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A Spin on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: Debate

October 9, 2008 by  
Filed under Editorials

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photo credit: featuresmonitor

By: Kim Ngai, News Editor 

First Presidential Debate Fails to Change Many Minds 

The key turning points and cautiously awaited rise in poll numbers never took place during the first presidential debate on Friday, September 26. 

No candidate came out of the debate with a clear win, although Obama did seem to finish with the same lead he claimed before the debate started. You should look at two things to identify the winner of a debate: style and substance. 

Obama had two audiences when he was speaking- the moderator and the viewers. It gave the viewers a more personal feeling, unlike the tone they got from John McCain, who seemed to have a conversation with the moderator. I\’m not planning on a psychology major, but I contribute Obama\’s almost constant lead in the polls to his ability to “seem” to be able to relate with the public- a quality which is sought after in every president.

While Obama “won” for his tone, neither he nor McCain\’s answers and rebuttals seemed to contain much substance. They discussed our nation\’s dire financial state in extremely general terms. What was most surprising was that both decided they wouldn\’t change much- if anything- in their presidential agenda to correspond with our economic crisis. The moderator appeared more concerned with the failure of financial institutions than the candidates were.

One obvious difference between the candidates, however, was the level on which McCain and Obama gauged each other on. Obama replied that McCain was correct on several instances, while McCain never directly responded to Obama with a positive remark. While many Americans will see this as congeniality on Obama\’s part, some will most likely be swayed by the negative ads coming from the McCain Camp on Obama\’s “indecisiveness.”

While this first presidential debate did have some key moments, it was, for the most part, a restatement of their past principles in a more aggressive tone. I didn\’t see or learn anything from the candidates that I wasn\’t aware of before.

 

All eyes will be centered on the vice-presidential debate which will take place on October 2. Palin\’s last clash with the media took place in Katie Couric\’s interview, when bloggers, pundits, and journalists alike confirmed the obvious- that Palin is definitely not fit for the presidency. I can\’t wait to see an inexperienced governor of Alaska argue with the most experienced candidate within the federal government. I know an epic failure when I see one.

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  • Leslie

    MSIE 6.0 Windows XP

    wow kim=D epic failure? thats strong get anymore threats lately? haha

  • Misael G

    Safari MacIntosh

    How can you say that Obama won when he clearly didn’t do his research?
    The media failed to correct him on the fact that Al Quadea was in fact in Iraq before the war.

    And you said ” It gave the viewers a more personal feeling, unlike the tone they got from John McCain, who seemed to have a conversation with the moderator. I’m not planning on a psychology major, but I contribute Obama’s almost constant lead in the polls to his ability to “seem” to be able to relate with the public- a quality which is sought after in every president.”

    Thanks for not mentioning this about Palin. How can Obama relate to the middle class when his house is worth over a million and he has a multimillion dollar income?
    On the other hand, Palin has been part of the middle class and is essentially the voice of the middle class. “seem” is right because relate Obama doesn’t.

  • Misael G

    Safari MacIntosh

    I can’t wait to see an inexperienced governor of Alaska argue with the most experienced candidate within the federal government. I know an epic failure when I see one.

    *coughcough* Epic Failure?
    Palin won that debate by not losing it and Biden was also a winner. Point made.
    Plus, if Palin is so inexperienced and is(was) going to be such an epic failure, then how come the VP debate drew in millions of viewers, more than any Presidential debate? You can’t tell me that it was because of Biden. He brings nothing new to the table.
    And as for Biden being the most experienced? If he is so experienced, then why don’t you take his word that Obama is not fit to be commander and that the job of president does not lend itself to on the job training? He even said that he’d be honored to be on McCain’s ticket.
    If he is so experieced then why don’t you take his word? Please, tell me.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDVUPqoowf8

  • anonymous

    MSIE 7.0 Windows XP

    Palin won that debate by not losing it and Biden was also a winner. Point made.

    Did you read that sentence after you typed it? Seriously. Point not made.
    You make absolutely no sense. Let’s break that sentence up into 3 parts.

    1. Palin won that debate by not losing it
    –that says a lot about what you think of her already. You don’t think she’s good enough to actually win, but you’re a McCain supporter so you lower your standards just so you can say that his vice-presidential cadidate did well. Saying that she didn’t lose the debate does not mean that she won the debate. Clearly, she didn’t win and you know it. “Palin won that debate by not losing it” – COME ON!

    2. and Biden was also a winner.
    –you phrased that so awkardly. Anyways, I don’t think you’re secure enough with what you believe in, because you couldn’t even take a position. Who are you supporting? You know that Biden won this debate – you said it yourself. If Biden is the winner, then I’m pretty sure that makes Palin the loser.

    3. Point made.
    – what point? To tell everyone that you think Palin is inadequate and can’t win a debate?

  • Misael

    Firefox 2.0.0.17 MacIntosh

    Perhaps I should have made this clearer.
    This debate was not about Palin vs. Biden.
    It was about whether or not Palin could hold her ground. People scorned her for the Kate Couric interviews and said she was going to get eaten. Did she? No. Perhaps she may have been a bit “lacking” but by no means did she get “eaten”.
    Did she?
    She did not, and thus she won by not losing.
    The only person who came out with a loss, or rather, a draw, was McCain because he did not move in polls at all.
    Did Biden move in the polls? Yes, a little bit and thus he was the “winner”
    Point made?
    Point made.
    Besides, winning isn’t everything.

  • anonymous

    MSIE 7.0 Windows XP

    Oh but you’re wrong there buddy; winning IS everything.
    MUAHHAAHAHAHAAA

  • Misael G

    Safari MacIntosh

    Ok
    Just don’t admit that you just lost the game.