Obama:cool, calm, smart, gracious..clearly won but there was one moment, one delightful moment

[xiamiam]

when Obama had clearly had enough and his words were flying fast ..much like a street fight..I felt he could have devoured McCain...and my heart started to pump with excitement..it was brief, I think he collected himself back to his strategy ...but I saw it, and need to watch the debate again..(fast forward of course thru McGramps)...I have no doubt that if Obama were not such a gentleman he could verbally destroy McCain ...it wouldnt get him anywhere with the American public..regardless of how much I would enjoy it..Obama is so smart and tactical...amazing thing to watch..inspiring

[CTyankee]

1. Which part? Maybe the "you were wrong" x 3?

Can't wait to see the video/read the text!

[xiamiam]

5. having a difficult time finding a video which will fast forward ..cant sit thru McBoring again..

[xiamiam]

13. the exchange re sitting down with leaders, kissinger, etc..obama just says.."thats ridiculous"

it was the tone of that exchange. i thought oh wow, here we go... quickly ended by lehrer within a minute or so...

[BeyondGeography]

2. When he said "you were wrong" three times in a row on Iraq

McCain went into a crouch he was so pissed.

Take it like a man, Gramps.

[LiberalHeart]

11. The bracelet moment was good, too.

[fed_up_mother]

12. Bracelet moment was his weakest part of the debate

I think he had to look at the bracelet to remember the name, and that didn't come across well.

Otherwise, he knew his stuff, he was cool, spoke very well, and looked as elegant as JFK!

[dkf]

3. I liked the split screen of McCain saying Obama was stubborn like Bush

and Obama having his nice little laugh.

Priceless!

[Unbowed]

4. Yes! Obama could have torn him to shreds.

He chose not to. Obama is extremely deliberate tactical. He made McCANE look like Elmer Fudd. Obama took the old adage that it is better to show than to tell into this debate. His mission was to show America what McCANE is really like rather than to tell us. Sure he could have ripped the old man, the former POW and war hero to shreds. He didn't think that was in anyone's best interest. He didn't need to do it. America didn't need to see it. He did something much better and much smarter. He let McCANE be McCANE. And it wasn't pretty.

No doubt in my mind Obama was holding back, giving McCANE the opportunity to let his own arrogance, smugness, self-absorbed and mean disposition shine through.

It worked like a charm.

McCANE was hoisted on his own petard.

[Lars39]

6. I know where you mean....I was listening at that point.

You could hear it in his voice.

[shadowknows69]

7. Obama was feeling it out this time

I hope he gets a little more agressive in coming debates. Ithink he could really make McCain lose it if he prodded him a bit more.

[kurt_cagle]

8. McCain Aggression

I found it telling that McCain used the comment about not winning Miss Congeniality not once but twice was telling - the first time it was a rueful and somewhat self deprecating joke that could be seen as the candidate "letting down his guard" .. but the second sounded whiny, as if saying that it was all right to be grumpy and sour and rude, and it definitely fell flate.

[shadowknows69]

9. "I'm the Sheerif!!!"

I wish he'd used a Yosemite Sam voice when he said that. For McCain the spin is if he sounds like he's nuts he's just being a "maverick"

[lonestarnot]

10. He almost did, I kept saying he's gona blow, he's gona blow.

Waiting for it. :D

[CTyankee]

14. hubby and I noticed his furiously clenching jaw!

We thought "any minute now..." I thought that was why he couldn't look at Obama. The handlers prolly told him not to so he could control his anger.