McCain/Obama 2008 Debate, Round One
Not being much of a surprise the first Presidential debate of 2008 was something of a disappointment. If you listened to the post game report on PBS a comment suggesting most debates are a collection of sound bites or ‘a joint new conference’ with perhaps one candidate thumping the other leaving a memorable moment, the opinion was this debate was different. The two candidates stayed on the issues. That would be the upside but the problem is we’ve heard it all before. So except for those who are only now starting to pay attention it was merely an extension of the campaign ads. Which one could add had the same number of discrepancies between the opposing camps. Meaning each side contends the other side misrepresents their stand on the issues, etc. So what’s new?
If the polls change at all based on this evening’s debate this blog will view it as a surprise. Neither candidate appeared to offer anything new or remarkable or catch the other off guard by any significant measure. Obama tried to redefine preconditions as preparation which was lame. McCain’s strong expression that his advisor by the name of Henry Kissinger was not for talks with rogue nations without preconditions may come back to bite someone in the backside. Obama did not present a convincing argument about his moratorium on earmarks and Senator McCain performed similarly on the significance of earmarks.
If McCain had an upper hand it was on national security and defense which was central to the debate format for the evening. For Obama to mention his VP choice as if that was an answer for his lacking on those issues only served to emphasize McCain’s advantage in that respect. You could give Obama the upper hand on matters of economics if you believe what he said. Certainly he cannot pursue his spending agenda and provide meaningful tax cuts at the same time. But he hinted his energy policy would be delayed as a result of the bailout proposal under consideration in DC if it is enacted. The debate may have raised more questions than it answered but it surely did nothing to shake up the campaign.
There is no point for a big post on this topic as the debate provided little to talk about that matters. No major gaffes by either candidate and no noticeable advantage going to either side. We’ll just have to wait for some other event to break the statistical tie or the results after November 4.
Okay, so for whom are you voting?
Stanford Matthews
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