The Art of Debating - What's under all that nice wrapping Paper? John McCain needed to help us unwrap Barack Obama.
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The art of debating-Final.mp3
In all fairness to John McCain, debating is a skill that takes a lot of time and effort to hone. Senator McCain strikes me as the kind of man who is probably annoyed by all this talking and positioning; he is a man of action and a busy one at that. Contrast John McCain’s life and style with that of Senator Obama, and you understand why Obama “appears” (and I can’t over-stress appears) to be holding his own against John McCain. Barack Obama is way more enamored with himself and how he is being perceived. In the first debate, did you know that senator Obama had countless people playing John McCain debate him in mock debates? Contrast that with John McCain who was in Washington trying to hammer out this bailout plan and he flew the same day to the site of the debates and took on Barack Obama almost as an afterthought. Indeed Senator Obama is crafty with an uncanny ability to recast his negatives in a positive light or to evade them altogether. John McCain, for lack of a better term, is a straight talker. Senator Obama is anything but… and I am afraid that my fellow Americans are not unwrapping the nicely packaged prank that is Barack Obama.
With that said however, John McCain’s handlers and I would say the Senator to a great extent, did him a disservice when they made attacking Barack Obama somehow an ignoble act. The first duty of any debater is to show the folly of his/her opponent’s position. If I had to assign a percentage value to what I just stated, I would say that debating is 80% showing the folly of your opponent’s position and 20% of presenting your own. Straight forward and to the point is the name of the game when stating what you believe; this is why John McCain did so well at Saddle Back while Senator Obama did so poorly. With regards to the presidential debates however, John McCain had to destroy the myth that is Barack Obama and in my humble opinion McCain could have done a better job throughout these debates.
As a point of interest I would like to site just one example of many where I thought John McCain could have dealt Obama a knock out blow but never delivered the punch.
On the issue of taxes: Senator Obama has been allowed to forward the silly notion that John McCain wants to give tax breaks to the Oil companies in spite of their record profits. My fellow Americans, this is an outright lie. John McCain wants to give a tax cut to all U.S. Corporations, without exception. Now you might disagree with me on whether or not Barack’s statement on McCain’s tax policies is a lie or not, but of course that will depend on your own standard for truth telling. Here is the knock out blow John McCain could have dealt last night but didn’t: McCain could have responded with one word and killed Obama --- while at the same time putting Michigan back in play. And the word… the word is MICHIGAN. If anyone believes that a tax on corporations isn’t a tax on everyone, all you have to do is look at how the big three automaker’s problems are affecting everyone in Michigan, without exception; rich, poor and in-between. McCain needed to make the point that the United States’ economy is a highly complex and INTERDEPENDENT economy and that it is impossible to have a localized effect on it. To better One is to better all and to kill One is to kill all. Ask Jennifer Granholm, the Governor of Michigan, who made it so difficult to do business here with her high taxes and liberal view of the world. Now we are all suffering. Ask the poorest person in Michigan if it would be a good thing for Ford, GM and Chrysler to start showing a profit -- and that person will first ask if you are a moron and then they will say of course it would be a good thing.
I challenge all of you to further unwrap the nicely presented package that is Barack Obama (I started the process for you in this blog, looking at his tax policy and his integrity) and tell me if you can still vote for this man.
Danian Michael
For Political Agenda.
The art of debating-Final.mp3
In all fairness to John McCain, debating is a skill that takes a lot of time and effort to hone. Senator McCain strikes me as the kind of man who is probably annoyed by all this talking and positioning; he is a man of action and a busy one at that. Contrast John McCain’s life and style with that of Senator Obama, and you understand why Obama “appears” (and I can’t over-stress appears) to be holding his own against John McCain. Barack Obama is way more enamored with himself and how he is being perceived. In the first debate, did you know that senator Obama had countless people playing John McCain debate him in mock debates? Contrast that with John McCain who was in Washington trying to hammer out this bailout plan and he flew the same day to the site of the debates and took on Barack Obama almost as an afterthought. Indeed Senator Obama is crafty with an uncanny ability to recast his negatives in a positive light or to evade them altogether. John McCain, for lack of a better term, is a straight talker. Senator Obama is anything but… and I am afraid that my fellow Americans are not unwrapping the nicely packaged prank that is Barack Obama.With that said however, John McCain’s handlers and I would say the Senator to a great extent, did him a disservice when they made attacking Barack Obama somehow an ignoble act. The first duty of any debater is to show the folly of his/her opponent’s position. If I had to assign a percentage value to what I just stated, I would say that debating is 80% showing the folly of your opponent’s position and 20% of presenting your own. Straight forward and to the point is the name of the game when stating what you believe; this is why John McCain did so well at Saddle Back while Senator Obama did so poorly. With regards to the presidential debates however, John McCain had to destroy the myth that is Barack Obama and in my humble opinion McCain could have done a better job throughout these debates.
