[Cork]

I like John McCain, I really do and tonight was a decent outing for him. That being said, I think we are seeing the polls reflect a very wise campaign decision from the Obama camp.

Time and time again tonight we heard Obama hammer home the point that John McCain supported the policies of the Bush administration and that a vote for him would be a vote to continue those policies. He hardly ever failed to find an opportunity to make this point very clear. His strategy was very clear. Tie McCain to Bush and the very troubled economy. I think that is one of the biggest reasons why Obama is ahead in the polls. Of course a bad economy doesn't hurt either.

McCain to be fair did try several times to distance himself from the Bush administration, but should have done it more. Right now McCain is running against two people. Obama and Bush. If I were on McCain's staff and seeing that he is trailing, I would start spending some resources denouncing Bush as much as possible without losing the right wing base. I think he has to take some risks at this point in the campaign by saying that the Bush administration is a failure and that he does not support it. The problem with this is that he can't go back to 2004 and undo his decision to support Bush. I also think that trying to tear down Obama is not the way to go as it appears that it is not working very well.

McCain looked "angry" at times and would be wise to try and project a calmer more "presidential" image. I honestly believes that McCain dearly loves the US and deeply cares about it's future. I just don't know if he has what it takes to be a president. I fear his best chance to become president vanished back in 2000 when he was a maverick.

Obama probably won the debate tonight, but needs to watch the debate and learn to stop meandering at times. I was frustrated at times by watching him side step several questions and launch back into his canned "stump speech' material. It's good material, but better served for reving up the masses out on the trail. To be fair, McCain was also guilty of this as well at times.

I thought McCains best moment was during the last question where he really seemed to connect with the retired Navy man. He seemed to relate on a personal level and looked very genuine while answering the question.

I thought Obama's best moment was when he rebuted McCains assertion that he "doesn't understand". That was a great comeback and I am surprised why the Obama camp has not used it before now. I think Obama could have also twisted the "experience" factor around by posing the following question to Mccain. "If having experience means that all one can do is to support the failed policies of the Bush administration that have caused the financial mess that we are in now, then what good is experience?"

Overall I found the debate very interesting and was glued to the set until it was over. I shall very much look forward to the final debate next week. I still wonder how much race will ultimately factor into the final election reults.

-Cork