Debates 08

Your Lows' Blows author is back with another review, this time on the first Presidential Debate.

It was not as lively as I expected it to be, both Obama and McCain seemed a bit reserved, constrained.

If it was a war of sound bytes, which it usually is, then McCain came out slightly ahead; if it was a war of in depth national security views then Obama came out slightly ahead based on expectations.

Technically speaking you could tell Obama was coached well, he looked directly into the camera when speaking to the audience (you could not see the crowd at all), he looked at John McCain directly when debating him directly.
McCain rarely directed his attention away from the moderator when debating against Obama or talking to the voting public.
McCain's advisers will surely seek to improve his performance here; no one cares who the moderator is voting for.

In my view this debate was on John McCain's strengths, and he was predictably strong on many of the issues.
I felt going in expectations for Obama were not very high.
I believe even though Obama may not have won the overall sound byte war he more than held his own on policy, which in my view is a good result from this debate for him if the audience viewing was as close to as big as predicted.
Obama outperformed his expectations clearly.

Obama made a few mistakes that I predict will be used against him in the campaign rhetoric.
He stated McCain was right in an attempt to be gracious 5 times; McCain's campaign will use those bytes against him in coming ads.

Obama did not come away empty handed in the sound bytes war, however; he lashed out strongly, even waving his finger at McCain when addressing the Iraq War and McCain's original support and statements regarding it, it was a strong moment for a candidate who is accused of not having many.

McCain reminded people a little too often, another issue his campaign will very likely address, about his age and how long he has been around.
McCain referenced often things many viewers of this debate were not alive to witness.
It perhaps is not wise for him to remind people he would be the oldest president ever elected especially with the problems his running mate is having as of late.

McCain displayed his campaign's new line of attack by stating over and over that Obama was naive on military strategy and foreign affairs; they will be used by his campaign in ads alot I predict.
However, they will not hold up well if bytes are shown of Obama's seemingly well informed responses on nightly news shows.

McCain was predictably tough, feisty, pushed Obama hard on issues, controlled the room at times, never stated he agreed with Obama on any issue even if it was clear he did, dodged some questions clearly that he will have to answer in the coming debates.
Must stop using Iraq veterans and their families to deflect questions, or change subjects; I predict it is going to come back to 'byte' him politically (Obama nailed him once pretty well on it in this debate).
McCain was a bit too dismissive and condescending at times, I have already heard that come up some ten to fifteen times in the hour since the debate.
Overall McCain preformed strongly - he will get a bit traction after two very bad weeks politically.

Obama came off cerebral, predictably he was a bit on the defensive, battled back with well informed responses, was feisty at moments but not feisty enough overall, was too gracious at times which won't serve him politically.
Obama exceeded expectations in a debate that is not considered his strong suit.
Overall Obama performed well.

We will have wait to see how the debate fleshes out in the news cycles.
I predict both candidates will get some traction from this debate from different angles and in differing degrees.

McCain will get ad fodder; I can clearly see it coming: "Obama said John McCain was right 5 times! Even Obama thinks McCain is the right man to be president!"

Obama will get some traction from his strong moments and his overall appearance of being well informed in the debate; he has had two good political weeks with his mostly positive reviews on his involvement in the "bailout" discussions and McCain's mostly bad reviews that will likely carry him farther than his performance here this night; probably will get news show coverage of his sound bytes, but won't have as much ad fodder to use.