John Berman has been at ABC since 1995, and allowed to appear on television since 2001. He covered the 2008 campaign extensively, following John McCain and Mitt Romney during the primaries and then Barack Obama in the general election. He also spent more than 20 months chasing George W. Bush around the country as a producer from 1999 until 2001, earning the clever nickname, "Pain in the Ass," from our 43rd president. He is a frequent and sometimes welcome contributor to all of ABC's broadcasts.
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Judgment vs. Experience: A Viewing Guide
September 26, 2008 7:33 PM
It’s not easy to grade debates -- winners and losers being a matter of perception -- but one way to watch tonight’s debate is by counting the number of times Sen. Barack Obama cites his judgment in some way, and how many times Sen. John McCain cites his experience.
This is the crux of their competing foreign-policy arguments. Obama argues that he has superior judgment, typically citing his early opposition to the Iraq war, as contrasted with McCain’s long held support for the war.
McCain argues that he’s got the requisite experience, painting Obama as a naïve idealist who’d do things like meet unconditionally with leaders of rogue nations.
The topic matter -- foreign policy -- is probably a slight McCain advantage. But remember that the Obama camp asked that the topics be switched so this would be what they talk about in the first debate.
Another thought: Has McCain’s conduct these past two weeks -- the halting, stop-and-start efforts around the economy -- created an additional hurdle for him tonight? Or is there more pressure on Obama, who needs to be seen as a commander-in-chief, as well as a good campaign closer?
I’ll be blogging during the debate itself -- but offline in the 8 pm - 9 pm ET hour, where I’ll be on ABC NewsNOW with Sam Donaldson anchoring our coverage.
Watch it HERE.
September 26, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (41)
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Except that McCain has Judgement and Experience and Obama has neither.
So it's an easy choice.
Posted by: s.b. | Sep 26, 2008 7:42:56 PM
s.b.,
You are funny. McCain has oldness, and lobbyist. You think he's going to change anything? Obama has brains, where McCain does not.
Your's truly.
Posted by: haha | Sep 26, 2008 7:55:55 PM
Obama: Full of hot air and BS - taking credit where none is due and slinging mud at those who actually accomplish something.
Posted by: Soetoro_NO! | Sep 26, 2008 8:05:56 PM
The ONLY important things to know about Obama are who his closest friends and advisors have been over the past couple of decades: The racist,anti-American Jeremiah Wright, the Communist terrorist Bill Ayers, and the crook Tony Rezko. Either Obama agreed with what these people were saying and doing which disqualifies him from being President, or, his judgement is so flawed that he didn't know enough to dump them decades ago which, again, disqualifies him from being President of the U.S.
Posted by: Ron | Sep 26, 2008 8:07:29 PM
Obama has more of the kind of experience that matters than McCain does, and clearly has better Judgement.
Just look at the Iraq war... Obama called it a "dumb war" and urged congress to vote against it, but McCain voted with Bush for the war.
On the most important decision this decade, Obama was right and McCain was
wrong. Not sure what "experience" McCain has, except lots of experience being wrong.
Posted by: clifton | Sep 26, 2008 8:07:46 PM
Obama: Full of hot air and BS - taking credit where none is due and slinging mud at those who actually accomplish something.
Posted by: Soetoro_NEVER! | Sep 26, 2008 8:07:56 PM
McCain has all the experience but Obama has good judgment. McCain is more reactive while Obama is pro active.
McCain has shown that he is unstable both on the issues and temparament which he displayed in full mode this week. I dont want McCain as commander in chief.
Obama 08. Judgment over experience.
Posted by: Krista | Sep 26, 2008 8:09:25 PM
Rezko? Ayers? Wow, Ron knows 2 words!
Not sure what Rezko and Ayers did (and no no really cares), but I do know that McCain's friends include Bush and Cheyney, whose crimes include lying to the American people in order to start a war of lies that killed 4,178 Americans.
