LiveBlogging: The Presidential Debate or the John McCain drinking game

This is the Trusty Husband hijacking Elle’s blog for the night.

Beer: Check.

Two minutes to go.

Remember anytime John McCain says Maverick, you must drink.

Game time. Town Hall format. Dems are the favorite in the polls right now.? Tom Brokaw is the moderator.

80 non-committed voters in the audience.? Candidates haven’t seen the questions, blah, blah.

First question goes to Obama: Economy, what is the fastest way to bailout those retired and on fixed income?

Obama: Worst economic downturn since the great depression.? Trickle down economics doesn’t work.? Make sure strong oversight of bailout package.? Middle class needs bailout.? Tax breaks, mortgage help, healthcare, energy systems.

McCain: Fear and anger.? Energy independence.? Taxes low.? Slow Washington spreading spree.? Have to do something about home values.? Fed but up bad mortgages and renegotiate as reduced home values.

Brokaw: Who would you appoint to replace Paulson.

McCain:? Meg Whitman? Ebay, really?? Maybe we could use ebay to sell the bad mortgages.

Obama: Warren Buffet.? The key is the next treasury sec has to understand help need to come to middle class.? Little ‘economy is sound’ dig at McCain there.

Question to McCain: What in bailout package will help normal people?

McCain: Standard greed and excess line about Wall St.? Suspended campaign b.s. line.? more greed and excess about Fannie and Freddie money.

Obama: Credit markets are frozen.? Biz can’t get loans that they may need to make payroll.? Correcting McCain.? Calling him out on de-regulation.? Obama looks right at McCain while making a claim about him.

Brokaw: Discussion, American economy will get worse before better?

Obama: No, need 21st regulation for 21st century market

McCain: It depends on what we do.? Back on buying back mortgages.? American workers are the best! USA!

Question: How can we trust you when both parties contributed to the financial mess?

Obama: Understands frustration.? Not enough budgeting going on in Wash.? Double national debt under GWB.? McCain voted for 4 out of 5 Bush budgets.? Reform healthcare.? Stop borrowing from Chinese to pay Saudis.? Net spending cuts.

McCain: Trying to relate to questioner.? “I’m a reformer.” Bi-partisan.? Obama has never taken on his party leadership like I have.? Obama is suggesting $865B in new spending.? If he says ‘my friends’ one more time… the current count is 5.

Brokaw: Highest Priorties: Healthcare, Energy and Entitlement (Medicare, SS)?

McCain:? Regan reference.? 1) Entitlement 2) Healthcare 3) Energy.? We can do all of them at once

Obama:? Need to prioritze 1) Energy (10 year plan to be free of middle east oil) 2) Healthcare 3) Education.? Line by line audit of budget.

Question: What sacrifices will you ask americans to make?

McCain: Some programs we may have to eliminate.? Eliminate earmarks. Spending freeze except for defense, VA and ‘some others’ whatever that means.

Obama: GWB sqaundered opportunities of 9/11.? Americans hungry for leadership.? Asking americans to serve (Peace Corp)

Brokaw: Wall St got ‘drunk’. How to prevent ‘easy’ money?

Obama: Look at revenue side and spending side.? Everyone needs to contribute.

McCain: Nailing down Obama tax plans is like nailing jello to the wall.? Good one John :|? More fear, tax increases will hurt small business.? Double child credit.

Question: Reforming SS and Entitlements

Obama: He’s back on the tax thing.? tax cut for everyone making $250k or less.? Only small % of small biz make more than $250k.? Also would give tax credit for healthcare.? Must reform healthcare and taxes to be able to tackle entitlements.

McCain: More about being a maverick without saying it.? more about special interest.

GAME CHANGE: Drink when McCain says my friends!

Question: What would you do in the first 2 years on climate change and green jobs

McCain: My Friends! DRINK! Nuclear power is the answer. safe and clean. We can do it. the americans are the best.

Obama: One of biggest challenges of our time.? opportunity.? Green economy can create 5 million jobs. he confused computers with the internet.? McCain voted 23 against alternative energy.? Drilling is nice but won’t solve the problem.? we have 3% of oil but use 25% of world’s oil.

Brokaw: Should we fund ‘Manhattan project’ or ‘garage projects’ when it comes to energy

McCain: my friends. DRINK! Obama voted for bush/cheney energy bill.? my friends. DRINK!

Question: Do you believe healthcare should be treated as a commodity?

Obama: Healthcare is breaking budgets.? Moral impairitive to provide healthcare.? Work with employers to provide lower premiums.? Give americans access to program like senate has.? Talking about McCain taxing healthcare benefits while provide a ‘tax credit’

McCain: Health records online? With what privacy protections? Says Obama will fine employers who don’t provide benefits.? So yes, he would commoditize healthcare.? based on the answer of buying healthcare of their choice from any company in any state.

Brokaw: Is healthcare a priviledge, right or reponsibility?

McCain: Responsibility.? Available and affordable for those who want it.? No gov’t mandate.

Obama: A Right. Everyone should have healthcare. No gov’t in mandate in my plan.? McCain voted against expanding SCHIP.? Gov’t should crack down on ins companies that try to avoid paying legimate claims.

Question: How will the economy affect the US being a peacekeeper in the world?

McCain: my friends. DRINK!? we need to know when we can make a difference.? Kosovo, guess who wrote that bill? Joe Biden.? my friends DRINK!

Obama: Takes exception to ‘lack of experience’ reference.? McCain and repubs were wrong on Iraq and didn’t focus on Afghanistan.? Iraq is constraining ability to act as peacekeeper.

Brokaw: Use of US forces for use of force for humanitarian aid?

Obama: There may not be a security issue but there is a moral obligation.? It’s in our nation interest to help those in need (Darfur, Rwanda, Holocaust)

McCain: my Friends DRINK! Can’t set date of withdrawal for Iraq. my friends DRINK! We’ll only affect genocide when McCain thinks we can make a difference?

Question: Should the US respect Pakistan borders or go after terrorists?

Obama: Made mistake going into Iraq when we should have gone after Bin Laden in Pakistani Mts.? War on terror began and will end in Afghanistan.

McCain: Pakistan cooperation is important. “Walk softly, carry a big stick.” my friends DRINK!

Foreign policy break…

Question: How can we apply pressure to Russia on humanitarian issues?

McCain: Putin, once KGB always KGB.? Penalize aggression.? There won’t be a second cold war. work with allies

Obama: agree with most of want McCain said. be proactive instead of reactive.

Is Russia evil empire?

Obama: done evil things and resurging under Putin

McCain: Won’t commit either way

Question: What would US response in Iranian attack on Israel?

McCain: my friends DRINK! Wouldn’t wait on UN security council.? Can’t allow Iran to go nuclear.? need tougher sanctions. my friend DRINK! can’t allow 2nd holocaust

Obama: Iran can’t go nuclear.? Would threaten entire region.? never take military options off the table.? We must use all tools as our disposal. provide path back to being in the international community.

Question: What don’t you know and how will you learn it?

Obama: He’s dodging the question.

McCain: What’s going to happen in the world and here at home.? What the unexpected will be?? Isn’t that self-explanatory since it’s unexpected?? Now into USAAAAAaaa, rah, rah, rah!

And we’re done.? Mostly the same talking points as always.? No clear winner in this one.

Total “my friend” count = 22