Presidential Debate #3: Playoff Baseball

OK ladies and gentlemen, tonight’s debate will use baseball terminology in its scoring. My initial intent was to report on just home runs, but there was only one of those, so I was thwarted. Oh well, sometimes small ball is the way.

What makes your economic plan better?
McCain – K: Still doesn’t acknowledge the role of deregulation in the Fannie/Freddie problem or that buying mortgages can’t coexist with a spending freeze. The “class warfare” reference makes him sound like a scared old dude too. Guess what, John…most of America isn’t upper class.
Obama – BB: Nothing new. But sound examples regarding who can pay more and who needs the help.

Both of your economic rescue proposals will add to the deficit. What will you cut?
Obama – BB: Didn’t answer the question. But pointed out that some programs don’t work at all while others are underfunded.
McCain – K: Return of the “spending freeze!” Stating that “we have presided over” giant government growth with no sense of irony. You are ‘we,’ dude. Don’t you get it? 
Somewhere half way through the pitch count McCain took a big swing with his “I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against him you should have run 4 years ago.” But he failed to connect. Strike!

Say it to his face (re: campaign rhetoric):
McCain – Big K: In essence what he tried to claim was “I had to do that because he wouldn’t play the way I wanted to.” As someone familiar with elementary schoolers, this is truly the height of lame playground excuses.
Obama – BB: Deep foul fly when pointing out McC staff admission that “if we talk about the economy for the rest of the campaign, we lose.”
[for more detailed commentary on William Ayers controversy see Oct. 15 post]

Why country would be better off if your VP became President:
Obama – BB: Experience, grounded, consistent.
McCain – K: Role model for women, reformer, breath of fresh air.

Foreign oil. How much can we reduce imports during your first term?
McCain – K: “We can eliminate dependence on Middle East and Venezuelan oil.” WOW! In 4 years??
“We can build 45 nuclear power plants in 8-10 years.” REALLLLY? I’d put the over/under at more like 4.5 in 8-10 years, but I hope I’m wrong. It is a good interim solution.
And then the HUGE strike 3. “Drilling here will reduce the price of a barrel of oil.” Umm, no, it won’t. Our supply is tiny. Too tiny to meet even our own requirements, much less move the GLOBAL price. He truly doesn’t seem to even understand that the price of oil is set by global supply and demand, not US supply and demand. It’s astounding. [see earlier post for greater detail]
This is additionally vexing, because I’ve had conversations with oil CEO’s in recent weeks where they insisted with great sincerity that what McCain was really trying to emphasize was “security of supply,” not “lower prices,” when talking about domestic drilling. My response, come true yet again, was that that might be what he MEANS to say, but it’s not what he’s saying. So either a) he’s being disingenuous or b) he doesn’t know better. Neither is good.
Obama – BB: Can get rid of Middle East and Venezuelan supplies in 8-10 years.

Health insurance:
Obama – HR: The average insurance policy costs $12,000/year (versus McCain’s $5,000 credit). McCain will tax benefits. His policy will lead to insurance companies cherry-picking the superhealthy whose policy would be covered at the $5,000 level. Instead, let’s create two tiers: pool the small employers, make the big ones pay their way.
McCain – BB: $5,000 credit.

Roe v. Wade lithmus test:
McCain – K: R v. W “bad decision.”
Obama – BB: Litmus test bad. But R v. W “rightly decided.”

Education. US spending up, results down.
Obama – BB: $4,000/year credit for public service. Parents must take responsibility.
McCain – BB: Give people choice.

Closing – Both – BB: Neither said anything of impact or import.

So there you have it. Maybe the Chase for the Cup would’ve worked better than baseball. The leader made sure he didn’t lose. The loser couldn’t catch up. But NASCAR methaphors are more difficult to quantify.