McCain's Big Night

News Type: Opinion — Seeded on Sun Sep 28, 2008 11:27 AM EDT

Article Source: Campaign Standard

politics, obama, mccain, 2008-election, debate

Far be it from me to differ with the punditocracy's mainstream, but I happen to feel that last night's debate was a pretty big win for John McCain. I'm aware that most observers have called it a draw, agreeing that both men performed rather ably. I'm also aware that the polls show a majority of watchers thought Obama "won." But still, it was a big night for McCain. Or more precisely, it was a bad night for Obama.

Judging these things like a high school debate is a fool's (or CNN's) errand. Who cares who "won" the debate? We're not electing a debater-in-chief. A more probative inquiry is who won more votes. Or to ask a related question, who lost fewer votes.

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{"commentId":3184410,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

ShaunV

1) Several times during the debate, Obama would smirk and laugh while McCain spoke. The optics of this were just awful. If Obama had wanted to come across as an arrogant jerk, this is the strategy he would have chosen. Frankly, it's rather shocking that Obama repeatedly made such a mistake.

Al Gore cost himself the 2000 election with his first debate performance where he derided everything George W. Bush said with a series of sighs and smirks. Oh yeah--the polls and the pundits said Gore "won" that tussle right after it concluded, although history has rendered a different verdict.

{"commentId":3184410,"threadId":"371356","contentId":"1925313","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

5 votes

#1 - Sun Sep 28, 2008 11:29 AM EDT

{"commentId":3186298,"authorDomain":"savannahborn"}

savannahborn

Good to hear from you Shaun. I enjoyed the post. It's a little different from some I've been reading, as you can imagine.

{"commentId":3186298,"threadId":"371356","contentId":"1925313","authorDomain":"savannahborn"}

2 votes

#2 - Sun Sep 28, 2008 1:44 PM EDT

{"commentId":3197305,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

ShaunV

I am glad you found the seed interesting.

{"commentId":3197305,"threadId":"371356","contentId":"1925313","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

2 votes

#2.1 - Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:00 AM EDT

{"commentId":3188659,"authorDomain":"ElliePhat"}

ElliePhat

Obama pronounces Pakistan like a high school civics teacher trying to show of his erudition--"Pah-kee-stun." Whenever he does this, he comes across as a smarty-pants showoff. Besides, I would argue that in America, we know and commonly refer to the country in question as, you know, Pakistan, not Pah-kee-stun. Obama is only right on this if he also calls Spain "la España."

Okay, I'm sorta sick of the disection of Friday night's debate, but this bullet point made me LOL! As one who is "guilty" of trying to correctly pronounce foreign names, I stand rightly chided. :-O (I still abhor eye-rack, though!)

{"commentId":3188659,"threadId":"371356","contentId":"1925313","authorDomain":"ElliePhat"}

2 votes

#3 - Sun Sep 28, 2008 4:37 PM EDT

{"commentId":3197323,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

ShaunV

That bullet gave me chuckle, too.

{"commentId":3197323,"threadId":"371356","contentId":"1925313","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

3 votes

#3.1 - Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:00 AM EDT

{"commentId":3191572,"authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

Profchaos

On a related note, Obama kept referring to McCain as "John" while the older candidate referred to his foe as "Senator." Again, I don't understand the thought process here.

That and the "your President" line just show Obama's general lack of respect. Disagree with the McCain if you want, be he is a senator and should be respected as such. Bush is Obama's president too.

Unfortunately, I don't think many Obama supporters care about such things.

{"commentId":3191572,"threadId":"371356","contentId":"1925313","authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

3 votes

#4 - Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:52 PM EDT

{"commentId":3197353,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

ShaunV

That and the "your President" line just show Obama's general lack of respect. Disagree with the McCain if you want, be he is a senator and should be respected as such. Bush is Obama's president too.

Good point.

I was surprised the press totally ignored that slip on Obama's part.

Yes, indeed, the president is also Obama's president. The fact that he said that is quite revealing, IMO.

{"commentId":3197353,"threadId":"371356","contentId":"1925313","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

3 votes

#4.1 - Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:02 AM EDT

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SHAUNV

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