Who won? The post-debate verdicts are mostly nonsense.
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This was more than anything a "like" contest. Most who "liked" Obama going in, are persuaded that Obama won. Most who "liked" McCain going in, will advise that McCain won. That's the way many of us think, or rather do not think but make what we believe are rational decisions nonetheless. Actually what happened is that fans from either side came away claiming, "Well, I guess he told him!"
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I'm old enough to appreciate the Sgt Friday perspective: "Just the facts, Ma'am."
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I personally -- considering the obvious difference in their respective intelligence and good sense generally -- expected Obama to dice up McCain into little pieces. He didn't.
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Some of the issues: McCain wants to stay in Iran until "we win," i.e. perhaps forever. Obama wants to leave sooner, more or less, we guess. McCain doesn't seem to have a clear perspective on Afghanistan, whereas Obama wants to send in two more brigades (to actually accomplish what? when?). Both McCain and Obama joined the flag-wavers of Bushco in trashing Russian actions in Ossetia and Georgia in supreme ignorance or actually to gain votes from an electorate largely innocent of the history, geopolitics, traditions and ethnic relationships shared these players across the centuries. This area is intimately and supremely in Russia's sphere of interest, and to intrude here is not only stupid and unproductive, but to invite peril perhaps for humanity. Stop waving the flag here, guys, keener minds were not fooled.
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I am uncertain exactly what their differences were on the Wall St. bail out, both just sort of meandering around the issue. Obama did, however, miss the opportunity to point out that Senate Republicans earlier the same day blocked the smaller economic incentive bill that would have provided extended unemployment benefits, jobs creation for much needed infrastructure and other needed public benefits. Why?
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In summary, this debate cannot be counted on to produce any land swell of change in voter preference. Pity.
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