McCain vs Obama, Round One
I almost didn't watch the Obama/McCain debate last night, I mean, my mind is already made up...and it's nerve wracking, almost like watching your kid in the school play and you dread them making a mistake.
But I did watch and I thought my kid did fine...he passed the "Commander in Chief" test with flying colors.
I give him a large edge on the economy and thought he held his own on national security, which is supposed to be McCain's turf. Obama wasn't blown off the field...he more than held his own. He came off appearing smart and thoughtful. Smart and thoughtful is a very powerful combination right now.
CNN's early poll had Obama winning 51 percent - 38 percent. CBS has Obama winning 39 percent - 25 percent. Even Fox news gave it to Obama - “FOX News Focus Group: Obama Wins Debate“...can this be believed?
At times McCain looked close to losing his cool. He took too many personal shots, was rambling, and repetitive...I personally couldn't stand his tight, angry little smiles as he listened to Obama's answers...or how he refused to look at him. He never once looked Obama in the eye.
Obama addressed McCain directly...looking right at him. McCain attacked Obama all night and never had the balls to say it to his face. That type of complete contempt may play well with his base, but not with undecided voters. CNN had a roomful of voters twist a knob to show approval or disapproval at what the candidates said. The reaction line for independents sagged way down every time McCain attacked Obama.
I thought McCain's repeated line "he doesn't understand" completely backfired. It's obvious that Obama DOES understand.
And the Kissinger thing. CNN recently held a forum of five former Secretaries of State, spanning both Republican and Democratic administrations. All of them, Kissinger included, said their best advice to the next US president would be to get his administration to start direct negotiations with Iran.
From CNN transcripts (a video clip):
"HENRY KISSINGER, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: I am in favor of negotiating with Iran. And one utility of negotiations is to put before Iran our vision of a Middle East, of a stable Middle East and our notion of nuclear proliferation at a high enough level so that they have to study it -- "
"HENRY KISSINGER, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: I am in favor of negotiating with Iran. And one utility of negotiations is to put before Iran our vision of a Middle East, of a stable Middle East and our notion of nuclear proliferation at a high enough level so that they have to study it -- "
Of course, after the debate, Kissinger, a supporter of McCain, released a statement which said: "Senator McCain is right I would not recommend the next president of the United States engage in talks with Iran at the presidential level...."
Semantics again.
Anyway, I was pleased that Obama was calm, intelligent, and focused, that he treated McCain with respect, while disagreeing with him clearly and crisply on the issues; that he was aggressive on correcting the record when McCain went for the talking points.
But sometimes I thought Obama let opportunities to attack go by. But who am I to judge? He seems to know what he's doing. Sometimes you don't know he's winning until after the fact.
In the end, no matter what they said or how they said it, the questions should be -- Who's got the right stuff to be the next president? Who will bring some change and oversight? Who will listen to intelligent advisors? Who will listen to dissenting opinion?
Only Obama.
One gets the sense from watching McCain, that his temper is barely held in check, that if Ahmewhateverjad ever said anything about President McCain's mama...we'd be at war.
Ah well, Obama is past the greatest danger point for him in the debates. It should be the economy, stupid, from this point on...which is not McCain's strong point.
And next, it will truly get weird -- Palin. After the reviews of The Katy Couric Fiasco, she is probably cramming night and day. TV pundits say her handlers have ruined her self-confidence. When she's on the stage next to Biden, will we see her melt down under the pressure...just babbling disconnected talking points?
Get ready to look away.
