The 3rd Presidential Debate

THE THIRD AND LAST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE OF CY 2008

The 3rd and Last Presidential Debate of CY 2008 is the first presidential debate I have watched from start to finish. I admired the manner that Bob Schieffer of CBS News is moderating such. The two debaters, Senators Barack Obama and John McCain had both delivered their pieces impressively. The subject of the debate is Domestic Policy.

The Commission on Presidential Debates sponsors the one and a half hour debate. The debate is divided into nine (9) segments. A question is made at the beginning of each segment and both parties are given two (2) minutes to answer the question. Discussions are made after and the debaters are encouraged to ask questions to the other party, if the other party will not ask questions then the moderator will ask a question.

Here are the questions that were asked, to wit:
1. Why is your economic plan better than your opponent?
2. How would you cut spending?
3. Can you balance the budget in four years?
4. are you willing to say face-to face, what your campaigns have said about your opponent?
5. Why would the country be better off if your running mate becomes president?
6. How much can US reduce dependence on foreign oil?
7. Do you favor controlling Health Care costs over expanding coverage?
8. Could you nominate a Supreme Court Justice who differs with your view on Roe v Wade?
9. Does poor performance in school pose a threat to National Security?
10. Should federal government play a larger role in education?

While watching the debate, I find it hard to believe that a country like the United States of America has almost the same national issues and concerns as we have here in the Philippines. Maybe the only big difference is the fact that their budget deficit is in dollars and in the Philippines, it is in pesos.

The two candidates agree on most issues that need to be given attention, like the need to have good education and health insurance to all Americans, the need to decrease the US dependence on foreign oil, and the concept on helping “Joe the Plumber”. What they do not agree, is on how these issues and concerns can be best solved and/or addressed.

Their need to make available good yet affordable education to the middle and low- income citizens of their country is exactly the same problem we have in our country. Federal governments/national governments and local government units play a very important role in molding the education system in a country and ultimately the future of the country itself.

Both candidates agree that they are spending beyond their means and that they should be cutting down on the expenses made. This particular issue is prevalent in the Philippine government. It is vivid to the public’s eyes how our public officials spend our taxes. Like their going to foreign lands, bringing with them millions of taxpayers money, for contingency funds? Sometimes, it made me think that these officials deliberately make the education system in our country poor, for them to get away with their loot.

The way that Obama and McCain conduct their campaigns using negative attacks against each other, is the same scenario that we have in our country. There are even times that the candidate himself doesn’t have the full knowledge of the ads that were used to promote his campaign. Although all candidates agree that the campaign should be based on policies and plot form of government, still character plays a vital role in the campaign and most often, it can make or break a candidate.

Through out the debate it is evident that John McCain is more emotional than Barack Obama is. The former’s facial expressions and manner of speech was betraying him while the latter is more composed and concise. Both have brilliant minds. Democrat or Republican, it doesn’t really matter as long as their loyalty is to their country and not to their political affiliations.

Over-all, I would say, that the debate meets the academic standards for arguments. It is apparent in the rules that were given at the beginning of the debate itself and such rules were properly observed and maintained by both the debaters and the moderator.