My... Aren't we optimistic...

Very partisan. Both spoke effectively to those that agree with them. No one won. McCain had took the most initiative and Obama played the best defense. Push meets shove. Hard to believe McCain camp's claim that Obama started a shouting match in their closed meeting with the Pres when McCain was the one running right through the moderators stop signs to try to get the last word in.

The media has not portrayed Palin as a 'blithering idiot'- she has done that to herself. The (two?) interviews she has given were softball pitches that she struck out on, and just the fact that they had to dumb down the VP debate structure to accommodate her does not help that perception. There may be nowhere but up for her, but that is hardly due to media manipulation.

What was that whole thing McCain was saying about South Koreans being 3 inches taller than North Koreans? Huh?

McCain had this steamroller tactic of just barreling on even though his time was up and Jim Lehrer was moving on.

I liked how Obama addressed almost every jab McCain got in. It was what I wanted Kerry to do and he didn't.

I think Obama had the slight edge over McCain, but it wasn't a huge victory for either candidate. I don't see anyone actually changing their minds based on this debate. In fact, I don't expect anyone to be swayed by any of the debates.

I liked the whole 'Yeah, I have a bracelet, too' moment.

I caught about 10 minutes of the debate - enough to hear the candidates avoid the questions with their canned faux-responses. Then I put on the new Bitter:sweet CD - can't wait to see them live. This political season is really making me appreciate music more.

CBS/Knowledge Networks poll of uncommitted voters immediately after the debate:

39% Obama
24% McCain
37% draw

Years of famine and childhood malnutrition has produced of generation of North Koreans that are significantly shorter than their counterparts in South Korea and even the older generations in North Korea (and those older generations are of approximately the same average height whether in North or South Korea).

http://community.seattletimes.nwsour...4&slug=korea14

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/...renthelegacyof

I watched and then I read. I think there is a bit of a Nixon-Kennedy vibe, honestly. Watching I gave the nod to Obama. He just looked the part. Reading I gave it to McCain. But I agree with GD (where's that quote he submitted once about agreeing with me and how aweful it made him feel?) that neither side clearly had an advantage, and neither side gaffed.

This was encouraging to me in one way. I remember going on MousePlanet after the first Bush-Kerrey debate nearly vomiting and incredibly depressed because Bush sucked so freakin' badly. And then Bush still won the election (making all of you feel like vomiting and incredibly depressed).

I will say this. If Obama does what he says he will, I do not regard him as someone I can't ever support should he win. However, I keep getting the Bill Clinton promising a middle class tax cut feeling and I know that Obama is just a politician, same as everyone else, saying what he thinks will get him elected. To be fair, McCain does the same thing, but McCain has shown more legislating with the other side moving across the aisle than Obama has. Freak out about it, but I can name a bunch of examples (most of which I hated, by the way).

Anyway....eh. Don't think this debate changed anyone's mind, which at this point plays to Obama with his lead.

I don't get how anyone can be undecided in this election.

I agreed with my boyfriend Paul Begala's take (surprise!). The overall impression of John McCain is Mr. Yesterday. The overall impression of Obama is Mr. Future.

I don't care that McCain stumbled over Achmedinejad. I think he would have come across well to anyone who thought that at age 72 he was a bumbler. I wasn't as bothered as some by his obvious rudeness, but I do agree with the commentator who said that it didn't play well because Obama, beyond principled disagreement, didn't give him any openings where taking that tone made any sense.

I thought McCain did a good job at showcasing his experience with foreign affairs, and I thought Obama did a better job than McCain at cramming his opponent's mistakes down his throat. McCain gets the nod for worst line of the night with his "How about we don't spend any money?" riposte.

I did come away thinking that if a Republican had to steal the last two elections, I would have preferred it be McCain than Bush, but overall I thought Obama won a close one.