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

[osage]

The fact that McCain didn't have the decency or the strength of character to look at Obama for fear of making eye contact with him should tell you exactly how impolitic and adversarial a McCain presidency would be. We'd be fighting some form of a "war" in Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Korea, Russia, Venezuela and maybe even Spain! He seems to have a meaner spirit than George W. Bush and Dick Cheney and no grasp of economic realities. And his willingness to LIE about Obama's voting record is proof positive that he's a deceitful as George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. A McCain presidency would be beyond scary, because while McCain is in the pockets of lobbyists and war profiteers, Sarah Palin is speaking in tongues with rightwing religious nutjobs who see all non-believers as enemies of god. Obama proved himself to be a man of decency and strength who looked his opponent squarely in the eye and told him he was wrong!

[drumz]

Well said!

[box101]

I want to talk about "pre-conditions".
McCain was very condescending when he mocked Obama for sitting down with Iran's leader without "preconditions" - meaning that Obama would just sit down with Ahmadenijad directly without any preparation.
Obama was RIGHT - Preparation is different from Precondition! look it up! Pre-condition means that the CONDITION (Iran agreeing to do what the USA wants) needs to be fulfilled before (PRE) the sit-down! Preparation is a more appropriate word for "going through the proper protocol of sitting with the lower ranking USA officials" - McCain couldn't take the time to look that up before he went on stage to debate???

[ahornick]

McCain fully knows the difference. It just didn't fit his requirements. All that left him with was the need to attempt to mislead the listeners.

[dengal]

Amen
Ignoring them doesnt stop them from building arms, i.e. N korea.
He stood there waving hs WMDs in the air and because he wouldnt meet conditions we ignored him while he loaded up...it was stupid.
Talking to them doesnt add legitimacy - nuclear arms do.

[Lotus19]

I missed this part of the debate...I came back in the room when Obama was explaining the difference between preparation and preconditions. In a million years I wouldn't have guess that McCain would try to say that Obama would meet without any preparation. That goes to McCain's ridiculousness and only the deliberately dense won't see that.

[rgblue]

"McCain couldn't take the time to look that up before he went on stage to debate???"

Yep, that's pure McCain.

Just like he couldn't take the time to read Paulson's 3 page proposal before he swooped into Washington to save the American economy with his unique "expertise".

[cactusgal]

The comparison was simple for me:

Obama is a consensus-building, intellectually superior, macro-managing leader. And he's sane.

McCain is "none of the above."

[jaleh]

Agreed!

[HerbTee]

"One point I wished BHO had made was our standing in the world and our perception by other nations as powerful doesn't ALWAYS have to come out of the barrel of a gun!"

CT, under normal circumstances, I would agree with you. Unfortunately, the world is a very dangerous place and Obama cannot afford to display himself as a "peacenik" where we should all gather around the campfire with everyone around the world and sing "Kumbaya". Obama is a very educated, analytical and measured man much like President Woodrow Wilson was. Like Obama, President Wilson was also a very intelligent, well-established and cerebral academian with a short political career before Wilson becoming POTUS.

Obama is much like President Wilson was in many ways. President Wilson was very measured (almost isolationist) in his use of force. Yet Wilson did not hesitate to use force with American troops in World War I to help save Europe from itself because he felt it was necessary and the right thing to do. Obama's personal traits will surely steady his hand in the use of force or before committing our troops to war. But he cannot be shown as weak or that he would be hesitant to use force if necessary to protect our country and our allies or attack our enemies when it is called for.

[partyofone]

McCain views Obama as "the enemy" and he punishes the enemy by not communicating with them. This fact combined with McCain's dependence on lies and distortions explains for me why he would not look at his opponent in the debate and address him directly.

McCain increasingly in the way he is conducting this campaign, a foreshadowing of how he would govern as president, is depending on lies and distortions, and rash, reckless decision making to substiute political stunts and gimmicks (Palin, suspend the campaign, etc) for substance.

All of that said, I don't think McCain is hitting on all cylinders consistently enough to be President, shifting more concern to Palin as a running mate.

[tablesedge]

Agree, Madame Secretary. In addition, McCain succeeded in shining the harsh glare of Palin's lack of credentials as he constantly went after Obama on meeting foreign dignitaries and travel.

[rugsmarts]

Two thoughts on the debate.

Why the heck did McCain fail to look Obama in the eye even once during the entire debate. Experts will tell you that failing to look someone in the eye while speaking to them can indicate a few things. it can indicate that the speaker isn't being truthful. It can indicate that the speaker feels defensive and lacking in confidence. It can also mean that the speaker does not respect the person to whom he is speaking. Whatever the reason, McCain's failure to make eye contact with Obama was downright creepy and I'm not sure why the media pundits have not made more of it.

Second, Obama lost an opportunity to push McCain on what "success" actually means in Iraq. While the surge has been effective in reducing violence, it has done nothing to force the Iraqi government to to come to agreement with the US on the important topics of our future security relationship or on-going US access to Iraqi oil. Security, political stability, infrastructure and economic improvements and access to Iraqi oil. Where's the "success"? We cannot "win" in Iraq until each of these fundamental issues is addressed to the satisfaction of both sides.

I hope Obama doesn't miss out on this opportunity in the next debate.

[FACINGREALIT]

I considered McCain embarrassed for not looking at Obama. We must not forget that McCain had decided just two days before to cancel the debate and Obama had called his bluff. Unfortunately for McCain the populace agreed with Obama and wanted the debate to continue - so McCain had 'blinked' and for that he felt one upped.

