[excon]

Hello:

I think McCain kicked Obama's butt. You? Obama looked so ineffectual. He kept meekly raising his hand, like the defendants do on Judge Judy. It was a sorry performance. He's not a fighter.

excon

[JudyKayTee]

Hello:

I think McCain kicked Obama's butt. You? Obama looked so ineffectual. He kept meekly raising his hand, like the defendants do on Judge Judy. It was a sorry performance. He's not a fighter.

excon

I never post on the political boards, ever.

That being said - I thought Obama sounded like he was part of a high school debating team, very rehearsed, quoting lines (at best). When he didn't have a rehearsed line he seemed lost.

He seems to be an excellent speaker but lost without a script and/or cue cards.

[Galveston1]

I expect as replies come in, we will see that everyone has their own take on the debate.

It reminds me of the story about the guy in the shrink's office. The doc showes him several of those ink blot things, and the patient makes the same comment about each one. "That's a couple making love." Then the doctor tells him he is obsessed with sex, to which the patient indignantly replies, "Why do you say that? You'r the one with all the dirty pictures!"

[inthebox]

Saw the first 10- 15 minutes of it - then got bored

Usual Obama eloquence and script but nothing new or inspiring.

I thought McCain should have went after Obama [ Fraklin Raines and Jim Johnson advisors to Obama ] and congress for its role in the wallstreet mess,

OpenSecrets | Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Bailed Out After Buying In - Capital Eye

Went after Bush for spending [ medicare D for example ]

OpenSecrets | Pharma to John McCain: Stop Being a Pill - Capital Eye

But the line I will remember is :


" I have a bracelet too"

[Wondergirl]

I think Obama came off respectful (maybe too much, but there are two debates to go) and patient and forward-thinking, and McCain came off like a befuddled old geezer stuck in his past who was trying to show off his sparkling ivories.

Advantage to Obama.

[Galveston1]

Obama frowned a lot. Looked kind of angry sometimes.

[Wondergirl]

Obama frowned a lot. Looked kinda angry sometimes.

Not angry, just disappointed that McCain wouldn't even look at him and make eye contact (If McCain can't turn his head after his horrible POW experiences, then he could have at least turned his whole body 45 degrees). And frowning because Obama has such respect for that elderly war hero that he didn't want to seem to diss him by being confrontational.

[Galveston1]

Not angry, just disappointed that McCain wouldn't even look at him and make eye contact (If McCain can't turn his head after his horrible POW experiences, then he could have at least turned his whole body 45 degrees). And frowning because Obama has such respect for that elderly war hero that he didn't want to seem to diss him by being confrontational.

Did you miss the part where Lerher told Obama to look at McCain? They both ignored that and looked at the audience instead.

[BABRAM]

After a week of McCain fiasco's, not knowing if he'd show up are not, I thought the debate was great. I would had liked for McCain to had been mature enough to address Obama, facing him, like Jim Lehrer requested. Had I been his campaign handler I certainly would had coached McCain to confront his opponent, not look like a child pouting. It was good to see Obama confident by facing McCain on several occasions. Barack even tried to get his attention saying "John" several times. But anyway, I did like the dynamics of each presenting some of their traditional party positions. Afterwards I was really surprised to hear Republicans on the FOX network saying Obama did a good job and then the Dems on MSNBC say they thought McCain did a good job. Weird! It was like watching an episode of the Twilight Zone. Now not to put a lot of stock into poll analysis, especially when it comes to debates, however, most polls that I've came across show that the public thinks Obama won the debate by a fairly large margin, or narrowly. That's not good for the McCain camp since foreign and military affairs was supposed to his strong subject.


Poll results for first presidential debate (with update of independent voter poll): Obama wins

By George Harris, Kansas City Star Readers Advisory Panel 2008

Who won the debate?

