This is a cross-post from Religify. Enjoy: I found last night's debate to be VERY interesting, but it just so happened I was also quite sick. Cough. I am still sick. Cough. Sniffle. Therefore, I will be keeping this (somewhat) brief. I will hit major points, as with the VP debate, and assign overall scores on presentation and substance. - My initial reaction is that McCain is obviously much more comfortable in a town hall setting. He seems more at ease in this venue, and just SOUNDS better. Unfortunately, his personality gets in the way, which I will get to later. Another thing that amazes me is how much better Obama has gotten over the course of the debates. He sounded very strong overall tonight. His confidence has grown. - Fortunately McCain didn't beat 'maverick' to death this time. However, every time he says 'my friends,' God kills a puppy. Between him and Palin, a lot of innocent puppies and kittens are being killed. Won't somebody please, please think of the puppies and kittens? - Also, McCain is not my friend. I wish he'd stop saying he is. It's getting kind of awkward. - I noticed that Obama and McCain mostly stuck to their talking points and didn't bring too much to the table that was new. Obama did well to bring up the AIG abuse of funds, even calling for them to return their money and fire the executives responsible. Obama once again hit McCain with 'bomb bomb Iran,' an ugly moment that will continue to call his judgment into question. - McCain was supposedly going to bring up Ayers at the debate...he did not. I'm glad he didn't. Obama also didn't bring up the Keating Five. They at least stayed out of the mud...this time. There is one more debate left to get down and dirty...which I'd rather not see happen. - McCain proposes buying up every bad mortgage. This is an intriguing idea, but it has fiscal conservatives appalled. He also proposes a spending freeze...without specifics about what he would freeze and what he would not, this sounds dangerous. He needs to assure people he won't put vital programs on hold. - Tom Brokaw is a bit of a jerk. - Obama hits McCain again on his awful health care plan. He even sites the Chamber of Commerce, which traditionally supports Republican interests, which claims that McCain's plan would be a disaster. He also points out a glaring loophole in the 'crossing state lines' logic - that dishonest insurers will just relocate to states where the laws are easiest to exploit. - I noticed that McCain once again was blinking a lot throughout the early part of the debate. He also was walking around often while Obama was speaking, whereas usually Obama would usually sit while McCain was talking. McCain looked somewhat befuddled at times, and while speaking about economic policy, he often talked in circles. On foreign policy, McCain sounds strong and decisive...on the economy, he sounds like he doesn't know what he's talking about. - McCain once again is rude and disrespectful to Obama. Throughout the debate he has a condescending tone, and is frequently insulting and confrontational. Obama comes off as more presidential by not responding in kind. - The worst moment of the debate was when McCain rudely gestured at Obama, and without looking at him referred to him as 'that one.' He couldn't have possibly been more insulting. Talk about open contempt. McCain loses ground when he behaves like that. Independents don't want to see a mean, angry old man. They want to see a level-headed elder statesman who is calm and reassuring. McCain is none of these things...he is a vicious and angry person. This is unfortunate for him...he would've looked much better last night if he hadn't acted in such a rude manner. Once again, style counts for so much, and McCain's style is lousy. - McCain also refused to shake Obama's hand after the debate. Classy once again. He also was quick to leave after the debate was over. Cindy, noticeably, was not interested in mingling with the 'commoners'...while Michelle Obama was speaking to as many people as her husband. OVERALL SUBSTANCE OBAMA: B+ He could've had more specifics, and he mostly stuck to talking points. He did deliver some devastating blows to McCain. MCCAIN: B- His health care and tax proposals are both awful. Foreign policy was his strong point. STYLE OBAMA: A Cool, presidential, and reassuring. Once again, Obama shows his ability to connect with the common voter. It's no surprise why people feel that Obama is more sympathetic to their concerns than McCain. Obama constantly talks about the middle class, the common man. McCain has nothing to say about them, and even less to offer them, tax-wise. MCCAIN: D Much more confident than before, but even ruder and more condescending, if it were possible. He lost two full letter grades for 'that one'...this was a glimpse of the 'real McCain' that even Republicans have been whispering about for years. He is not a pleasant man, and the more he shows it, the more votes he loses. McCain is trying to convince voters that his would be a steady hand, but his actions and mannerisms don't back up that claim. VERDICT: Once again, Obama is the clear winner. The polls also bear this out. Many liberals want Obama to go into full-on attack mode, but I think Obama does best when he sits back and lets McCain be a jerk. With all the charm of a cold fish, McCain can't pull off Bush's 'frat boy' assholeishness and get away with it. One more debate to go....will Obama continue to keep his cool? And will McCain lose his? Will the rivals get nastier? We'll have to wait and see.