As a point of interest I would like to site just one example of many where I thought John McCain could have dealt Obama a knock out blow but never delivered the punch.
On the issue of taxes: Senator Obama has been allowed to forward the silly notion that John McCain wants to give tax breaks to the Oil companies in spite of their record profits. My fellow Americans, this is an outright lie. John McCain wants to give a tax cut to all U.S. Corporations, without exception. Now you might disagree with me on whether or not Barack’s statement on McCain’s tax policies is a lie or not, but of course that will depend on your own standard for truth telling. Here is the knock out blow John McCain could have dealt last night but didn’t: McCain could have responded with one word and killed Obama --- while at the same time putting Michigan back in play. And the word… the word is MICHIGAN. If anyone believes that a tax on corporations isn’t a tax on everyone, all you have to do is look at how the big three automaker’s problems are affecting everyone in Michigan, without exception; rich, poor and in-between. McCain needed to make the point that the United States’ economy is a highly complex and INTERDEPENDENT economy and that it is impossible to have a localized effect on it. To better One is to better all and to kill One is to kill all. Ask Jennifer Granholm, the Governor of Michigan, who made it so difficult to do business here with her high taxes and liberal view of the world. Now we are all suffering. Ask the poorest person in Michigan if it would be a good thing for Ford, GM and Chrysler to start showing a profit -- and that person will first ask if you are a moron and then they will say of course it would be a good thing.
I challenge all of you to further unwrap the nicely presented package that is Barack Obama (I started the process for you in this blog, looking at his tax policy and his integrity) and tell me if you can still vote for this man.
Danian Michael
For Political Agenda.
posted by Danian Michael at
3:39 PM
6 Comments:
As a McCain supporter, I'm sad to say that Obama has the nation fooled and I really don't see how he can lose. Maybe it's just my frustrations. This article could not have come out at a better time. I just hope it reaches enough people.
Yes, the better packaged candidate with all the great lines and smooth talk usually wins. Senator Obama is indeed a brilliant speaker and saleperson. All we can hope is that if he's elected, he moves to the center and becomes more of a Bill Clinton Democrat or that he can not get his quasi-socialist agenda implemented. I believe the logical conclusion of looking at his record and background is that the man is ultra liberal and would pursue that in office. And yes, Danian...all we need to do is look at Michigan as an example of failed liberal policies. Even worse, Barack Obama makes Jennifer Granholm look like Ronald Reagan. He is further to the left than anyone I can think of in public office and it looks like (unless the package is unwrapped) that he will indeed be president.
Remember: "This election is not about me ... this campaign is about you." This seems just one example of how Obama steadfastly resists giving up the enigmatic persona. Such lack of clarity can lead to curiosity, but it may just obscure inadequacy.
On taxes, Obama's plan sounds somehow "just"; if 95% of Americans are hurting, help them out by siphoning money from the 5% upper crust. But it only sounds just. Like you said, Danian, the economy is interdependent. If the 5% tightens their belts, the 95% will feel squeezed, even if they get some kind of tax break, for they might have a few more bones in their pocket at tax time, but they might not have a job. It's short-term thinking. Perhaps Obama knows that this message appeals to short-term thinking, attention-deficit disorder, cheetos-eating (no offense), evening local news watchers.
But in the end, as Hillary put it, they are just words.
- Sohpop
Kristin,
Two weeks ago I was of the same opinion, that this election was all but lost to Obama, I must say however that after watching the polls, history and current events, I am almost sure that John MCain will win. Why, because most Americans are like me (maybe not as far to the right) but they want to be left alone to pursue their own happiness.
All is not lost Kristin and good sense may prevail yet.
Anonymous,
If Barack wins I am afraid he will understand his win to mean, liberalism is what the people want. Coupled with a liberal congress, sky’s the limit for liberalism. We must not allow this man to turn the United States into one big Michigan.
Did you know that he expressed a desire to appoint Jennifer Granholm to the Supreme Court? Need I say more! Barack must not be president, he will not be president.
Sohpop,
I love what you said here:
“Remember: "This election is not about me ... this campaign is about you." This seems just one example of how Obama steadfastly resists giving up the enigmatic persona. Such lack of clarity can lead to curiosity, but it may just obscure inadequacy.”
His contrived mysteriousness just may obscure his inadequacies and I bet he is counting on that. I have always maintained that a person with a liberal view of the world can not sustain a logical, cogent argument in favor of their positions on social and economical issues or any issue for that matter. And Barack can afford to do what he is doing because the people who drive our economy constitute a very small voting block; he can afford to vilify them. Yet they are going to pay for all of his silly government plans.
Yet I am hopeful that on November 4 people will put down their Cheetos and come to their senses when they start thinking about who in our economy contributes to putting those Cheetos on the table (so to speak); certainly not government. Who knows maybe Michigan will even give their Electoral votes to John McCain as my fellow Americans in Michigan start to wake-up and put their Cheetos down
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