I only heard a few minutes of that soporific non-debate on my way home from work. Every time Barry droned on he was sounding like Clinton in campaign mode: “I’m a reasonable, centrist guy and I’ll take care of you.” Every time McCain opened his mouth he reminded me why I don’t want to vote for him. Did he really brag about McCain-Feingold tonight?
Andy McCarthy saw the whole mess, and I fear his take is correct.
Memo to McCain Campaign: Someone is either a terrorist sympathizer or he isn’t; someone is either disqualified as a terrorist sympathizer or he’s qualified for public office. You helped portray Obama as a clealy qualified presidential candidate who would fight terrorists.
If that’s what the public thinks, good luck trying to win this thing.
With due respect, I think tonight was a disaster for our side. I’m dumbfounded that no one else seems to think so. Obama did everything he needed to do, McCain did nothing he needed to do. What am I missing?
Mark Steyn agrees.
Rick Warren was the only guy to extract any damaging soundbites from Obama – the “above my pay grade” line. The ludicrous Debates Commission and all its painstakingly negotiated rules – “After a 1 minute opening answer, the opposing candidate will give a 30-second response, after which his opponent will have a 45-second pre-rebuttal to the moderator’s optional follow-up” – is all rubbish, which serves mainly to insulate the Democrat and assist him in his ability to pass himself off as Mister Moderate.
Update:
Steyn later suggests keeping your sunny side up.