A Breakthrough Night for Obama

Tonight was a breakthrough for Senator Obama, who showed himself truly ready to be president. He responded knowledgeably, thoughtfully and confidently to the toughest questions on the economy, Iraq, and terror. Meanwhile, Senator McCain spent so much time attacking his opponent, he neglected to show how a McCain-Palin administration would differ from Bush-Cheney. As a result, Obama answered the threshold question about his candidacy; McCain did not.

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

Comments

[MarieD]

With a daughter who graduated from the Air Force Reserve in February, a son-in-law also in the Air Force, a Son who graduated as a Marine this August and my eldest son now about to join the Army, I pray that it is Barack Obama who is their Commander in Chief.

McCain, seems seems to be a man who is haunted by the fact that "we lost a war" didn't come home as heroes and we need to return from this war in Iraq as winners. He truly doesn't get it does he? THERE ARE NO WINNERS IN WAR. Besides, call it what it is AN OCCUPATION, they didn't start this.

Ms. Albright I wish you well and I thoroughly agree with your comments.

God Bless America and God Bless my children!!!

[Bluebloodsbastardson]

God bless you too!!..........................

[MizLiz]

I'm with you, Marie. My granddaughter is in the Air Force (thank God she's a cook) and I shudder to think of McCain getting to play with all the cool weapons.

[rsg5354]

John McCain kept referring to the Nixon era!!! We all know what happened to Nixon. Obama is tesident of the Future. He (Obama) is Exactly what "We The People" need right now. John McCain should be put out to pasture. McSame is nothing but a Crook himself and he to used his power to Disenfranchise not only poor and middle class people but also the Native Indians of this great land. The Republicans have ABUSED everyone long enough. Thank you Madame Secretary for your wonferful insight.

[Tessie]

Are you kidding me? Obama was arrogant, condescending and very defensive. Cold and calculating, and incredibly slick. His tax hikes will be the death knell for small businesses. They'll be forced to lay off workers in order to keep their businesses afloat, and will raise heir prices to recoup their losses. So twice the number of people will be without jobs, and any money saved in tax cuts will be spent paying higher prices for things they need and searching for new jobs. And it won't be 95% of Americans getting tax breaks. 43% of Americans don't pay taxes at all, so it is impossible for 95% to receive tax cuts. But it sure sounds good doesn't it? Just keep talking Obama, that's what you're good at. Never mind that it's all hot air. Barry is oilier than Slick Willie ever was.

[SnapShots]

Tessie, you throw out opinions, facts and figures, but you don't back them up with concrete research. Fox News fan, are ya?

[piggybackmom]

Prolly a wealthy person worried about having to pay more taxes.

[MizLiz]

Gee, you sure do swallow the party line....I'm an accountant, and I work with small businesses exclusively. You do not know what you're talking about. All the whining about high taxes and death knells is coming from the top 5% who are terrified of a democratic administration. They know the gravy train is coming to a halt.

[ObamAtomic]

That debate you watched by any chance were in Spain?,, Ole,

[marknpgh289]

Tessie, Why don't you do some homework. Obama's plan is to cut taxes on anyone earning less than $250,000 per year. The plan is to cut taxes for 95% of working families. Not 95% of all Americans. McCain's plan is to continue the Bush Tax cuts that overwhelminglt benefit the top 1% and above. We are talking about massive cuts for the top .001% who earn millions each year. Trickle Down economics has been a failure. The super rich don't invest in job creation. They invest in speculation, money markets and oversaes businesses. The Middle Class is what powers the American economy. McCain didn't mention the Middle Class once during the debate.

[rosal]

Any more talking points robot? You had memorized all.

[anotherday]

What was McCain repeating during Obama's comments on Spain. Listen carefully.

[anotherday]

Horse crap What McCain kept repeating during Obama's comments on Spain. Listen carefully.

[indyleftist]

Its very sad to read many of these comments IMO

I will be voting for Obama because I do think he is the lessor of two evils but it is sad and scary to read all the people on the left mindlessly cheerleading. I expect it from the right but I always like to think the left is a bit more principled and intellectually honest. Now I don't blame miss albright because its her job to support the democratic party. But people posting on these blogs should be far more critical of their representatives.

I thought Obama did well on the economic issues but was quite pathetic when it came to the foreign policy debate. Supporting in Georgia in NATO, Missile defense, calling Iran terrorists, pledging to escalate the war in Afghanistan, partially backing off meeting with Iran's president. ect.
The only good shot he got in was the Spain remark.
Maybe I missed it but Obama didn't even talk about how the prime minister of Iraq supported the withdrawal plan.
There was A LOT of room for improvement for Obama

[RJII]

maybe people have their own thoughts and feelings independent of and contrary to yours.

