Eye-roller

You'd think by debate three he could contain himself.

Conservative reaction to the debate

Once again I see this completely out-of-touch reaction amongst conservative bloggers to last night's debate. Once again there is this notion that he did wonderfully. Comment threads reveal this idea that he "smashed" Obama.

I just don't see it. I really don't. I've been extremely neutral--even leaning toward McCain for the vast majority of this race--and I try to listen to these debates the way moderates and independents would. Conservatives are having a hard time understanding this. They think the echo-chamber will work. They think the attacks that have failed will somehow suddenly start working. Ayers is a dead end.

What am I saying? McCain is a dead end at this point. It's sad, really. I hold very few politicians in as high regard as John McCain, and yet this election has changed him. Big time.

Realistically, who's surprised that the conservative bloggers are hailing this as a win? McCain did do better than usual, but a win???

Debate Reaction

I thought Obama was more gracious, thoughtful, and spoke more clearly about the issues Americans care about.

McCain, on the other hand, was petulant, brimming with fury, and repetitive. Not a win for McCain. Not a terrible loss, but he needed a win.

So it goes.

Sarah Palin's debating style

You can read the transcript of the debate here.

FactCheck the debate

Biden and Palin debated, and both mangled some facts.

• Palin mistakenly claimed that troop levels in Iraq had returned to “pre-surge” levels. Levels are gradually coming down but current plans would have levels higher than pre-surge numbers through early next year, at least.

• Biden incorrectly said “John McCain voted the exact same way” as Obama on a controversial troop funding bill. The two were actually on opposite sides.
  
  
• Palin repeated a false claim that Obama once voted in favor of higher taxes on “families” making as little as $42,000 a year. He did not. The budget bill in question called for an increase only on singles making that amount, but a family of four would not have been affected unless they made at least $90,000 a year.

• Biden wrongly claimed that McCain “voted the exact same way” as Obama on the budget bill that contained an increase on singles making as little as $42,000 a year. McCain voted against it. Biden was referring to an amendment that didn't address taxes at that income level.

• Palin claimed McCain’s health care plan would be “budget neutral,” costing the government nothing. Independent budget experts estimate McCain's plan would cost tens of billions each year, though details are too fuzzy to allow for exact estimates.
  
  
• Biden wrongly claimed that McCain had said "he wouldn't even sit down" with the government of Spain. Actually, McCain didn't reject a meeting, but simply refused to commit himself one way or the other during an interview.
  

• Palin wrongly claimed that “millions of small businesses” would see tax increases under Obama’s tax proposals. At most, several hundred thousand business owners would see increases.
  

For full details on these misstatements, and on additional factual disputes and dubious claims, please read on to the Analysis section.

Debate reactions

I thought Palin did well, much better than expected. She was on her game, coherent--still without any real substance, but at least presenting her case well.

Biden seemed tired, fumbled more--probably a bit taken aback by Palin's strength.

Still....I doubt it will be enough to cinch up the campaign for the Republicans. It may re-rally the base, but I doubt it will do anything else...