obama did. When asked about moral failings, Warren didn’t do any follow up about his infidelities while married to his first wife, and if you want to be totally honest, one of McCain’s BIGGEST failings was taking a $300,000 dollar bribe from Charles Keating of which he suffered absolutely NO consequences for. This election already ready smells like a dead mackeral.
268. King | 08.18.08
@denfenster… ah yes more stupid comments. MCCain whines everyday, whats you take on that.
“I was waiting to hear this. when the whine you know they lost”
Gotta love the selective memory that is the GOP.
269. WTF O’er | 08.18.08
“68. Henry Landis | 08.18.08
We’ll probably have to wait for someone’s deathbed confession to learn whether McCain really cribbed on this one. Maybe we’ll get lucky and be able, also, to resurrect the fifteen minutes on Nixon’s tapes “lost” by his campaign.”
That’s right, Hank. This ranks right up there with the grassy knoll. Are you a 911 Truther too?
270. CK | 08.18.08
“I’m 68 and I am good today, but not so great, maybe tomorrow. The cover up can be hard to detect”
Perhaps the aged should no longer be allowed to vote since we can no longer trust their decision making abilities.
271. Setup | 08.18.08
Obama was set up by McCain and Warren. They broke their word on the terms of the debate and gave McCain a huge advantage. Shame on them both!
272. Red Rotor | 08.18.08
I don’t believe McCain. He made it obvious in his delivery and with some of the weird statements and questions he made. Totally obvious that he heard at least a portion of the conversation with Obama.
273. Fred | 08.18.08
“Yesterday on CNN, Warren confirmed that McCain was not in the building when the forum began. So how do we know if McCain listened or watched any of the discussion beforehand?
Warren told CNN Sunday evening, “we flat out asked him” if he heard any of the questions. The McCain campaign “confirmed that McCain did not hear or see any of the broadcast” in the motorcade or after he arrived.”
If the above information from this article is correct, then we can draw 2 conclusions:
1. McCain did not do what he agreed to do- to be in the secure location during Obama”s interview.
2. Warren did not abide by the rules of the interviews by confirming that McCain was where he agreed to be. He should not have done the interview with Obama until he verified that McCain was where he was supposed to be.
“The New York Times’s Elizabeth Bumiller got a hold of McCain spokeswoman Nicolle Wallace who took umbrage at the charge.
“The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous,” Ms. Wallace said.”
Ms. Nicolle Wallace is really saying that John McCain wouldn’t cheat because he:
1. Has the special status of a former prisoner of war.
2. Being a former prisoner of war bestows him with honesty and integrity.
If this generally true then if we released all suspected terrorists then they would be totally honest about the former activities. I know of no one who believes that. Therefore, I see no relationship between being a former prisoner of war and being honest.
Check out the following website for information on Propaganda techniques:
http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111500/proptech.htm
This is just one site. I got 357,000 hits when I goggled “propaganda techniques”
274. NKirv | 08.18.08
Obama spoke thoughtfully and philosophically with nuanced answers, while McCain spoke forcefully with short answers. In terms of style, McCain had what appeals to most Americans, but in terms of substance, take a hard look at those answers. Obama stated honestly that the budget has to be balanced by getting out the Iraq War and raising taxes on the wealthy (while cutting taxes on the middle class) in order to keep paying for the things we need, like education, public health. McCain pandered to the low-brow, saying he wants “everyone to get rich” and decrying spending on things like studies of bears in Montana, which is a drop in the bucket compared to the billions of out-of-control spending on Iraq. Obama acknowledged there are many forms of evil in the world and that we must be careful not to perpetrate our own evil in the supposed name of good. McCain gave a feel-good answer that we must ‘defeat” evil and a go-get-him attitude toward Osama bin Laden, when he voted to authorize the Iraq War, which distracted us from pursuing bin Laden. McCain sounded confident and tough, but, really, his answers were pandering to Americans to feel good about themselves, whereas Obama’s answers had the hard truth in them, which most people don’t want to hear.
275. JimPo | 08.18.08
People get a grip…
They are both politicians which mean they are both liars, fake and will say anything you want to hear to get your vote. Neither one of them did Great and Neither one of them did bad. They did what they do best “TALK”. I don’t care if it is a republican democrat liberal or Rainbow party. They are all FOS.
Of course they where both prepared before the meeting It is their advisors jobs to prepare them. They probably had a slew of questions they where ready to answer. It was not too difficult to guess the questions Pastor Rick was going to ask. Common the Christian community has their own questions and they are pretty much standard ones. Separation between church and state.. Gay marriages.. Abortion… their faith and what it means to them.
Each of them answered their questions specifically tailored to Pastor Rick’s books and teachings. If you read his book, which I highly recommend. It is all about not “You” but what you can do for others and what are you going to do in the Name of God and for God to help others. It was no surprise they both answered their questions in the manor they did.
I would say the truly only “Out of left field” questions was the one about advisors and the other about flip flopping. It caught both candidates by surprise. McCain was the only one who remembered what he was suppose to say. I have to say honestly Obama’s response to that question hurt him.. Come on Mommy..Grandma.. Please we are talking about our Nation here if they happen to be both statesmen or in this case Stateswomen then great.
The facts are pretty simple to see.. There are NONE! It is pure speculation and sensationalism. Yes the odds are one of McCain’s goons was watching and telling someone else what was going on in the car. It can take an hour to get to the church. I know I live here. Traffic SUCKS.
The bottom line is..
Both parties Say great things.. It’s all talk. When the feet hit the ground not one president has delivered what they said they would. They can’t. It is the congress and Senate that run this country. Special interest groups run them and corporations run special interest groups. We may currently has a republican president but it is a democrat controlled congress and Senate. I do think McCain said it best. The only thing Congress and Senate never argue about or miss a vote on is Their Pay Raise and Vacation Time. They have approved all the spending.. tax cuts.. energy policies.. acts of War..and everything else.
Stop calling each other Names and Start yelling at your congress person and Senator. Personally I think everyone should vote for Elmer Fudd for president. We will get the same intelligence level.
276. mhelms | 08.18.08
It’s interesting to read comment after comment stating that Senator Obama “lost”. This was not a debate. This was a forum intended to give the people an opportunity to listen to both candidate’s opinions on various topics. While Senator Obama seemed to actually listen to the questions and formulate thoughtful answers, Senator McCain spouted platitudes. When push comes to shove on questions that arise in the course of holding presidential office, I want the man who actually considers the questions thoughtfully rather than the one who reacts blindly.
277. NKirv | 08.18.08
To add, Obama is not really raising taxes on the wealthy: he is going to remove the Geoge W. Bush tax breaks that allow the wealthy to pay less taxes per income than regular middle class people. Warren Buffett himself demonstrated that he pays less taxes than middle class people. What Obama should say is that he is restoring fairness to the income tax code.
278. Teacher | 08.18.08
“Republicans are for educating our children, giving them all the tools needed to succeed in the world WITHOUT government handouts. The Democrats are interested in growing the bureaucracy and protecting the teachers and their Unions.”
