People also thought Gore won the first Bush-Gore debate.
Still, I think the President was a little flat in the middle. On the other hand, he started the first Bush-Gore debate a little flat, too. In the end, he picked up steam in the following debates when and where it counted.
Plus, importantly, the real decision on a debate takes a day or so to shake out. People filter in the commentary by the candidates for the next day or so after a debate. There will be responses from the outside to expand on some of the points where the format didn't lend itself to further expansion.
He was tired from going up to Stuart,Fla. today. He should have laid low. He had no pep.
IMO