A reasonable person could call the VP debate a draw BUT...

[bluestateguy]

Edwards is winning the post-debate spin, and that may end up being more important since a lot of people don't watch the VP debate.

All the post-debate analysis is emphasizing Cheney's misstatements and lies, while almost everyone grades Edwards performance as anywhere from satisfactory to very good.

[rsmith6621]

1. Im Proud

Of John Edwards.........He Held his own up against that old CROTCH skank, piece of crap Cheney....

That said he did better than Cheney.

[LittleClarkie]

3. He was the Bush of 2000

All he had to do was hold his own. And he did. And looked good doing it.

After all, he was debating the true power behind the throne. To come out smelling of roses, especially when you've never been in such a situation before, speaks volumes of the man.

But then I know someone who knew Edwards in his home state as a lawyer who was not surprised one bit.

[SeekingTruth]

2. 43 Million viewers...

is the number I read a bit ago...that ain't chicken feed...

[Awsi Dooger]

6. Wow, that's massive for a VP debate if accurate

Higher than some of the presidential figures from 2000, I believe. Plus there was competition from the MLB playoffs last night, which the presidential debate avoided last week.

Friday is normally the least viewed TV night of the week. I have no idea why they chose Friday for the town hall debate.

The first half of the debate may have been a draw, but Edwards clearly won the 2nd half, IMO, and swayed or solidified undecided/Kerry-leaning women the full 90 minutes.

[DemBones DemBones]

7. Despite pre-debate spin, everyone didn't opt for the ball game, OR

they watched the game and recorded the debate. VCRs have been common for years and now there's TiVo (love my TiVo!) so it's lame to assert that a special program will make peop;e miss the debate.

[progdonkey]

4. the picture of Cheney and Edwards

is the real coup. It's almost eloquent that Cheney lies about something so basic and insignificant as meeting the guy, yet we have a picture of them sitting side-by-side at the National Prayer Breakfast.

I have enough faith in Americans that they know that if you can't even trust a VP to admit to shaking a senator's hand, you can't trust him to admit his former company is a War Profiteer.

[Zero Division]

5. I was almost 100% certain the post-debate spin was going to be horrible

I am damned happy to be so utterly wrong. The Mighty Wurlitzer fell flat on its face.

[meg]

8. If lies are weighted equally with facts

but a reasonable person would ding Cheney for the bald-face lies. Cheney loses AND proves Edwards' point in the process "These people are not telling the American people the truth."

[KayLaw]

9. Also

I was struck by the Bush vs. Cheney debate - meaning I compared Bush's performance to Cheney's. The debates have made it so obvious who's the brains in the outfit and who's running the show. No wonder Bush couldn't testify before the 9/11 commicion without Cheney. I wonder if other voters noticed that.

[CityHall]

10. 9/11 not under oath

We need to hit them on this point. "How can we believe someone who says he'll testify, but he won't swear to tell the truth?"

[Justice]

11. Not A Draw - If you lie you lose, period

I heard Buchanan on Imus Wednesday talking about how much he loved the Cheney line about never meeting Edwards. Imus said it was a lie. Buchanan said -- "who cares" "it was great" Imus laughed.

If you lie about something, it is not debating -- you cannot cheat and still be eligible to win. Edwards could have said alot of lying things about Cheney - and looked great.

Cheney was an illusionist not a debater.