If this is true then why has Spellings increased the bureaucracy and paper work? Now we even have a Bush friend lawyer “looking after’ higher education. Republicans are all for rewarding their friends and punishing their enemies. They make the word “public” something evil while rewarding their privatized friends with our taxes. Of course they hate Unions or any other group that is organized enough to support public workers. If it is not broken, they claim it is and let their friends reap the rewards of fixing it! Isn’t that how con men work? As far as I cam concerned McCain is not honest just by being a part of them for so many years. We have plenty of private schools in my area in full support of the religious right and these schools have no standards for their classroom teachers or their athletic programs. Yet McCain would give them vouchers! Add to this people like McCain make jokes (see comment 258) to cover up the truth and substitute sound bites for honesty. The GOP has done a wonderful job of undermining our schools and being educated in general. I mean really, they hire Karl Rove and we all know about his “free beer” trick. Being honest is not a virtue for them and being dishonest is rewarded.
279. cad | 08.18.08
Never in history have slaves like the american people fought so hard to decide who they would BE a slave to. Are we so dumb to fight for a master.
280. Chris B | 08.18.08
Can’t you just see McCain in the limousine, smacking Nicolle Wallace’s hand away from the TV set? “It stays off!” he barks. His aides try to brief him on the questions, but he slaps his hands swiftly and painfully to his war-torn ears and screams, “La-la-la-la, I can’t HEAR you!” My God, the man is a Saint.
281. Debbie | 08.18.08
What the heck is everyone talking about? Obama did great! After listening to him answer the questions, I felt a renewed passion for him.
McCain obviously cheated. Just because he was a POW that does not automatically put a halo over his head.
McCain scares me. All he talks about is war, war, war. If you thought Bush was bad, you ain’t seen nothing yet if McCain makes it to the White House.
282. Andrew | 08.18.08
Brilliant strategic move!
In the game of politics, it would not be out of the realm of possibility that arriving late and listening to Obama’s response was planned well in advance by the McCain camp.
283. Retired Navy | 08.18.08
All thru the day leading up to this event, I listened to Pastor Warren lay out what He was going to ask the candidates. Not the specific questions or the order in which they would be asked. As I was watching the event, I could anticipate what was being asked as it was asked. Both candidates should have listened to the news all day and they could very easily anticipate the questions. I think it is a mute point whether McCain listened or if any of his staff listened. Obama should have had someone listening to the news and could very easily have been prepared for the questions. As it was, he looked like a little schoolboy who had to quess on a quiz.
284. Geo | 08.18.08
The real issue is that there was a lack of control, policy and enforcement - apparently Obama did what he agreed to do and McCain didn’t - Then someone lied about what McCain was doing and where McCain was - Now, there are suspicions and rightfully so -
If the tables were turned and someone lied for Obama and about his whereabouts and then Obama prophetically answered questions even before they were asked - I think the McCain supporters would be shouting foul and much more from the rooftops!
Was this debate a last minute impromptu setup? OR Was it planned and outlined and agreed to on both sides in advance? Why wasn’t McCain where he was supposed to be when he was supposed to be there as he promised and committed so to do?
One of the participants did not do what he agreed to do and then did not own up to it when given the opportunity - Please define “Honesty” & “Integrity” and then use it in a sentence such as - John McCain did not show “Honesty” & “Integrity” regarding his whereabouts during the Obama questioning. OR Will John McCain give us 4 years of the same “Honesty & Integrity” he showed us during the debate?
285. DaveO | 08.18.08
Most of the comments here sound like high school boys arguing about the greatest third baseman of all time, or someone who has spent too much time watching ‘Judge Judy’. We are spoon fed ‘the facts’ by a media who is motivated to serve their best interest more by creating controversy than reporting truth. …opinions of sheep. More speculation than fact, more conjecture than legitimate analysis. People are swayed to believe what they WANT to believe. ‘Seek and ye shall find’ is not applicable only to truth. It works with lies and self deception. If you want to believe something, you will find the evidence to support it. We all do it to one degree or another. It’s just embarrassing to read how loudly some people are willing to scream about the flawless argument they have about an opinion that has been given to them and supported by contrived events.
Reread JimPo. He says it better than I am able. I don’t know which ’side’ he stand on but it sounds as though he is at least starting out with his head screwed on tight.
…and on the correct part of his anatomy.
286. Jake Melner | 08.18.08
I am guessing that Rick Warren was forced to lie for the McCain camp.
I suspect someone else was pulling the strings and hopefully the truth about who may have forced his hand will come out.
McCain is a proven lier, so no news there. I am just a little upset that a pastor may have been forced to perpetuate the lie and get caught up in the scandel.
287. David | 08.18.08
McCain’s been getting a lot of mileage out of his “Christianity-in-captivity” story. It’s been in ads, and speeches, and his talks from the pulpit. And for good reason: It’s extraordinarily affecting. In it, McCain is spending another Christmas Day locked in a Vietnamese prison. A guard walks up to him and, with his foot, etches a cross in the dirt. McCain and his captor stare at the symbol for a moment, before the guard scratches it away and leaves McCain to his thoughts. “To me, that was faith,” says McCain. “A faith that unites and never divides, a faith that bridges unbridgeable gaps in humanity.”
What’s peculiar about this story is that, as a DailyKos commentor noticed, it precisely echoes a tale from Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s Gulag Archipelago:
“Slowly he looked up and saw a skinny old prisoner squat down beside him. The man said nothing. Instead, he used a stick to trace in the dirt the sign of the Cross. The man then got back up and returned to his work.”
Now if I tried to publish this paragraph in a book about my own story in a prison detention camp (Gulag, Vietnam or otherwise) would I escape the charge of plaigerism?
289. Phil Waste | 08.18.08
GOD spoke to McCain through his blackberry and told him what to say. GOD told McCain about the story of the “cross in the sand” and told him to use it.
I for one will watch Larry King tonight at 9:00 to find out the truth, as if Larry King could dig out the truth!
290. SANDA in Tucson, AZ | 08.18.08
For all of you who wonder who the real John McCain is, please read this article:
http://www.mtexpress.com/1999/12-29-99/12-29murphy.htm
The man is worse than Cheney, Bush and Rove put together.
He was asked if Evil exists?
He is EVIL!
By his own recommendation EVIL needs to be defeated.
291. CK | 08.18.08
#273 FRED - Excellent Post!
Now thats what I’m talking about. I don’t like it because I support McCain (3 issue voter here), but that was a very well defined argument. You took a fallacious statement and broke it down into what she was really saying. I’m impressed. When I studied propaganda in college, it was such a pain to have to do that for every statement I made. However, it did force me to make better arguments and sometimes, through the research, I even changed my opinions on the subject.
Just because one supports a candidate for whatever reason doesn’t mean he or she is infallible. Again…call a spade a spade. If my guy screws up I don’t mind saying so. After all, they are all dirty-rotten-scoundrel politicians, are they not?
