Debateable

Apparently, CNN and CBS have conducted polls that suggest that Barack Obama won tonight's debate. (CNN has Obama winning, 51%-38%. CBS's poll says Obama won, 39%-24%.) I'm not so sure.


In one of McCain's lists of his accomplishments--I think it was the one that began with the military action in Lebanon--he made me really consider the value of his experience. It made me think, yes, he has seen a lot, and done a lot, and that is a good quality to have in a president.

(He's also apparently been more places than Carmen SanDiego and Where the Hell is Matt combined.)

Anyway, my point is that I think he came off pretty well. Part of that might be that President Bush's oratory skills have substantially lowered the bar on how well I expect Republicans to articulate their positions. McCain seemed mostly conversant on the issues. Of course, foreign policy is supposed to be his strong suit, so I don't know why I was expecting otherwise. But I had been so frustrated--so frustrated--by Bush's sheer aura of dullard in the 2000 and 2004 debates, that having someone articulate up there came as a refreshing surprise. Also, I didn't throw anything.

But ultimately, no matter his experience, McCain didn't sway me. (Big surprise, right?) Because recent experience has shown him to have very poor judgment on everything from invading Iraq to choosing a vice president. It's not an ungrateful what-have-you-done-for-me-lately attitude that propts these thoughts. McCain has made some good decisions in the past, and some bad ones. But looking forward, I see fewer and fewer good decisions from him on the horizon. He tends to act rashly in tight situations (choosing Palin, "suspending" his campaign, etc.), and a president's appointment book is filled with tight situations. Obama keeps a cooler head. Regardless of his ideas for his presidency (and I think they're good ones), he has the even, steady temprament for the job.

Anyway, despite the polls I thought the debate itself was pretty much a draw; it could be that I'm giving McCain too much credit for not coming off as a brush-clearing boob, though.

Rob