On Friday, September 26, the first United States Presidential debate between GOP nominee Senator John McCain of Arizona and Democratic nominee Senator Barack Obama of Illinois had taken place at the campus of Ole Miss in Mississippi. The debate was televised on CNN. Many were probably expecting a verbal brawl between McCain and Obama.
If one had seen the debate last night, it was far from it. The debate between McCain and Obama was “civil” at best. The two topics of the debate were the economy and foreign policy.
While the two traded simple jabs, neither McCain nor Obama had delivered any power punches. In regards to the economy, neither of the two candidates had offered any specific details on how they would deal with the financial crisis.
But the jabs got a bit fiercer when it came to foreign policy. Obama explained his definition of what no preconditions have meant. In regards to foreign policy, it was McCain painting Obama as naïve. For those who had watched the debate, McCain had used the word “naïve” several times.
At the same time, Obama was connected McCain to current US President George W. Bush.
Overall, it was tame and civil. According to the CNN analysis on the matter, neither McCain nor Obama had delivered the critical attack. For the most part, this debate was very tame compared to some of the Democratic debates between Obama and former Democratic hopeful and co-frontrunner Senator Hillary Clinton of New York.
The debate between Obama and Clinton was intense and entertaining.
I myself almost fell asleep during the first thirty minutes of the debate. Perhaps the VP debates between McCain running mate Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska and Obama running mate Senator Joe Biden of Delaware will be far more entertaining.
The VP debate is set of Thursday of next week in St. Louis, Missouri, at Washington University.
For those that were unsatisfied with the aura of the first Presidential debate, there are still three more to go