Mississippi Debate

Calm, Methodical Obama vs. Angry, Ungracious McCain

Amb. Richard C. Holbrooke | Posted 05.25.2011

Amb. Richard C. Holbrooke

The real insights came in the revelations about the way each man thinks under pressure, and the way they interacted. The overall effect was exactly the opposite of what McCain hoped to achieve.

Jason Linkins

Lindsey Graham Too 'Tired' Sunday To Spin For McCain

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 05.25.2011

[Via Crooks and Liars] How did things go for John McCain last week? Lindsey Graham, who usually flacks McCain with a psychopathic, operatic zeal, got...

Obama's New Offense

Ari Melber | Posted 05.25.2011

Ari Melber

Obama's campaign appears to have staked its confidence on the surveys showing a lead among debate viewers -- which suggests that the Iraq issue did not hinder Obama's overall standing.

The McCain Mutiny and Congress Courageous

Howard Schweber | Posted 05.25.2011

Howard Schweber

This week Congress did the one thing I never would have expected: the members of Congress lived up to their responsibilities. In both houses, in both parties.

Liveblog! Obama vs. McCain And The Debate That Almost Wasn't

Rachel Sklar, Glynnis MacNicol, and John Carney | Posted 05.25.2011

Rachel Sklar, Glynnis MacNicol, and John Carney

Welcome to our debate liveblog! We're figuring out how this Liveblogging software works. Please don't judge us just yet. Update: Okay! We've figured...

Jason Linkins

LiveBlogging Your Ole Miss Debate!

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 05.25.2011

Good evening everyone! What on earth are we doing tonight? Seriously? Wasn't this stuff suspended? What is going on? Honestly! Today was my day ...

Obama vs. McCain: Gettin' LiveBloggy With It

Huffington Post | Rachel Sklar | Posted 05.25.2011

ETP liveblogged the debate tonight with Glynnis MacNicol and John Carney. You can find all the good stuff through the link (we blogged it using the n...

McCain Acts Like A Tough-Guy; We Need A Gentleman

Jon Raymond | Posted 05.25.2011

Jon Raymond

On his campaign time-out, McCain flew into Washington like Superman and saved the day; not only was he proclaimed debate winner by his campaign hours before the debate had started, but he's also been declared our country's savior by House Republicans for single-handedly steering us to a great bailout plan. McCain is truly a god.

McCain As Cold Warrior: The Debate Before, After and Morning After

Leonce Gaiter | Posted 05.25.2011

Leonce Gaiter

McCain was the cold warrior who speaks in lines plucked from WWII propaganda films. He was also contemptuous; even when prompted, he refused to look at Obama. The gesture suggested either fear, or a psychotic sort of loathing.

Obama Underwhelms, McCain Patronizes

Paul Reiser | Posted 05.25.2011

Paul Reiser

I have to say, I did want to see more fire from Obama. I did want him to let the anger loose. I did want him to slap back at McCain's endless patronizing tone.

Tonight's Presidential Debate: Victory for Obama, More of the Same from McCain

Sheryl Crow | Posted 05.25.2011

Sheryl Crow

I think I feel the same as most Americans when I say I am beyond tired of hearing John McCain sell this war and passing it off as great leadership. To me, McCain proved himself as the stubborn one.

Obama the Thinker and McCain the Sabre-Rattler

Roseanne Barr | Posted 05.25.2011

Roseanne Barr

Obama tried to remind Americans of what is morally right and what is morally wrong, and that was fantastic to witness. McCain defends the status quo instead of the moral right.

We Can't Afford More Of The... Smirk

Bob Cesca | Posted 05.25.2011

Bob Cesca

Where McCain was unserious and petulant, Obama was forceful, sharp and, at times, magnanimous. Hell, McCain couldn't even look Obama in the eye. Not once.

Barack Obama and the Return of Grace

Michael Seitzman | Posted 05.25.2011

Michael Seitzman

Ironically, the fact that Obama granted his opponent the courtesy of pointing out the places where they agree is the very quality of leadership that McCain continues to falsely claim as his own.

Ringside

Nora Ephron | Posted 05.25.2011

Nora Ephron

There was a moment, when the debate ended and the wives came up on stage, where I actually knew, or thought I knew, who had won. I'm sorry to say it, but it was John McCain.

The McCain-Kissinger Flip Flop

Max Bergmann | Posted 05.25.2011

Max Bergmann

McCain has never supported talks with Iran at the Secretary of State level. So either McCain has massively shifted positions on Iran or he is completely misrepresenting his position on Iran.

McCain's Debate Behavior Condescends To New Levels

Art Brodsky | Posted 05.25.2011

Art Brodsky

As a debate tactic, McCain's behavior was understandable, and a classic Karl Rove characteristic. Take your weakness and make it a strength. Take your opponent's strength and make it a weakness.

McCain's Debate Message: How To Lose More Friends And Alienate People

Jacob Heilbrunn | Posted 05.25.2011

Jacob Heilbrunn

To listen to McCain speaking in tonight's debate was to be thrust back into a time warp, where al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein are plotting together, and America must go on a crusade to stomp out the infidels.

Video: Presidential Debate Streaming Live

The Huffington Post | Posted 05.25.2011

Watch the presidential debate live here: Live TV by Ustream...

First Presidential Debate Obama-McCain: Analysis

The Huffington Post | Posted 05.25.2011

Marc Ambinder: McCain's high-stakes gamble: "Tonight, John McCain has more to gain and lose. This week, McCain raised the stakes for himself a thousan...

Nico Pitney and Sam Stein

The Smirk: Could McCain's Facial Gestures Define Debate?

HuffingtonPost.com | Nico Pitney and Sam Stein | Posted 05.25.2011

As the spin of Friday night's debate settled in and both sides staked a claim to victory, one media narrative began to take hold: while Obama may have...

Obama to McCain: 'You Were Wrong'

Taylor Marsh | Posted 05.25.2011

Taylor Marsh

Obama's goal tonight was to simply become an equal to the "legendary" foreign policy man John McCain. He accomplished that, while showing unending patience with his opponent.

Who Won The Debate? Reviews Go To Obama

The Huffington Post | Nico Pitney | Posted 05.25.2011

***UPDATED 9/27*** A focus group of 45 voters with an "unmistakenly Republican tilt" believed that Obama won the night handily: [B]y a 38 to 27 perc...

Obama Tells McCain: War In Iraq Didn't Start In 2007

The Huffington Post | Rachel Weiner | Posted 05.25.2011

A key moment in the debate, when Obama called McCain out on Iraq: Obama: So John, you like to pretend like the war started in 2007. You talk about th...

We Now Know Who the Next President Will Be

Robert Shrum | Posted 05.25.2011

Robert Shrum

Tonight I think we know who the next President will be. McCain kept repeating that Obama doesn't "understand." But he clearly did. McCain made up no ground.