Tone: McCain once again angry, edgy and negative; Obama once again calm, cool, detailed and personable.
Obama = Presidential; McCain = Frantic & Erratic
John McCain's answers usually rambled and he veered from one talking point to the next in a spastic manner, the "kitchen sink" strategy that will leave most viewers saying ... "Huh?"
Barack Obama focused on the issues and his plans, speaking directly to the audience, steady and reassuring ... most people will likely say ... "What is there to fear?"
What continues to amaze me is how the talking heads and pundits continue to get the post debate analysis absurdly wrong. You expect the campaign surrogates and ideologues to stick with their man, but when the reporters and news people try to make their analysis fit the pre-debate projections it is sad and pathetic. These people saw all three of these debates through an old, dirty, scratched lens that said ... "The candidate who is aggressive and on the attack wins points" and "The candidate who is more cerebral is seen as soft and ineffective." But that was then and this is now.
Two wars that have us on our heels, an economy that has dropped us to our knees, eight years of lies and deceit from the Bush/Cheney administration, Katrina, Valerie Plame, US Attorney scandal, Guantanamo and torture, etc., etc., etc. The loud, aggressive, bellicose and supremely confident approach by Rove Republicans leaves a bitter taste in voters mouths. People want to hear about the issues, they want character, they want capable leadership, they want change.
So, while the pundits talked about McCain's aggressiveness putting Obama on the defensive, they weren't listening to the word the candidates were speaking. I think the public saw through the tactics and focused on the answers. And once again, the snap polls are hitting the pundits right between the eyes.
Obama overwhelmingly won the debate, the people are saying. Obama's favor ability numbers are rising and McCain's are falling.
And what do you know, suddenly the pundits change their language. John the Fighter becomes Angry John. John the Aggressor becomes Cranky Negative John. And they seem surprised that the public saw things so differently.
So, what now?
The trickle of Republican politicians running away from McCain to save their own skill will become a flood. The money the RNC has left will go to Senate and House races, not the presidential campaign. And Sarah Palin's people will start talking behind McCain's back about how she should have been at the top of the ticket instead of the old guy.
The next three weeks may still get pretty ugly with negative campaigning, but it won't change the election. This is Obama's time.
UPDATE
I love Duncan Black:
Pundits all agree: despite the fact that McCain looked like a demented lunatic, he won!.
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