{"id":12734,"date":"2008-10-07T23:03:14","date_gmt":"2008-10-08T06:03:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/2008\/10\/07\/debate-post-mortem.html"},"modified":"2008-10-07T23:03:14","modified_gmt":"2008-10-08T06:03:14","slug":"debate_post_mortem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2008\/10\/07\/debate_post_mortem.html","title":{"rendered":"Debate Post-mortem"},"content":{"rendered":"

AFTER THE DEBATE<\/strong> <\/p>\n

I was watching on C-SPAN. They have a policy of sticking to the picture while the principles are still on screen.<\/p>\n

While everyone else was no doubt cutting over to talking heads, C-SPA covered the post-debate crowd stuff.<\/p>\n

There was some initial glad-handing the crowds by both the candidates. Michelle gets out there, too. John’s doing his part, but Cindy just stands by, awkwardly.<\/p>\n

Odd little interlude. McCain taps Obama on the arm. Obama tries to shake his hand, but McCain won’t, so instead Obama shakes Cindy’s hand.   <\/p>\n

Margie notes Obama’s doing a lot more about shaking the hands of folks outside the front row.<\/p>\n

And … the joy of C-SPAN, Obama stayed on the floor talking with folks <\/em>a loooooot longer than McCain did. And actually talking with folks, not just shaking hands. Following up with folks who asked questions.   <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, McCain actually disappeared after a few minutes (C-SPAN actually informed us he’d left). Barack and Michelle made the full circuit around the audience, and then continued to hang out, taking pictures with folks talking with individuals, just being there with the people. He was there a half hour after the debate, vs. five minutes for McCain.<\/p>\n

Class act.<\/p>\n

SO WHO WON?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

McCain avoided losing his temper.<\/p>\n

Neither candidate made a significant stumble (aside from McCain arguing that nuclear energy is safe and clean).<\/p>\n

Both candidates relied on talking points.<\/p>\n

I don’t think the Town Hall format helped much. The rules of the debate prevented much direct addressing back and forth, though the candidates forced that a bit at the end.<\/p>\n

Obama was articulate, clear, if somewhat aloof. McCain was more personable, but more aggressive, more talking-pointish, and more prone to dropping into standard lines and verbiage at the end of his statements.<\/p>\n

Neither candidate scored a knock-out, and it was probably close to a tie rhetorically. On the one hand, that might shore up some McCain support by his not actually worsening his position. On the other hand, it wasn’t a momentum-changer. <\/p>\n

To that end, McCain didn’t lose, but if that’s all he did, then Obama won.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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