The loser in last nights debate was Tom Brokaw who never let either candidate, especially Obama, respond to follow up which stultified the so-called debate and left many unanswered questions and accusations. Brokaw had a heavy rein on this debate and it was certainly not necessary. However, The CNN instant poll called it for Obama, 54-30 and that's a big strike out for McCain who needed to win big. A grumpy McCain did not even shake Obama's hand at the end of the debate.
There was virtually no audience response or even a noticeable smile or grimace. If this is McCain's milieu than he's fooling himself because Obama took total command of the stage and seemed far more empathetic with the audience.
Gene Robinson, Washington Post, comments on this same lack of follow up questions at this incredibly unenergized debate ~
The Town Hall Debate: What I'd Give for a Follow-Up
Eugene Robinson / Washington Post
" At this point, I’d give all the money in my pocket – admittedly, not all that much – for a follow-up question. The format in this debate is basically an invitation for the candidates to give greatest-hits snippets from their stump speeches. They intersperse these mini-speeches with tendentious claims about the other guy – which the other guy then feels compelled to answer (instead of the next question).
Who’s winning? Seems to me that Barack Obama is trying to associate John McCain with the Bush administration’s policies and failures and is doing a pretty effective job. McCain is trying to raise doubts about everything Obama has ever proposed or thought of proposing. That’s harder to do, when Obama – as soon as he gets the floor – will immediately contradict everything that McCain said.
One moment struck me as particularly unfortunate for McCain: When Tom Brokaw asked whether health care was a privilege, a responsibility or a right. McCain said it was a responsibility, but left unclear whose responsibility it might be. Obama said he believed it should be a right, and talked about how his mother, who died of cancer at 53, had to spend the last months of her life arguing with insurance companies. Pretty powerful, I thought. "
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One point was glaringly obvious to me as I watched the Debate and that was John McCain's frail and stooped gait as well as his inability to mentally frame his answers to many questions.
Robert Greenwald shares the same concern and has filmed a short five minute video on the need to carefully examine all of John McCain's medical records ~
" The state of John McCain's health is an issue of grave concern for all Americans, regardless of political persuasion. Given the fact that he has been treated for an invasive melanoma and other maladies, it is important that he release his full health records.
For a very brief three hours in May, McCain released 1,173 pages of his medical records to a carefully selected group of reporters. They were not allowed to make any copies or phone calls. Why such secrecy?
We have enlisted a group of doctors from around the country to lead the effort to make sure the public is able to see and make judgments for themselves. Secrecy is not of service to our democracy, transparency is. Please have other doctors sign the open letter.
Click on the Video or link , Watch the video and sign the open letter. http://therealmccain.com/doctors/?utm_source=rgemail
Cancer is a serious issue. That's why 2800 medical doctors have already signed our open letter telling McCain to issue a full, public disclosure of all his medical records. Send this video far and wide to request that McCain release his full health records. Ask every medical doctor you know to sign onto the letter, and don't forget to sign the letter yourself! McCain's records must be made public and soon.
While McCain doesn't really care about our health care, we all should care about the health of McCain."
Allen L Roland http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2008/10/08.html
Freelance Online columnist and psychotherapist Allen L Roland is available for comments, interviews, speaking engagements and private consultations ( allen@allenroland.com )
Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on www.conscioustalk.net
