Very thoughtful review of the debate by Josh Marshall (TPM blog)

[Dudley_DUright]

As I did last week, I flipped off the volume on the television after the debate ended so that I could put down some unmediated impressions before hearing the spin and CW in the process of formation.

I hesitate to say this. But my basic impression was that Edwards didn't strike a false note for the entire 90 minutes. And I say this having been critical of him in the past.

After I saw him at a Town Hall meeting in late January in New Hampshire, I described how I was wowed by him during the event itself but then found myself not long after feeling the whole thing was somehow light and insubstantial.

Going into this debate I worried that I might see the same things. Specifically, I was concerned that everything else notwithstanding, Cheney might just outclass him on at least the perception of heft and seriousness.

But I didn't see that. Not at all. And the sharp on his feet quality I ascribed to Cheney late this afternoon didn't seem particularly evident.

more...

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_10_03.php#003579


http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_10_03.php#003579

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. That is a good one

boy, oh boy oh boy


On teevee I think Edwards won better than I thought

[liveoaktx]

2. I agree with him that Cheney seemed to disengage towards the end

for whatever reason. Lost interest? Bored? Angry? Tired? Who knows, but the engaged energy was gone.

[pacalo]

3. I thought the same thing about Cheney's appearance & about

the fact that his heart didn't seem to be into the debate. And if looks could kill, Edwards would have been a goner. Cheney's eyes were seething when he glared at Edwards during a lot of the debate.

Getting back to Cheney's appearance, he looked like the Marshmallow Man next to Edwards.

[CityHall]

5. Halliburton

He was set off by not really being able to defend Halliburton, aminly because the mass audience would't be receptive to his version of events. Also, it was obvious he mainly cares about foreign policy, and the second half of the debate left a lot of time for people to forget his competence at defending Iraq, and left people thinking he was bluffing his way through issues like AIDS and unemployment when he'd rather say, "It's your own damn problem!"

[Dudley_DUright]

6. Yup

Domestic policy is not Uncle Dick's strong suit(nor is it Bush's and he has to defend his domestic policies for a whole debate).

[Demoiselle]

4. Exactly my thoughts.

I sat down to watch the thing worried that Edwards would come off a lightweight. He didn't. Lots of power. Lots of heavy duty energy.