292. Bill | 08.18.08
Obama quotes scripture and actually demonstrated that he knows something about religion and theology.
McCain, once again just waxes nostalgic about his glory days as a POW and everyone gives him a free pass, as always.
293. cad | 08.18.08
WAR WAR WAR I cant wait to see all those republican men fighting a major war at Mccains side oh so you will know if you are going to be one the age limit is 18-42 so if a war does happen you will be called and a draft will be so hurry up repeblicans kill yourselves.
294. teopa | 08.18.08
I do believe McCain cheated by not honoring the agreement. And i was made uncomfortable by Pastor Warren’s repeated comments on the ‘cone of silence’ even before this ’scandal’.
THat being said, McCain could not help but do well in this forum because he already had the ‘RIGHT’ answers. How many times in the past had he already answered these same type of questions for his base. He was ’singing to the choir’ for gosh sakes and of course the congregation was moved.
295. Ron | 08.18.08
Rick Warren…..
Senator what was it like being in the CONE OF SILENCE ?
John McCain….
I tried to put my head against the wall to see if I could hear the answers. Laugh Laugh Laugh.
296. Frank | 08.18.08
I listened to both sets of answers on Utube. McCain seemed to give the audience what they wanted to hear while Obama seemed to give the reasoning (good solid logical reasons) behind the answer. Both seemed like good solid presidential candidates to me but of the two, I’d probably vote for Obama who put some thought into what he was going to say before he spoke. McCain seemed to enamored with his past (Viet Nam POW) than why his policies are better than the ones Obama has proposed. I want a president that thinks before he acts, knows what “middle class” really is and inspires me about the future instead of re-living the past. I want to see those attributes in McCain, but I don’t (yet).
297. SwingVoter | 08.18.08
If McCain was not in the ‘Cone of Silence’ during Obama’s interview, only Christ, if He were to come down could convince me with great effort that McCain did not know the questions before hand.
It is obvious now.
298. Hoosier in Utah | 08.18.08
McCain or Obama, it doesn’t matter…the person who should be held accountable is Rick Warren…HE is the one who repeatedly assured the audience that McCain was in a “cone of silence”. It would have been totally different if everyone knew that he was in his motorcade on his way to the forum.
McCain did well answering questions, but if he knew the questions in advance or not, it still offers doubt and it makes Rick Warren a liar and discredits the who deal.
Overall, it does seem suspicious when McCain went so gung-ho on the teacher question and he did seem to be very comfortable. Say what you will on either side, but the whole thing has now been discredited.
299. John Wood | 08.18.08
Of course McCain knew the questions. Both candidates were given a list of the questions ahead of time. The McCain Campaign letter to NBC admitted it:
In his official correspondence to both campaigns, Pastor Rick Warren provided both candidates with information regarding the topic areas to be covered, which Barack Obama acknowledged during the forum when asked about Pastor Warren’s idea of an emergency plan for orphans and Obama said, “I cheated a little bit. I actually looked at this idea ahead of time, and I think it is a great idea;”
300. robyn | 08.18.08
Even if McCain had time to listen to some of Obama’s questions - that would not account for his alert answers being memorized before the debate…both candidates were given the general outline of questions before the interview.
Obama’s camp are again acting like sore losers.
301. Seka | 08.18.08
“The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous,” according to Ms. Nicolle Wallace.
Ms. Wallace, you should talk to the senator’s first wife.
302. ken | 08.18.08
The best response on this was the conspiracy theory of Bob - the Republicans took out Obama supporters Bernie Mac, Isaac Hayes and tried to take out Morgan Freeman. Bob, I’m curious. Do you support the grassy noll or the CIA theory?
Please keep writing - you have brought much needed humor to the campaign.
303. Just Do the Right Thing | 08.18.08
Just call it as you see it…he should have been in a cone of silence or Rick Warren should have said that he was on his way. That’s the way it should have been. Get over it. Rick Warren lied and discredited any chance of hosting future forums.
SO…why not call it the way it is? Rick Warren said that McCain was in a Cone of Silence…he should have been there. If Obama had been in his motorcade, we would all be saying stuff about him.
McCain had reasonable answers to questions that he possibly knew ahead of time… in front of an easy crowd… maybe he is just that desperate… that’s the way it is.
304. Khiva | 08.18.08
McCain cheated on his wife.
McCain was last in his class at the Naval Academy and almost flunked out.
McCain was such a lousy pilot he crashed two planes and got blown up in a third.
McCain sings songs about bombing Iran.
McCain was deeply guilty in the Keating Five criminal scheme.
McCain has surrounded himself with K Street lobbyists and oil tycoons.
McCain associated with known Mafia criminals.
McCain plagiarized Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
You can see the real McCain here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/08/mccain-dazed-and-confused_n_117752.html
Anyone knowing all this, and who has watched this video, who still votes for McCain, is totally BRAINDEAD. Is anyone that stupid in America?
305. patriot76 | 08.18.08
So McCain sat in his Limo & cribbed the questions while Obama answered them — Cheat Sheet John strikes again. He & his hero, Junior Bush, have been living off the bounty of their fathers’ names all their lives.
306. DAW | 08.18.08
I love how people only hear what they want to hear, and just assume that McCain cheated. McCain excels in the townhall, off the cuff format, he does it everyday. Obama does not, that is why he declined McCain’s offer to do 10 townhall meetings. Now, it is very possible that McCain did cheat, he is going for the most important job in the world that he feels that for the sake of the nation, he MUST win at all costs. Obama feels the same way I’m sure, and I will bet you anything that he would cheat to if he could. Dems and both repubs will cheat to get the job, you are naive if you think otherwise.
What you need to look at is the contect of what was said and if you believe in it, not on how well they presented the information. Very few desisions in the presedency will have to be made in seconds, they will have lots of time to look at any issues.
Now on to the proof that he cheated.
1. On the justices. The previous question was about abortion. That decision was made by Judges, and will be made in the future. He just wanted to talk more on the issue, and that Pastor stated that they will get back to it later.
2. On education. You ever answer a question before it is asked because you think you know where it is going? I do, I do it all the time to my wife. I feel that he just saw where the question was going, and answered.
307. Janet | 08.18.08
When Obama was being questioned, he said, “I cheated on this one; I looked at it ahead of time.” If Obama saw the questions before they were asked, McCain did too. When Pastor Warren told McCain there were three questions about education, McCain jokingly replied, “Yes, yes, and find bad teachers a different line of work.” His strong opinions on education allowed him to respond to the NUMBER of questions, not the specific questions themeselves. As a veteran public school teacher, I disagree with McCain’s opinions on vouchers, but anyone listening to the questions could tell he was joking. It doesn’t matter if they knew the questions beforehand or if they heard each other’s answers. Either way, McCain wouldn’t change his mind about what to say. If you’ve been following the election trail, you know both men responded the same way they always do!
308. Bo | 08.18.08
“The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, prisoner of war cheated is outrageous,” Ms. Wallace said.
