Friday, September 26, 2008

Well, it's over...

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

OK - who won?

Please use the comments to point out your favourite high and low points.

Full transcript here.

Comments (14)

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I thought that when McCain said when he would put a spending freeze on everything except for the DoD, VA, and entitlements ... I was scared.
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I think Jim Lehrer won.
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Michigandem's avatar

Michigandem · 859 weeks ago

Obama held his own, consider he doesn't lose badly in McCain's strongest front, he did well
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1 reply · active 859 weeks ago
NicasioKid's avatar

NicasioKid · 859 weeks ago

My sentiments exactly. And I think Obama excelled at reaching out to undecideds, while McCain was speaking more to base.
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I thought Obama gave away a few good opportunities to really hammer McCain on our ignorance of the Afghan problem. But overall he certainly held his own and has a great argument for being a better decision-maker than McCain.
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I think Senator Obama needed to do a little bit better in controlling the conversation, but I am quite happy to have the foreign policy debate be focus on Iraq versus focus on the rest of the world. I think Senator Obama passed the "could he be commander in chief" test. Bottom line, McCain may have avoided the implosion but this does not change the trends when the bailout returns to top story on Saturday.
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I agree with Joe, Jim Lehrer won. Both candidates kept evading the questions, particularly the one on how to make up for the extra $700 billion about to be spent now.
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Weirdest moment: when McCain said Pakistanis were intermarrying with al Qaeda and the Taliban, as if al Qaeda was an ethnicity and it was miscegenation or something. I think it was probably just one of those things that came out wrong, but as it turned out it was bizarre.
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I think they both did well. Obama seemed a little stronger, but I didn't see a "winner", just agreements and disagreements. They both stumbled out of the box -- which made Obama look a bit worse only in that he went first. It evened up pretty quickly, and Obama did much better at being on task. Vicious camera angle at one point showed Obama talking at McCain and McCain staring off into space. I don't think much will change from this debate; Thursday and then the domestic debate will do more to influence.

(McCain suddenly reminds me of Nixon: very worldly, foreign policy ideas out the wazoo, but looking out-of-touch running against someone who wants to be more a domestic President.)
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Actually, McCain said lots of things but much of it was nonsense. Obama was ever the patient gentleman; he didn't fall into the trap of saying "don't say I don't understand something you incompetent idiot".

Deportment, command of the facts, poise: all Obama's way, and the polls seem to show that.
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uplandpoet's avatar

uplandpoet · 859 weeks ago

considering the sad fact that many americans are still scared to vote for obama, the results of the overnight nationwide poll of viewers is reassuring. people said both men were qualified to be president, that is a win for obama. yes obama missed a few chances, but i think he knows he is already ahead in the early rounds and to look angry, condescending or bullying would have made mccain more sympathetic and scared off white folks. he won strongly with WOMEN!
So a good solid win to obama on points, look to see him pull away on the last two debates.
still saying: 53=47 and 300 plus evs!
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uplandpoet's avatar

uplandpoet · 859 weeks ago

from CNN:
More than two-thirds of debate watchers agreed that both McCain and Obama would be able to handle the job of president if elected.

National security has been an issue where McCain has held an advantage, but his four percent edge over Obama -- 49 to 45 percent -- on the question of which candidate would best handle terrorism is within the poll's 4.5 percent margin of error. Watch candidates discuss likelihood of another 9/11 »

The economy, which has been Obama's terrain this cycle, dominated the first half of the debate. Debate watchers gave him a 21 percentage point edge -- 58 to 37 percent -- on the question of which candidate would do a better job handling the economy.

By a similar margin, those polled said Obama would be better able to deal with the current financial crisis facing the nation.
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