The nail in the coffin?
So much of these debates is about general demeanor, general impressions, general connections, not about specifics or winning on the merits. And what I saw was a John McCain who was perturbed and petulant trying to prod and pester a Barack Obama who was incredibly cool, calm and collected. (The alliteration was only half on purpose.)
I thought Obama's responses to Ayers/ACORN were pitch perfect, making McCain seem desperate. There were 3 or 4 moments when the debate audience audibly laughed, and each time it was after a quip by Obama; in other words, they were laughing at McCain. The "Joe the Plumber" soliloquiy was just laughable, and I don't think most people will fall for the fake empathy. Obama was level-headed and provided context that 98% of small businesses make under $250,000.
The focus and restraint of Obama are absolutely incredible. He seems unflappable. And in a time of economic uncertainty, reassurance and empathy is what voters are looking for. They got it from Obama. They didn't from McCain.
By the way, I thought Bob Schieffer did a much better job of scripting pointed questions that knocked the candidates off-balance while facilitating a discussion that was actually human and engaging at times. Tip of the cap.
But now, Obama has confidence. He's on offense in deep-red states like West Virginia, having put a gaping hole in battleground states like Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Florida, Pennsylvania and Virginia. I just don't see any way that John McCain can win this thing.
