Debate thread: (Btw, there's already a winner.)

[Boz]

Funny, I was just thinking that the "give him enough rope" tactic is exactly the advice Sarah Palin is getting right about now.

I don't think it will get much attention, but Henry Kissinger is more than a little peeved at Obama today. (as any fan of The Venture Brothers knows, you do not F*** with Henry Kissinger). ;D

[EasyEd]

I'd like to second Sir Saxa's comment that Jim Lehrer did an excellent job of MCing the debate. Even handed with no apparent bias. As for Gwen Ifill doing the VP debate, I think that was decided before Palin was picked.

[EasyEd]

All the post debate polls seem to agree that Obama won the debate (CBS: 39/25; CNN: 51/38; Insider: 42/41). The RCP head to head Presidential Polls shows Obama 47.9/43.6 or +4.3 for Obama. Supporting the RCP are Rasmussen 50/44 and Gallup 49/44.

What will be interesting is to see whether the Rasmussen/Gallup/RCP polling early next week reflects another bump for Obama or if the opposite takes place.

[strummer8526]

Sept 27, 2008 19:49:05 GMT -5 EasyEd said:

All the post debate polls seem to agree that Obama won the debate (CBS: 39/25; CNN: 51/38; Insider: 42/41). The RCP head to head Presidential Polls shows Obama 47.9/43.6 or +4.3 for Obama. Supporting the RCP are Rasmussen 50/44 and Gallup 49/44.

What will be interesting is to see whether the Rasmussen/Gallup/RCP polling early next week reflects another bump for Obama or if the opposite takes place.

Admittedly, I'm glad. But I'm a bit surprised. I thought McCain looked very strong. I didn't think that either of them did anything to sway a HUGE number of voters, but I would have thought that McCain picked up a slightly higher percentage. In a boxing analogy, Obama had some better right hooks here and there, but he also danced around a lot, whereas McCain seemed to throw consistently nice jabs. Obama needs to get his messages a bit more succinct, stay a bit more on topic, and really drive certain points home.

[jerseyhoya34]

Sept 27, 2008 19:49:05 GMT -5 EasyEd said:

All the post debate polls seem to agree that Obama won the debate (CBS: 39/25; CNN: 51/38; Insider: 42/41). The RCP head to head Presidential Polls shows Obama 47.9/43.6 or +4.3 for Obama. Supporting the RCP are Rasmussen 50/44 and Gallup 49/44.

What will be interesting is to see whether the Rasmussen/Gallup/RCP polling early next week reflects another bump for Obama or if the opposite takes place.

The million dollar question is whether the race is stabilizing right now with a 3-5% Obama lead. Today's Gallup has Obama ahead 50-42.

[EasyEd]

Rasmussen today has Obama 50-44. I believe the country's financial "crisis" has killed any chance McCain had of winning and I look for a blowout.

[jerseyhoya34]

Sept 27, 2008 19:30:59 GMT -5 EasyEd said:

I'd like to second Sir Saxa's comment that Jim Lehrer did an excellent job of MCing the debate. Even handed with no apparent bias. As for Gwen Ifill doing the VP debate, I think that was decided before Palin was picked.

I agree on the Lehrer point. I think the freer format may have favored Obama, but it was great from the point of view of having more give and take than the usual format where candidates talk past one another. It still happened, but to a lesser degree than it would have otherwise.

The Commission on Presidential Debates probably also deserves credit. There were no moments outside of the debate that stood out, like Dukakis walking up a ramp because he was so short, or other silliness that distracted from the issues at hand.

[AustinHoya03]

Sept 27, 2008 19:30:59 GMT -5 EasyEd said:

As for Gwen Ifill doing the VP debate, I think that was decided before Palin was picked.

Ifill worked the Cheney-Edwards debate last year and did a good job. It seems most likely that's why she's moderating this debate -- not because of her gender. I also think ed's right that the moderators were picked before the conventions.

[SirSaxa]

You guys were right about the moderators being chosen and assigned before the Veeps were nominated.

Moderators

I would guess Gwen Ifill got the Veep debate as the junior member of the team, the one with the least seniority.

Not sure how old the other guys are, but I would guess Jim Lehrer was considered to be the "dean" of the three, so he got the first one.

[StPetersburgHoya (Inactive)]

Sept 28, 2008 13:15:04 GMT -5 EasyEd said:

Rasmussen today has Obama 50-44. I believe the country's financial "crisis" has killed any chance McCain had of winning and I look for a blowout.

That coupled with McCain's campaign suspension being viewed as either ineffective or a stunt. I don't think it will be a blow out in the popular vote - Obama will win by 5%-7%, but that does some very big things to the electoral college (maybe pulling in Virginia or North Carolina) and that won't likely be close. The caveat is always that there is time left before election day and many things can happen between now and then. But it appears that McCain is running out of game-changing moments - when he manufactures them they are seen as stunts and he missed one in a tie on national security/foreign affairs.

Also, if McCain and Obama tied or Obama slightly won, the impact of that debate will be to shift the focus down the ticket on Thursday. If Palin fails to come across as having a grasp of the issues, then McCain could be in serious trouble.

[Boz]

Sept 26, 2008 21:01:39 GMT -5 Bando said:

It's a bracelet-off! May the best wristwear win!

(if I were in this debate, I'd be wearing a Wriststrong bracelet)

And who knew Bando was a psychic as well?

Seems to be what everyone wants to talk about today. I don't think it was one of Obama's better moments, but give me a break. Is that really what we want to focus on? Sheesh!

I don't know -- ;D -- pick one. I think they all apply.

(EDIT: By "everyone," I meant the media, not Hoyatalkers.)

[JohnJacquesLayup]

Did anyone else notice how seldom McCain looked Obama in the eyes? McCain rarely addressed Obama directly during the debate, and even right after the debate when Obama approached McCain with the "Good job John," McCain hardly looked up from the floor. I wouldn't have attributed the qualities with which lack of eye contact are normally associated with McCain. I thought it was strange, and I'm surprised it hasn't been talked about more.

[Boz]

Actually, I think you can delete the word "seldom," and insert the word "never."

But I don't think it was planned that way. Unlike the repetitions of "he doesn't understand," which was clearly a strategy to minimize or dismiss Obama - I don't think this falls in the same category; it's just his style. If you go back and watch the primary debates (and if you do, God help you), McCain rarely looked at his opponents on stage. He almost always looks straight ahead at the moderator or audience when answering a question.

[HoyaSinceBirth]

I have mixed feelings on the whole looking at each other thing. on the one hand i think it made obama look better since he took the directives of the moderator and looked at mccain and addressed him.

on the other hand I thought it was a kind of silly thing to expect the candidates to do since that's not how the debates had been done in the past and its like look at eachother don't look at the audience or all these cameras. Just pretend we're not here and talk to eachother. It's probably pretty difficult to do.

[JohnJacquesLayup]

I liked the style of actually addressing the opponent. It made it more clear that you were refuting the other's point, rather than just listening to what they say, and then stating your position after the other is finished.

[EasyEd]

The audience in these debates is the TV viewers so the debaters should look at the camera.