Last Night's Debate

Last nights second presidential debate held at Belmont University in Tennessee, was supposed to be a different kind of debate, a town-hall style debate whose format is not supposed to lend it self well to talking points.

Unfortunately, to anyone who has been following this election, it is evident that the talking points of both candidates were as evident as ever. Both McCain and Obama answered questions in the manner they liked irregardless of the question, each time falling back on the same talking points that have become central to their campaigns. It is not fair to say the debate was boring, rather it was tired, there were no revelations, no moments of truth and clarification from either side.

While Elbows were thrown, particularly about the others associations with the now disgraced Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, both candidates kept the debate relatively bloodless, neither bringing up William Ayers or Charles Keating.

The real star of the debate was of course the economy, absorbing over 60minutes have questioning and answers leaving ownly a paltry 30 minutes to foreign affairs and other domestic issues, which in turn kept coming back to the economy.

Now, obviously the economy is the numero uno issue on voters minds, and likewise it should be, but it is also important to address other issues afflicting this nation. I think Obama tied in the issues of the economy with another monumental issues eloquently when he said:

Now, if we get our tax policies right so that they're good for the middle class, if we reverse the policies of the last eight years that got us into this fix in the first place, and that Senator McCain supported, then we are going to be in a position to deal with Social Security and deal with Medicare because we will have a health care plan that actually works for you, reduces spending and costs over the long term, and Social Security that is stable and solvent for all Americans and not just some.

Even FOX News in there post-election coverage asserted that, McCain lead until healthcare, the anchor said it himself.

McCain in one of his opening remarks said

Americans are angry, they’re upset, and they’re a little fearful. It’s our job to fix the problem.

But from there are on we heard very little in the way of how he would fix it.