Political Perceptions: Did Obama Weather the Debate Assaults?

The third and final presidential debate also was the nastiest. As Politico’s Roger Simon notes, Sen. John McCain sometimes “attacked directly, and sometimes he attacked sarcastically, but he never stopped attacking.” Yet, Simon writes, he “never rattled” Sen. Barack Obama , who “answered every attack and kept his cool. How cool? Obama was so cool that after 90 minutes under blazing TV lights, an ice cube wouldn’t have melted on his forehead….He never got off his game plan. He never got shook up.” The result, Simon concludes: “John McCain needed a miracle in his final debate with Barack Obama on Wednesday night, a miracle that would wipe away McCain’s deficit in the polls and re-energize his flagging campaign. He did not get one. The clouds did not part. Heavenly choirs were not heard. Instead, the American public heard angry attacks from McCain.” CLICK HERE for the rest of today’s Political Wisdom. And check out our latest columns — “McCain Gambles Voters Will ... (link)