The debate...

[annieM 2]

I think that McCain won. He was wise, informed and knew his foreign policy. Obama was a big mouth, slogan slinging INTERRUPTING idiot. Anyone with me? Jack?

[stevegoad 32]

I think that McCain won. He was wise, informed and knew his foreign policy. Obama was a big mouth, slogan slinging INTERRUPTING idiot. Anyone with me? Jack?

This is a critique that could have been written before the debate - you already had in your mind that McCain would win, and that Obama would lose.

The debate I saw was basically one of the more boring debates. No one was an informed political guru. No one was a "slogan slinging" idiot." It was in general a tie.

Now people who get their whole understanding of the news from Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh will certainly agree with you, since their only reason to watch the debate is to find some small talking point to blow way out of context.

But people who watch with an open mind might want to see more.

My opinion... a tie. Maybe the vice presidential debates will be more interesting (I have always wanted to see a debate between a hot-tempered politician and a pentecostal moose hunter. Blood will surely flow on Thursday night!) :bolt:

[JamieNP 20]

Obama sure did agree with McCain a lot. Obama is a good speaker, but he seemed as though he was giving a prepared speech (this seemed to get better as the debate went on). Remember, the questions were not given to the speakers before. McCain took information from the question...like the example from Eisenhower... to help support his answer. And McCain appeared as though he was actually answering the questions, instead of giving a speech.

Obama looked tired and had dark circles under his eyes (I have met him in person and he is a handsome man, but looks older in person).

McCain looked better than usual last night, which was surprising since this week has been kind of crazy.

[audreym 0]

I think Obama definitely won - and I am a Republican!!! Sen McCain is a great hero but he appeared to make three fatal errors in my humble opinion -

1. Inability to stay on topic - several times the subject he finished his answer/speech on was not even closely related to the topic he started on.

2. "W" speech philosophy - if you repeat something often enough and with enough conviction - even you will start to believe it!

3. Appearing "old and out of touch" - phrases like "I remember when.., that reminds of ...., back in the day when I was ....". A lot of his answers/stories came across as the "back in my day we had to walk 6 miles to school - uphill both ways - in three feet of snow with no shoes - ...

Just my opinion..

[JaimeSTL 4]

I didn't get to watch the entire thing, but from what I saw, I thought that McCain evaded most of the questions and I didn't see what the commentators meant about "strong debater." He sounded like an echo of Bush in 2000 and 2004.

[Manatee 3]

Unless you're in one of about a half-dozen battleground states, it doesn't matter what you think of the debate. Your state and the associated electoral votes are already locked into one candidate's column or the other.

[clusk 0]

The Drudge poll is very conservative. Conservative populate his polls. The group of independents on FOX new last night gave it to Obama. The over night polls are coming in giving it to Obama. I think both men did well. I admit I am an Obama fan. Last night McCain needed to hit it out of the park to slow donw Obama's momentum. That did not happen.

[luluc 6]

neither of them "won" the debate, and i bet those who are undecided are STILL undecided.

i think the VP debate will be much more entertaining & enlightening...., that one will help those on the fence more than last nights debate.

[MacMadame 81]

I didn't watch the debates because I don't think they tell you anything useful. I don't care if the guy running the country can "act presidential" in front of the cameras. I want to know who he's going to pick for his Cabinet, appoint as Supreme Court justices and what legislation he's going to help get passed and/or veto. The debates don't really tell you that any better than reading their campaign platforms and studying their records and, in some ways, they are the worst way to get that kind of info.

[gadgetlady 4]

I'm a McCain supporter and, sadly, I don't think McCain did very well. I think Obama looked a lot more polished (of course, he's been prepping for a long time!). I still didn't agree with anything Obama said, but to those on his side of the fence, or leaning that way, or uninformed about the issues, or confused as to what socialism is, he made what he said look and sound pretty.

[plain 12]

Agree with stevegoad. I don't think anybody for either candidate will change their vote. The debate was kind of a letdown, IMO......Gee, the two of them moving closer and closer to the political middle as the race tightens up....who'd of thunk it?!?