![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
: Debate One Down
Wow. I was seriously impressed tonight with Obama's performance. He was aggressive and knowledgeable, and managed to throw every embarrassing McCain quotation (and a few Bush quotations as well) back in the man's face. McCain, by contrast, seemed scattered and fishing for topics, coming back into coherence only on a few particular issues.
Of course, my worry is that partisan news sources will simply collect the clips that support their candidate and declare him the victor, so Fox News will be all about "McCain's stunning performance" and declare him the winner, as they would regardless. MSNBC at this point is probably equally skewed towards Obama. I kind of miss the Fairness Doctrine, which Reagan's FCC axed back in 1985.
Still, from where I stand, TRYING to look at it objectively even though I have my own biases to be sure, Obama looked like he came across far more in control and focused, answering McCain's criticisms of him far more skillfully than McCain answered Obama's challenges.
Will it matter? Does anything at these debates change voting behavior, and will we get any real sense from the so-called polls of what people actually think? I can't bear to listen to any commentary tonight so I'll have to wait to find out what the media decides reality will be like tomorrow...
- SW
Wow. I was seriously impressed tonight with Obama's performance. He was aggressive and knowledgeable, and managed to throw every embarrassing McCain quotation (and a few Bush quotations as well) back in the man's face. McCain, by contrast, seemed scattered and fishing for topics, coming back into coherence only on a few particular issues.
Of course, my worry is that partisan news sources will simply collect the clips that support their candidate and declare him the victor, so Fox News will be all about "McCain's stunning performance" and declare him the winner, as they would regardless. MSNBC at this point is probably equally skewed towards Obama. I kind of miss the Fairness Doctrine, which Reagan's FCC axed back in 1985.
Still, from where I stand, TRYING to look at it objectively even though I have my own biases to be sure, Obama looked like he came across far more in control and focused, answering McCain's criticisms of him far more skillfully than McCain answered Obama's challenges.
Will it matter? Does anything at these debates change voting behavior, and will we get any real sense from the so-called polls of what people actually think? I can't bear to listen to any commentary tonight so I'll have to wait to find out what the media decides reality will be like tomorrow...
- SW