Ohio Debate

update below

It seems a lot of people like to talk about who won and who lost. Well, I think the clear loser, by a landslide, is NBC for allowing a blowhard like Tim Russert a platform for his jackassery.
When he went into his questions about Iraq and if, after the U.S. withdrawels, it goes to hell, would we go back in and invade to set things right? Gawd, you could tell both Clinton and Obama just wanted to smack the guy. Clinton was right telling him she can't answer a hypothetical, but Russert just kept pounding on this stupid questions. I almost exptected him to ask what they would do if the Earth spun off its axis, would they invade Iraq to set it right. Gawd, Russert is a jackass.

One of the things that stuck in my mind was the Farrahkan (sp?) question. Obama's answer was clear. He rejected Farrahkan's words and his beleifs. Clinton was just being opportnustic and pandering by saying Obama's denoucment wasn't enough. Please. He denounced and rejected Farrahkan's beleifs. Pretty clear to me.

But this debate clearly showed that Clinton and Obama are both smart and capable. Their answers were similiar, as has been evidence throughout the campaign. Obama still suffers a bit from the sense that he is aloof, but that only comes out during the debates. I've seen him in interviews and when he is on the campaign trail - he doesn't come accross as aloof in those circumstances. Clinton is a better performer in debates, but I feel she forces authenticity when she is on the campaign trail. Funny how the two split the difference so cleanly!

This debate showed the strengths of both candidates well, but I still want Obama to be the nominee.

I know, not the best recap of a debate, but there you go... Call it campaign fatigue.

update
After sleeping on this thing (no bad debate dreams, thank goodness), I am even more impressed with Obama. He was calm, steady...Presidential.
Many blogs I've read this morning talk about how Clinton seemed desperate, on edge of losing it. I didn't think so. I think she was how she always is when debating...I think she felt constrained from her instinctual attack mode because of the tone that Obama had set. I do think Clinton's default mode is to attack, which is a function of the politics she has been dealing with (and the reality of such a close race), really. Obama has a different attitude that Clinton has difficulty dealing with. Clinton's years in the White House as First Lady were full of constant strife and political attack. In many ways, that's simply is what she is used to. Because Obama has successfully changed the tone, she finds if difficult to follow. The question is, can Obama carry this into a general election, and, maybe, into the White House. The test is just beginning...