Who Won The First Presidential Debate? You — The Voter

Finally after nearly two years of campaigning for President, Barack Obama faced off with John McCain in the first of three Presidential Debates. Who won? The polls seem to say Barack Obama.

It is a disgrace that Obama can be declared the winner of a debate just for showing up and repeating well rehearsed campaign policy points.

Where is his substance, his conviction, his character and especially his judgement to be President of the United States?

McCain makes a point, while Obama looks at Al Gore for help

It is obvious that the American people are very tired of the Bush administration and along with it the Republican Party. The faltering economy and the Wall Street meltdown gives Barack Obama the advantage.

Were Americans really listening to what each candidate said?

Obama has a Community Organizer’s view of this nation. He thinks that government is the solution and the citizens must have huge entitlements. McCain believes in personal responsibility and less government.

Obama only believes in Class Warfare, while McCain believes in the power of the American people. One loves this country, the other just loves himself.

They have completely differing views on how to fix the economy and either one will inherit a mess on January 20th.

McCain: “But I want to emphasize one point to all Americans tonight. This
isn’t the beginning of the end of this crisis. This is the end of the
beginning, if we come out with a package that will keep these
institutions stable. And we’ve got a lot of work to do. And we’ve got to create jobs.
And one of the areas, of course, is to eliminate our dependence on
foreign oil.”

Obama: “Now, we also have to recognize that this is a final verdict on
eight years of failed economic policies promoted by George Bush,
supported by Senator McCain, a theory that basically says that we can
shred regulations and consumer protections and give more and more to
the most, and somehow prosperity will trickle down.”

Complete debate text here.

It still comes down who will make a better leader. John McCain’s closing statement was Presidential, Obama’s was like he was on the High School debating team.

Obama: “Well, let me just make a closing point. You know, my
father came from Kenya. That’s where I get my name.

And in the ’60s, he wrote letter after letter to come to college
here in the United States because the notion was that there was no
other country on Earth where you could make it if you tried. The
ideals and the values of the United States inspired the entire world.

I don’t think any of us can say that our standing in the world
now, the way children around the world look at the United States, is
the same.

And part of what we need to do, what the next president has to do
— and this is part of our judgment, this is part of how we’re going
to keep America safe — is to — to send a message to the world that
we are going to invest in issues like education, we are going to
invest in issues that — that relate to how ordinary people are able
to live out their dreams.

And that is something that I’m going to be committed to as
president of the United States.”

McCain: Jim, when I came home from prison, I saw our veterans
being very badly treated, and it made me sad. And I embarked on an
effort to resolve the POW-MIA issue, which we did in a bipartisan
fashion, and then I worked on normalization of relations between our
two countries so that our veterans could come all the way home.

I guarantee you, as president of the United States, I know how to
heal the wounds of war, I know how to deal with our adversaries, and I
know how to deal with our friends.”

Here is the remaining debate schedule:

• October 7: Second Presidential Debate in Nashville, Tennessee at Belmont University. It will have a town meeting format and will include any issues raised by members of the audience.
• October 15: Third Presidential Debate in Hempstead, New York at Hofstra University on Domestic and Economic Policy. This debate will also be formatted into nine nine-minute segments, with the moderator introducing the topics.

The Vice Presidential Debate:

• October 2: Vice Presidential Debate in St. Louis, Missouri at Washington University in St. Louis. The format and issues have not been decided.

We will be watching and listening and we will decide.

Posted: 2100PT 09/28/08
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