I don't have a dog in this fight, but I watched last night. Was the comment condescending? Yes. But I didn't think it was out of line. Romney was saying he was going to increase military spending because our Navy has the fewest ships its had since 1916 (or something like that) and our Air Force has the fewest aircraft since whenever, I looked at my wife and said, "that's because we don't need as many with modern technology." That was Obama's point as I saw it. Could he have said it like I did? Of course...but its pretty clear these two men don't like one another.
I also thought Obama did state his policy on military spending. He said he wasn't going to raise it or cut it. He said he wasn't going to raise it because the military hasn't asked for an increase....or did I hear that incorrectly?
I guess at this point, I'm one of the remaining undecided voters. I thought Obama pretty much owned Romney last night....at the same time, I'm not sure its a fair fight for a candidate to debate foreign policy with a sitting President. And that's kid of how it came off to me last night. Obama has had four years of information and intel given to him that Romney doesn't have. Seemed like Obama knew what he was talking about (whether you agree with him or not) and Romney...not so much.
Going to be an interesting next couple of weeks....can't wait for it to be over.
And for the record, I don't really like either one of them.
Results 11 to 20 of 35
Thread: Presidential Debate V3
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10-23-2012, 12:20 PM #11
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10-23-2012, 12:29 PM #12
I understand the point Obama was making, but I agree that the way to go about it is not to patronize your opponent (and for the record, I don't mind the little digs - there are ways to do this without sounding patronizing or smug). Right after his comment, if memory serves, he said that things had changed and that there isn't the need for the amount of ships and planes as before. I tend to agree, but we still need them, and we need modern ones. I don't recall him saying he won't cut the defense budget, though, but I was more interested in following the ball game on my computer than most of the debate.
What was interesting is that neither candidate mentioned cyber terror as a threat, and I think this is one area where we really need to step it up.
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10-23-2012, 12:40 PM #13
We actually have more ships now than we did in 2007. Candidates patronize each other everyday on the campaign trail, so it never surprises me when they do it in a campaign. It makes it much more watchable.
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10-23-2012, 12:47 PM #14
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10-23-2012, 12:50 PM #15
I didn't think the candidates disagreed all that much on foreign policy. My summary of the debate:
Obama: "I love Israel and its amazing Jews!"
Romney: "I love them more."
Obama: "Terrorists suck. I killed bin Laden and a bunch of others, and I'm going to keep killing them."
Romney: "If I was President, I would kill terrorists deader."
Romney: "We need to get Assad out as president of Syria without involving our military."
Obama: "I am working to get Assad out as president of Syria without involving our military."
Obama: "I could not allow Mubarek to remain in power in Egypt."
Romney: "It was right not to allow Mubarek to remain in power in Egypt"
Romeny: "We cannot allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon."
Obama: "We cannot allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon."
Obama: "With respect to China, dey took ur jebs."
Romney: "We want ur jebs back!"
Obama: "Bayonets and horses"
Romney: "Attacking me is not a policy."
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10-23-2012, 01:16 PM #16
The condescention that strikes me is not candidate to candidate, but how we can broadcast nationally (and globally) how China, Russia, et al are our bitches yet we are in debt up to our ass. Entire frickin nations.. Are they our ally? Are they not our ally? Can they be our ally? Blah, blah, blah. Just shut up already and pay your bills.
We look like the horses ass, and we have no shame.
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10-23-2012, 01:21 PM #17
Unscientific because this is who the debates are intended:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/404175
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10-23-2012, 02:00 PM #18
I'm Mitt Romney and I approved the President's message.
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10-23-2012, 04:33 PM #19
Mr Romney lost two of the three debates with the President. If he's elected our next President, I sure hope he has a better record in his talks with leaders of other countries around the world.
Perhaps being a smiling nice guy will win the day should he soon occupy the Oval Office!
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10-23-2012, 05:13 PM #20
Its definitely never a fair fight for a candidate to debate a sitting US President on foreign policy. Obama was just as inexperienced 4 years ago at this time but had the advantage in that McCain wasn't sitting in on daily briefings everyday at 9 am in the white house. Yes, McCain had tons of knowledge on foreign policy from the senate, but there is a difference between the intelligence a President hears everyday and anyone who is running against him.
Unless one of the Joint Chiefs decided they were going to throw their hat on the table.
I wanted Obama to do well, he did do well. Probably a little better than most of us expected. He came off as very sure of himself and his policies. You might think Romney will help us with the economy, but he almost needs the Sarah Palin remedial school for foreign policy.Xavier university. Founded and still living in 1831.
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