Comments on: The first debate verdict? A tie http://www.englandforobama.com/the-first-debate-verdict-a-tie Backing from across the Pond Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:38:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Andrea Mann http://www.englandforobama.com/the-first-debate-verdict-a-tie/comment-page-1#comment-636 Andrea Mann Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:58:58 +0000 http://www.englandforobama.com/?p=978#comment-636 I agree about the dynamic of "John's right"/"Obama doesn't understand" - together, as you say, they make a powerful hit. but that said, it also highlighted the negativity and antagonism of McCain versus the positivity and bipartisanship of Obama. and there was McCain, continually talking about how *he* was the one that 'reached across the floor'! Also agree on Obama's depth of knowledge. I never doubted that, but realise that many people will have been watching - *really* watching - him for the first time last night. And I think he passed the knowledgeability test with flying colours. On Iraq, he could have been more forceful about how it was about not making the same mistake again - and absolutely should have done so when McCain put him on the backfoot about this. He did say it, and probably more than once, but as with many of his other brilliant points, it was lost somehow in the language he couched it in. Indeed, he was making many brilliant, potentially hard-hitting points throughout the debate - just not in a sufficiently memorable, hard-hitting way. It would be great if he can improve on that for the next two debates. In short: I think he did great. As you say, all he really needed to do in this one was not be dealt a knockout blow. And while he may not have been tougher, or angrier, or made his points in a better way, ultimately he came across as *the better man* - which counts for an awful lot in the minds of the public, I think. I agree about the dynamic of “John’s right”/”Obama doesn’t understand” - together, as you say, they make a powerful hit. but that said, it also highlighted the negativity and antagonism of McCain versus the positivity and bipartisanship of Obama. and there was McCain, continually talking about how *he* was the one that ‘reached across the floor’!

Also agree on Obama’s depth of knowledge. I never doubted that, but realise that many people will have been watching - *really* watching - him for the first time last night. And I think he passed the knowledgeability test with flying colours.

On Iraq, he could have been more forceful about how it was about not making the same mistake again - and absolutely should have done so when McCain put him on the backfoot about this. He did say it, and probably more than once, but as with many of his other brilliant points, it was lost somehow in the language he couched it in. Indeed, he was making many brilliant, potentially hard-hitting points throughout the debate - just not in a sufficiently memorable, hard-hitting way. It would be great if he can improve on that for the next two debates.

In short: I think he did great. As you say, all he really needed to do in this one was not be dealt a knockout blow. And while he may not have been tougher, or angrier, or made his points in a better way, ultimately he came across as *the better man* - which counts for an awful lot in the minds of the public, I think.

]]> By: John http://www.englandforobama.com/the-first-debate-verdict-a-tie/comment-page-1#comment-633 John Sat, 27 Sep 2008 08:48:48 +0000 http://www.englandforobama.com/?p=978#comment-633 I agree with your verdict on this. It looked like a tie from my view. Obama took the initial part of the debate. It got even near the middle and McCain was stronger at the end (how much stronger is what is argued). I thought Obama shouldn't have said that McCain was right as much as he did. That played into the repeated condescending comments of "Obama doesn't seem to understand" from McCain making the compliments from Obama (in the spirit of diplomacy) one sided. For the McCain campaign that is god sent and they'll run with it. Obama had an impressive and dominating depth of knowledge in the economic crisis facing 'mainstreet', using this to show up the flaws on McCain's economic plan and one sided arguably ineffective tax cuts. However, you could say the same on McCain's experience on Iraq issues which he used to put Obama in the back foot. But if I were an Obama supporter I'd be pleased to see that my candidate didn't get dealt a knockout blow on an area (foreign policy) that he seemed to be less experienced in - which constituted 75% of the debates topic. This isn't what the McCain camp wanted. I agree with your verdict on this. It looked like a tie from my view. Obama took the initial part of the debate. It got even near the middle and McCain was stronger at the end (how much stronger is what is argued).

I thought Obama shouldn’t have said that McCain was right as much as he did. That played into the repeated condescending comments of “Obama doesn’t seem to understand” from McCain making the compliments from Obama (in the spirit of diplomacy) one sided. For the McCain campaign that is god sent and they’ll run with it.

Obama had an impressive and dominating depth of knowledge in the economic crisis facing ‘mainstreet’, using this to show up the flaws on McCain’s economic plan and one sided arguably ineffective tax cuts. However, you could say the same on McCain’s experience on Iraq issues which he used to put Obama in the back foot.

But if I were an Obama supporter I’d be pleased to see that my candidate didn’t get dealt a knockout blow on an area (foreign policy) that he seemed to be less experienced in - which constituted 75% of the debates topic. This isn’t what the McCain camp wanted.

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