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Tuesday, October 7, 2008
The ‘must win’ debate winner
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Barack Obama came off the TelePrompTer and committed no major gaffe. Score one for Obama.
John McCain needed by words or performance to inspire confidence that he is the President America wants in time of crisis. On the whole, he succeeded — especially in the debate about whether Obama as President would respect the sovereignity of Pakistan and whether Obama is the green wet-behind-the-ears kid who would telegraph his intentions to friends and enemies alike as commander in chief.
The debate had no sparkling moment. McCain did exceptionally well in explaining his views on taxes and spending and in defending his health care proposals. Obama at one point referred to tax cuts as money that’s “out of the system.”
Obama insisted, too, that although he proposes $860 billion in new spending “actually I am cutting more than I am spending.” Unless in the new language of Washington a tax increase is a cut, the statement is an absurdity.
This debate was not a game changer. Obama’s strong suit is that bad economic news and a rough day on Wall Street hands him an issue, which he exploited well.
Conclusion: No real winner or loser. Few of the undecided likely heard anything to push them one way or another.
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