Exactly 48 years ago on the same day (set 26th, 1960), over 50 million Americans watched the first televised debate between presidential candidates John Kennedy & Richard Nixon. Historians claim that the day after, country was divided right down in the middle. Those who heard the debate on radio thought Nixon had clearly won the debate and those who watched the debate on TV found Kennedy won the debate. Viewers felt that JFK while challenging the Vice President Nixon held himself really well and people saw an energetic, optimistic and charismatic leader in Kennedy in contrast to sweaty, nervous, & exhausted Nixon. And it was that character & youth which probably took JFK to white house.
I saw the same thing repeat last night at University of Mississippi with Barack Obama clearly looking more relaxed, engaging and comfortable in front of camera than his fatherly & smirky opponent John McCain. Like Kennedy, Obama countered the charge of being too young and inexperienced to be trusted with the Presidency by looking and talking presidential. Polls suggest that Obama probably passed that threshold with voters. McCain on the other hand looked very stiff, condescending and did not even once look towards his opponent and his poll numbers may have reflected this as well. The stiff body language made McCain look much older as he played Nixon to Obama's Kennedy, repeatedly trying to portray his opponent as untested and unready. McCain's facial gestures and smirks may not go unnoticed in this viral you-tube world.
Most importantly for most of the Friday night in Mississippi, Senators Obama and McCain struggled to ignite the blue collar kitchen table issues as they argued at dueling lecterns for the first time. They both failed to explain their positions on bread & butter issues of current economic crisis like job cuts, plant closings, gas prices, losing pension funds, rising grocery prices, etc. Though this debate was supposed to about Foreign Policy & National Security, we cannot ignore the big elephant called 'Failing Economy' staring them all in the corner.
Only time will tell if 2008 Friday night was as transformational a moment as the 1948's the first Kennedy-Nixon debate. However McCain clearly looked very much mean winning the debate on points due to his command on Foreign Policy and Obama, looked green winning the debate on personality, change, future and looking presidential.
The most underlying question to most cerebral Americans was very clear in yesterday's foreign policy debate - 'do you want a leader who wants to shape 21st century foreign policy with 20th century outlook of American unilateralism? or would you rather have a leader taking you into future with forward looking 21st century global perspective of multilateralism? And I look forward to next debate for these candidates to talk about Economy & pocket book issues together with millions of my blue collared brethren.
Here are interesting clips from yesterday's debate
On Iraq & Afghanistan
Two distinct Styles on Iraq Policy
McCain's smirks & not looking at his opponent
Obama takes on McCain's Iraq positions
