More on Last Night's Debate

James Fallows has some really interesting analysis of Obama's real job in the debate last night -- and why giving me (and viewers like me) a satisfying knock-out punch wasn't the priority:

Obama would have pleased his base better if he had fought back more harshly in those 90 minutes -- cutting McCain off, delivering a similarly harsh closing judgment, using comparably hostile body language, and in general acting more like a combative House of Commons debater. Those would have been effective tactics minute by minute.

But Obama either figured out, or instinctively understood, that the real battle was to make himself seem comfortable, reasonable, responsible, well-versed, and in all ways "safe" and non-outsiderish to the audience just making up its mind about him... The evidence of the polls suggests that he achieved exactly this strategic goal. He was the more "likeable," the more knowledgeable, the more temperate, etc.

Meanwhile, 538.com has an analysis of the post-debate polls: Why Voters Thought Obama Won. Here's a sample:

McCain’s essential problem is that his fundamental strength – his experience -- is specifically not viewed by voters as carrying over to the economy. And the economy is pretty much all that voters care about these days.

And Steve Benen has a post about McCain's "spending freeze" comment:

It's probably considered passe for the media to care about a policy pronouncement made during a debate, but this is a fairly big deal -- which, in theory, could be devastating to McCain. As Yglesias noted, his proposed spending freeze would, in real terms, mean "less money for your local police department. Less money for the FBI. Less money for Head Start. Less money for Pell Grants. Less money for infrastructure. Less money for everything except failed banks and endless wars."

My main concern about it is something Benen says earlier in his post:

Now, as far as I can tell, a spending freeze has never been part of McCain's policy agenda. In all likelihood, he came up with it on the spot and will never repeat this again.

McCain ad-libbed something as monumental as spending freeze. When under pressure, he goes for the Hail Mary pass. Like choosing Sarah Palin as a running mate. Like "suspending" his campaign, and trying to cancel the debate. It's about all the razzle-dazzle with him, with no thought to its consequences.

We'll see if he backs away from this idea in the next few days. But his m.o. tends to be, when caught in a mistake, or when vamping because he's not quite sure what to do, he'll double down on his original statement. Don't believe me? Just ask the Prime Minister of Spain.

Rob