I do not think this freestyle works the best.

I also believe the moderator needs to be more on top of things when there is an out and out falsehood stated or one goes completely off target.

Was not impressed with format.

That said, Obama gave more facts and specifics, resorted much less to stump speech rhetoric than McCain.

Yeah, like this comment is even going to post...

I think Obama missed an opportunity tonight. He could have and should have gotten into McCain's face. And he chose not to. Maybe it's a rope-a-dope strategy, waiting for the last debate. But he's got to get McCain to blow his top.

Didn't do it tonight. Based on expectations (mine, at least), I'd have to give the not to McCain.

-- ARG

All Obama had to do tonight was tie - McCain was supposed to trounce him in foreign policy. Obama held his own and that was enough.

I would've like to see him slap McCain around but I think Obama's politeness and respect played better than McCain's sneers and "you don't understand." McCain came across as condescending and disrespectful, while Obama looked amused,calm and yes, cool, in the face of backhanded attacks.

Personality and body language count in these things and I think Obama looked more presidential.

McCain's argument was a sophistical--Socrates pointed this out well over 2,000 years ago--argument from authority. "Trust me." It's a basic logical fallacy taught in philosophy 101.

But, unfortunately, it can be a useful rhetorical device, whose force has been lessened for McCain when you look at his erratic behavior of the last couple of days.

It doesn't matter who won because McCain announced the winner this morning (Friday) in the Wall Street Journal. The paid ad shows McCain posing in front of the flag with a big grin and the words "McCain Wins Debate."

Chris Cillizza (Washington Post) took this screenshot of the premature ad.

I am experienced..you are a young, naive, whipper snapper who doesn't know what he is talking about..You aren't qualified to be president

That's what McCain wanted viewers to come away with. That was so obviously his standard he had to blurt it out several times so we'd be sure to get it

By that standard, he failed miserably

Obama didn't have to get in John "Wayne’s" face.

He totally called McCain out when he presented his own bracelet.
Cut the patriotic BS.

And oh by the way did you know he was a POW?

And basically John blew it with his attitude " Sonny, I've also been everywhere. NaNaNaNa nana

John McSame' answer to America's financial meltdown?

MORE TAX CUTS!!!! Scream out loud.

600 BILLION DOLLAR BAILOUT PLAN, 10+ BILLION DOLLARS A MONTH EXPENDITURE IN IRAQ,

But give tax cuts and make middle class workers accept program cuts.

I think Obama played this perfectly.

If he had scored too many "zings," then he would be accused (albeit in a subtle manner) of being uppity (press would use words like "combative" or "tense') or generally might have turned off certain independents who are looking primarily for tone and personality.

Instead, he pretty much matched McCain who really had the burden of proof given that he runs on the I-am-a-war-hero-with-experience ticket.

In fact, the "experience" factor has been off the table for a few weeks now, for good reason with Palin in the house representin', so I was shocked to hear McCain use this as his primary thesis for every response/argument.

I think we're going to see the analysis scrutinize McCain's game of chicken, ultimate turnout despite lack of congressional consensus, and inability to p0wn Obama.

How about the fact that McCain would not even look at Obama? Why is John McCain so cold that he won't even make eye contact with the person whom millions of Americans feel is ready to become POTUS. I mean Obama addressed John and tried to engage him eye to eye. Where I come from you talk to a person in the eye and Jim Lehrer asked them to talk to one another which I think was a stroke of genius by the way. If America is going to restore its legacy and live up to its greatest dreams which seems to be the hopes of both the left and the right, then you are going to have to be able to talk eye to eye with those you have differences with in order to find common ground. This is what Obama talks about and Reagan talks about when mentioning the US as a "Shinning City on a Hill" (Sorry about the Reagan reference)

The other thing that stood out to me was towards the end and I can not remember the specific question, but I believe John McCain said something to the effect "... we need to strengthen our interrogators so they don't torture ...." and after he finished Obama mentioned " ... I agree with John that we should not torture..." Maybe it is a stretch but did McCain just say during a debate that US interrogators under the Bush Admin "tortured" people in their custody?

I watched the very first televised debate between Nixon and Kennedy, and I have watched every debate since then. Marshall McLuhan was right--television is a cool medium--and the dialogue proceeds on sub verbal communications--body language--social language.

