Since John McCain has already declared himself winner of the first debate (even if he is not Miss Congeniality), does it matter that he seemed like a doddering old party stuck in another era of politics? He was better than Ambien, better than Lunesta in putting the electorate to sleep.
Watching the "debate" with the blue, red and green lines rising and falling, it was stunning to watch the lines go flat as voters of all persuasions dozed off. McCain seemed intent on giving us a tour of all the war zones he'd visited and I'm afraid he occasionally dragged Obama down to his snooze-fest level. He mentioned Ronald Reagan almost as much as he mentioned his war-zone visits and everyone fell asleep.
He seemed to think "You're wrong!" was a rhetorical flourish.
I wish Barack Obama had lifted himself above Mc Cain's snooze-lines. At times, he seemed infected by McCain's lethargy. But Obama was clearer and cleaner in verbal style than he's ever been. I wish he weren't so generous in acknowledging McCain. Perhaps he is too kind to his mean-spirited rival. He is more gentlemanly than he needs to be. It must be a great burden not to seem "uppity." But his new clarity was certainly welcome.
I do hope Obama will continue his clear, direct delivery. I would still like more fire from him. He is authoritative and knowledgeable but at this point. his cool may be self-defeating.
What a bind he must be in! He has to be cool for the people who think he's uppity. He has to be knowledgeable for the people who think he's a new newbie. He did both well. But let's have the fire next time.
UPDATE, 9/27:
Watching the first debate with two friends from the UK--one a Member of Parliament and one a novelist who is a life-long Labour Party supporter, I became aware of things Americans might not notice: One was McCain's low level of fact checking and consistency, his assumption that the electorate would not notice his many reversals and descents into gobbledy gook. The other was my MP friend's commentary on rhetorical mistakes: the over use of sentences beginning with "I" by both candidates, the misunderstanding of the art of debate (better honed in the UK).
But we all agreed that in substance Obama was the most presidential, the most prepared to lead this complex country and the most open-minded. He has both intelligence and emotional intelligence. We could all imagine him negotiating with foreign powers, deliberating calmly on domestic problems, and bringing his far-reaching intellect and obvious goodwill to bear on all matters.
In no way do I mean to slight Obama for his cool deliberation. It is a great strength in a public servant. Sometimes the campaign trail calls for more emphatic statements. Obama is learning that as he goes along.
The main point is: we would all feel comfortable with this smart, humane man in the White House. His values are sound. His brain is capacious and wise. We all wished he were already there!
I hope Obama gets it,I am gonna do whatever I can to help him.Knocking on doors and that kind of thing .I sincerely hope he takes a page from Hillary's book and defends himself a little more.Diplomacy is one thing,but letting the other candidate bully you is another thing.
Obama is going to have to figure out how best to deal with people who project, rationalize, deny, suppress, compartmentalize and so on. I know that when I dialogue with a rigid conservative, I quickly give up any hope of having a meaninful conversation.
In the long run, Obama was not self defeating, read Sheryl Crow's post, which laid it out. The perceptions most people saw in McCain is a man whose own condescending, and even stubborness is self defeating.
I disagree with the binds you think Obama is in but let's be honest, every politician including Hillary Clintons, has their own binds. It's not a take it or leave it mentality, but it's "listen people, you yourselves are your own worst enemy and self defeating if you still think Obama is uppity"
Obama succeeded doing what he had to do, which is to show knowledge and cool for people that think he is a newbie.
It's McCain's "own Fire" that is self defeating. It's called being PIG headed, and Obama doesn't need fire to roast that PIG, McCain's already Bacon.
His repartee on Spain was great though. It had the mocking incredulous tone Bill Clinton or Biden would have used.
In fact Biden would have cleaned McCain's clock, as evidenced in his after debate remarks, which struck just the right attack mode. Biden should coach Obama.
Biggest ommission on Obama's part: not mentioning that McCain has voted against almost every veteran's bill when he started talking about what an advocate for veterans he is. He should have said: "I'm astonished that Senator McCain now professes the "love" veterans hold for him, while voting against every provision that would help them, including the recent one."
Point being, it's gard to remember, but Obama is new to all this.
Obama has been on the national stage a few years, not 17 or 18 like Clinton. And he's been in the hotseat for 18 months. The amazing thing to me is, that after 26 years in the public eye, McCain isn't all that great. Rhetorically, he was apt. But his demeanor, anger, beedy eyes, and lack of grace just sunk him last night. By the end of next week, after some reflection, we're all going to be using McCain 08 and NIxon 60 in the same sentence.
Hasn't McCain ever read anything about how to debate on tv? Or doesn't he read? We know he doesn't google.
BUT, and I say this carefully, and I say it ONLY mindful that you have a HUGE right wing media just waiting for the shot - he MUST NOT show the whites of his eyes or flare his nostrils. BOTH are 'Hollywood' speak for angry, dangerous black man, and 'signs' the viewers will be well familiar with.
They're just waiting to get the shots - get fire Obama, but stay contained.
The rhetorician has spent his life perfecting his carefully choreographed and endlessly rehearsed act. He isn't going to change it now that magniloquence alone has "earned" him this opportunity to beneficently bestow upon us what he sees as the privilege of making him president.
He's managed to get past the Clintons and he amazingly close to being our first
African-American president.
I salute his tenacity and style.
I must disagree. As others have pointed out, he is being himself. I learned this morning that my 84-year-old mother, a lifelong Repub, found him very impressive. And that she considers Palin a joke. My Mom has a great BS detector (aside from politics, at least), and if she's impressed with O, it means he came across as calm, cool, intelligent, presidential.... and genuine.
That guy on the other side of the stage couldn't be genuine if you tattoed the word on his forehead. How pathetic to have to define himself as a maverick.
What would Matt Taibbi say Erica?
ROFL!
For all his travels, McCain got it wrong on Russia and was wrong to think Musharraf's coup in Pakistan saved a failed state.
This is an old trick from politicians who want to appear more knowing than they really are. You are right: it means nothing.
Why are so many of you so willing to believe the whole - he doesn't want to appear like the angry black guy- thing?
Can a black person ever just be themselves without all the psychoanalyzing?
I am black and hispanic and I don't need any lessons on being seen through a "white prism".
IMO, people not having the ability to see that Obama may not even care about the whole "angry black man" theme is a bit r.a.c.i.s.t in and of itself.
My point was that I'm sick and tired of everybody buying into the whole "Obama is afraid to appear as the angry black guy" without questioning it's validity.
IMO, it may be that he doesn't give a d@mn about that, or it may be accurate. We don't know and we should stop repeating it as if it is some sort of TRUTH that cannot be denied.