Thoughts on last night's debate
Saturday, September 27, 2008
When I watched the debate last night, I thought it ended in a draw. This is much better news for Obama than it is for McCain, though, because Obama is leading right now. If the race doesn't change, Obama's gonna win.
Both candidates had a substantive grasp of the issues raised, and neither one really forced the other to do anything they might regret.
However, when I read Mark Halperin's report card this morning, it made me see the result in a slightly larger context. I think in the long run (over the next 4 weeks) this debate will help Obama a lot more than it helps McCain because Obama was able to reinforce his overarching narrative of "Obama=change and McCain=more of the same". Over and over Obama was able to say how McCain was tied to the failed conservative policies of the past several decades. McCain, however, was unable to make his case that "McCain=country first and Obama=Obama first". And McCain has no one but himself to blame. When you choose to hang your hat on a superficial personal attack, it makes it pretty hard to argue your point when you're actually face to face with your opponent.
This was Obama's best moment:
Both candidates had a substantive grasp of the issues raised, and neither one really forced the other to do anything they might regret.
However, when I read Mark Halperin's report card this morning, it made me see the result in a slightly larger context. I think in the long run (over the next 4 weeks) this debate will help Obama a lot more than it helps McCain because Obama was able to reinforce his overarching narrative of "Obama=change and McCain=more of the same". Over and over Obama was able to say how McCain was tied to the failed conservative policies of the past several decades. McCain, however, was unable to make his case that "McCain=country first and Obama=Obama first". And McCain has no one but himself to blame. When you choose to hang your hat on a superficial personal attack, it makes it pretty hard to argue your point when you're actually face to face with your opponent.
This was Obama's best moment:
1 Comments:
I found it absolutely painful to watch. I want Obama to win so badle that if he loses I will truly have lost all faith in the people of our country. I think however that many will see McCain as the winner. He constantly reinforced how often he has met with the leasders of and been to war torn countries. There are people here in America that just want that "experience" over Obama's "nievete". McCain got in a lot of zingers that will become media fodder for certain "Obama just does not understand". I don't think the American people realize what it would mean to have taxed health care. I think the Democratic party and Obama need to step it up somehow. I'm in his corner but I don't know if he won the debate.
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