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[jack writing in from Austin, Texas] Hillary's opening was almost beyond bizarre. Unfortunately it seemed off the cuff, and in fairness, she has had the first question in the majority of the last debates (still including up to 7 people). But still.
The rest of it, I'd score them each a point here, a point there. One thing that really struck me—and a commentator on MSNBC also mentioned it—was that Obama never seems to generate real excitement in the debates. When he appears in public, speaking to a packed stadium, yeah, El Hombre es en fuego! But he doesn't transmit that same excitement in debates. I think he probably can. But I don't see it. He comes across as way cool. I actually count it against him that he never loses his cool in these unscripted public events. Is he the kind of man who only catches fire when he is front of an admiring throng? Or is it that he's more comfortable speaking to The People? If that's true, he may be right. It's probably long past time to think we can change the corrupt Washington system by working with congress. Maybe Obama really can take it to the people, and rally the country around real change.
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I give the nod to Obama for a couple of reasons. He was stronger and far more assured than he has ever shown in a debate and she too frequently seemed to be straining but let's call it a draw.
ReplyDeleteI think we are watching an extraordinary political talent develop, one who is significantly less narcissitic than WJC, and I am not sure that he hasn't been holding back in the debate format.
He made some really sharp points that he could have made last fall but didn't and they drew sharp contrasts with her. Lumping her in with Bush/McCain and the drive the bus into the ditch enabling of GWB LANDED and he was deft in parrying the Liberal amd Fruit of Islam charges.
You've got to be a little amazed at his organization's ground game. He bulit this thing in 15 months and it's just chugging along. I believe he is thinking tactically for the general and that he is still holding back. I also believe that his answer on the Public Campaign Financing was shrewd. This guy is not going to get played and McCain is already walking onto the ice on that front.
That said, I don't know how next week will turn out. I hate to think that she eeks out a slim victory in either of the big ones and justifies going all the way to the convention.