When is someone going to report that the McCain camp can’t comment on any topic without bringing up his “former prisoner of war” history? John McCain uses his prisoner of war beyond the bounds of good taste. McCain was part of the saving and loan scandal so we know prisoners of war do cheat.
309. King | 08.18.08
Obama has a bad habit of treating voters like adults, and not talking down to them.
He assumes, perhaps incorrectly, that Americans want to be spoken to as if we’re grown-ups. He doesn’t spell things out for us, because he believes his audience is fully capable of understanding what he’s saying.
McCain appeals to the idiot voter, who votes on identity and againt their own interests.
310. zorg | 08.18.08
Why did McCain pretend he was in the cone of silence if none of this matters?
McCain cheated by not being available to be in a soundproof place during the first half, then pretending he was when Warren asked him about it on camera.
311. The Meaning of “Honor” | 08.18.08
Obama asks us to take his word of “honor” that, during countless Sundays over the course of 20 years, he didn’t hear anything racist or otherwise inflammatory from Wright’s lips.
Yet the angry, bitter, conspiracy-theorist leftists somehow can’t take McCain’s word of honor that he didn’t hear anything in less than 60 minutes in a motorcade and a green room.
BTW, CNN also reported that Warren briefed the candidates on “general themes,” and gave them two of the questions in advance. Could it be that McCain paid better attention, and has more defined positions that don’t required “nuanced” answers?
The Obama Kool-Aid drinkers are just trying to mask their disappointment that their guy came across as indecisive, cold and naive.
And if we didn’t know already, now we fully understand why Obama won’t agree to “town hall” forums.
He just can’t do it.
312. Swampy | 08.18.08
Regardless of the positions you may have politically, It may prove interesting to see if the left wing Democrat media will give honest coverage to Barack Hussein Obama’s birth statistics.We have definite and clear laws regarding the eligibility for the Presidency. A few have tried to question McCain’s eligibility, but that question was answered with Barry Goldwater’s case in 1964. It appears, however, that Barack Hussein Obama has a more difficult task.
That is providing that the media doesn’t try to ignore it. Pat Shannan (Assistant Editor, American Free Press,July 7th, 2008) has provided some insight and references to information regarding his legal status problems. And BTW, one post referenced abortion and stated “It’s legal, get over it”. this also implied that Republicans all are pro life and all Democrats are pro abortion. That’s simply false. I will say, however, Barack Hussein Obama refused to vote in favor of medical attention to a baby that survives a botched abortion. This means that the baby would have lived if provided standard medical procedures that normally follow delivery. The baby referenced in the Senate hearing died 45 minutes later, choking on it’s own sputum and fluids. It was laid on a table in another room to die. That kinda explains his answer regarding “When does a baby receive human rights?”. If one of his daughters make a mistake, he doesn’t want them “punished with a baby”. Now if you agree with him, that’s your business. But let’s be honest, he can’t even answer the question straight by saying “Hey, I am pro abortion”, “These babies have no rights unless I decide they do”.
313. hesingswithfrogs | 08.18.08
I thought that Obama performed much better than McCain at the Saddleback forum. To me, Obama came across as much more genuine, thoughtful, intelligent, and “in the moment” than McCain. He wasn’t afraid to walk us through the reasons for his opinions or to outline the complexities of the problems presented. He showed us the logic behind his decision-making. He seemed much more comfortable and relaxed throughout the conversation and gave answers that were more natural. I felt Obama was more open and honest than McCain.
Meanwhile, John McCain looked very jittery and uncomfortable to me. His answers came across as canned rather than conversational. He did not elaborate to the same extent as Obama. Warren tried to hint at this to McCain several times, in an attempt to get more substantive answers, but McCain seemed to prefer yes or no responses without acknowledging the complexities of many of the issues discussed. Perhaps some people just don’t appreciate learning about the thought process behind a response and will hold it against Obama for trying to flesh out his responses, but I appreciate the elaboration, and I think our candidates should be able to provide them.
Also, McCain frequently resorted to the same tired war stories and jokes that he’s been telling for years. While some people like to listen to stories, there were too many for me. It was a crutch for McCain. I felt it took McCain out of the moment and back into the past. Often his stories didn’t squarely address the question. It’s like he had been told “tell this story if the topic is X, tell this story if the topic is Y.” You often see seniors do this in their declining years as a way to cover-up their confusion and slowed mental processing.
For me, McCain utterly failed when it came to discussing his faith. The question presented was essentially how does his faith effect him in his daily life and this was a major theme of the forum. Rather than talking about how his faith effects him in his daily life, McCain resorted to one moment from decades ago. And then he wanted to move on asap. A huge purpose for that forum was to talk about faith, and McCain really didn’t have much to say. Meanwhile, Obama had much more to share about faith in his daily life.
On a final note, McCain really showed his true colors with regard to the “cone of silence.” The “cone of silence” seems to have been a major condition of the forum. It was intended to prevent one candidate from gaining an unfair advantage over the other by learning of the questions ahead of time. With this as a major condition of the forum, a responsible candidate would have made sure that he was there on time in order to abide by the rules of the forum. Instead of showing up on time and honoring the rules of the forum, McCain showed his slacker ways by not being there on time. Throughout his life, McCain has shown his slacker ways, including graduating at the bottom of his class, crashing 5 airplanes, not learning about economics despite almost 3 decades in the legislature and chairing the powerful Senate Commerce Committee. Even worse, when Warren told everyone that McCain had been in the “cone of silence,” McCain didn’t correct Warren. In doing so, he essentially allowed Warren to make a liar of himself. McCain, right there in front of everyone, made the conscious decision to allow the pastor, the audience, and everyone watching to be misled. Regardless of whether you believe that McCain abused the situation to learn the questions ahead of time, McCain’s failure to speak up and tell the truth when Warren told everyone that McCain had been in the “cone of silence” was dishonest and it was dishonorable. It is highly reminiscent of the manipulative, misleading, and secretive ways of the Bush administration.
314. ken | 08.18.08
Jovial,
In this column I have been called a bigit (sp-bigot) because I’m a Republican;
un-educated because I’m a Republican; and now dense by you.
Let’s address dense first. In 2000 John McCain was my second choice. My first was Bill Bradley but the Dems were too dense to nominate anyone smarter than all of them.
Un-educated? Well if you call me a jackass to my face I would probably laugh at you.
A bigot? If you call me that I will kick your ass (or as Bill Buckley might put
it ” I will smash you and you will stay smashed”)
315. Nike | 08.18.08
This should not be a joking matter. This is the election of the person who is going to hold the highest post in the United States. We need to be should we elect an honest and straight-up guy whether republican or democrate. No more lies telling president. Note the following
- Pastor Warren promised us McCain would be in a “Cone of Silence” when Obama was being questioned.
- McCain was not was in his motorcade when Obama was being questioned and the pastor did not tell us.
- McCain answered some questions even before they were asked
- McCain campaign tell us a POW can not lie.
