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The Early Word: Saturday Morning Quarterback
The Caucus — ... saw Sophocles-cum-modern political psychodrama: “Theirs was a generational collision, and at times it looked almost like a dramatic rendition of Freudian family tension: an older patriarch frustrated and even cranky when challenged by a would-be successor to the family business who thinks he can run it better.” For Tom Shales at The Washington Post, Goldilocks is the appropriate literary comparison: This was reality — the realest kind of reality — and the debate was, for the most part, encouragingly civilized and not flawed with frivolous name-calling. As NBC’s able Chuck ...

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The Moderate Voice — ... FT.com / In depth - Analysis: McCain fails to land knock-out blow Op-Ed Columnist - McCain - Bearish on Debates - Op-Ed - NYTimes.com Tom Shales - McCain’s High Horse Meets Obama’s High-Mindedness - washingtonpost.com Editorial - The First Debate - Editorial - NYTimes.com Rating The Debate: Did Either Win?, Political Consultants Offer Post-Debate Analysis Of The Candidates’ Agendas And Performance - CBS News ...

The Narrative Starts to Settle In
Balloon Juice — ... guy, not the grumbling prophet of doom. Throughout the 90-minute debate, McCain seemed contemptuous of Obama. He wouldn’t look at him. He tried to belittle him whenever possible—how many times did he work “Senator Obama just doesn’t understand” into his answers? His body language was closed, defensive, tense. McCain certainly succeeded in proving that he can be aggressive, but the aggression came with a smirk and a sneer. Your turn, Tom Shales: John McCain wore the more presidential tie—that much can ...

Surly, Rude, Condescending, and Hostile: Just What We Want in a President
Comments from Left Field — ... emotions if he deals directly with the other person, or, his anger masks fear and the eye contact may increase or substantiate the fear. I noticed him doing the same thing in the Republican primary debates. The perception observers are likely to have is that he is unwilling to acknowledge the opponent’s legitimacy and/or is contemptuous of the opponent. It’s been said before, and Tom Shales at the Washington Post says it again: John McCain wore the more presidential tie ...