Rating The Debate: Did Either Win?

Political Consultants Offer Post-Debate Analysis Of The Candidates' Agendas And Performance

(CBS)  Senators John McCain and Barack Obama faced off last night in the first Presidential debate in Oxford, Mississippi at the University of Mississippi. Each campaign believes its candidate won the debate Friday night, but how did they really do?

To judge the nominees' performance, The Early Show asked several political consultants to rate the debate.

CBS News political analyst Joe Trippi (who served for several Democratic presidential candidates) wrote earlier this week that if voters think Barack Obama deserves to stand on the same stage as John McCain, McCain (who is behind Obama in the polls) will have lost the debate.

So did Obama prove he deserves to be there? And does that mean McCain lost the debate?

"Yeah, he sure did," Trippi told Early Show anchor Erica Hill. "When you have a foreign policy debate where John McCain is thought in the voter's mind to have more experience than Obama, and he gets through the whole debate without making a misstatement, holding his own, and people at the end either believe that he's won the debate or it's a tie - that's a push for Barack Obama. And he clearly, clearly achieved that last night.

"And that is a real problem for McCain because that's the one advantage McCain had going into this debate, was his experience on foreign policy. So, no, I think stepping back, Obama clearly won last night.

CNN political analyst Amy Holmes (and former speechwriter for Republican Sen. Bill Frist) thought it was possible both candidates won last night.

"On the one hand I thought John McCain won on substance. When this got to national policy, foreign policy, national security going into this debate, Barack Obama's people said this was John McCain's turf. They were right, and John McCain showed that he was fluent, he was comfortable, and he was ready to take the reins on day one. But Barack Obama, he won by not losing. There were no major gaps. He looked like he could tackle these issues.

"I talk to real people and get e-mails from my friends who are not in the political sphere. They said it looked like John McCain knew this stuff from life where Barack Obama was getting it from a textbook, but look at the American voter: In 2000 George Bush didn't have all of that experience and he became president of the United States over Al Gore! I think the voters will be making their own decision, [but ] when it comes to substance, John McCain was far way ahead."

On the economy, which intruded on the debate's original itinerary, Holmes felt that neither debater conveyed to the public that they "get it."

"I think both of them punted on this," she told Hill. "We had the first 40 minutes on the economy and both of them, they kind of went to their corners and they talked on their talking points. They didn’t talk about the big issue of the day: $700 billion from the taxpayer going to the companies on Wall Street to get out of this mess. I don't think either came out ahead on that issue."

Trippi agreed: "I agree that neither one of them really gave us anything to sink our teeth into there."

But Trippi thought McCain needed to disqualify Obama, and failed. "He needed to come into this debate and show that he was head and shoulders ahead of Obama on all of these foreign policy issues and disqualify Obama. Had he done that, it would have been the moment to turn the election. He didn't achieve that. Obama showed that he belonged there. Both of them punted on the economic issues. But the fact that Obama held his own with McCain is not good news for the McCain campaign."

CBS News was told by some Republican consultants that basically in the last few days, what John McCain had done ("suspending" his campaign and bringing presidential politics to the bailout negotiations in Washington) was catastrophic, with some of them saying he looked panicked.

"He needed a win, not a tie last night. Did he pull it off?" Hill asked Republican strategist Kevin Madden.

Madden, vice president of the Glover Park Group, said that the debate was largely a draw because both candidates did exactly what they needed to do.

"John McCain needed to show he is the more experienced candidate, that he is the candidate that has better command and control of these issues. And Barack Obama needed to sort of close the stature gap. He needed to hold his own with John McCain, and he largely did that. These presidential debates are largely defined by big moments, either bad or good. There really weren't many of those last night.

CBS News consultant Dee Dee Myers, who was press secretary in the Clinton White House, agreed.

"I think Kevin is right, there wasn't a knockout blow on either side," she said, "but Senator Obama's mission was to go in there and show he could be the commander in chief and has command of the issues that the world is facing. I think he did a good job of that. I think McCain was strong as well but I think Obama accomplished a little bit more of what he needed to do.

"People who are watching said they were much more likely after the debate to say they thought that Senator Obama would be a credible president, a credible commander in chief approximate, and if that holds - these poll results sometimes dissipate over time - that's a huge step forward for Senator Obama, and then on to the next debates which will focus less on foreign policy and more on domestic policy."

The next debate is actually between the vice presidential nominees, with so much attention being paid to Republican Sarah Palin, who garnered a great deal of criticism over interview with Katie Couric earlier this week.

"Is there a lot of concern, Kevin, within the Republican camp as to whether or not she can pull off what she needs to do next Thursday?" Hill asked.

He thought the concern was with how Palin is being "rolled out" to the public and the press. "Somebody who doesn't have as much experience and doesn't have that much time before the national audience has been rolled out with very big national interviews, rather than going out there where she is best, which is meeting in town halls meeting in VFWs around the country and engaging with voters and showcasing her experience and her accomplishments as a chief executive. That is probably the best frame that the McCain campaign is going to need to really showcase Sarah Palin."

