The first presidential debate for 2008 occurred this past Thursday. If it were a boxing match, I'd say there were no big blows, no knockdowns, no knockouts. It was won on a judges' decision. Fight one went to Obama on points.
Behind in the polls and bruised by the country's staggering economy, McCain needed a big victory. He didn't get it.
The debate featured a classic clash of styles. McCain is the slugger, the guy who throws hard all the time and likes to fight inside. Obama is what they call a "scientific boxer," a guy who jabs and moves.
The boxer took the early rounds. Obama was much stronger in his take on the economy and the current Wall Street woes. He focused on the plight of the average American, which is more important, and much stronger in its appeal to the electorate. McCain relied on the old "free market/deregulation" arguments. Those arguments fell flat.
McCain had better success in the middle and late rounds when he could go on the offensive about foreign policy (the topic of the debate). However, he was overly aggressive with his "Obama doesn't understand" comments, and it cost him. The boxer Obama was able to dance and parry his blows. While McCain landed a few good ones, they weren't enough to win him the rounds he needed.
All Obama needed to do in this debate was stay on his feet. Anything other than a knockout and he was likely to win. He did that. He showed that he could "look" presidential and that he could hold his own. The judges in the electorate favored that.
So the first "fight" goes to Obama. Two more to go.
And let's not forget Palin vs. Biden. That one should be fun.
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