So I started from the beginning to see how it all went down. Obviously, I'm against John McCain winning this thing because deep down I see him as being a war-monger and a pro-gun, anti-government kind of guy, and I'm a "health-care for everyone" kind of socialist in some ways. I'm mostly afraid of him getting elected and then dying and then handing the most important job in the world over to an inexperienced hack like Sarah Palin. That said... I'm no big fan of Obama's either. To me, he is the lessor of 3 evils... Bush term 3, McCain's age and Palin's Palinisms.
So who won? It wasn't clear cut for me. John McCain obviously was in attack mode from the beginning, yet Obama wanted to stay Presidential (in the Clinton definition, not the Cheney definition) and not start fighting back too hard. I don't think elections in America are won this way, so hopefully Obama is playing a game of Poker here awaiting the right moment to go for McCain's jugular and start asking for his medical records to be revealed to the world, and his financial records, his wife's history in business, and how he could dump his first wife to pick up Cindy McCain in a night-club!! You know, the usual "Pro-Life" party that fights for the sanctity of human life unless those lives aren't in favor of the nation of Israel or live in some awful third-world country that they don't give a shit about!
However, I digress... The Republicans always play dirty... I'm hoping that Obama will start swinging before it's too late or he may not win this thing. Sucks that that is the way elections get won or lost in the Home of the Brave. I felt McCain was lying and distorting a lot of facts last night, but then again, it's both candidates job to lie and distort in hopes of fooling the public and pandering to those who want to hear all the familiar talking points. (Obama will raise taxes - McCain will wage endless wars around the world, etc.)
In closing, because I really AM tight for time! I was surprised at how well McCain controlled the debate. After his acts of political theatre this past week, I was certain that he would bomb miserably in the first debate. He didn't bomb by a long shot. But Obama seemed more comfortable in his own skin. One thing I DID note that I think is somewhat important is body language.
Obama made many efforts to speak directly to McCain, but McCain looked like he hated Obama's guts and wouldn't even make eye contact. I think this can spell defeat if it's anything like Canadian politics. Our last Prime Minister, when trying to defend his position, looked defensive, rude, insulted and entitled. It didn't help him with favour with Canadians, and thus he lost that election to the more suave, professional-looking Stephen Harper. If McCain continues to look like he would sooner shoot Obama in the back than speak to him like an equal, I think it could send a message that McCain's just an asshole, and we just had 8 years of the biggest asshole in the world in charge and we all know how THAT went!! The other small thing I noticed was how Obama kept referring to Senator McCain as "John," which after awhile started to seem almost condescending, as if he wasn't giving him the respect of calling him a Senator. This could back-fire too.
In closing... I've now done some minor reading at the various online sources I like to look at for my news... across the board, the Left-wing blogs are all saying how Obama clearly won the debate. Of course, Fox News tells you that McCain had the edge. I watched the debate and I didn't see it this cut and dry. I think both candidates came out looking pretty good. They both have their own special interests to protect, so we're not going to hear Obama talk about tax-sponsored universal health care, nor are we going to hear John McCain talk too much about how the Surge in Iraq ACTUALLY was successful. No major media outlet wants to talk too much about either topic. So they each have to nuance everything they say. It's tough to know who really won this thing. I'd call it a pretty close draw, with a slight edge to McCain, in that his attacking made Obama go on the defensive. Also, Obama's desire to play it clean and point out where "John" was "right," made it look like McCain was actually right, which scares me quite a bit!!
So my prediction now (based on my incredibly small knowledge base!!) is that if Palin doesn't drop out before the VP debate, she will fail embarisingly, sending serious fear into the minds of conservatives, which would help boost Obama's ratings nationwide. Then it's time for Obama to start being a bit more like a Clinton and kick some ass. If he can't do it, he won't win. There's plenty of nasty dirt on McCain, such as his business associations through his wife, his part of the Keating Five scandal and probably lots of other stuff. In 2004, the Republicans made a fool out of a war vet like John Kerry and they got away with it. The only way Obama can win this thing, in my opinion, is if he starts flinging shit all over the place.
What a wonderful world we live in!!
