Debate Liveblogging, Round 5

by Eli [courtesy of Firedoglake]

10:18  Pach is right about Obama's nicer imperialism. George Bush and John McCain have pulled off the amazing feat of making me pine for neoliberalism as a sensible, moral approach to foreign policy, which it is not, *except in relation to neoconservatism.*  (Thers)

10:16  I think we just say Obama expose McCain on "speak softly" with his "bomb bomb Iran," and McCain is struggling to recover.  This is not McCain strong area; it's now his weakness.  Obama's replies are winning this debate.  (Scarecrow)

10:15  Could McCain be a little more desperate to avoid follow up questions? The man has been in congress for more than two decades. He ought to be able to handle a fellow Senator asking a question.  (Julia)

10:15  McCain knows how to get bin Laden, but he won't tell anybody... not even Dubya.  (Eli)

10:14  Snark aside, this is weird. McCain says we ought not to go into kill Pakistan to kill Bin Laden if we know exactly where he is, we should not, because of Pakistani public opinion. But he was in favor of attacking Iraq, where Bin Laden wasn't, Iraqi public opinion be damned. WTF?  (Thers)

10:14  Obama taking serious wood to McCain's ass on Bomb bomb bomb Iran, etc.  McCain national security brand is taking on serious damage.  And he's getting pissed off.  (Pach)

10:12  McCain "we drove the Russians out with the Afghan Freedom Fighters" - does he realize those were Bin Laden and the Taliban?  (Siun)

10:12  McCain pretending/complaining that he hasn't been getting follow-ups.  Lovely.  (Eli)

10:11  McCain back on not talking about intent to attack in advance.  But he did it on Iraq with Saddam.  Not that I care for Obama's kinder, gentler imperialism.  (Pach)

10:11  Obama response on Pakistan makes the CNN voter meter go way up ... as soon as McCain starts to speak, it plummets then flatlines.  (Siun)

10:10  McCain: we need a cool hand on the tiller to confront terrorism, which is why Sarah palin is my vice presidential choice. My friends, she has seen Russia. And I have looked down her shirt.  (Thers)

10:09  Obama saying that Afghanistan is the central front in the War On Terror, and Pakistan is Not Helping.  (Eli)

10:07  John McCain thinks we have REDUCED Iranian influence in the Gulf? Iran won the war, you demented maniac. Face it.  (Thers)

10:06  McCain's plan is to bring our troops home with victory and honor.  Good luck with that.  And he just said that we need someone with a "cool hand on the tiller."  That was probably not a good idea...  (Eli)

10:06  Man, I sure hope no-one out there is playing a "My friends" drinking game...  (Eli)

10:04  Obama on Iraq, McCain's misjudgment, etc, with follow up on moral obligation for humanitarian interventions -- very articular answer, work with allies.  He's laying a solid foundation for people to have confidence in his competence and judgment.  If this keeps up, he'll be the next President.   (Scarecrow)

10:04  McCain: Barack Obama was wrong on Thermopylae. And I was right.  (Thers)