Slate magazine reported:
After their second debate, both Barack Obama and John McCain shook hands with the Nashville audience of 80 uncommitted voters. Both were well-received. But Obama stayed longer, and with McCain out of the room, the affection from the swing voters increased. He was mobbed, patted, beamed at, embraced. One woman wiggled up next to him. At one point, about 15 voters posed for a group picture like it was the last day of camp. The “Nashville ‘08 Debate” T-shirts are in the mail.
Meanwhile some conservatives are already tossing in the towel:
New York Post – “Navy man mac lost at sea”
Andy McCarthy, National Review – “With due respect, I think tonight was a disaster for our side. I’m dumbfounded that no one else seems to think so. Obama did everything he needed to do, McCain did nothing he needed to do. What am I missing?.With due respect, I think tonight was a disaster for our side. I’m dumbfounded that no one else seems to think so. Obama did everything he needed to do, McCain did nothing he needed to do. What am I missing?”
Andrew Sullivan - Whoops, got this one wrong. Although a self-described conservative, Sullivan has been backing Obama for sometime. Thanks mark.
Weekly Standard – “McCain may be right more of the time, but he lets Obama get away with entirely too much, and Obama, to use a sports term, converts. I understand McCain’s concerned about how both his temperament and his honor will be portrayed, but Obama is a man who’s happy to run the clock out on this. McCain’s got to be lunging for the steal.”
Will Wilkinson (Cato Institute) – “Gut read. Obama owned it. This election’s over unless he murders and eats the flesh of a child on live television.”
Rightwing News – “Long story short: no really great stand out lines, McCain wins on foreign policy, but McCain lost on the economy and probably ended his chances to be President by proposing to nationalize the mortgages of irresponsible home owners instead of going in a fiscally responsible direction. Huge winner by default: Obama.”
Bill Bennett - ”I confess I so much admire McCain, but I just don’t think the campaign is equal to the story,’ he said. “I just don’t think it’s equal to the man, it hasn’t been. … We needed a breakthrough, talking about the economy. I think he was a little better than last time, but he didn’t break through enough, and he’s behind. So it just wasn’t good enough for McCain in terms of what it had to be.”
