Jesse Lee is the Online Rapid Response Manager for the DNC, this is a daily update on the day's messaging.
ABC's The Note asks today: "John McCain wanted to have 10 of these?" The New York Post's Charles Hurt fleshes that idea out: "And that was supposed to be the platform where John McCain would shine the brightest? ... If last night was the arena of McCain's choice, he's in deep trouble these next 26 days. Obama was loose, polished and seemed to enjoy the whole thing. Afterward, he stuck around for a long time, posing for pictures with throngs of people gathered on stage. McCain was awkward and rambling and said some pretty strange things..."
Let's look back at Obama first, here are some of the highlights (double click the Youtubes to go to the pages with transcripts).
Obama on Speaking Softly and Pakistan
Obama on Iraq: "Some things I Don't Understand..."
Obama on Healthcare, the answer Luntz credited with turning his Fox News focus group
Maybe it's unfair to just let Obama speak for himself while rounding up reviews of McCain, but hey, life is unfair.
Richard Wolffe seemed to detect a bit of the erraticism we've come to know and love.
Richard Wolffe, Newsweek: "He paced up and down in fits and starts as he spoke. He leapt from subject to subject, sound byte to sound byte. Between answers, he sat down and scribbled page after page of notes, then jumped up and paced around silently. Early on, he seemed ill at ease in engaging with his questioners; how close should he stand? And how much should he look at them? His approach seemed to present a serious challenge to the show's producers, as they struggled to find the best way to frame McCain's interactions."
Even Stephen Hayes couldn't find a conspiracy theory to justify claim McCain won:
Stephen Hayes, Weekly Standard: "Obama's test in the first debate was to present himself as a plausible president, as a guy who didn't seem out of place on stage at a presidential debate and wouldn't seem out of place delivering a State of the Union address. Much as I'd disagree with the policies in such a speech, it was clear that he passed that test. Tonight, his job was to persuade voters--particularly independents--not only that he could be president but that he should be president. I suspect polling in the next couple of days will provide evidence that he passed that test, too."
And et tu Bill Bennett?
First Read has more, it's not pretty.
As Joe Biden said moments ago, "Now, I realize I'm slightly prejudiced about our ticket, but if this was the best of five series, it would be over":