No Apparent Winner in Sight

During the presidential debate on September 26th, John McCain and Barack Obama came out with very different tactics, and so, there was no clear winner. Therefore, it also did not cause very many people to change sides. During the first half hour, Senator Obama was the strongest, and he stressed that economic issues are the most important to solve at the moment. He also attempted to use McCain’s links to President Bush as a weapon. In opposition, McCain argued that Obama does not have enough experience to become President just yet, and stated, “I'm afraid Sen. Obama doesn't understand the difference between a tactic and a strategy.” Conversely, McCain was strongest in the last hour of the debate since he is knowledgeable with foreign policy. By reminding the audience of his overseas experience, he makes it clear that he is knowledgeable.

The debate started with a question concerning the economic crisis, even though it was supposed to be centered on foreign policy. While both agreed on the fact that that actions must be taken soon in order to prevent more Americans from losing their jobs and homes, they disagreed on the topics of spending, taxes, energy and war. By the end of the debate, both campaigns proclaimed victory. After watching the last hour of the debate and reading the articles online, I still do not see a clear winner. Instead, I agree with reviewers that both candidates showed their strengths in different fields, and, hopefully, the upcoming debates will provide us with a better understanding of their views.

Sources:

The Associated Press
CNN