Definitely McCain’s best debate so far.
Yes, he left a few hanging curveballs over the plate.
But bottom line is he showed Obama to be a political incompetent. Once he got Obama off talking points, all Obama could do was talk and talk about nothing (maybe Obama is the Seinfield candidate). You could tell Obama didn’t know what to say tonight, so he just rambled off to something else, totally unrelated.
First half of the debate, McCain cleaned Obama’s clock. 2nd half was more even because McCain didn’t fully press every issue. But at least McCain got the pressing issues we have wanted out into the public discourse tonight.
Other factor, is Obama just flat out lied a lot tonight. And not about technical nuance’s over minor policy issues. He just FLAT OUT LIED several times, and McCain called him on it. I thought the biggest lie (in terms of public impact) may be that 100% of McCain’s ads are negative. Every American has seen many of their ads. They will know that this is not true.
Joe the Plumber could be a defining moment of the campaign. He is a real person and will be doing a ton of media interviews if he so desires. That will help McCain with the middle class working folks. They get Joe the Plumber. No some target number about who will get taxed or not.
McCain needs to get Joe the Plumber video up on ads ASAP.
Whether this changes the election or not, who knows? By this time, most people aren’t even watching the debates. But if McCain had been this good the last 2, he might only be back 1-2 points.
Ayers is on the table, without the racist accusation.
McCain has disarmed the racism charge, by confronting John Lewis. And by pointing out that he has chided everyone on his side, every time. Then bringing up obliquely the "Palin is a C***T" T-shirts, and hinting at the wave of obscene, visceral hate-filled attacks on Palin from the time she was first announced.
By mentioning Obama wants government to be the answer for health care (Canada and England), and the "slip" of Sen. Government.
By linking Obama to Acorn; by calling Obama on lies about campaign finance, by linking Obama to the press cover-up of Ayers.
By linking Obama's policies "Tax and Protection" to Herbert Hoover; by calling Obama on being against Colombia but willing to meet with Chavez of Venezuela.
Knocking Biden's foreign policy expertise by calling him out on "3 Iraqs". Slam dunk.
Not the Palin style, but this is a game changer, he did not act like a defeated, wimpy old man who is about to be vanquished.
Obama lied like Joe Isuzu from the commercials.
Cheers!