Second, as to the reason Obama did not hit McCain on a variety of issues (GI Bill, Torture, Pork spending, remember McCains running mate has gotten more than any one per capital, success in Iraq) is because Obama was introducing himself to millions of people who had never really taken the time to get to know him and Obama's strategy was to speak on what he would do as president instead of debating the negatives. McCain continuosly tried to bait Obama into an argument so that Obama would come off as the angry black man and as statetics and polls have proven, this is not a year for negative debate. Remember, Clinton lost being negative and Obama won being above the fray. Yes, Obama could have 'debated' what McCain did wrong but by that same token he would have lost an opportunity before millions to lay out an Obama Administration.

[BrainDart]

Very good point. I have no doubt that a lot of meetins and thinking went into Obama's debate strategy. McCain's frustration is a function of his ego problem, i.e, if you don't agree with him you must be bad.

[4insight]

The surge is incorrectly taking credit for the reduction in violence. Violence was reduced before the surge due to ethnic cleansing. There is a satellite image showing, "heavily Sunni Arab neighborhoods of Baghdad emptying before the U.S. troop surge in 2007, graphic evidence of ethnic cleansing that preceded a drop in violence, according to a report published on Friday."

"The images support the view of international refugee organizations and Iraq experts that a major population shift was a key factor in the decline in sectarian violence, particularly in the Iraqi capital, the epicenter of the bloodletting in which hundreds of thousands were killed."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080919/sc_nm/iraq_lights_dc

[Kindheart]

Quite interesting when Johnny said that Obama was such a liberal and that he could never "reach across" to someone like that. Hmmm, a real show of bi-partisanship. If Obama said that he could never reach across to such a conservative, what would people have said about that. Johnny continues to show that he is not interested in doing what is best for the country, only his party. A party that is in disarray at this moment with their own turning on their leaders.

[Pupadup4oBama]

He picked the wrong time to back the wrong party.

[contemporarymom]

If Obama said it, then folks would have said nothing. Thats the problem. No one ever pushes Obama to nail him down on what he is trying to say. No one would have said a thing as usual.

[bogues]

I don't know what you listen to or read, but clearly you are not listening or are choosing to mis-interpret Sen. Obama. Obama is constantly pushed and held to a higher standard of having to explain his ideas, you are simply wrong in your observations.

[tmsingh]

I don't understand this criticism of Obama for not losing his cool.

I'm not a racist and I hate to say this but I really believe it's true....America may be ready to vote a black man in to the Oval Office, but they sure aren't ready to vote an angry, aggressive black man into office.

I know Democrats and Independents who support Obama want him to get "more animated" but the fact of the matter is in order to win Obama needs votes from those who are NOT supporting him and an angry, aggressive, "full of fire", "more animated" persona will NOT accomplish that.

[Pupadup4oBama]

well, it certainly wouldn't HELP his case very much.
He himself said he's very even tempered. I don't want a hot head with an itchy trigger finger!

[Lotus19]

It's called unflappable. The man is cool and it's inspiring that he appeals to so many young people because he can be the example of what one can accomplish without having to resort to false theatrics. McCain is just another grumpy old man...who want's to aspire to that?

[boophus]

McCain the DRAMA QUEEN. Not much solid positions on anything except to protect his wealth and endlessly try to win His War at huge cost to his country. He shifts like sand in sandstorm and his effect on this country would be similiar. He would scour us like sand and drown us in sand and laugh because he would hang on to his piggy bank while we sink into quicksand. If a black man holds his hand out to save you , You grab it.. Obama is holding out his hand.

[imusintheevening]

McCain / Palin - a perfect match - of pitbulls. It is nice that a diplomat points out that by attacking more than debating, McCain missed his opportunity to persuade. Thanks Madeline, loved your books.

[Conejo]

On substance I don't think there is any doubt that Obama came out ahead. I fault Obama however for being too staid, too distant, too cold. He definitely needed more animation. McCain did a lot better on smoothness of presentation and on appeal to the audience. I think for the next debate if Obama continues to stay on message and just add some emotion he will have a big win.

[deliriousgod]

smoothness? smooth as sandpaper; smooth as a cactus. McCain was irritable, vain and self-congratulatory. No to mention stubborn and oh yeah, Wrong.

[Lotus19]

And he could've used a different kind of makeup...he looks ill, especially next to the young Obama. He looked like he had an attitude when they entered and shook hands. He did not want to be there.

[zbig]

It's still a long time till the election. Obama's pacing himself. He knows its 3 debates. If you show your best cards too early, McCain will be able to counter. Its better to save the best for last, when it'll give a lasting impression in time for the election.

[newdreams]

The nation is in several crises. I just don't think it was in any mood to hear McCain give an hour long negative ad. We've been bombarded with that from him too much already. I think everybody's figured out that the continual negative blasts are just a cover up for no substance.

Last night - We wanted to hear what the candidates are going to do for us in the very near future. McCain talked war stories, was negative and condescending, name-dropped, lied, and spoke of the past. Obama was the only one that delivered. No negativity, just cool & collect and all the substance he could squeeze into the hour.

[SHORTYJR05]

Obama was`clam in this first dbaye. But he is smart. You do not show your all in the first round. Just like he ranted up his ad attacks after the rep convention., he will get more assertive in the future I am sure.

[leevy]

Great observation madame secretary.Obama did cleary define is vision for the world and the country. He will reinstall our leadersship to the world which was weaken by 8 years of Bush policies that McCain wants to continue.

Obama 08!

[simkmer]

Obama impressed me. They both did better than I had anticipated. McCain was himself, did not make sense, was a Drama Queen and Immature. Obama showed diplomacy and that he was WELL informed on all issues!

SMART GOVERNMENT OBAMA/BIDEN 08