"We've seen a lot of Sarah Palin over the last several weeks," Myers said, "and we've seen her winning personality, her optimism, her confidence. She clearly is comfortable in front of a big crowd. What she hasn't done much of, as Kevin pointed out, is answer questions from the media about substance. As she has started to do that more, she has not stood up to the questions well.

"I thought Katie Couric's interview was infinitely fair, and they were issues of the day and weren't 'gotcha' or down in the weeds or anything. And I think she was unable to answer them. We'll see if she gets prepped better for the debate this week with Senator Joe Biden.

"The debate, unlike last night's debate between Senators McCain and Obama, will be much more structured; they'll have three minutes for an answer and a very specific time for rebuttal. I think that format favors candidates who aren't as prepared. I think we'll see how she does, but it will be a high stakes moment for her and for Senator McCain's campaign more broadly.

"This woman could be a heartbeat away from the presidency, to quote an oft-quoted cliché," Myers said.

[PulSamsara]

Why would America REWARD complete Republican failure ?

We wont.

[dagrandma]

CBSCensorU: Just pick up the stereo arm and move it to a new location. Your record is stuck.

[kjhunn]

CBS, why don''t you try having an actual poll with just a few questions to be answered without a person having to go through bogus giveaways! John McCain won hands down! I had friends calling me all night with utter disdain for the way Obama handled himself with his smirks and rude behavior - butting in! I also was around when an actual poll call came in and it was definitely swayed towards Obama with the end question being - what is your race? Hopefully the American people can see through this empty vessel and vote in John McCain who has experience and foresight to pick the best and brightest to help him lead this country! Oh and by the way CBS, this is one Hillary supporter and donor who will never vote Democrat again in her life!

[roachcrusher]

MARXIST HUSSEIN PLANS TO GIVE YOUR MONEY TO THE WORLDS POOR,,,
Posted by trrrorislamj at 06:25 AM : Sep 28, 2008

And you are FASCIST INSANE

[trrrorislamj]

HAVE ANY MONEY LEFT???

MARXIST HUSSEIN PLANS TO GIVE YOUR MONEY TO THE WORLDS POOR,,,

GLOBAL POVERTY ACT

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=OBAMA+GLOBAL POVERTY ACT

YOU CAN KISS YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY GOOD BYE,,,

HUSSEIN SAYS THE WORLD POOR NEEDS IT MORE THAN YOU DO,,,

HUSSEIN PREFERS FOREIGNS OVER AMERICANS,,,

[trrrorislamj]

HUSSEIN PLANS TO STEAL THE ELECTION

WILL YOUR VOTE COUNT???

OR WILL ACORN VOTER FRAUD STEAL THE ELECTION???

HUSSEINS OTHER RADICAL MARXIST HATE AMERICA ASSOCIATION

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=OBAMA+ACORN VOTER FRAUD

The Acorn Indictments
A union-backed outfit faces charges of election fraud.
http://opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009189


ACORN Workers Indicted For Alleged Voter Fraud
http://www.kmbc.com/politics/10214492/detail.html

Inside Obama''s Acorn
http://www.aina.org/news/20080529155204.htm

[trrrorislamj]

Economists not keen on DEMONIC-RAT bailout

NO NO NO,,, GOD DAMNN THE DEMONIC-RATS,,,

DEMONIC-RAT CORRUPTION IS KILLING AMERICA,,,

MORE FAILED SOCIALIST/COMMUNIST POLICIES OF THE PAST,,,

Burning Down The House: What Caused Our Economic Crisis?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5tZc8oH--o

COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACThttp://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=COMMUNITY+REINVESTMENT ACT
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT

Timeline shows Bush, McCain warning Dems of financial mess
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnSp4qEXNM&feature=related

S. 190 [109th]: Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s109-190

http://www.opensecrets.org/

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=CENTER FOR RESPONSIVE POLITICS

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=CENTER FOR RESPONSIVE POLITICS

Covering Your Fannie, Who Really Caused Our Economic Crisis?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEWCnpNnBQ&feature=user

HUSSEIN AND THE DEMONIC-RATS ARE BAD FOR AMERICA,,,

[tmittelstaed]

"...The president is mainly a figurehead without much authority to do anything..."

This comment shows a large lack of understanding of how the US government works. For starters it isn''t true - the President has lots of power through the power to issue Executive Rules that are binding on the bureaucrats in the Executive branch. Of course, the next President can overrule them - and Bush issued a huge flurry of executive orders when he first took office that countermanded many of the orders issued by Clinton - but the fact of the matter is that timing is everything - sometimes all it takes to get your way is to delay the other guy for a bit of time.
But besides this, and of course the veto power and threat of veto, the real power in the Presidency is the power of the office to act as a bully pulpit. The President can sway the entire country, he''s done it before.

[erasmus81]

Tucker, are you still there?

How do you know that I am shy?!! I want to know!!

[erasmus81]

Tucker

I guess it''s my bedtime.
I''ll leave you so you can have uninterrupted conversations with others.:)

Goodnight

[erasmus81]

But, I''''m not. :-)

I have gray hair that used to be brown. It is very fine and totally unmanageable and has to be worn very short or very long. Otherwise, it just kind of does what it wants.

