Post mortems and in-depth discussions from Washington insiders have flowed freely following Friday's first McCain-Obama debate with the majority of pundits seeming to agree that neither side came out the winner in a spirited contest. Both Obama and McCain traded blows on issues ranging from foreign affairs to the economy without landing any killer punches though importantly neither contender produced any major gaffes - a big consideration for both campaign teams.

This was a typical example of the analysis:

"It was one of the more competent debates we've seen in a long time. There were no major gaffes. It was data-driven, and both spoke clearly to their constituencies, as they should have," says Allan Louden, a debate expert at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. "I would rate it as a draw, but if it's a draw, the draw goes to the challenger and that would be Obama." [source]

So it was down to perceptions with the tough, nuggety Senator from Arizona reinforcing his reputation as an experienced, down-to-earth debater with Senator Obama looking more cool and dispassionate. For this observer, though it seemed a draw, it was McCain who took the spoils, recovering from a disastrous week where the financial melt-down on Wall Street threatened to derail his campaign. Far from seeming out of sorts on the economy, it seemed that McCain reassured his supporters with his fighting display.

With the economy seemingly headed for dark days, could it be that voters may see the experienced McCain as the preferred option for president, over the inexperienced Obama?

This BBC article gives an interesting slant on the first debate:

Expect much more on the economy in those confrontations and, if the polls show that Mr McCain's more aggressive tone has paid off in this first clash, expect all the debates which follow to be a little more bad-tempered and direct than this one. [source]

However polls taken since the debate have continued to show Obama edging ahead though with the margin very close across the battleground states. Will the perception of the Bush administration as being "asleep at the wheel" during the financial meltdown infect the McCain campaign? Or will the doughty ex Vietnam hero convince the American people of his maverick status and independence from the tainted Bush administration?

Image top: Senator John McCain. Credit: bobster1985/flickr

 

An extraordinary development in the increasingly heated U.S. presidential election came this week as news stations broadcast the tape of Rev. Jesse Jackson threatening to emasculate Democratic presumptive nominee Barack Obama for "talking down to the black man."

Jackson, whose son Jesse Jackson jnr is part of the Obama campaign team, apologised profusely when it became apparent that his ribald comments had been recorded in what the Rev. Jackson thought was a private conversation prior to an interview on Fox News.

A top aide to US presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama has let slip that the Democratic contender is sincere about considering former rival Senator Hillary Clinton for a spot on the ticket, saying she was on the "shortlist" for the job of running mate.

After a sometimes acrimonious Democratic primary, which saw both sides question the other's fitness to govern, a joint rally held at the appropriately-named Unity, New Hampshire last Friday, has pundits suggesting Sen. Clinton is once again in the running for the all-important vice-presidential nominee slot.

Speaking on Australian television, Sen. Obama's campaign co-chairman Tom Daschle appeared to confirm this saying Sen. Clinton would be on "anybody's short list".

"I think he needs two things, first somebody who can become president in the case of a tragedy and secondly, somebody with whom he can work closely," he said to the ABC's Insiders program.

"I think Hillary Clinton would be, as Barack Obama has said, on anyone's short list and I think that is sincere.

"I think he is looking at Hillary and a host of other possibilities for the future."

After sitting out the Democratic primaries, refusing to endorse either Senator Hillary Clinton or Senator Obama, former Vice President Al Gore has heartily endorsed Obama before a packed crowd at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit calling him "clearly the candidate best able to solve...problems and bring change to America."

Though seemingly unwilling to commit to either candidate during the campaign, perhaps out of respect to the former First Lady, Gore allegedly encouraged Obama in his bid for the presidency and offered some "good political advice" according to the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Senator Barack Obama's campaign has launched a website designed to refute lies and smear allegations spread by his opponents.

Called Fight the Smears, the site looks to neutralise rumours spread from television, the Web, radio and seemingly most pervasively, by email.

"The Obama campaign isn't going to let dishonest smears spread across the internet unanswered," said Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor. "Whenever challenged with these lies we will aggressively push back with the truth and help our supporters debunk the false rumors floating around the internet."

The Washington Post said that such an internet campaign is virtually a "must have" for the black presidential nominee due to the number of untrue rumours swirling around the blogosphere and other media alleging that he is of the Muslim faith and attended a madrassa (religious school) during his time in Indonesia.

Other untrue rumours are circulating over his alleged lack of patriotism and the wrong fact that he took the oath of office on the Koran when being sworn in to the Senate.

The attempted smears are coupled with more recent attacks on his wife Michelle when right wing radio host Rush Limbaugh claimed a tape exists of Michelle Obama using the term "whitey," an allegation the Obama camp denies.

Once considered one of the main issues that will dominate the 2008 presidential campaign, immigration reform appears to have taken a back seat in both the McCain and Obama election policy initiatives according to AP.

In their desire the capture the powerful Latino vote, both Obama and McCain have downplayed calls to step up reform -- indeed both Obama and McCain have supported an amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants -- yet both remain troubled by a conservative backlash.
Image right: McCain campaigning  in Portsmouth,NH 2008.