Debates of all ilk

[Morrigoon]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Leo, we've been over this. You can deny it all you want, but it's one of the most basic principles of supply and demand economics and is mathematical truth. Taxes levied against the supply side are NOT proportionately compensated for in consumer prices. The more elastic the price of the good, the smaller impact a supply-side tax has on a consumer. It is a function of the slope of the demand curve.

This is true, the tax is shared between seller and consumer.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

The quick hit on polls say Obama "won".

I'd agree with what others have said here, that neither candidate screwed up badly, neither did spectacularly well. McCain got in some great foreign policy jabs, though Obama's handling of the format gave him an edge in my book. He addressed Jim, John, and the camera, and did it fluidly. Visually, Obama killed. McCain's eyes were watery and he blinked a lot. I can't stand that awful smile McCain has when he disagrees with Obama - cringeworthy.

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

I can't stand that awful smile McCain has when he disagrees with Obama - cringeworthy.

I think it was NBC's Brian Williams who observed that McCain really doesn't like Obama and lets it show in his body language, facial expressions and tone of voice. He lets himself get perturbed by his disdain for his opponent, and that makes him look like a jerk. (That last part is mine )

[innerSpaceman]

oh ... and Goonie's observation that McCain sounds like a grandfather explaining toy trains is right on. He's so patronizing in his tone. Ycch.


I thought the best line of the night was Obama's ... in response to McCain's spending freeze plan ... that the budget is best addressed with a scalpel, not a hatchet.

It was not the only time I thought he made McCain look a little too stupid to be president.


Sigh, not that that's not a highly electible quality. Americans seem to like stupid in their presidents.

[3894]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

oh ... and Goonie's observation that McCain sounds like a grandfather explaining toy trains is right on. He's so patronizing in his tone. Ycch.

It's not just that McCain sounded patronizing to someone younger, it's that Obama is also Black. My husband remembers hitchhiking through Mississippi years ago. He got a ride with a delivery man who had his Black "boy" with him who made all the deliveries while he chatted with customers. My husband said McCain's tone was just like that man's to his "boy".

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by 3894

It's not just that McCain sounded patronizing to someone younger, it's that Obama is also Black. My husband remembers hitchhiking through Mississippi years ago. He got a ride with a delivery man who had his Black "boy" with him who made all the deliveries while he chatted with customers. My husband said McCain's tone was just like that man's to his "boy".

McCain talks that way to pretty much everyone. Certainly not racial. I think it boils down to arrogance.

[wendybeth]

I'd have to agree that it's just general arrogance, which hardly makes it more palatable. He is that way with everyone who isn't fawning over him- note the many, many examples of interview meltdowns and personal interactions with people over his career. He does need to practice smiling in the mirror; every time I see him flash that taut sort of grimace he thinks passes as a smile I get concerned about his fiber intake.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by wendybeth

He does need to practice smiling in the mirror; every time I see him flash that taut sort of grimace he thinks passes as a smile I get concerned about his fiber intake.

To be fair (and I don't like his grimace either), the left side of his face is covered in scar tissue from melanoma surgeries; among other things after the 2000 campaign he had lymph nodes and some muscle tissue removed from that side. The scars aren't obvious because he's usually wearing make-up when you see him, but he does have a loss of mobility on one side of his face.

Admittedly, this causes him to have a smile that looks off. Just like his POW injuries make it difficult for him to raise his arms (and his jaw was broken then as well which may also contribute to the smile) which gives him a very odd walk and stance.

So yeah, I have a visceral negative reaction but I try to remind myself that it is kind of like laughing at a hairlip and that it isn't really important anyway since the way you smile isn't really an indicator of what kind of person you are.

Here's a picture of him shortly after one of his facial surgeries.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by 3894

It's not just that McCain sounded patronizing to someone younger, it's that Obama is also Black. My husband remembers hitchhiking through Mississippi years ago. He got a ride with a delivery man who had his Black "boy" with him who made all the deliveries while he chatted with customers. My husband said McCain's tone was just like that man's to his "boy".

That just makes me sad.

[Gemini Cricket]

Amazing about the North Korean malnutrition problem. Wow.