"Ignore all commentators' opinions expressed without evidence. The winner is determined by the numbers, especially the votes of the undecided. Here are some preliminary answers:

CBS Insta Poll shows Barack Obama won 39% to John McCain's 25% with 36% saying the debate was a draw.

Insider Advantage reports of those polled Obama won 42% to McCain's 41% with Undecided 17%

CNN reports voter opinions that Obama "did better" 51%, McCain "did better" 38%

The CNN poll showed men were evenly split, but women gave Obama higher marks 59% to 41% for McCain.

The CNN pollster noted a slight Democratic bias in the survey. Well, there just are more Democrats in the country. So more Democrats watched. However, this may also suggest Democratic enthusiasm which will help turn out the vote.

The MSNBC on-line (non-scientific) poll showed Obama winning the debate 52% to 33%. (But this is what one would expect from such a poll at MSNBC because of the nature of its viewers.)

MediaCurves.com reported Independents favored Obama overall 61% to 38%. (I do not know this organization or know how it conducts polls, so take results with a couple of grains of salt.)

Some free analysis: As I noted on this site during and after the debate, McCain appeared angry and dismissive of Obama and generally impressed as someone who would slap colleagues across the aisle if reaching over to them. He said several times in the debate that he hasn't won the Miss Congeniality contest in the Senate, and he proved why during the debate.

I suspect that women voters especially would be turned off by McCain's sarcastic tone because women do tend to be the conciliators in our society and saw Obama display those conciliatory qualities very well in the debate. Obama looked at McCain, and McCain wouldn't return the eye contact but rather glared or displayed a tight and angry expression.

I also suspect (but don't have the data to support) that older voters were also turned off by Senator McNasty. I believe older voters will also be reassured that, though McCain has been around longer, Obama has a good grasp of foreign affairs and can learn quickly. He impressed as a statesmen, in marked contrast to McCain's warrior demeanor.

McCain referred to Obama as naive or as not understanding on many issues when the listener probably saw a mere difference of opinion. McCain's condescension felt annoying; to the listener who might agree or disagree with Obama, Obama nevertheless was making good points, not naive ones.

In general, I think the country is tired of negativity, and McCain's performance didn't give anyone the impression that age has mellowed him. In fact, he seemed rather proud of his continuing bellicose manner. The country seems ready for a change from the "fighting as first choice crowd."

Watch for new polls over the next week. Things can shift for a variety of reasons as people reflect on the debate."

[tomder55]

This is a C/P from my reply to a posting about the debate on the Politics Board.

McCain was speaking to the audience that's why he did not look at Obama. Both candidates need to be coached in controlling their facial expressions.

I liked to format of the debate and the liberal free and open exchange of most of the debate.

I thought McCain showed his expertise in foreign experience and Obama failed to do what he was attempting which was to link McCain to the Bush Administration.Obama sounded like a law professor, very well versed in book knowledge, and McCain sounded like a President. Obama talked over and over about ideas and thoughts and proposals. McCain talked about what he had done, legislation he passed, and leadership actions he had done.

Here is the key ;look at the transcript or listen to it again and see how often McCain was able to point out Obama's inexperience and how often Obama said the he agrees with McCain or says McCain was right .(I've got a bracelet too......he actually had to check & see what the name was.)
Every topic in foreign policy McCain was able to say he had been there and met with a foreign leader. Obama's trying to use Kissinger against McCain was deflected nicely and reinforced McCain's point. Kissinger has responded to Obama.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalra...heck-kiss.html

McCain did a good job mentioning that Obama never convened the sub-committee that he supposedly led.

I thought the first part about the financial crisis Jim Lehrer won. Both candidates deflected the basic point that Lehrer was trying to make ;that neither know how the crisis will affect their future plans but both candidates will most likely have to scale back their tax cut ideas and Obama at least will be restrained in introducing his ambitious ideas about expanding the government . This solution being contemplated expands government to a degree no rational freedom loving person contemplates.

I wish there was time to discuss issues in the Western Hemisphere .That may be the biggest foreign policy challenge of the next administration.

