Oct 16, 2008 6:51 am US/Eastern
Keller: McCain's Best Debate, Obama Not Rattled
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Barack Obama and John McCain shake hands at the end of the final presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, on October 15.
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images
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This was John McCain's best outing, by far. He was on offense, unsurprisingly, and achieved an important goal for his campaign by putting Barack Obama on the defensive on taxes.
McCain ripped him for telling Joe the Plumber out in Toledo, Ohio to, essentially, take his forthcoming tax hike like a man because it's "good to spread the wealth around."
Obama's response – "I don't mind paying a little more" – was weak, and if McCain gains some ground in the polls over the next few days, exchanges like that one will be a major reason why.
But, Obama again was the clear winner on style, avoiding the kind of awkward McCain grimacing that made the relentless split-screen format so hard to watch.
And even when McCain put him on the defensive, Obama never lost his cool and his dignified persona. When they were going at it on health care, McCain called Obama "Senator Government" – whoops – but all he got in return was Obama's calm recitation of why working people will prefer his plan to McCain's.
Yes, they went back and forth on Bill Ayres, ACORN, and each campaign's sleazy ads and surrogate attacks.
How many economically anxious swing voters cared?
But overall, while McCain did a better job of carrying the argument to Obama and contrasting their views on taxes and big government, I didn't see any major bruises on Obama when it was over. And given his clear lead in the race, that makes tonight, in the broader context, another good one for Obama.
What do you think about the debate? Chime In on Jon Keller's blog.
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