Monday, September 29, 2008

quick notes on the first presidential debate

The debate was supposed to concentrated mostly on foreign policy but the recent economic turmoil was also discussed at length.  You probably won't have the time to watch it entirely, but just in case you do, here it is:




NPR's political commentators estimate that the debate was a draw, with no candidate clearly carrying the day. McCain managed to present himself as a problem solver and someone who is involved in finding a bi-partisan solution to the financial crisis, thus justifying his much derided "suspension" of his campaign to work out a bill in Congress. 
Obama managed to associate his Republican opponent to the present administration, while McCain tried hard to distance himself by reminding the audience of all the times that he had not supported George W. Bush. 

On foreign policy nothing really new came of the debate : McCain hammered Obama for having said that he would meet with all foreign leaders including that of Iran and North Korea with no "pre-conditions" and for having opposed the surge in Irak, which is repeatedly described by McCain as a successful strategy. Obama answered that he took his take from some of the best foreign policy advisors, including Henry Kissinger and that no "pre-conditions" did not mean no preparations by meetings between senior staffers from the two administrations. On Irak, his response was that he opposed the war from the start, but didn't really oppose the surge : he explained that he had voted against a text that had no timetable not against the strategy itself. 

The debate was, to be perfectly honest, not much fun : the audience had to sit in silence and jokes thus jokes fell rather flat. Both candidates were their usual self : McCain simple and direct, at times maybe oversimplifying the issues, whereas Obama was elaborate, a bit professorial and dwelt perhaps to much on the intricacies of the issues. 




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