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Obama vs. McCain -- 20 days to go.  Obama wins third debate in a row.

Obama vs. McCain -- 20 days to go. Obama wins third debate in a row.

Roger E Madison Jr · Thursday, October 16th 2008 at 12:39AM · 532 views
HEMPSTEAD, New York (CNN) - A majority of debate watchers thought that Barack Obama won the third and final presidential debate, according to a national poll conducted at the end of the debate.

Fifty-eight percent of debate watchers questioned in the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll said Obama did the best job in the debate, with 31 percent saying John McCain performed best.

The poll also suggested that debate watchers' favorable opinion of Obama rose during the debate, from 63 percent at the start of the debate to 66 percent at the end of the debate. The poll indicates that McCain's favorables dropped, from 51 percent to 49 percent.

What this means for the remaining 20 days of this campaign is that a "compelling case for Obama" is materializing. Very much like the Clinton primary contest, these last days will test the ability of Obama to "close the deal." The difference is that all the electoral map polls are estimates. It will all come down to one game of chance on November 4th.

John McCain is now in the position of having to change voter decisions who have made up their minds to vote for Obama. My experience suggests that those Obama supporters who have made a decision at this time won't be easily swayed by the McCain proposals. Victory seems more a possibility than ever before.

The job will not be complete until the last vote is counted.

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Comments (6)

Barbara Dixon Thursday, October 16th 2008 at 8:19AM

Having watched all three debates, I am amazed that, given the problems of our country, that just about everyone isn't for Obama. I try to be objective, but I can't for the life of me see any reason to vote for McCain. Who wants an angry, petty, and bellicose Leader? Our problems must be solved collectively and the divisiveness of Republicans is just not helping anyone. It seems to me that they score a win in the debate by "zingers," not policy.

I am also appalled that McCain is taking the victim role over John Lewis' remarks. How dare he! How can you even fix your mouth to equate hurt feeling with threats of murder. Let us not even mention the air quote around the mother's health in the abortion issue. John McCain thinks of himself as a honorable man, I hope he has a chance to see himself as others see him. Emerson says, "What you do speaks so loudly I can't hear a word you are saying."

Roger E Madison Jr Thursday, October 16th 2008 at 12:01PM

Irma and Barbara, thanks for your eloquent observations. I really like the quote from Emerson. I will save that and use it later.

Keep well,
Roger

GREGORY GULLEY Thursday, October 16th 2008 at 12:17PM

I VOTED TODAY!!!!!! But the fight isnt over until 4 November.... and until then we all need to push people to vote and make a change... there is no poll out there that I can imagine having McCain in the lead, and if there is one... trust my BHO isn,t called a senator, but maybe a few other words...

This past weekend I worked an event for a white motorcycle club here in NC, and even with all the Rebel Flags, and Swastika's displayed everywhere even they weren't feeling Mccain, Palin or Bush.... so if white bikers arent feeling the republican ticket, we have to do all we can to get our familes to the polls... This will be potentially the biggest presidential blowout victory ever recorded... but we must not get cocky and forget to vote... Oh I voted today :)

Roger E Madison Jr Thursday, October 16th 2008 at 3:43PM

Greg,
You are absolutely correct. We can't relax now -- with the finish line in sight. Those of us who have voted early need to beat the bushes and get as many others to vote as possible. A vote in advance is one more they can't take away from us.

sandra kelly Thursday, October 16th 2008 at 11:01PM

I am happy to see so many people both black and white give positive view and remarks about Senator (future President) Obama. What really gets to me are all those negative commericals. Why can't an election just be clean and about true fact and issues. It is time for a change and I fell Obama is can and will make that change.

I had my daughter record the debate last night. When i got home from school, I watched it and I must say McCain tried so hard to offend Obama, but Obama remained professional and that was great.

ROBINSON IRMA Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM

I must confess, the debate before this one between Obama and McCain, I could not stand to watch all of it. I tried, because I wanted to hear what Obama had to say but just could not do it. Tonight, I watched the whole debate.

I got goose bumps watching (future President)Obama looking right into those cameras and talking directly to the People.Those people ready to help him bring this government back to them. It is like a dream come true, but I still can not believe that I have lived to see this happen in my life time!

This is a better world that I will leave one day than I found it thanks to Barack H. Obama and the times I live in, in America now.

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