What again did Rezko and Ayers do? Did they kill 4,178 Americans?
Posted by: clifton | Sep 26, 2008 8:09:44 PM
Obama 08. Judgment over experience.\
-- Krista
The only experience McCain has is being stupid. His experience includes voting for the War in Iraq, and appointing Sarah Palin to succeed him.
Obama has both the experience, and the judgement, to be President. McCain has neither.
Posted by: clifton | Sep 26, 2008 8:11:43 PM
McCain will push for more of the same.
The same unnecessary war in Iraq.
The same economic policies that have led to the mess we're in how.
The same borrow and spend policies of the last 8 years.
One difference, McCain may well break out into his rendition of 'bomb bomb bomb Iran'
OBAMA!
Posted by: Gus | Sep 26, 2008 8:13:07 PM
Obama 08. The Common sense choice.
Posted by: keith | Sep 26, 2008 8:16:24 PM
McCain is already running ads about winning the debate. This is real arrogance.
Obama 08. Vote for good judgment.
Posted by: krista | Sep 26, 2008 8:17:41 PM
McCain wanted to chicken out of this debate because he couldnt debate Obama. Obama has shown superior judgment over McCain on a whole host of issues ranging from talking to Iran, Iraq, Surege in Afghanistan etc.
All the 6 former secretaries of state agree with Obama. This is what you call judgment.
Obama 08.
Posted by: keith | Sep 26, 2008 8:27:55 PM
Unfortunately McCain cannot lie on stage because he would be exposed by Obama.
Posted by: Krista | Sep 26, 2008 8:29:02 PM
I cannot trust McCain on judgement. He displayed a poor judgment in chosing the worst VP in history.
Posted by: keith | Sep 26, 2008 8:34:14 PM
The fruit of McCain's experience and judgment?
SARAH PALIN.
OBAMA = LEADER
McCAIN = LOSER
Posted by: Ed from MA | Sep 26, 2008 8:35:34 PM
My question to all of you support Senator Obama - what has he done to justify being CEO of the largest company in America? What has he ever managed?
Not being negative about him, but the above questions are very difficult to ignore
Posted by: bob hayers | Sep 26, 2008 8:36:56 PM
Bob Hayes
Obama has been an community organizer, illioise senator and a US senotor.
What has McCain done apart from grounding 5 planes and sinking a ship?
What did Bush do to deserve to become POTUS?
Posted by: keith | Sep 26, 2008 8:59:52 PM
If you've ever seen Senator Obama work with the most fragile of our country, you'd know why he's leading and won't look back.
Posted by: Yelfpmets | Sep 26, 2008 9:03:26 PM
Obama talks about the American people as people or families. McCain talks about the American people as workers.
McCain doesn't know what it's like to work for a living or to think about losing his only asset, his home. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and his wife is filthy rich. Are they worried about their future?
Posted by: rlbw | Sep 26, 2008 9:20:08 PM
McCain killed a corrupt Boing Aircraft Tanker contract and bureaucrats ended up in prison.
You can't get any tougher than that to prove you are a budget balancer.
Posted by: abcblogger | Sep 26, 2008 9:33:10 PM
Boeing
Posted by: abcblogger | Sep 26, 2008 9:33:48 PM
I liked McCain's response to Obama's harping on his early opposition to the war when McCain said that the decision facing the next president was not was it right to start the war but how to end it. Obama can't get out of the past on that subject.
Posted by: Charlie35 | Sep 26, 2008 9:53:58 PM
McCain keeps harping on the past. The past includes the big lie to the American people by the cowardly Bush jr who would not fight a war and who will not send his daughters.
Posted by: Stevew3 | Sep 26, 2008 10:03:57 PM
Wow that is rich. Sanctions against Iran. Didn't the republicans say this was a failed policy and why Iraq had WMD when it did not?
The same old lies, the same old big scares, the same old mcCarthyism.
Posted by: Stevew3 | Sep 26, 2008 10:06:55 PM
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