Second Presidential Debate: A Clear Win for Obama

            In the first presidential debate, I called it basically a draw, with a very slight nod toward McCain.  The second debate was a different story.  Barack Obama won this debate hands down.  Obama was clear, articulate and calm, while McCain was less clear and seemed to be scratching around in an effort to get under Obama’s skin.  He could not find an opening.  Even McCain’s discussion of foreign policy (his supposed strong suit) seemed flat and to me lacked the energy, he has displayed on the campaign trail and in the first debate.  .  My analysis has been supported by the preliminary poll results which show that viewers gave the debate to Obama by about 15 percentage points.      

            As I watched, I observed the evaluations of the focus group CNN had gathered with their instant rating of what the candidates were saying.  I noticed that whenever McCain made a personal attack on Obama, the evaluation went down dramatically.  When Obama responded the rating went up.  It suggest that the personal attacks on Obama that the McCain campaign has lately ramped up significantly may not be working

            I don’t know, because personal attacks have worked for Republicans in the past (recall the attacks on McCain by the Bush campaign in previous elections and of course the “swift boat attacks on John Kerry).  However, it may be that the American people are tired of campaigns of personal assassination.  I’d like it if that were true. 

            Nevertheless, the surge of personal attacks by the McCain campaign suggest a level of desperation on McCain’s part.  I have always thought McCain was an honorable man.  But, it seems to me now that he wants so much to be president that he is willing to sell his honor for a very unlikely chance to pull his failing campaign out of its downward slide.