Having watched last night’s debate properly and read the press coverage of it, it seems pretty clear that it was a draw. There was no ‘global test’ moment for either candidate and neither of them managed to put the other on the canvas.
Obama should be a lot happier with this result than McCain. First of all he is ahead so a debate that doesn’t change the dynamics of the race suits him. Secondly this was a debate on foreign policy and national security—admittedly, the first third of it was taken up with the financial crisis—which is McCain’s strongest suit. If Obama was going to have a moment where he came across as unready to lead it was most likely to be in this debate. McCain got off a string of good jabs at Obama and nearly had him on the ropes about his previous statement that he would meet with foreign leaders without preconditions but Obama managed to get through the foreign policy section with minimal harm done.
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