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Brian Montopoli / CBS News:
Poll Results Suggest More Uncommitted Voters Saw Obama As Debate Winner — UPDATED WITH NEAR-FINAL NUMBERS CBS News and Knowledge Networks conducted a nationally representative poll of approximately 500 uncommitted voters reacting to the debate in the minutes after it happened.
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CNN:
Transcript of presidential debate — WASHINGTON (CNN ) — Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama debated on the campus of the University of Mississippi Friday night. The moderator for the debate was Jim Lehrer of the NewsHour on PBS. What follows is the full transcript of the debate:
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Stephen F. Hayes / Weekly Standard:
TWS Exclusive: Kissinger Unhappy About Obama — Henry Kissinger believes Barack Obama misstated his views on diplomacy with US adversaries and is not happy about being mischaracterized. He says: “Senator McCain is right. I would not recommend the next President of the United States engage …
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Mark Halperin / TIME.com:
Excerpts of Mark Halperin's Report Cards for the First Presidential Debate — Obama — Substance: His arguments were hard to follow at the beginning, but he found his voice as the debate progressed, although he never seemed fully in control of his message... If he truly knows more about the world …
The New Republic:
Focus Groups, Undecideds For Obama — For what it's worth: The Frank Luntz and Stanley Greenberg focus groups went overwhelmingly for Obama. And a CBS poll of undecideds went for Obama 40%-22%. Update : The CNN polls goes to Barack, 51%-38%. — Isaac Chotiner
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Marc Ambinder:
CBS News / Knowledge Network Undecideds Give Debate To Obama — According to CBS News / Knowledge Networks' poll of undecided voters:
Think Progress:
Presidential Debate Live-Blogging — 11:47: CNN's Roland Martin's reaction to the debate: “John McCain, how dare you come and give a debate and you don't even say the word ‘middle class.’” — 11:35: Fox pollster Frank Luntz's focus group showed that a majority was “moved” by Obama's performance.
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TPM Election Central:
Initial Polls Show Obama Winning The Debate — Okay, we thought that McCain had a slight upper hand tonight (though we also said it wasn't a game changer, which is basically another way of saying that McCain didn't do what he had to). But the initial polls suggest that viewers give the nod to Obama in a big way.
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
INITIAL REACTION: OBAMA WINS ON POINTS.... I'll have a more thought out reaction to the debate in the morning, but my insta-reaction was that Obama had the edge, on points. — I think a lot of observers go into a debate like this waiting for a knock-out blow, along the lines of a “You're no Jack Kennedy” moment.
Marc Ambinder:
The Rumble In Oxford: First Thoughts: — No memorable moments. — Fascinating body language. — No major gaffes by either candidates. — No major surprises. — Experience v. judgment — A good debate for both men. — The big policy news: McCain floated an across-the-board spending freeze (with a few exceptions).
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
The reporters and the polls — The mild consensus in the press file was that McCain won, if not in particularly dramatic fashion. The two insta-polls out — from CBS and CNN — found the opposite: That Obama won by a wide margin. CBS had it 39% to 25% for Obama, CNN 51% to 38%.
Marisa Katz / Washington Post:
The Debate: The All-Important Grumpiness Factor — Here's the politically incorrect way of phrasing one of the central questions about tonight's presidential debate: Did John McCain come across as too much of a grumpy old man? — That might not be a nice question, but it's an important one.
Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:McCain Seems To Have Upper Hand, But No Real Game Changers
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The Huffington Post
Jonathan Martin / Jonathan Martin's Blogs:
As predicted, the “Sen. McCain is right” video — I said it would come before the stroke of midnight — it actually arrives before the debate is even over.
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The Politico:
GOP concerned about Palin — A growing number of Republicans are expressing concern about Sarah Palin's uneven — and sometimes downright awkward — performances in her limited media appearances. — Conservative columnists Kathleen Parker, a former Palin supporter, says the vice presidential nominee should step aside.
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Wall Street Journal:
Fixing the Paulson Plan — The American financial system is in deep trouble. Regulatory moves to guarantee money market funds, the conversion of Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs into bank holding companies, and the Treasury's asset purchase proposal have staved off a crisis for now.
The Huffington Post:
Sarah Palin's Beauty Pageant Swimsuit Competition Footage (VIDEO) — Sarah Palin's 1984 beauty pageant swimsuit competition video has hit the web. An Alaskan has uploaded what he claims to be 100% real footage of Sarah Palin in a red tank suit in the 1984 Miss Alaska contest.
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Paul Reiser / The Huffington Post:
Obama Underwhelms, McCain Patronizes — Well, for the first few minutes of the debate it was like watching a bad Dr. Phil show. “That was great — now I want you to turn around and say what you just said, but now say it to him. Let him hear you.” — It was well intentioned but goofy …
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