And in the original Nixon/Kennedy debate, a child like myself, who knew nothing about Cuba or the Soviet Union, could grasp that. My father focused on the substance--I saw that Nixon was uncomfortable in his own skin, sweaty, while Kennedy was confident and easy. He dominated Nixon.

We have watched Kerry and Gore and Dukakis lose the body language, animal magnetism debate, even when the substance of their responses was more thoughtful and articulate.

Tonite, Obama began somewhat off his pace, speaking too fast and too intently. McCain started by seeming comfortable in his own skin, but as time progressed, you could see his internal thermometer rising and falling--and it was scary. Jim Lehrer saw it too, and kept putting in the carbon rods--and McCain came across as a Nasty Old Man with a senile monomania.

Obama found his pace as time went on--but he still thinks he is in an actual debate. He lays out too many facts and details, not enough vision, values, and philosophy--he went there briefly--and so did McCain, but McCain likes to go there--He LIKES to talk about War and Honor and Love for soldiers--even when he dishonors himself with his blatant lies.

Overall, I think that McCain was a scary guy--scary like Humphrey Bogart in the witness chair in the Caine Mutiny.

I am wondering when we will see the McCain Mutiny?

I heard rather than
saw the debate -- dismissive
tone in McCain's voice.

http://thehaikudiaries.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/september-26-2008-11/

"league of Democracies thing?

Kind of sounds like "The League of Nations"
Then WW1 broke out,

Like many above, I think McCain's condescension and tag line ("doesn't understand") were problematic. I wasn't always watching closely, so I didn't realize that McCain never even looked at Obama--bad. By the second half, Obama was communicating well with his larger audience. Also, he seemed natural calling McCain "John," while McCain seemed distant with "Senator Obama"--can't call him by his first name? Why?

I don't think McCain's lengthy and numerous reminiscences from the Reagan years and before will resonate much with undecideds or under 40's-or anyone who has bad memories of a sadistic, burned-out old teacher in their past.

About tonight's debate, where was the vision that both repudiated the last 8 years and laid out a plan for the next 4?
'Leave Iraq, go to Afghanistan.'
Didn't John Kerry say that?
We need more from Obama.

In succumbing to the falsities of the surge's success and Russia being the lone belligerent in Georgia, Obama foolishly chose to play morbid war games with McCain.

Instead, Obama should have pounced on the litany of foreign policy disasters of the last 8 years and linked them to a void in global leadership that he will fill. He needed to put himself on ground he feels more passionate standing on: statecraft, not war-craft.

Perhaps... "It is naive to think that 19th century war games will make America safe in the 21st. They won't. When you're not respected, you get nothing done. That's why we're going to close down Guantanamo, stop waterboarding, and show the world that when our cities flood, we rescue people. We will build the world up, not break it even more."

I'm Barack Obama and I'm reporting for duty.

I think Obama was pressing McCain's buttons more than he let it show. I noticed that McCain kept referring in the 3rd person to "Senator Obama," but Obama kept addressing McCain as "John." I haven't tracked the candidates and their temperaments as much as some people here have, but I have the feeling this was a deliberate choice on Obama's part, and that it has something to do with the reasons McCain looked like he was going to blow a gasket for the first half.

Never looking at Obama , shows he can't face him, or was playing some "I regard you as unimportant" game, or he is just one of those brutishly rude men, like we've all heard he is, who should not be running a country in the kind of trouble we are in.

Actually, you are a stupid twit

"After the debate Obama could be heard telling McCain well done. McCain said nothing back. Obama walked straight to his wife. McCain walked to the crowd to wave. Obama and Michelle walked over to McCain and Cindy to shake their hands and say hello. McCain didn’t move an inch"

It was obvious McCain wanted to play the father disgusted with his child. the more this is dissected the more Obama comes out looking like a president, and McCain comes out looking like someone who repeats the same things forcefully over and over, but has nothing to show for it.

He also comes out looking a little psychologically damaged.

Crowley is a tool.

That is all.

Obama didn't do as well as I hoped he would. Apart from all the analysis, I just don't 'feel'
as good as I would like.

On another note, looking at the polls on the front page of TPM, it seems that not only has Obama regained the lead, but the lead is widening;
up to 4 or 5 % in a few.