[indyleftist]

You honestly think that Obama did really well in the foreign policy part of the debate?

Not just better than McCain but that he really knocked it out of the park like many are saying?

[laire]

indyleftist,

You think the comments are sad because people who support Obama thought he gave a good performance last night at the debate? I can understand if you don't agree with some of his positions on foreign policy or anything else for that matter. However, to suggest people are not being intellectually honest because the comments don't reflect your thoughts seems silly. I think your being naive if you think he can stand in front of the American people and get to nuanced or complex on issues such as Georgia, Nato, Afghanistan and calling the Iranian guard a terrorist organization. There are a lot of things he could have touched on but the debate was only hour an half. He wants to become president not the professor of America and I think the point of many peoples comments are that Obama won the debate, there is always room for improvement and your never going to please everyone.

[indyleftist]

I do think it is sad that anyone on the left saw Obama's performance on foreign policy and really think he did great. Better then McCain, sure. Better then I thought he did, absolutely.
But that he really did a great job in this debate is really not reality IMO. Not on the issues important to the left and not in style dominating McCain.

Even taking the policy part out of it I thought Obama did poorly and I expect better
All this money that people send him goes to these Pollsters to write these talking points and they are doing a bad job. I expect return on my money. Obama knew he was getting surge questions so have a better response ready. Obama knew McCain was going to call his withdrawal plan "precipitous", he needed to be ready with "the gov't of Iraq doesn't think so" or something strong and clear.

Like I said It is just my opinion. And frankly I've been saddened by the American people in terms of politics for a long time. Especially the democrats who should be better

[ECJLA]

indyleftist wrote:

"I thought Obama did well on the economic issues but was quite pathetic when it came to the foreign policy debate. Supporting in Georgia in NATO, Missile defense, calling Iran terrorists, pledging to escalate the war in Afghanistan, partially backing off meeting with Iran's president. ect."

Exactly. Supporting social democracy in the countries comprising the former Soviet Union is one thing. Establishing a treaty relationship with Georgia obliging us to treat a future Russian attack against Georgia as an attack against Western Europe is a recipe for WW3 and nuclear winter. Hundreds of millions of Americans and Russian would die in the process. No statesman in their right mind would support the expansion of NATO to include the former Soviet republics. The Russians will correctly view it as encirclement just as we would have regarded (in some alternate history) the admission of Canada or Mexico into the Warsaw Pact.

Viewed that way, we see the insanity and provocation involved. But our ethnocentricity, lack of historical memory and Russiaphobia prevents us from seeing the lunacy of creating a situation in which we are required to attack Russia (or lose face) if their relations with Georgia should deteriorate to the point of military conflict again. The last time such drivel was taken seriously was Reagan era claptrap about winnable nuclear wars. Bulletin for Barack: Georgia 2008 is not Berlin 1961. Drop the moronic Kennedy-esque posturing and brinkmanship.

Eric C. Jacobson
Public Interest Lawyer
Culver City, California

[kiwijohn]

I have enjoyed your thoughtful contribution to uncovering the truth of the matter! It may be that your observations on Senator Obama's foreign policy quips are a useful way of teasing out more detail over the coming weeks. It is important to differentiate, precisely and specifically, the context of comments made in this form of conscious or unconscious political dialog. Are they intended as a short summary of a formal policy, an alternative line of thought that complements policy, a provocative sideline, a glib distraction from the core issue at hand and a way of steering the line of dialog, an emotional reaction to a provocative statement, an attempt to fly a kite, a random thought; alternatively, gibberish and all lesser forms of incompetent response.

[BlueBoomer]

Madeline Albright...I miss her on the national scene...Hopefully we'll get to hear/see more of her in the next administration.

[globalcitizenlinda]

I feel sorry that this election has shown me a John McCain I now dispise although I USED TO respect him greatly as an independent.

Now I see mean, reckless and someone who lies outright and I do not like it one bit!! The performance in the debate erased any doubt about his true character and also showed me that he does not know much more than name-dropping

Has anyone seen my old friend John

[THISTLE]

His "true character" was revealed when he crawled on his belly like a reptile to the
very people who slimed his wife and daughter. What does that tell you about
this guy? EVERYTHING.
He will say anything, LIE non-stop with ease, say anything, do anything to
win. All this guy has ever run on - in all his races, is the POW card.
A real hero does not keep telling us what a hero he is.
McCain has milked this over and over and over - in every single race
he was running in.
ENOUGH - HE SOLD HIS SOUL - A LONG TIME AGO -TO THE VERY
PEOPLE WHO SLIMED HIS WIFE AND ADOPTED DAUGHTER.

