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0 has a better voice. That gives him an advantage on "style," but that said I thought he came across as very pedantic for most of the debate, and argumentative on the few occasions when he tried to show fire.

They both lacked precision, but I think Mac stayed on message much better in the foreign policy part of the debate. I'm not concerned with his slightly off performance at the opening -- the economy is going to be revisited over and over, and once the "rescue" is passed that is going to change the whole complexion of how the debate gets framed.

I think McCain did some real damage on Afghanistan, but could have hit it harder. BHO's recourse to "Joe Biden runs the full committee and said it's OK I didn't have hearings" was an enormous misstep: it cast him as subordinate to his running mate. He should've just ignored it. Since this criticism was bound to come up, I'm surprised 0's team didn't have a better answer.

"I've got a bracelet, too," was incredibly lame.

That gives him an advantage on "style," but that said I thought he came across as very pedantic for most of the debate, and argumentative on the few occasions when he tried to show fire.

I agree with you, FRiend -- pretty much with everything you said, but I part ways with you here. The question is not what you or I thought. It's the folks who aren't already decided: what will they have thought? IMO, they'll think Obama sounded better ... and that's it. His pedantry will be given a pass or -- even worse -- be mistaken for knowledge and substance.

I'd love to be wrong about that....

“I think McCain did some real damage on Afghanistan, but could have hit it harder.”

I agree. McCain’s line about if Obama was so concerned about Afghanistan he could’ve at least visited was damning.