Debate Analysis: My Candidate Did Great!

Could you believe it? A slam-dunk, right?

I haven't seen a beat-down like that since Bentsen vs. Quayle. It wasn't even close! It's over. There's no way the Other Guy can bounce back from a humiliating defeat like that.

My Guy was so presidential. You could really see him sitting in the Oval Office. The Other Guy had nothing to offer besides that smug and superior attitude. What gives him the right to act like that? I mean, we all know his story (and, hey, I give the Other Guy credit for everything he's had to overcome) but still, that doesn't automatically entitle you to be president.

I knew the Other Guy was going down when he wouldn't say clearly whether he supports a federal bail-out of the financial markets or not. It's a yes-or-no question! You know, the Other Guy acts like he's so different but he's a double-talking run-of-the-mill politician just like the rest of them.

Were you watching the Other Guy in the split-screen? It's like he doesn't own a mirror! I guess no one on the campaign had the guts to tell him how to listen without looking like a dick. It figures. The Other Guy doesn't seem like the sort of Guy who'd take criticism well.

Seriously, I'd be very scared to have the Other Guy in charge of our foreign policy. He's just reckless. My Guy is the sort of leader they respect overseas. And he understands the big picture. The Other Guy doesn't know what he's talking about!

And you know something? My Guy also understands the terrible price we pay whenever our military is sent into harm's way. After all, he has a bracelet given to him by the mother of a fallen soldier. And he was wearing it at the debate!

I guess the only thing I thought was disappointing was that My Guy didn't go after the Other Guy more. I wish he'd called him out on some of his more egregious bullshit. Maybe next time My Guy and the Other Guy will really go at it. If that happens, My Guy will wipe the floor with the Other Guy! He's got all the advantages.

The Other Guy's supporters would have to be blind not to realize, after tonight, that their candidate is deeply flawed. It was really disgusting to watch the Other Guy's people try and spin the debate afterwards to make it sound as though the Other Guy won. Dream on!

But I will say that even if you do support the Other Guy and think he did well tonight, you have to agree that Jim Lehrer looks very old.

Read more reactions to the first presidential debate from HuffPost bloggers, including Nora Ephron, Bob Shrum, Madeleine Albright, Paul Reiser, Arianna Huffington, Sean Penn, Sheryl Crow, and more.

Comments

[Whatashame]

Chris Rock said it best on Larry King. Blacks have been voting DEMOCRATIC for many years not because Obama is black that's why they're voting for him.

[revruc1]

Obama won with great and humble expertise. The bigot says: "McCain won". It is sad, as long as blacks have been voting democratic with whites for a white, the prejudice is now saying: "I am changing my party affiliation". Only in America. We are thankful however, that Obama, a Twenty-First century candidate, has Twenty-First century young people.
I remember studying a particular Bible study that utilized a movie as an example of how man can pass on information that could destroy humanity and create "Two Americas called, the United States of America."

The movie was "South Pacific."
Rogers and Hammerstein played this song in the movie called, "You"ve got to be "Carefully Taught." This is "Prejudice" at its best:

"You"ve got to be taught to hate and fear,
"You"ve got to be taught from year to year.
"It"s got to be drummed in your dear little ear,
"You"ve got to be carefully taught,
"You"ve got to be carefully taught.

"You"ve got to be taught to be afraid,
"Of people, whose eyes are oddly made?
"And people whose skin is a different shade.
"You"ve got to be carefully taught.

"You"ve got to be taught before it"s too late
"Before you are six or seven or eight,
"To hate all the people your relatives hate.
"You"ve got to be carefully taught,
"You"ve got to be carefully taught.

www.heavenn.us

[MyTake]

It would have been far better for Your Guy and much worse for the Other Guy had their podiums been positioned so that they directly faced each other.

Here we had Lehrer getting better and more camera shots than the two candidates. Since the audience was gagged, why have them there at all? The Other Guy smirked only because he could see an audience. Had he been facing Your Guy, he would have really looked foolish had he done so.

This commission governing these debates needs to abolish these antics and set a standard podium layout, have the audience disappear, have the moderator disappear and let these two discuss the issues in a frank and truthful manner. I think there is a book out there called Robert's Rules. That book should be the basis of these insufferable "sound byte gathering" and "photo clip comparisons" that serve to fill the prime time spots of this American media disinformation networks.

Let the people decide for themselves on which one can stand on their feet, face the other person and deliver sensible logic over these 2 hours.

[Jules1]

There was only so much time to talk, Obama made a choice to either defend himself all night or get his points and ideas across, he did great, McCain looked like a fool, not Obma, McCain ranted and raved while Obma hit him on issues not personal attackes.

[Liberoservative]

Great post!

It works for both sides.. :)

Though, MY GUY..... Obama won!