This is all ridiculous. The pastor should come out straight and tell us the truth. As for McCain forget about him telling you any truth.
American, vote with honor
316. ROPO | 08.18.08
This is really sad that Warren vouched for the cone of silence until confronted with the facts. It’s just sad, that whether true or not, Warren looked complicit in the obvious.
317. Jaycee | 08.18.08
All right, we all know Obama supporters are trying desperately to explain his disappointing responses. But, please, can someone (journalists especially) review the transcript and be fair about it? Obama is quoted as replying to a specific quesiton regarding an emergency plan to help orphans: “I cheated a little bit. I looked into this.” Now, can McCain supporters claim Obama was revealing that he received Warren’s questions in advance and had time to prepare answers? No?
Wll then, let’s all live by the 9th commandment: ‘Thou shalt not bear false witness.” That applies to you, too, Obama supporters.
318. Tim B, Dallas, TX | 08.18.08
“I will say, however, Barack Hussein Obama refused to vote in favor of medical attention to a baby that survives a botched abortion.”
1. Repeating Obama’s middle name makes you look weak and petty.
2. You understand that bills are never as cut and dried as you’ve portrayed that one to be, right? I’ll try to explain this in right wing terms: if the Democrats introduce a bill to shrink government by 50% and Republicans vote against it, obviously those Republicans support “big, wasteful government” right? Or do they object to the details of that plan - eliminating the entire Defense Department to achieve that 50% cut? Suddenly things aren’t so black and white.
3. See #1.
319. CP Clark | 08.18.08
So instead of calling a clear winner in McCain the media is focusing on how to find fault in his superior performance. Come on! Obama is a rookie just like GW. Can the media ever get it right?
320. Dave Babuder | 08.18.08
As a minor point, were there really any “surprise” or “tricky” questions? I would think that either campain should have guessed the questions that would be asked with better than 90% accuracy. I think that is called “preparing for a debate 101″.
I think that the premise of the debate was a “cone of silence” - if that was not going to occur, then have both candidates on stage - shame on Rick Warren. I’m very disappointed in this debate, because instead of being useful to the country, as you can see from this blog, we have more division over stupid, avoidable, stuff, that just gets in the way of folks having intelligent discussions instead of name calling.
321. John Sargent | 08.18.08
To recap:
1. McCain promised to be in the cone of silence. He broke that promise.
2. When asked about the cone of silence by Rick Warren, the pastor of the church whose debate he was attending, McCain lied about having broken his promise to be in the cone of silence.
3. When exposed as having broken his promise to be in the cone of silence and lying about it on national television, McCain’s campaign insisted he could not have cheated because he is a war hero, notwithstanding the fact that he had just been caught breaking a promise and lying about it on national television to man of faith in his own church.
4. Whether he cheated or not, it is a fact that McCain had the opportunity to cheat.
Isn’t this obviously a loss for McCain? This doesn’t look like straight-talk to me. Frankly, I didn’t get to catch the Saddleback debate when it first happened, and I watched it after hearing McCain may have cheated. His performance didn’t look so good when I suspected the performer was a cheating liar.
322. Ellen Barnett | 08.18.08
Our country has so many problems to be solved. We need an intelligent, thoughtful and objective President that sees his Presidency as working with the legislative branch and solving problems together. We don’t want another Imperialist President like G.Bush. Regardless of the unfairness of the forum, Barack Obama thoughtfully answered the questions, John McCain did not. Mccains answers were sound bites. Vote for Obama. We can no longer ignore our failing society. We need a responsible government for the people.
323. Marcus P | 08.18.08
I thought that McCain did way better than Obama, thou at the same time I didnt feel like any of it was sincere. It just felt like politics as usual with his “drill drill drill” and similar lines.
Now we find out he probably cheated. He said he didnt hear the broadcast but notice how he doesnt say that noone told him the questions. And Warren does seem to flip-flop on himself when he tries to explain it.
Bottom line is I was excited when I heard about this forum and now I just think it was more political BS. Even if it was a scam Warren and McCain will get away with it because nobody in the US even cares about the truth anymore.
324. Joe N. | 08.18.08
As an acting teacher and behaviorist, I was impressed with the direct, forceful and on-cue answers McCain gave. However, it did seem too perfect and right for the question. Now I’m fully convinced the answers were planned with forethought. Sorry, just too perfect. His coaches should have told him to be more “real” and less perfect. It’s what makes good actors good. He cheated.
325. Jeff | 08.18.08
The transcript seems to show that McCain had previous knowledge of the questions. From the transcripts…
ARE WE GOING TO GET BACK TO THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPREME
COURT JUSTICES.
Q WE’LL GET TO THAT.
A ALL RIGHT. OKAY.
Q YOU GOT ALL MY QUESTIONS, GOOD.
see the whole trnascript here.. http://www.rickwarrennews.com/transcript/civil_forum_transcript-05.txt
326. Rationalview | 08.18.08
#313 says in part, “Regardless of whether you believe that McCain abused the situation to learn the questions ahead of time, McCain’s failure to speak up and tell the truth when Warren told everyone that McCain had been in the “cone of silence” was dishonest and it was dishonorable. It is highly reminiscent of the manipulative, misleading, and secretive ways of the Bush administration.”
I would suggest that one needs to go back to Richard Nixon, who rather invented the “plausible deniability” evident in Senator McCain not correcting Rev. Warren. As for me, John McCain cheating on his original wife and enabling Charles Keating to destroy S&L confidence obliterates the market value of his years in the Hanoi Hilton.
While I would never ask for any candidate to pass a religiousness test, I do feel Senator Obama spoke convincingly on the subject of his faith and that Senator McCain didn’t.
327. Rebecca | 08.18.08
I am surprised that Ms. Wallace and the rest of the McCain campaign was so shocked that any one would think that Senator Mccain, a war veteran no less - would cheat. Didn’t he just admit to Pastor Warren and the rest of the world that he cheated on his wife? I’m sure she was shocked that her husband the war veteran was a cheater too. (Besides, since when does being a veteran render one unable to be a cheater as well?) I think not being at the church and in the isolated room on time as was pre-arranged in and of itself was cheating and unacceptable.
328. Rationalview | 08.18.08
Ooops… Rev Warren is seeming to redefine the fiction that no candidate had any prior awareness of topic or exact questions. As they say, “Just politics as usual.”
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/18/who-knew-what-when/?hp
329. ken | 08.18.08
Finally, Blah,blah,blah. McCain this, Obama that. 99% of the people responding have made up there minds. There are different opinions and ideologies at work and that is healthy. I see a lot of trash talking re: McCain which seems hypocritical to me as he was every Democrat’s favorite Republican for years. Now Obama is the media darling. Republicans stand for 3 things basically- small fed gov’t, supply side economics and strong military. Yes, there are other issues - abortion being the most emotional. Conservatives believe that abortion breaks the 5th commandment “thou shalt not kill”. Simple as that. That doesn’t mean they are knuckle dragging neanderthals, it just means they think it is wrong. The election comes down to 2 things- 1. Do you want a democratically controlled
congress and white house and 2. do you want more Ginsbergs or Scalias?
