McCain vs Obama, second debate, 50 to 70 minutes

And on to healthcare. Either Sen. Obama completely misunderstood the first question or has deliberately sidestepped it. It was a philosophical question. Should healthcare be a “commodity” on the free market or should it be a quasi-government approach. However, he answered about his health plan without responding to the economic philosophy that he has for healthcare. Sen. McCain has just made a claim that is so outrageous that it had better be true or he will pay for it. He claims that Sen. Obama would fine small businesses (and parents) if the do not carry health insurance. However, my memory is that the Massachusetts plan requires small businesses to either carry healthcare or to contribute to a government healtcare pool from which insurance would be bought (provided) by the government. I remember that when the plan was first proposed, such contributions were termed “fines” by opponents. So, is the only conservative option that small businesses have no healthcare responsibility to their employees or to the society?

Sen. Obama is angry now, quite angry, and showing it. Sen. McCain sees that and has now started needling him. If he can break Sen. Obama’s even temper, he may get some good points out of this.

The questioning has now moved on to national defense. And, wow, has it heated up. We now have both Senators ignoring the rules and slowly getting into a tit for tat situation. Having said that Sen. Obama has some reason for that since Sen. McCain was deliberately waiting until he had the last answer to launch his boilerplate exaggerated attacks. It is a good strategy in that it launches the accusation without leaving the opponent time to answer. It is the rhetorical version of the “October surprise.”