Tonight's Debate had Two Losers, Senator McCain and the Format Itself

There was no big winner at tonight’s debate. However, Senator Obama was more relaxed and did a better job of connecting with the audience. Senator McCain was tense and spent more time attacking his opponent than spelling out a vision.

While both candidates spoke about each other’s failings, Senator McCain did so more often and came across as angry on occasion. Even his failed joke about hair transplants (a poke at Senator Biden, I suppose) being an example of wasteful healthcare spending made Senator McCain look angry.

Those who participated in the Register’s online blog indicated repeatedly a desire for more substance, vision if you will, and less finger pointing. This debate did not deliver too well on the vision front. A note to both campaigns: it is time to talk more about your plans for the future and less about your opponent’s failings.

The big loser tonight was the debate format and the evening’s moderator, Tom Brokaw. The town hall format did allow for some interesting questions from the audience, but Brokaw had a difficult time keeping the candidates to the rules. Brokaw also interjected too many of his own questions and did not allow for as free an exchange as we saw in the first debate.

Senator McCain left the hall moments after the debate ended and Senator Obama stayed for an extended period of time. This leads me to wonder if Senator McCain was disappointed in his performance. Senator McCain has failed to score in the first two debates. He has only one more. He must deliver or he will continue to trail in the polls.