Not in the least.. But then it's been a long long time since I've been impressed with a Republican.  I watched on PBS and while there was often a shot past the person speaking to the other one, there weren't nearly enough of McCain making faces like these clips show.

One way or the other, this darkness has to give....

TNR

As I type this, Stan Greenberg is briefing reporters on his focus group of undecided voters in Colorado. He said the respondents felt Obama "won" and that the results were "more decisive than either of the last two." That's a reference to Greenberg's previous focus groups, which also came away preferring Obama.

The most striking result came on the favorability ratings. Although the focus group was officially undecided, it leaned towards McCain. Here were the favorability-unfavorability ratings for each candidate at the start:

    McCain: 54 favorable / 34 unfavorable

    Obama: 42 favorable / 42 unfavorable

Here's what the ratings looked like after the debate:

    McCain: 50 favorable / 48 unfavorable

    Obama: 72 favorable / 22 unfavorable

Interestingly, Obama's most popular answer was about education. The focus group seemed particularly pleased about his riff on asking parents to take more responsibility for their children. According to Greenberg, this is likely part of the reason the focus group felt that, overall, Obama shares their values.

No video of his Roe v. Wade answer?

Via Tapped I see he said:

I would consider anyone in their qualifications. I do not believe that someone who has supported Roe v. Wade would be part of those qualifications.

Once you get past the skewered language (what is it with Republicans that they can't speak in sentences that make sense on paper?) it's clear what he's saying. Not that this is a surprise but I'm really surprised that he said it out loud.

i want to hear more about joe the plumber

******

PALIN: My oh my. That's quite a toolbelt you have on. It looks heavy.

JOE: I have a big hammer.

PALIN: Oh, I betcha do. I love a big hammer. But I love screwdrivers, too! And wrenches. The fact is I love and respect all of America's diverse tools, big and small. They're what helps make us so great as a nation. Here, let me take that off for ya.

(PALIN takes a seat on the coach beside JOE and starts to undo his belt. He stops her.)

JOE: Let's go take a look at the tanning bed first.

PALIN: Oooh, okay.

(PALIN leads JOE to the tanning salon in the basement. JOE carefully inspects the machine.)

JOE: Looks like there are just a bunch of screws loose.

PALIN: (seductively) You're in luck. I fully support off-shore and on-shore drilling.

(PALIN pounces on JOE and throws him onto the top of the tanning bed. She quickly rips off his jeans.)

PALIN: God almighty! You are hung like a moose. Now I have to eat ya!

JOE: I'm bigger than a moose. Do you have any contraceptives?

PALIN: It's okay. I already took a morning-after pill.

JOE: Um, are you sure it works that way?

PALIN: Are you asking me if I know what a morning-after pill is? Because I totally do! I'll get back to ya with specifics.

(The two proceed to make furious love in a multitude of positions. PALIN amply demonstrates that she has enough experience.)

PALIN: Fuck me harder! HARDER! Pound me until my head is so empty that I can't even remember the name of the one Supreme Court case I actually know! I want it to burn. Burn like a banned book. Oh God, Oh God, OH MY GOD! MAKE ME SEE RUSSIA FROM HERE!

(After 10 minutes, the two finish.)

PALIN: Wow-eee. I haven't had a ride that good since Todd took me for a spin on the back of his Yamaha at the Tesoro Iron Dog.

JOE: That was amazing. What now?

PALIN: I feel so alive! Let's grab my gay friend and go shoot wolves from the safety of a helicopter.

thank you larry flynt

I was certainly impressed.  I was impressed with the fact that a man can get as old as McCain and yet have passed through that long life without getting a clue.  I was also impressed with his view of women as chattels, brood-mares, property of The State.  I was impressed with his open admission that women's health means nothing to him.  And my impression of John McCain as the "Me First" candidate was confirmed beyond any possible doubt.

Good to know that the health of women is a subject of scorn for John McCain.

Asshole.

"Little people are very stuff-intensive."

McSame is proud of the people that shout Kill him?  

Oh, there you are, Perry. -Phineas -SLB-

Why do the Republicans always need an audio-visual aids like Joe the Plumber or Joe Sixpack to get their points across?  Are they afraid of logical argument and the process of formal thinking?  I can see now why Sarah Palin is such an arresting figure to the Republican base. Her visceral attacks require so little actual thinking.  It's like the Republican candidates and their base are all cartoon characters; that's why, their campaign seems so much like a comictragic) slip.

Suppose you scrub your ethical skin until it shines, but inside there is no music, then what? Kabir

McCain missed the most obvious debate point, he just didn't know Obama's plans well so he tried to bluff and smirk his way through, but it gave Obama some great openings. His claim that Joe the Plumber would be penalized if he didn't choose Obama's Health Plan turned an easy counter by Obama that small companies wouldn't see the penalty, only the larger ones; McCain looked incredulous.