First Debate Overview
Posted by Adam Graham in : Presidential Race 2008I just finished watching the debate. I wasn’t able to watch it last night. Here are my thoughts.
McCain won, but Obama wasn’t too bad. There were no major gaffes and no standout moments that we’ll remember. Contrary to popular opinion, not every debate has a stand out moment that stays with us forever. Some conservatives are trying to build Senator Obama looking down at his wrist to remember the name of the soldiers whose bracelet he was wearing as a stand out moment, but I’m not buying it.
It was a moment that suggested Obama needed to look at the bracelet to remember the name, while Senator McCain did not. As Senator McCain once had his name on a bracelet (worn by Bob Dole no less), he was far more likely to remember while Obama simply didn’t have the same level of understanding. Given that this was not highlighted by the media, the odds of it becoming, “George Bush looking at his watch” are slim to none.
Perhaps, it will be Saturday Night Live that defines what this debate was about. After all, we remember Al Gore sighing because of SNL’s parodies of it.
What McCain needs is a game changer. Right now, the election is focused on the economic uncertainty and the Wall Street mess. Unfair or not, it’s being blamed on Republicans and by extension Senator McCain. As much as he’s bucked the party in his time in the Senate, America is still making judgments based on the party in power and the scariness of this situation. McCain did himself good last night, but he didn’t get his game changer.
Comment by Bubblehead
I thought Sen. McCain needed to do a better job of nailing down Sen. Obama’s flip on what to do about Al Qaeda in Pakistan; he should have had some of Sen. Obama’s old quotes available to throw in his face when Sen. Obama tried to claim that he hasn’t been that bellicose about attacking inside Pakistan, consequences be darned.
Comment by Adam Graham
I think that’s relevant, but it’s like a hundred things that people wish they would have brought up. It’s a tough format to take people through haven’t been following it. When I search my memory banks, the memorable parts of the debates have never been about issues, though. It’s been about moments that suggested strength, weakness, arrogance, or disconnectedness.