Heheee!

[musselmanm]

This was truely a battle of wits with an unarmed man!
I believe that Mccain could not believe what was happening and did not understand much of what did happen.
You are absolutely correct.
I love it and can't wait for the next installment of Johnnie Drama goes down.

[timezone]

McCain's loud and forceful behavior didn't seem confident, but childish. Obama was a patient, respectful adult trying to debate with his abrasive, stuck in the past grandfather. For Obama to act any differently than he did, would have been lowering himself to McCain's level.

[pdxoutsider]

In an election where we're trying to avoid a repeat of 2004's high-registration, low-turnout phenomenon among young voters, anything that paints the candidates as indistinguishable is NOT a helpful contribution to the conversation, however clever it is.

[GoBecky]

I agree with you, but I read this piece differently... less abut the candidates, more about our (by "our" I mean, well, everyone) response to the debate -- that, especially because neither of the candidates scored a TKO, the debates primarily serve to reinforce viewers' opinions, not change them. We see what we want to see, and in this case, each side's narrative abot the other is pretty similar.

The candidates, of course, could not possibly be less alike.

[izAriver]

Why is it a negative to acknowledge agreement with someone you don't agree with completely? What Obama said was, "I agree with part of what you said but...". Isn't that a good thing?

[Liberal2]

Obama should say, "This is another time when you agree with me in certain eleements of the question, but ..."

[Aleka4]

It is. It is like communication: 101, i have NO idea why no one recognizes it.

It is an invaluable skill, and it makes me sad for America that so many americans are clueless about it. They don't -know- how to respectfully disagree? No wonder overseas they are seen as boorish and ill mannered.

How do they have relationships? You can't really works out any kind of a relationship issue without this skill. Does this mean this many people in america have crappy relationships where they yell and don't respect what others have to say?

I am just shaking my head.

[Bitsko]

You might want to keep that paper route job. Just kidding. Thanks for the laugh.

[blaising]

Let's get sumpin' straight...Obama can not, WILL NOT, EVER go into full attack mode in one of these debates. It's a risk he can't afford to take...a battle he will decide not to ever fight. He's got his eyes firmly set upon the prize: to win the whole thing and become President of the United States.

He knows he must NEVER risk allowing the "Angry Black Man" card to be played...EVER!! It would certainly spell disaster for his entire campaign. One good You Tube moment of Barack getting angry would play right into the Rev. Wright thing. It would be a temperment issue that would STICK!!

I, too, would love nothing more than to see Obama rip McCain's head off in one of these things, and I know he could do it...but he will NEVER do it.

Don't question the man's overarching strategy....he's got this!!!

[zurcl]

you know, i gotta say. i think you're on target with that. i just wish he'd stop saying he agreed with mc-old-guy about anything. but you're right. O is an intelligent, honorable guy and he's got his eyes set firmly on the prize. thank God.

[terragazelle60]

This is how Obama leads...give kudos to those who deserve it...he listens and uses what will do what needs done. Like he said about McCain useing his mottos...he wishes Mccain would use his ideas. He doesn't care who gets to say they were right...just so that what is right gets accomplished.

Obama has had too many leadership challanges, from being the first black editor of the Harvard Law Review, to being the only black senator in the US senate, given the job of leading the Lobbying and Ethics Reform as a Jr. senator. It takes a strong hand and sure mind to accomplish what he has done.I would love for him to have taken McCain's head off...It would have given me a great deal of satisfaction...and it would have lost the election. So we keep our minds on the prize and applaud our guy for having more sense and inner strength then us.

[BlueAsh]

You are right. However, does that mean that Obama cannot defend himself against slandering? Even if he can't call it a lie or slandering, can't he simply *directly* set the record straight?

Obviously he can't. So now we must console ourselves with the thought that he made a strategic decision to behave as he did last night.

Wishful thinking. Isn't that what Obama is trying to change?

[Liberoservative]

If Lehrer had been doing his job he would have cut McCain off at his knees as he ranted on and on and on.... O tried to get a word in but he wasn't allowed because Lehrer was just sitting there...

Good grief, this was the worst moderator I have ever seen and I really admired Lehrer before this.. maybe he has the same affliction that McCain has.....

[knighthowl]

Yes, in a word, age.

[Hoppy]

It irks how Other Guy runs his campaign like an arsonist setting off lie-fires all over the place. My Guy has to spend resources dousing the flames instead of getting on with business. Other Guy went into the debate with the exact same tactic to try to suck away My Guy's substantive time. Luckily, My Guy is clear and poised and knows the issues. He was ready for it.

[USexpat]

The blog that I read really nailed it. That blog was the best of the bunch. I'm all about that blog.

[dawnbc1]

LOL

[sueno]

I love it!
Great post!
accurate and funny!