George W. Bush billboard: “Miss me yet?”
3
Debate reaction
Consensus: McCain by a hair on substance, Obama wins on style.
This should have been the first debate. McCain was not great tonight, but he was good.
Barack Obama ought to be wiping the smirk he borrowed from Joe Biden off his face.
McCain won.
A very good night for John McCain overall. Obama had a chance to end the campaign tonight, but just the opposite happened. Obama was in the prevent defense mode, and McCain moved the ball a long way down the field.
McCain was much, much better than in previous debates, but I don’t know how much good it will do him. Obama had a few off moments, and some typically glaringly wrong statements — all of McCain’s advertising is negative? He’s never had any association with ACORN besides a lawsuit? And wasn’t the “kill him” yell at the rally referring to Ayers, not Obama? — but if the persuadables among the electorate decided they liked him better in recent weeks, I don’t know if they saw enough tonight to shake them.
McCain and Obama tied on points. Maybe McCain even won on points. Solid policy answers, tough policy attacks, solid command of the facts. The first and last thirty minutes were among McCain’s best .
But debates aren’t usually won on points. They’re won on valence and visuals. Emotions and body language.
McCain A-, Obama B
I want to bump uglies with Barack Obama (paraphrasing)
Grover Norquist:
Obama’s attack on free trade with Canada and Mexico puts him to the left of Clinton, Carter and FDR.
McCain fails, Obama is not rattled.
Rich Lowry:
Overall, McCain may have helped himself, but only marginally. He still has lots of ground to make up, and badly needs an Obama misstep in the weeks ahead.
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Dave B said:
Oct 16, 08 at 12:25 amMitt Romney put it best when he described what McCain did tonight. He said he “smoked him out” on most of the issues. That’s all he had to do tonight. He didn’t need a “knockout punch” like the MSM would have us believe because the race is a lot closer than it looks. The negative attacks on Obama must be working because the only ones telling us that they are having a negative effect on McCain’s campaign and with the American people are…. the liberal media, liberal pundits, liberals who are voting for Obama, and the Obama campaign. Seems to me if that were the case they might want to remain silent wouldn’t you think?