The First Debate in Real Time

Watching tonight's debate, here are my conclusions:

* Obama has improved his debating style from the primary season. His answers are crisp, direct, and comprehensible.

* McCain appears uncomfortable, a bit inarticulate, and resorting to personal attacks against Obama, and is repeating himself over and over. He can't make eye contact with Obama, which is a sign of personal weakness.

* McCain attempted to exploit the sad news that Sen. Ted Kennedy went to the hospital today after a 911 call. But, Kennedy is already back home, and the trip to the ER is attributed to a mixup in medications.

* Obama's voice is clear and strong. McCain's is weak and faltering.

* Obama still is not conveying enough substance, for my taste, but neither is McCain.

* Obama is making strong points about the Iraq War, cutting into McCain's supposed advantage on national security issues. Obama is actually beating McCain on the war, which is a surprise.

* Wow, Obama is winning the debate over national security and military strategy! This cuts McCain's "advantage" away to nothing.

* McCain is condescending toward Obama. I do not know whether this is working or not. McCain is older, more experienced, and has his true military hero and long-time Senatorial credentials. My guess is that McCain is scoring points with conservatives when he does this.

* How will the so-called "Independents" interpret this debate? McCain appears to be joined at the hip with G.W. Bush, which should not be a good thing. But McCain is doing a credible job of establishing his bona fides on the Afghan-Pakistani issues.

* If anyone thought Obama would not be able to hold his own next to McCain, they were sadly mistaken.

* McCain is still one of the most impressive Republican candidates in my memory. His ability to connect with people on the very emotional issue of a mother losing her son in war is impressive.

* Obama rejoined McCain effectively. They both have bracelets memorializing dead fighters in Iraq. A McCain advantage was neutralized.

* Iran. Wow, this was a turning point. Obama trumped McCain by explaining how the concept of negotiating with Iran will make America (and Israel) safer. McCain countered with a hard-line, right-wing attack, but Obama slam-dunked him by citing Henry Kissinger's agreement that negotiation, without preconditions, is the proper strategy going forward.

* Obama won the debate. McCain blew it. The judgment will be rendered by polls not by me. Maybe McCain will get a bounce, but I doubt it. Obama won the debate.

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