I hereby declare that as EDWARDS consistently kept Cheney on the defensive, as EDWARDS hit the keywords (Halliburton, outsourcing, healthcare healthcare healthcare) of the debate, as EDWARDS actually ANSWERED the questions...
Edwards won the debate.
Cheney may have a better ability to put words together than his pitiful running mate, but he still had nothing to talk about but Kerry. And a woefully small range of attacks on Kerry, at that -- the "flip-flop_ charge, the LAUGHABLE line he repeated often: "the record speaks for itself," which he applied equally to Halliburton and Kerry.
Cheney flailed and he flailed badly. Which shouldn't surprise ANYONE, when you consider that his only option was to talk about Kerry -- or talk about the abysmal record of this Administration. he did, of course, attempt to talk about his Administration's record -- but he was reduced to exaggerating, obfuscating and outright LYING about it.
The debate may be summed up thusly: John Edwards talked substance and kept Cheney on the defensive, while Cheney was reduced to soundbites, lies and repetitive, canned mini-attacks on Kerry. Edwards talked about REAL issues, while Cheney KILLED TIME.
Oh, and let's not forget the fear mongering factor. 9/11 changed everything, 9/11 changed everything, 9/11 changed everything, 9/11 changed everything, 9/11 changed everything.
Did you know 9/11 changed everything?