Final Debate: Some Thoughts

I decided not to “live blog” the last presidential debate.  But here are some thoughts in summary.

Tonight, Obama became “Senator Liar.”  On ACORN, on the Illinois version of BAIPA, on the extent of McCain’s negativity (100%? Really?), etc., Obama lied to the American people and did it with the straightest face I’ve seen since President Clinton wagged his finger at us.  For this reason, his selection of Joe “Make it up as I go” Biden as running mate was perfect.

Following the debate, the Fox News focus group is giving the award to Obama.  Again.  Personally, I think the media may have primed the pump by hitting McCain much, much harder on negative ads than the big-spending Obama campaign.  But putting that consideration aside, it seems enough Americans may have decided already that they’re voting for Obama as to hand him the presidency.  That’s fair–that’s democracy.  Yet never before have we seen such an unvetted candidate come this close to the highest office in the land.  And for people to really think it’s somehow worse to question Obama’s past than to let him go untouched into the White House is ludicrous, and we’re going to get exactly the kind of government in Washington that we deserve as a consequence of our willingness to be lied to.

Mac slapped the taste out of Obama’s mouth tonight, and any objective viewer would agree with that statement.  As I said before, though, Americans seem to have made their collective decision already.

Finally, I think conservative commentators have failed miserably when reviewing these debates by measuring the candidates according to conventional wisdom.  After the second and third debates I’ve heard a lot of talk that McCain had to “clearly win” the debate to succeed.  Baloney.  No one seriously thinks elections are won during debates, only lost.  So to Mr. Krauthammer and so many others I say this: stop making it so easy for the least conservative (i.e., most liberal) candidate ever to ascend to the presidency, please.

Update: Morissey has the scoop on Hot Air re: Obama’s lies on abortion and ACORN.

Tags: Barack Obama, debate analysis, debate wrapup, final debate, John McCain, third presidential debate, who won the debate?