I was appalled at Obama's lack of preparation for last night's debate. Without even discussing the lack of content in his answers, here are some things that should have been eliminated during training for the event.
Update: Well obviously I was wrong.
- In each case, over every topic covered, Obama failed to provide a simple narrative. We heard him talk in vague generalities ("I'll have to cut back on something"..."you have to use scalpel...."); and, when pressed, he occasionally descended into the particular and concrete. But he never told a simple story. Asked about what how the financial crisis would affect his presidency he should have said: "Well not too much Jim. We'll wait for the crisis to materialize and, anyway, my presidency is about generating jobs and growing the economy - for example alternate energy jobs and education. The crisis just means we have more to do...." Asked what kind of threat Iran posed to the US he should have had a simple story ready. How could he go to the debate without a prepared story for each of these obvious questions? Did he have any jokes ready? What is up with that?
- Obama frequently editorialized about what he was saying in the middle of saying it. One time when I was sure he was about to nail McCain - finally! - he built it up, built it up further, built it up still more and then, just before making the point: stopped, editorialized, and dropped the volume of his speech, so nobody could even hear the point! Editorializing about yourself is a sophomoric blunder. Don't politicians have some awareness of these things?
- Obama repeatedly began his paragraphs with "John is right...". McCain repeatedly began his with "What the Senator doesn't understand is....". Geez! Where did that bad move come from? Did Obama's trainers tell him: "make sure to give McCain lots of love during the debate." You just don't do that if you want to win.
Finally, over and over Obama accepted the premise of the question. He accepts that Iran is a threat, he accepts that the financial crisis is a meltdown, he accepts that we are at war in the Middle East indefinately. On each one of these topics he should have had a narrative that went beyond and above the question - reassuring us of his candidacy, of his ability to see simple solutions to "Gordian Knot" type problems. Instead he acted like a deer in the headlights. Many Kos entries and posts around the blogosphere have pointed out the value of ignoring the questions. Obama was supposed to be showing leadership, not engaging in bickering over details. This failure to rise above the discussion and connect with viewers was the greatest opportunity lost. The largest disappointment.