Presidential Debate 10/15/2008: Who Won?

Obama was calm and succinct while McCain was impassioned and aggressive.  ((Photo courtesy of DaveHogg.  Photo editing, all me!)) Impassioned and aggressive  are not bad qualities – but they are less ideal during a debate.  Ultimately, Obama came out slightly ahead in the debate because he held his own and didn’t make any big blunders (I love that video!).

How about those predictions, huh?

• McCain came out swinging for the fences.  He was interrupted Obama and brought up specific grievances with Obama’s past and campaign.  Heck, McCain even interrupted and corrected the moderator!
• McCain was clearly passionate about his positions.
• McCain looked directly at Obama as he challenged and questioned him.
• Obama had witty retorts handy for most of McCain’s challenges.  At least once he actually chuckled during McCain’s monologues.
• Obama ignored many of McCain’s direct attacks, not making eye contact during most of these challenges.
• Obama responded to attacks, but didn’t counter-attack.

Not surprising, given the latest headlines:

• Obama compared McCain to Bush.  Shocking!
• McCain brought up Bill Ayers, ACORN, and Lewis.  Shocking!

What I could not have predicted:

• “Joe the plumber.”  No one except foreign dictators has ever enjoyed as much mention during a presidential debate as Mr. Joe Wurzelbacher.
• McCain said Palin’s baby has Autism.  He should know her newborn son has Down’s Syndrome.
• Obama dumbed down his language.  Obama, you went to Harvard.  HARVARD.  Pronounce the goddamn G’s.  Don’t say,” workin’ ” say, “working.”
• Obama wore an ugly tie.  There I said it.  It could have been my TV, but that was an ugly tie.
• McCain’s eyes and tounge???  Palin was winking and McCain was blinking.  I can ignore the blinking, but why was he sticking out his tounge?
• Obama and McCain are both lefties!  I didn’t know that.
• Obama would be the one wearing a flag pin while McCain didn’t.
• “Troops to Teachers.”  McCain wants to remove tests and qualifiying exams for former members of the armed forces who want to be teachers?  Um – why?
• A man would name his newborn “Sarah McCain Palin.”  He put the name on the birth certificate without without telling his wife.

And, a very special thank you goes to Bob Schieffer.  Moderators are there to keep the candidates on topic.  If you can’t reign in the candidates, you have no business sitting between them.  I’m looking at you Tom Brokaw.