What an ass.

His debate performance was mediocre at best. A clear victory for Obama, who looked presidential and more often answered the question asked. The post-debate polls look good, so the current polling trends are likely to continue.

I tried to watch this not as a partisan, or as a half wit *undecided* voter, but from the perspective of people I know and work with you seem to be wrestling with this election.

FIRST, I know some wavering republicans - not true blue conservatives, but CPA types who like to see the world in order, like a well pressed suit. I think they probably heard some things they can live with, like hey, we can't afford a big health plan so we'll use some rinky dink tax credits instead. These people are more impressed by frontal assaults on government than by talk of earmarks or bipartisanship. OBJECTIVELY, I think McCain sounded more like a Republican tonight than he did in the first debate, and so probably did himself a small smidgeon of good.

SECOND, I know some Hillary Democrats who think Obama is too callow and slick (maybe it's racist, we all know it's been debated). Disappointingly, I didn't hear enough *solutions* from Obama tonight, as opposed to Bush/Cheney bashing or talk of JFK sending men to the moon, so I think some of these people will come away thinking, yeah, he talks a great game but that's it. He didn't answer McCain's taunt about the fines. The blonde lady who asked about health care seemed smitten by McCain's penny ante tax credit.

You could debate, of course, what is meant by a *solution*. I'm just saying it sounded like a lot of talking points to me, by both sides. I don't think that helps Obama when McCain is trying to make *judgment* an issue with his daily Ayres-bashing.

THIRD, I was disappointed to see McCain reprise his role as Mick from the original Rocky movie and dance around the ring in the middle of the debate (see point on *fines* above). Where was the elegant Ali to sit his ass down? Obama tried to get rebuttal time, but didn't seem to realize that when no rebuttals are permitted, both candidates get to (and should) exaggerate/lie with abandon. We needed brutal Al Gore there tonight, not gentleman Dukakis. Al would have grabbed Brokaw's microphone and beaten McCain with it.

FOURTH, there wasn't much there for young folks and Democrats to get excited about. Obama promised to actually cut more spending than he increases, and to cut more taxes than he raises. Sounds like a Rotary speech. I understand he has to hold the center, but man, at what expense? If this is what he really believes, we need to call Jeremiah and Bill, and tell them we want the old Obama back.

Ms Walsh, it's a 700 billion dollar plan, not 700 million. I know, I'm nit-picking here, but this difference actually does make quite an impact.

I am not voting for McCain/Palin -- but give me a break..."that one" is racist? Joan you should write for Huffington Post at this point -- you are so over the top with all this stuff.

I am a democrat and vote democratic -- but the ridiculous bias and inability to simply calm down most democrats are experiencing is annoying...for me, it devalues Obama and the campaign and makes it look desperate and less valid.

I would not vote for McCain under any circumstances, but I listen to what he has to say -- I don't rant about it and don't start labeling things "racist" at every turn. I have also noticed that BOTH campaigns have been negative, BOTH have lied and been hypocritical and BOTH men are politicians through and through. I am voting on policy...if I were voting on character, I would never vote.

Once again, I was too nervous to watch the debate. I know, I know...wuss am I :). However, that seems to be a good-luck charm, cuz I logged onto my computer when I knew it was over, and I'm seeing a consensus across the WWW that Obama clearly won this one. What was up with "that one"???

I may suck it up and watch the last one :).

Did anyone else notice that the Obamas stuck around after the debate to interact with the live audience members while the McCains apparently left immediately?

My mom used to say the same thing to my father when she'd get angry at me. My dad used to walk in the door from work and my mother stood there, steaming mad. "What's the matter?" my dad would ask? Without the aid composure and a temporary loss of full sentence structure, she would belt out, "THAT ONE!" - pointing the finger squarely at me.

She used to have a look in her eyes when she would say it that made me question if humans ever ate their young. But being the only sweet and petite 63 year old mom I have ever known and loved, all is forgiven for all those times she threw me under the bus (partly because I deserved it.)

I guess I can forgive McCain too... I think it's likely just expressiveness lost on an older generation... that tried and true gotcha AARP shtick.

Still, McCain fired up and hot tempered is about as exciting as watching a tire deflate slowly. My mother on the other hand, she was a firecracker.

If you've never been called a "that one" or a "those people", I don't think you can understand it.

Like people who insist Christmas is a "secular holiday." It's a blindness which comes from being a part of the majority.

There were some awkward moments for John McCain tonight.

When McCain had to ask Tom Brokaw for those three items his administration would attempt to pursue first again, and then had to go back to his table to write them down. He looked slow.

At the end when he said something like, "I'd like to go back to the first question", and proceeded to go to the wrong section. He looked confused.

The numerous times he appeared as though he'd wandered off, or was about to. He looked lost.

One thing Obama (who did great in my opinion) needs to work on is that "and" tic he still inserts into his sentences instead of pauses.

Other than that I'm glad the town hall debate is over. I've never liked this format. Obama handled yet another debate with confidence and ease.