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McCain’s Final Judgment: “Knowledge And Experience”

Posted Sep 26, 2008 by William March

Updated Sep 26, 2008 at 10:54 PM

McCain’s final judgment in the debate: “I just don’t believe Sen. Obama has the knowledge and experience.”

Obama, in response, was knowledgeable and detailed, and more direct in his answers, but didn’t manage to make McCain look irrelevant or out of touch at any point. That’s what he needed to do to win from McCain the one point on which McCain can beat him, a reputation for being more trustworthy on national security and foreign policy.

Obama, in response, was knowledgeable and detailed, and more direct in his answers, but didn’t manage to make McCain look irrelevant or out of touch at any point—which is what he needed to do to win from McCain the one point on which McCain can beat him, a reputation for being more trustworthy on national security and foreign policy.

McCain relied repeatedly on emotional but non-substantive or factually incorrect claims: That Obama “voted against funding the troops,” wouldn’t declare the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as terrorists, wants to increase taxes on people who make $42,000.

But Obama’s vaunted eloquence, somewhat surprisingly, failed to overwhelm the nitpicking.

The verdict: Probably a tie, which means McCain will probably hold his advantage on the issue.

The future debates will be between the vice presidential contenders, and between McCain and Obama on domestic issues.