330. jameo | 08.18.08
Funny thing is, he (McCain) was NOT asked about Supreme Court justices or any other kind of justices, nor did he mention them earlier. That was a question asked of Obama.
From the Transcript:
WARREN: Let’s go into the tough ones. That was just a gimme.
MCCAIN: All right.
WARREN: Let’s deal with abortion. I, as a pastor, have to deal with this all the time, every different angle, every different pain, all of the decisions and all of that. Forty million abortions since Roe v. Wade. Some people, people who believe that life begins at conception, believe that’s a holocaust for many people. What point is a baby entitled to human rights?
MCCAIN: At the moment of conception. (APPLAUSE). I have a 25-year pro-life record in the Congress, in the Senate. And as president of the United States, I will be a pro-life president. And this presidency will have pro-life policies. That’s my commitment. That’s my commitment to you.
WARREN: OK, we don’t have to beleaguer on that one. Define marriage.
—————-(the lie)
MCCAIN: A union — a union between man and woman, between one man and one woman. That’s my definition of marriage.
Could I — are we going to get back to the importance of Supreme Court Justices or should I mention —
WARREN: We will get to that.
MCCAIN: ……
WARREN: You’re jumping ahead (inaudible).
———–(the lie)
MCCAIN: When we speak of the issue of the rights to the unborn, we need to talk about judges. But, anyway, go ahead.
331. Swampy | 08.18.08
Hey, Tim from Tx. Does Barack Hussein Obama’s middle name bother you? Is it improper to mention his middle name? It is his name..No?? And he did vote against the bill. It doesn’t matter about markup or amendments. He voted to deny the medical treatments to living babies out side of the womb. That issue was cut and dry,. You do know that don’t you? Does that statement bother you? Does it make you squirm a little? I may look weak and petty to the Obama kool-ade drinkers but it’s due to your fear of the truth. You can try to minimize the gravity of the man’s weakness if you wish.. But I and a few others won’t but it. Another thing. You don’t know my party affiliation. That shows your willingness to jump to conclusions at the first hissy fit available. There are plenty of Democrats and Independents that actually hate the man.
332. Swampy | 08.18.08
Tim from Tx. When I said he voted against medical treatment to babies outside the womb, I referred to botched abortions.. But you should know that…No???
334. amerimuse | 08.18.08
Does anyone recall McCain’s response to Warren’s question asking him to define marriage? Was it just another of his
prepackaged asides? Also, Warren showed sincere concern about the world’s orphans — many of them a result of
all the wars McCain encourages.
335. novice keathley | 08.18.08
I felt that McCain already knew, when he answered so quick..Rick Warren hardly had the qestion out of his mouth. Clearly..something wasn’t right…Shame on you John Mc Cain, ..I believe he is threatened by Obama’s intelligence. Shame on you Rick Warren..whom Knew this was going on !!
336. Randy | 08.18.08
Regardless of whether or not he knew/heard the questions (which I believe he did one or the other), just remember that Jesus wants you to vote Republican and continue wars and getting rich off other’s labor. If Jesus walked into the Republican convention he would overturn every table in there. Get a grip and start thinking for yourselves……it’s not called the flock because you are supposed to actually be sheep.
337. John McCain Shirts | 08.18.08
McCain cant even fake it, as said above numerous times… he answered before he knew the damn question. How can you give a definitive response as a presidential candidate without knowing the damn question!!!
If you cared about if they were lying or not when he said he didnt hear anything, look whose running his campaign and all the bs they have spewed and ask your self if they have lied in the past….
::COUGH:: “WMDs” “IRAQ” “SADDAM” “ECONOMY IS GREAT” ::COUGH::
338. david | 08.18.08
Giving answers to questions before they are even asked is so obvious. Doh, McCain must’ve had an Ouiji board with him in the motorcade. Obama’s underachieving performance will be forgotten against the bad press McCain is gonna get…
339. Andrew Swetland | 08.18.08
For all those pointing to McCain’s teacher answer, it is incredibly natural to give that kind of response.
“Should good teachers be rewarded?”
“Yes … and bad ones should be fired.”
Incompetent teachers are a huge part of the education problem and need to be dealt with too (and my mom has been a great high school English teacher for 20 years before anyone jumps on me for that statement). Watching the interview myself (not reading the politically edited transcript), it was all part of a natural answer to the question that was asked of him.
The man was offered a chance to be released from a hostile prison where he endured squallor, disease and torture. He refused to go home to his family because of his honor. I laughed out loud at the official democratic response (”the honor system, are you kidding me?”). Of course Obama’s camp has no concept of honor! But I know as a veteran that there are many leaders in the American government who do hold their integrity dear, and McCain is one.
340. Typical | 08.18.08
I knew that any suggestion that McCain cheated would be met with a recitation of his POW status. Typical Republicans. We are supposed to believe that this experienced man who confuses issues on the stump every day, couldn’t answer a question about contraception, confuses Sunni and Shia, still can’t comprehend that Czechoslovakia no longer exists, is able to anticipate questions before they are asked? Oh, I forgot, these are the same people who voted for and still believe in GW Bush.
341. Phil Waste | 08.18.08
But I have a few questions for you…
Q: Can you tell me, was it Republican nominated Justices, or Democratic nominated Justices, that made the Roe v Wade Decision?
A: 6 out of the 9 Justices were nominated by REPUBLICANS.
Here is the list:
Chief Justice:
Warren E. Burger - Appointed by Nixon (R)
Associate Justices:
William O. Douglas - Appointed by F.D. Roosevelt (D)
William J. Brennan, Jr. - Appointed by Eisenhower (R)
Potter Stewart - Appointed by Eisenhower (R)
Byron White - Appointed by Kennedy (D)
Thurgood Marshall - Appointed by L.B. Johnson (D)
Harry Blackmun - Appointed by Nixon (R)
Lewis F. Powell, Jr. - Appointed by Nixon (R)
William Rehnquist - Appointed by Nixon / Reagan (R)
Republican appointed Justices made abortion legal, correct?
Q. How many of our current Supreme Court Justices were nominated by Republicans?
A. 7 out of 9 were nominated by Republicans. Here’s a break down:
1 was appointed by President Ford (R),
2 were appointed by President Reagan (R),
2 were appointed by President Clinton (D),
2 were appointed by George Bush Senior (R),
2 were appointed by George Bush Junior (R).
Q. Have these Justices overturned Roe v Wade?
A. Of course not!
Q. Will voting for a pro-life candidate result in nomination of Supreme Court Justices who WILL overturn Roe v Wade?
A. I wouldn’t bet on it. As shown with the illustrations above, Republican appointed Justices are very “Roe v Wade” friendly.
My point:
Christians should stop being such blind sheep, voting for a candidate based on the abortion issue. How many years of Republican Presidency have we had since Roe v Wade? Have any of those Presidents done work that has resulted of Roe v Wade being overturned?
