Who won the great debate?

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I listened to third and final debate between Obama and Mc Cain on BBC radio so I missed all the body language and non-verbal nuances so important in communications especially when the conversation centers on the economy, energy and health care.

Let me declare, I am a Democrat party supporter and I feel strongly that Obama will be the next President of the United States, my prediction is certainly helped by the fact that in the past three weeks "it's been about the economy stupid'.

Still, I couldn't help but worry, listening to the debate on radio, that the Republican nominee seemed more aggressive and direct in his attack and I loved this line: "Senator Obama, I am not the President and if you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago." Brilliant.

But then I remembered my debating days in high school and the first rule in our team: being aggressive or harsh does not necessarily win you points. It may even show you as lacking confidence, turning your audience off , especially if the opposing debater looks confident, is clear and on point with his/her comebacks.

Obama certainly is a master of this.

Today, looking at You Tube I note that Obama's body language was confident and I've caught glimpses of him looking amused at some of Mc Cain's tirade.

I liked BBC's North American editor Justin Webb's great blow-by-blow assessment of each debater's performance and I like it even better that the current news polls have placed Obama as the winner.

I mean there are only so many Joe the plumber, what about the rest of America?

Oh and another point, it would be extremely interesting if debates like these could be a part of our own political landscape.

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I understand where you are coming from if you just listened to the Debate on the radio. Mc Cain was indeed more aggressive. One of his 'jabs' included telling Obama 'You are indeed an eloquent speaker but you have to listen to exactly what you say' (yikes).

But, Obama was a clear winner for what he did and didn't say, he spoke calmly, seemed cool but serious and looked directly into the camera (more personable - I'm not in the US, but felt he was talking directly to me in T&T), not so with Mc Cain and I remembered thinking with all Mc Cain's experience, doesn't he know that these 'little' things imakes all the difference.

Of course looking directly into the camera can have the opposite effect, think of Sarah Palin even though she looked directly into the camera during the VP Debate, she was winking - seemingly not serious - but Obama's body language was a winner - Palin just provided the perfect comic material for Tina Fey and higher ratings for SNL, but that's another story.

# Posted By Maria Mohammed | 10/16/08 10:07 AM

Poor Joe the Plumber. Turns out he hasn't paid his taxes nor applied for his plumber's license... He must be in hiding now!

# Posted By Christal P. McIntosh | 10/17/08 5:09 PM

Goes to show you Christal, when storytelling- a great technique for get a point to an audience-make sure the characters are authentic. Poor Joe. Poor Mc Cain.

# Posted By Judette Coward Puglisi | 10/17/08 5:10 PM

Check the BBC website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/us_elections_2...

# Posted By Maria Mohammed | 10/17/08 7:11 PM

Oh you know what got me? Mc Cain's comment: "Sarah Palin is a real role model for women." For some yes, but not for most. Mere tokenism, I think in order to jolt a campaign that needed something to stop the Obama wave.

# Posted By Judette Coward Puglisi | 10/17/08 7:13 PM

I believe that this was McCain's best and Obama's worst. Pundits have said that Obama's strategy was "Do No Harm". However Obama showed real restraint as McCain mischaracterized him and what he said over and over. McCain though lost big with me when he said that he has repudiated divisive comments made by crowd members at his rallies. He may ... Read Morehave but Palin stood by and condoned it (to her shame).

# Posted By Nadine Johnson | 10/17/08 7:20 PM

BHO played it safe. Women as a whole seemed to buy what he was saying much more than whatever JSM was selling them.

BHO did start flat, but finished well. Plus he wasn't blinking every five seconds as if he had sand in his eye.

# Posted By Richard Jobity | 10/17/08 7:23 PM

I agree with the gender comment, this despite the Sarah Palin effect. I liked Obama's health care response and his twist on the Joe the Plumber point when the late tax question came from Mc Cain.

# Posted By Judette Coward Puglisi | 10/17/08 7:27 PM

I think McCain won on sound bytes. The best one for the night was the George Bush comment he made to Obama. But overall I think Obama won on cool points, he sure got McCain all riled up...lol

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Who won the great debate?