I like people as individuals. I do not like crowds or large groups. One reason being I don''''t like being stared at.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 04:51 AM : Sep 28, 2008

You''re not what? Burt Reynold''s cousin?:)

That''s okay, tucker, I like ya anyways.

And I have thick, straight, red-brown hair:):), and I can''t do a d*mn thing with it!

I don''t like being in crowds or large groups, either. I am shy. Don''t laugh! I know I don''t seem shy, but I am.

I have friends that I see, but I am mostly a loner.

[erasmus81]

"The president does not have the authority to pass or nullify laws. He does not have the authority to allocate money. The president is mainly a figurehead without much authority to do anything."

Posted by tuckerndfw at 04:22 AM : Sep 28, 2008

I don''t know how many times I have tried to tell people this. I have told them that the president, or even our prime minister, does not have the power to make decisions on their own. The Queen of England no longer has any power at all. She is just a figure head also. All she does is paper work.:)

[trrrorislamj]

Economists not keen on DEMONIC-RAT bailout

NO NO NO,,, GOD DAMNN THE DEMONIC-RATS,,,

DEMONIC-RAT CORRUPTION IS KILLING AMERICA,,,

MORE FAILED SOCIALIST/COMMUNIST POLICIES OF THE PAST,,,

Burning Down The House: What Caused Our Economic Crisis?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5tZc8oH--o

COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACThttp://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=COMMUNITY+REINVESTMENT ACT
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT

Timeline shows Bush, McCain warning Dems of financial mess
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnSp4qEXNM&feature=related

S. 190 [109th]: Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s109-190

http://www.opensecrets.org/

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=CENTER FOR RESPONSIVE POLITICS

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=CENTER FOR RESPONSIVE POLITICS

Covering Your Fannie, Who Really Caused Our Economic Crisis?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEWCnpNnBQ&feature=user

HUSSEIN AND THE DEMONIC-RATS ARE BAD FOR AMERICA,,,

[erasmus81]

"dilated", sorry. I don''t have spell check.:)

[jamjholmes]

U sheep fools who are arguing between McInsane and O''''bama just don''''t get it. They both are the same, and neither represents the citizens, they represent the corporations and central bank who run this country. The real issues like Foreign Policy, the National Debt, Privacy, and the Federal Reserve(not elected or federal) are the most important issues and they will not talk about them because nothing will change with either of the tools running. GG sheep. Learn up plz.

[erasmus81]

You''''d probably think I''''m evil if that''''s your standard.

My eyes are hazel-brown but my eyes are deep set and my brow is heavy.

I''''ve been referred to as a "cave man" by some.

I''''ve also been compared to Burt Reynolds back when he was popular (same basic appearance).

Some people really do think I''''m evil based on my appearance. Which works very well for me since it keeps people away from me.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 04:10 AM : Sep 28, 2008


You know how a person''s eyes look when they are fully dialated?(sp?) Or if they are stoned?:) That''s what his looked like. It could have been the way the camera was hitting them. He was looking down slightly.

And I really don''t think that I would consider you evil looking. I loved Burt Reynolds! And I have brown eyes, so I don''t think your hazel-brown eyes would look evil! You have brown hair?

"Which works very well for me since it keeps people away from me."

You don''t like people?

[erasmus81]

"I really would not care to inherit the mess made by the GOP. I am sympathetic to the next president. He will have a real mess on his hands and a second term is unlikely." Posted by tuckerndfw at 03:54 AM : Sep 28, 2008

Yes, I also feel sorry for the next president. I don''t know about down there, but here it used to be that they didn''t know the extent of the "mess" until they were actually in office. That is why I think that it is stupid for them to go on and on about what they are going to do, when they have no idea what they will be facing. And when they start saying all the things that they are going to do, they sound stupid, because there AIN''T no money to do anything!

[dicktracy200]

I am writing this message to inform people of the injustice being perpretrated by Fox News against Barack Obama. For the past two weeks there has been nothing but negative reporting against senator Obama by the Fox News network, which is unfair to listeners and the candidate. This networks seemingly biased opinions are not of interest to us viewers. My concern is that negative reporting like this will influence voters that are undecided of which candidate best express their wishes. I depend on these news stations for fair, accurate and just reporting regardless of the outcome whether it be a debate or any other current event and if that cant be accomplished I feel that it is grounds for that station (Fox News network) to be boycotted until they learn and understand that those types of injustices will not be tolerated. If anyone else can relate to the unfair reporting of Fox News I suggest that you join us in a boycott of this news station. PASS THIS MESSAGE ALONG.

[erasmus81]

"John McCain is literally insane. Your instincts about him are justified." Posted by tuckerndfw at 03:50 AM : Sep 28, 2008

What color are his eyes? They looked like two black holes.:) He looked evil.

[erasmus81]

Tucker

When you said that I couldn''t be President because I wasn''t an American, I just thought if everyone was DESPERATE, they would overlook that fact.:)