342. Jesse | 08.18.08
It’s a shame we ever recovered this POS, I mean POW; if not we Wouldn’t need to be having this discussion, it’d just be a different faceless, lying republican cheater in the spotlight.
343. Steve | 08.18.08
This Warren forum didn’t prove anything. I’m sure that very few listeners were ‘undecideds’. My opinion about Obama hasn’t change regardless of how McCain answered. Barack HUSSEIN Obama isn’t qualified, nor has the experience to be President Of The United States!
Know Obama?! NO Obama!
344. Diggy | 08.18.08
Why did Warren say McCain was in a “Cone of silence” when he was not?
Did Rick Warren know that McCain had not arrived, and if not why wouldn’t someone tell him? Why didn’t they just wait for McCain to arrive and then start, just a little late?
Was the agreement that McCain would not have the oppurtunity to hear the questions or that McCain simply agreed not to listen?
So, at least everyone now agrees that McCain had the oppurtunity to listen, or his advisors had the oppurunity to listen. From this fact all else can be sorted out based on the details of the agreement. If the agreement was that McCain was to be sequestered where he could not hear Obamas responses to Warrens questions then he forfeited by not showing up on time, everything in the interview from McCain is then questionable as he failed to meet his obligation.
345. Bobby Bouquet | 08.18.08
Barack cannot answer the question, because if a democrate would really tell the american people what they really believe they could never get elected. That is why McCain can give answers to the questions and Barack has to talk in generalism.
346. Swampy | 08.18.08
Hey Phil, What a waste. No one argued the legality of abortion nor the absence of a litmus test for the Justices. A litmus test that the Democrats use on all conservative appointees that don’t see eye to eye with them on every issue. The issue, let me repeat, for the handicapped, was about “Botched” abortions that resulted in a live, viable human being placed on a table in a utility room, left to die. When presented with this case, which was one of many, Barack Hussein Obama was of the opinion that he could not support legislation requiring the necessary medical attention given to all new born babies, even if they are capable of surviving the botched abortion. Now, how hard is that for you to comprehend?. It has nothing to do with the legality of abortions. You can be pro abortion if you wish and that’s your business. I figure, let Satan sort them out in the end. But..Oh! how dare I inject religion into the subject. Anyway.. try to read with a little more intelligence and comprehension. I would like to clarify one thing; I don’t put all Democrats in this category because that’s simply not the case. Some Republicans and Independents fit in that category just fine also.
347. ampilot | 08.18.08
mccain anticipates questions all the time. i’ve seen him live at three town hall meetings. he is grilled daily - on a regular basis - on many of the same issues warren quizzed him on. he only needs to hear a few key words before he knows where the question is going. should we also believe that in every townhall he hires plants or moles to ask him questions about abortion, the war, the economy and so on? the truth is he gets bombarded with questions every day from all kinds of people - personalities, points of view, you name it. I’ve even seen him have to very delicately deal with a drunk guy in the audience who peppered his questions with profanity. the guy is on his game. it’s called PRACTICE and EXPERIENCE, not cheating.
348. Phil | 08.18.08
It all boils down to this. If Obama wins, there will be another batch of lazy idiots sitting at home waiting for a check from me (the government). And the existing lazy idiots collecting checks from me (the government) will get a raise. I work my butt off everyday so you can sit home and watch Oprah and talk about how bad the US is. Are you caught up on your soap operas after your summer vacations? Get the hell out of the US if it is that bad for you.
This country was built on hard working individuals. You have no idea what hard working means. Or sacrifice for that matter. Because of that, these liberals are going to take the constitution and re-write it so there is no US anymore. Admit it, you like the commies. That is exactly what you want the US to become.
‘There are Americans, and there are those that vote Democrat’.
349. Jose | 08.18.08
I am an undecided voter. I am waiting for who their VP may be.
The question whether or not life begins at conception is one that does not matter if you knew or did not know the question in advance.
If Obama camp has any doubt, why don’t we redo the debate with a different set of questions from Pastor Warren? This time, let’s put Obama in a motorcade, while Warren asks McCain first.
However, is this really how you are going to vote for a president?
We will be the laughingstock of the world if we do.
350. David | 08.18.08
Did Pastor Warren know, when he repeated the fiction McCain had been in a “cone of silence,” that in fact McCain and his entourage were in his motorcade during Obama’s segment, with easy access to the broadcast? Certainly McCain knew it when he continued the fiction, pretending he had strained to hear from behind some soundproof “wall.”
From the debate, is this additional evidence McCain knew the questions ahead of time?
* * * * *
MCCAIN: “COULD I — ARE WE GOING TO GET BACK TO THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPREME COURT JUSTICES OR SHOULD I MENTION…”
WARREN: “WE WILL GET TO THAT…..YOU’RE JUMPING AHEAD.”
* * * * *
“Get back”? There had been no mention of Courts or Justices in McCain’s segment of the forum, not until McCain made that remark. What was there to “get back” to?
Was McCain referring “back” to Obama’s questions from the Pastor, a time we now know McCain was not in a “cone of silence,” despite McCain’s assurances, but was in fact in his motorcade with his handlers and easy access to the broadcast.
351. OldUncleTom | 08.18.08
Well, Sen Obama appeared to actually comprehend the questions, and consider his answers, which I found to be complete and comprehensible, even when I did not agree with what he was saying.
Sen McCain, on the other hand, sounded a great deal like the old guy at the end of the local VFW bar, reminiscing about some war or other, between occasional outbursts about drilling for oil or something…
If Sen McCain’s people fed him the questions in advance, so much the worse, as he did not appear particularly impressive to me.
And why is it that all the good things we hear about McCain are from 40 years ago?
352. The People | 08.18.08
I think Obama’s people made a mistake in not making sure McCain was in the bubble before Barack took the stage.
353. Chris O | 08.19.08
You people disgust me.
Oh, btw, I can tell that a handful of people are responsible for most of these posts. Can’t tell you how many times I thought I was reading the same posts over and over again. Nice try kiddies.
Oh, btw, have a read:
http://www.riehlworldview.com/carnivorous_conservative/2008/08/drew-a-cross-in.html
drawing a cross in the sand really isn’t all that farfetched.
ALSO, will you all grow up and stop being children? Especially Barrack backers (not saying the McCainists aren’t partially responsible as well), you sound like the scum of the earth. Go crawl back into whatever pit it is you came from, and come back when you have intelligence, humility, civility, and common sense, and are ready to have a REAL discussion, without name calling, needless bashing, lies, and disrespect for either of the candidates.
354. Paul Stewart | 08.19.08
In reply to #166. Terry | 08.18.08 who said:
“Warren asked “Who will you pick to help you lead when you are pres?”
McCain said “General Petraus”
Obama said “My Granny”
Bwahahahaha……you “O” boys are a bunch of loser whiners!
Go ahead insult the evangelicals and Rick Warren, sounds like a winner to me! That’s really going to help you get votes from that group. It was what he was trying to do wasn’t it? What a maroon!”
