Local Belmont Debate Reactions
Posted on October 7, 2008 at 10:37 pmMy initial reaction, echoed by a Democratic friend, is that this was a “tie”. Now, in my personal estimation, Obama killed it, but in trying to get inside the mind of an “undecided” voter, I thought there were no blows landed by either candidate.
I’m a little behind, but just finished watching tonight’s debate on TiVo. I think you’ve got to score this one as a win for Senator Obama. Not a blowout by any stretch of the imagination, but still a win. His demeanor was calm, and while not particularly charismatic, he didn’t come across as unlikable or too professorial, I don’t think. Senator McCain, on the other hand, seemed antsy, and at times a little crabby. And on TV, he just looked old — that shouldn’t be an issue (at least, it wouldn’t be as big an issue if not for his VP pick), but it is one. Further, I did catch a little of the debate on the radio while I was out running an errand, and McCain managed to come across worse on radio than on TV.
Evidently, this seems to be the style of campaigning that McCain is more comfortable with. But this isn’t going to change any dynamics of the race. McCain didn’t do anything to really make the case against Obama to undecided voters (a demographic that I don’t think can possibly be that big anymore). It may be too late for McCain to make up any sort of ground.
That’s about two hours of my life I’ll never get back. Seriously. The deep sleep into which the candidates nearly forced me would have definitely been worth it. Nobody won, except perhaps the fact checkers, who will now enjoy a much deserved respite. Nothing to be fact checked; nothing new was said.
Slight edge McCain but it was only slight. I could see some will say Obama won but I think it would be like the Nixon/Kennedy debate and radio vs. TV viewers.
78 yr old woman asked the question of the night: How will you ask Americans to sacrifice?
Obama answered this, McCain did not. I want to hear more of this from ALL elected officials. America will gladly sacrifice, if you tell them how. Conserve, volunteer, live within your means.
Scoring this debate for Obama based on that answer alone. I promise this resonates with patriotic Americans.
Obama edged McCain in this portion of the debate, because foreign policy is again supposed to be John McCain’s forte, and the latter did not rise to the occasion and provide anything more than he did the first debate.
Obama wants to bleed us with a scalpal, not a hatchet. That way we won’t feel the cut until it’s too late.
Lee:
Tie goes to Obama, and this was a tie. In fact, if this were a football game, the score would be 3-3. A soccer match and the score would be double nil.
McCain stated he would have the government buy up the bad home loans and sell them back to the home owner at a reasonable price.
HELLO? Why didn’t anyone call him out of this blatant inconsistency? “The reformer” who wants government out of your lives wants you to sign your house over to the government to fix it? Fine. But don’t tell me I can’t trust the government to run health care when you’re telling me to sign the deed of my home over to the government!
But from inside the Curb Event Center, there was an audience that was unafraid to react to candidates’ responses, or their lack thereof – something that didn’t always show up on camera.
In addition to the chuckles moderator Tom Brokaw drew when he repeatedly addressed time constraints on candidate responses, reactions from audience members ranged from holding head in hands to chuckling at candidates’ responses and squabbles.
McCain lost.
Not on points, or positions, or plans. He lost by the fact that Town Halls are Mac’s forte and he didn’t hit a home run. He stumbled over his words, got too close to the audience, and kept saying the same buzz words. And he proposed nationalizing mortgage loans, or that’s the way it came off.
This is the third debate of the general election season and the Democratic nominee once again seemed more in touch with the average non-partisan middle class voter than the Republican. Obama talked about health care while McCain talked about pork. Obama talked about Afghanistan while McCain talked about Iraq. Obama was able to explain his domestic policies while McCain simply asked us to trust him to enact policies that he didn’t seem to understand.
NEITHER ONE OF THESE GUYS IS REALLY ON HIS GAME, but Obama, for all his uhs and ahs, is looking like he’s having fun. McCain looks like he’s already bored with the whole thing. Hey, McCain, you asked for ten of these.
Another debate that ended in something of a draw is over. Neither candidate has developed a line of attack that so characterizes the other one that it sticks. Attacking, of course, isn’t the point. The vision of where the country needs to go is what matters. The embodiment of change vs. a record of reform.
Did anyone notice that social issues were off the table? Nothing about marriage or abortion
SEE ALSO: The polls
Comments
One Responses to “Local Belmont Debate Reactions”
Thank God we didn’t have time wasted with questions on marriage and abortion. There’s no way that either matters as much to most Americans right now as the economy.