[BABRAM]

Tom, McCain's not stable enough for the leadership role of our nation. I'll do the critical thinking here, thank you.

1) Just last week Henry A. "Republican" Kissinger said...

" while he broadly agrees on the need to negotiate with Iran, he "preferred doing it at the secretary of state level.""

So Kissinger said he would negotiate as Secretary of State with Iran, but not as President. What the hell is that? Is Kissinger suddenly senile or does McCain think that the Secretary of State doesn't represent the United States nor is accountable to the President?


2) Why didn't McCain respect Jim Lehrer's request to face his opponent?? BTW Obama eventually did, and did so consistently as the debate went on. McCain claimed last night that he hears well, so I have no doubt he understood the moderator. I know the answer! His campaign handlers have no control over "John Sidney McCain" being that he's determined to do what he wants to do. It's becoming obvious. Like a last minute off the wall VP pick! Like originally thinking he'd dodge a debate that's been slated for months! Like not addressing the opponent as the moderator asked him to do twice! McCain sees himself as a maverick, however myself, like many others after witnessing him play hide and seek in Washington DC days ago (and after last night's Mississippi debate), recognize his stunts as nothing more than self gratification and rebellious. Our country has already stomached enough stubbornness in one drugstore cowboy. That's not what this country needs again.

[Wondergirl]

McCain was speaking to the audience that's why he did not look at Obama.

This was a debate, not a town hall meeting and not a convention. In a debate, one is supposed to focus on one's opponent in order to gauge his body language, his facial expressions, his body movements, his gestures, and react accordingly as one out-debates him. If he won't look at you, you look at him. If he wears a silly smirk, you frown. If he becomes apoplectic, you stay calm.

[JoeCanada76]

McCain,

[Choux]

BLACK MEN who run for public office cannot appear to be angry or hostile!

My answer from another board;

I had a hard time evalulating the debate because each debater had opposite debating styles.

McCain was about technique, not substance... and appealing to his base and white people all the while giving short, slogan like answers from campaign speeches that appeal to people who are less educated. His talk was more geared to twentieth century type knee-jerk thinking and not twenty first century problem solving which may create anxiety in some areas of the populace.

Obama was more cool and professorial... he was handicapped because being black, he cannot appear to be angry or too challenging to an old white man -specially a hero, or he will risk a backlash from some white voters. That calm cool manner is part of his strategy not to offput shakey whites.

McCain had a strategy of not looking at Obama; just looking ahead and doing his talking points. That may have backfired a little on him as he came across mean and rude.

All in all, McCain was a candidate for the past ----Obama for the future. However, despite the financial disaster we face, some voters want the comfort of outmoded ideas, simple ideas instead of the risk of *change*... which is what Obama is about.

I thought McCain won the debate from sheer forcefullness but not much content. I imagine that was his intent.

Today, some of the pundits saw it as a draw or a slight Obama win.

I think if Obama were a white man, he would be leading McCain by 15 points and have a landslide in the NOvember election. Such is how virulent American racism is.
__________________
__________________
Choux

[JoeCanada76]

Why does it always come down to racism??

Even if Obama was white, It would be a mistake.. Change, Change for the worse maybe...

Although you can not get much worse then Bush...

[BABRAM]

Choux- Good points.

Jesushelper76- Geezus... that's very poor logic considering the status of our economy, the fact we've lost respect as a nation world wide, and John McCain represents ninety percent of the ideologies of one George Bush.

[JoeCanada76]

Not my economy, but the super power is being humbled is it not?

[BABRAM]

Do you vote?

[JoeCanada76]

Yes I do.. but as of right now I can not vote in america.

[Choux]

Bobby,

McCain is bearing a strong resemblance to the fictional Captain Queeg... the angry outbursts, the erratic behavior, the rigidity...

He is Bush the Third and due to his temperament and age.. not suited to be President, in my opinion.