I think a granny or a granddad would be great ones to consult. Indeed, McCain is always talking about what his mama says. Indeed, I see McCain as the granddad - someone with some experience and views worth consulting. I don’t see him as President.
As for trying to get votes from that group, Obama is about laying out who he is and what he thinks and how he works. He feels the way to the Presidency is to be by and large direct, and honest in his thinking. If that does not work for you, then indeed McCain is your man. You can have that granddaddy…..
355. Skip | 08.19.08
329: “Republicans stand for 3 things basically- small fed gov’t, supply side economics and strong military.” Really? Have you checked the growth of government over the last 8 yrs? The special favors to favored businesses rather than free market? The deterioration of our military readiness to the point that we are a paper tiger? They may speak for these things, but they act differently in power.
341: Maybe the Republican justices haven’t reversed Roe v Wade, but the margin is one more justice: the next prez will probably that choice. It will also only take one more justice to tell Congress that they have no right to regulate CO2: a recent decision already went 5:4 for regulation. And McCain wants more of the same…..who would stop him from any steps on global warming. (I know, “a hoax”)
356. Reech Deng | 08.19.08
Americans, let not the forthcoming election divide you, instead unite you to elect a candidate that will represent the pride of America. I have followed with keen interest the comments made by Americans and other people concern with prosperity of the American people,and found out that other comments are disgusting. No matter whoever becomes the president of the USA, America will remain unchanged basing on the footsteps of the founding fathers when America was established more than 300 years ago.
Reech Deng
Juba Sudan.
357. slnk_rules | 08.19.08
I am a regitered libertarian and I loathe John McCain. I did not watch the debate live…., well, I watched the video, but the bar I was at had the sound off and I was discussing Ron Paul’s tax proposals at the time with another drunk.
I did go back and look at the clips from the CNN site. The speed with which McCain answered the questions could simply be that the question would be one that you could and should anticipate, and he was primed for it.
This reminds me of more KOS idiocy like the transmitter under Bush’s debate suit.
Remember, 9/11 was an inside job. Sheesh.
358. Marko | 08.19.08
McCain looks like Cheney, is old like Cheney, mean like Cheney, not as smart as Cheney, now we know he is willing to cheat and lie like Cheney and his boss. You people want McCain to be your next president. Let Warren pray for you!
359. Dave Potts | 08.19.08
I think it’s hysterical that ANYBODY, democrat or republican, actually thinks McCain did better than Obama at Saddleback. Once again, McCain sounded stiff, scripted (”my friends”), and he did little more than pander to the religious right. I haven’t decided whether or not I’ll vote for Obama in November, but between appearances like this, and his repeated statements that there are more places we need to send our young men to fight - it is clear to me that McCain is an even worse example of the moral bankruptcy of the “conservative” movement than George W. Bush.
360. Jeff | 08.19.08
Almost eight years with the village idiot is enough, we don’t need the POW idiot. McSame is a vote for the past. Obama is vote for the future.
361. Ed Kolar | 08.19.08
Get your heads on straight. You can’t believe that any of the questions asked dealt with topics that either of the two candidates hadn’t heard many times before. Who cares who heard what, the answers were still in-line with each candidates persona. Any journalist there could have pre-written either candidates answers from many previous examples of their opinions.
362. Dr. Henry Adrion III | 08.19.08
As to the Obama and McCain questions Rick Warren gave to these two men, it should be immediately obvious that anyone aspiring to the office of President should know the questions before they are asked. Any man who does not know the questions regarding the position of President has no business becoming President!
I have been in leadership in some position during my adult years! And being offered the position of leadership was actually based on knowing the questions. It takes no amount “Science” , Christian or otherwise to know this.
363. Christine Daly | 08.19.08
The proof is in the pudding. From the transcript:
WARREN: OK, we don’t have to beleaguer on that one. Define marriage.
MCCAIN: A union — a union between man and woman, between one man and one woman. That’s my definition of marriage.
Could I — are we going to get back to the importance of Supreme Court Justices or should I mention —
WARREN: We will get to that.
MCCAIN: OK. All right. OK.
WARREN: You’re jumping ahead…
McCain hadn’t been asked about the Supreme Court yet–how the heck could he ‘get back to’ it? He is getting back to a question that was asked of Obama. Either McCain has mastered the space-time-continuum, or he knew the question. The idea that McCain may have knew the question was coming based on generic clues that Warren offered on coming questions doesn’t hold either as McCain would ask if he could get to the question (not get back.)
364. bernice smith | 08.19.08
I realized right away that that was not the same John McCain when asked questions from the audience on the stump! He was too quick, too sharp, too self-assured…very unlike his natural self. As I heard the questions put to Obama, I thought…now that is a difficult question to answer in a few seconds. Especially the one about the 3 people you you would go to for advice..Obama was thoughtful and answered as such; John went bam, bam, bam…and the e-bay CEO gave it away…who would pick that name in a second as one of the people you would go to for advice….NOT! I truly believe that a member of the church staff gave the questions to him beforehand or (and probably the most likely) staff members were in the audience texting the questions as they were asked either to John himself or a staff member. Let’s remember…he has staffers in there like Carl Rove…need I say more? I am truly disappointed.
365. Dan | 08.19.08
Simple, John McCain was late to the event, so he was in a car with a RADIO and could have easily listened to the questions.
More Repub BS…..
366. Howard | 08.20.08
McCain lied to the American public when he responded to Rick Warren’s comment about being in the “cone of silence”– that he McCain was trying to listen through the wall”. That was a bold faced lie, because his campaign staff has admitted that when Obama was being questioned, he was still in route to the church.
He also asked Warren about when he could talk about the Supreme Court justices( a question that Warren had not yet asked him)
So, McCain was tipped off(that’s called cheating) and he (lied about it when Warren asked him about the comfort level in the “sound proof area”)
*** Seems like the Republicans “impeached a President- Bill Clinton for lying.
367. Max44 | 08.24.08
There is no doubt that based on how McCain responded, he heard the questions beforehand. I’m tired of all this crap about how he is better suited to make decisions on our country’s security. Being in a POW camp doesn’t make you an expert on foriegn policy and leadership. We should appreciate his service but getting caught is hardly heroic. Those who died destroying the enemy are the true heroes. Talking about playing up circumstances created by making a bad decision and getting shot down! Besides, any candidate that makes fun of the looks of a 15 year-old like McCain did with Chelsea Clinton doesn’t have the statesmanship, integrity and dignity to be the President of the United States of America.
368. Phil Waste | 09.12.08
If Sara Palin has to resign over trooper gate in Alaska does that leave lipstick on McCain’s face?
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Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. Charlie | 08.18.08
When you consider that McCain answers one of the questions “Yes, yes, and bad teachers should not be rewarded” before Warren has yet to start asking the 3 parts of the question; the only way he could do that is if he knew the question beforehand. Warren had only just finished setting the context for the question when McCain interrupted him. So McCain knew the questions - but did he know them because they were provided to him or because he was listening?