So Obama won the debate, at least according to the polls, and I’m yet to find a reasoned argument saying he didn’t. He was cool, calm and collected, where as McCain was angry, real angry at times.
I made the observation during the debate that while Obama spoke more about what he would do as President, McCain spent more time attacking Obama than speaking about his plans. There were attacks in both directions, and I don’t have data to back that up, so it’s an observation only.
Obama’s no Churchill, and despite some earlier comparisons, he’s not a JFK or RFK either, at least in a debate. And yet he presents himself as the right man at the right time: a man who is smart, confident in himself, and remains oh so cool under pressure.
The fun part now will be watching the GOP implode as they realize the election is lost. They were hoping that McCain would win the debate, and giving polling showing Obama with a double digit lead, it was really their last serious throw of the dice. They lost.
The signs of a GOP implosion had already started before the debate. Reports of disagreements between Palin and McCain, a number of high profile conservatives coming out to support Obama, pulling ads in previously battleground states because they’ve conceeded they can’t win them. Odd leaks, the starting of finger pointing, and even some of the right wing blogs are starting to join in, instead of just towing the party line as usual.
There is still a slim chance of the election being won by McCain. Obama could slip up, but those chances are slim. Reagan came from a similar behind position to McCain 3 weeks out to beat Carter in 1980. But Reagan also won the last debate.
The only question now is how bad will the implosion be before November 4.