[speechteach]

I think he understands it is his last chance to accomplish more than his father and grandfather. He is getting desperate and is willing to sell his soul to Rove et al to accomplish his "ambition".

[maatpublish]

Thank you, Madame Secretary. I completely and wholeheartedly agree with you. I saw in Barack Obama a man who looked and acted very Presidential. Conversely, McCain came off as being almost an embittered , opinionated grandfather who just does not understand the times that we now live in.

[sonshine]

Great analysis Madame Secretary. Now if only we could get our party's former leader, President Bill Clinton to support the currently leader, Barack Obama.

[zelduh]

Bill Clinton is still too angry. Sad, isn't it?

[juangault]

The Clinton's didn't do what I thought they were capable of, starting a new party, the Clintonians. Maybe that $20 million carrot had them doubting themselves. Maybe Hillary could of recended the 22nd amendment in time for Bill to return after her.

[anniegirl9]

McCain was nothing more than patranizing - saying over and over that Obama just didn't understand - when it was so clear to most that Obama did have a deep knowledge and understanding of issues even if the two do not agree on the corse of action. It only served to make McCain look like he was th one who didn't get it.

Also, I loved Bidens comments after - pin-ponting McCains own misunderstanding of strategy vs. tactic when McCain was trying to say Obama didn't know. Let's just hope that Bidin will show the same intelligent to the point, no foot in your mouth composure on Thrsday.

[juangault]

He was "on his horse" after the debate. It's going to be a good turn in the future, if we can dislodge the Texan Germans from the captains chair. They may not want to leave. They are good at making close elections fall their way.

http://www.gregpalast.com/cranks-and-kooks-kerry-won-in-04-hear-one-of-them-larry-david-tell-you-the-stone-cold-evidence-that-yep-george-bush-stole-it-in-2004-again/

[coldmist]

you are so correct .
plus i seen McCain in last severl year and on C-span and cummnitys when he deabated he would loo whoever in the face and asked the tuff question . he had strong intellagent agreement back . it was not there he looked off he could not look obama in the face like McCain new he was trying sell stuff he did not belive in the frist place.

John McCain would walk across a battle feild to shake a GI's hand had to be chased down to shake obama hand like he just wanted off the stage McCain is a great debaiter . this is his issusse where he strongest and he did not even hit the ball hardenough to get to frisrt base

[KayCo]

I watched the debate and feel pretty confident in my choice to vote for Obama. He showed confidence and strength of character and knowledge that has been sorely missing from the present administration. John McCain appeared ill at ease and desperate and kept harping on the tired old mantras that are his talking points. It was almost as if he was not part of the conversation. And the fact that he could not look Obama in the eye or address him directly during the debate, as he was instructed to do so by Jim Lehrer, shows me that this man for all his "straight talk" and military experience is afraid of his opponent.
McCains choice of running mate and his erratic activity of the past two weeks makes me wonder how stable he is. I am confident in Obama's knowledge and intelligence and his demeanor to know that he would be a commander in chief that I feel I could trust. I think he will earn the respect from around the world that we have lost in the past eight years.

[Mia23]

The REAL story why McCain "Suspended" his campaign: (1) McCain needs Palin on the campaign trail to get the BIG turnouts. ... (2) Palin needs more coaching and debate prep, especially after her poor performance in the Couric interview. ... (3) McCain needed a reason why he"s not doing rallies, and is using the financial bailout to hideout in Washington DC. ... (4) YES, they really think we"re that STUPID and would believe EVERY crap they"re spewing. And why not? We"ve let Bush/Cheney/Rove govern, -- ram shod-- OUR COUNTRY the same way for the past eight years. ... (5) Will EVERYONE " Media, Obama/Biden campaign, elected officials, voters " find the courage to call them on their tomfoolery and DISHONEST ANTICS, before it's too late? ... Enough is ENOUGH. No way, no how, no Palin/McCain!!!! ... Vote OBAMA/BIDEN, for America's sake!!

[Centaur]

I couldn't have said it better.

[RJII]

well said.

[Repub4life]

We the voters loss last night... and both candidates won ok.... I just want to hear honesty and the truth where these candidates really stand on the issues... remember the issues?

As for you comment... "Breakthrough night for Obama" what? He's a good actor and he's a good speaker, but he's far from being ready to be president. Just ask his running mate Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton or many of the other Dem's who said so only a few months back. Were we to forget? Maybe they were just lying? So we're to believe that Obama today isn't the Obama back then?

You can't disguise one's true character and experience.. Although I can't stand McCain... I will not let the future of the United States be run by someone with so little experience.