‘What You See is What You Get’ Debate Smart But Without Sparkle

The best debate among the three left Americans happy:  no more "my friends" from John McCain and "well, look" from Barack Obama to suffer through.  The debates are over. 

Senator McCain, who needed to sparkle up his image, was solid in his debate performance, but did little to make up his current poll deficit.  Senator Obama finished the debate season steamrolling and appears ready for the last three weeks of the campaign before Election Day on November 4.

In my debate primer found here I stressed the need for John McCain, the long-time senator from Arizona,  to show us his heart and Barack Obama, the first term senator from Illinois, to speak with candor.  On this point, Mr. Obama clearly used his eloquence to his advantage while Mr. McCain lacked a bit in his ability to emote, both performances consistent with previous debates.  What does this mean for voters?  What you see is what you get.

I have created a debate matrix to rate each candidate.  Who won the debate in these key categories?

In showing heart:  Obama

In speaking with candor:  Obama

In reasonable explanations:  Obama

In generating surprises:  McCain

In giving details:  even

In dialogue effectiveness:  even

Obama's advantages were slight while McCain's one triumph was huge.  He generated multiple surprises that spiced up the stage.

"I am not President Bush."

"Why would you raise taxes on anyone?"

"Senator Obama, your argument is not very convincing."

"I'm surprised you didn't pay more attention to this example, Senator Obama."

There were half a dozen other direct strikes by Mr. McCain that were quite interesting.  However, Mr. Obama remained cool, calm, and collected.

If You are a Democrat

You feel that Senator Obama won all three debates and is in a good position heading towards the homestretch.  Obama didn't stumble and was compact in giving policy details.  His charismatic persona seals the deal.  Can Obama even mess this up with such an enormous lead?

If You are Republican

You feel pretty good about this debate especially Senator McCain's surprise elements, key aspects of his policy, and his ability to raise legitimate concerns in the perception of his opponent.  However, he hit singles and doubles when he needed home runs.  You are nervous and left wondering how you will be able to endure a Democratic president.  What more can McCain do?

If You are Independent or Undecided

You are still wondering whether or not you can trust Obama.  You like his composure but aren't sure about his associations with Ayers and ACORN.  You will wade through additional news on these predicaments and see if your gut tells you to vote for Obama.  You like McCain's toughness and honor and he feels much more dependable.  You just aren't sure about his age and Governor Palin's credentials to be president.  You trust him but wonder whether he can really win this election.

Additional Highlights

There was good dialogue on several issues.  Bob Schieffer, though he set as an expectation to require each candidate to answer each question, didn't hold them to the fire.  Nevertheless, the levels of exchange among the candidates were higher than in previous debates and viewers were able to make personal judgments based on these interactions.

Joe the Plumber was a huge topic of discussion.  Senator McCain used Joe as a middle class example in policy issues such as taxes and health care.  If you don't know Joe, watch his interaction with Senator Obama a few days ago in Ohio.

My Advice as We Approach November 4

1. Stay tuned for anything new out of Senator McCain.
2. Watch Senator Obama pour it on.
3. Be sure to vote.

Thanks for reading my 2008 election debate news!  It has been a joy to watch and report on the battle for the next president of the United States.