Published: September 30, 2008 01:08 pm         

Debates

Getting down to the issues

Lots of folks are discussing who won the presidential debate the other night.

For the most part, the answer seems to depend on who you favored in the first place. Those who were backing John McCain felt he won, and those who were backing Barack Obama thought he did.

That’s understandable.

The candidates succeeded in laying out their differences on the war in Iraq, on the economy and on other issues, and they did a good job of hitting on the points that make their supporters support them in the first place.

What they really didn’t do is fill in some of the gray areas that have those undecided voters still scratching their heads.

McCain continued to hammer away on the $18 billion in congressional earmarks he plans to eliminate. Obama continued to insist he could get the economy moving again while still offering tax relief to the vast majority of Americans.

McCain spoke of victory in Iraq. Obama insisted the war was a mistake and said he would withdraw American troops as quickly as possible.

As expected, Obama seemed more comfortable discussing the economy, and McCain had the edge on foreign policy, but both candidates managed to dodge some key questions.

Obama said he would raise taxes on the wealthy, while cutting them for the middle class, but both he and McCain were noncommittal concerning the proposed $700 billion economic bailout, and neither would say what effect the plan might have on their other initiatives.

Still, the debate was a refreshing break from some of the silliness of the campaign. It offered an opportunity for the candidates to address the issues that should really matter to those still trying to decide who they will support.

We look forward to more such discussion, and perhaps even more details, in the remaining debates.



The debates

• Vice presidential debate: Thursday, Washington University, St. Louis.

• Second presidential debate: Oct. 7, Belmont University, Nashville.

• Third presidential debate: Oct. 15, Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y.