Did Obama think he was debating Bush?
Well, the first debate is over and both sides are claiming they won. John McCain seemed to think he did well against Barack Obama, and Sen. Obama seemed to think he did equally well against George Bush.
Yes, I know that he really debated Sen. McCain, but I'm not so sure he thought he did. What causes me to say this is the number of times he argued against the policies of the past eight years.
On the economic/lending crisis, he railed against the Bush administration, on the economy and the war on terrorism he continued to allege failed Bush plans and policies.
I don't exactly know the point he was attempting to make in this debate by his anti-Bush arguments considering that on two of these points of contention, Sen. McCain stood on his own apart from the President, and on the subject of the economy, he stood with President Bush in supporting tax cuts for many of the same people Sen. Obama claims he wants to cuts taxes for.
How do I know that?
Because I am one of those people in the middle class who Sen. Obama says he'll cut taxes for, and whom George Bush already has.
Regarding the other two areas of disagreement, Sen. McCain was for the surge when George Bush was against it, and openly pointed out disagreements he has had with the administration. As for the bailout program, Sen. McCain returned to Washington and asked that those who opposed the plan supported by the administration be allowed to speak.
And Sen. Obama?
He supported the initial bailout, the Bush administration bailout.
Maybe Sen. Obama just didn't want to debate Sen. McCain.
Why do I say that? For as much disagreement as there was about the policies of the last eight years, Sen. Obama was quite willing on over a half-dozen occasions in the debate to say he agreed with Sen. McCain.
That explains why he tried to debate George Bush.
Steve Minarik
Round Lake