NO KNOCKOUT PUNCHES AT PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

If you’re an Obama supporter you probably think he won on Friday; if you support McCain you probably were able to overlook his unease at the debate and think that he won.

But what really may count is what undecided voters think after Friday night’s debate between Democratic candidate Barack Obama and Republican candidate John McCain.

Although the debate was to have been about foreign policy; the economy took center stage.

The first question of the night revolved around the financial crisis the country is experiencing and with Obama declaring that we are “at a defining moment” in our country’s history. In addition to the financial crisis facing the country; Obama also mentioned the war in Iraq and Afghanistan to make his point.

And the economy seemed to be a defining topic for Obama as he seemed more confident in his knowledge about the subject as opposed to McCain who seemed uneasy at times during that part of the exchange.

As the hour and a half debate progressed; candidates went back and forth over who was better prepared to fix the country’s problems with McCain touting his 26 years experience and saying repeatedly that Obama was not prepared to lead. But Obama countered that McCain had been there while George Bush and Republicans had run up huge deficits and that it has been middle class Americans who have been hurt by the Bush policies that John McCain has supported over 90% of the time.

And although most observers agreed that neither candidate threw a “knockout punch”; a CBS News instant poll found the following:

• 40% of uncommitted voters who watched the debate tonight thought Barack Obama was the winner. 22% thought John McCain won. ...