CNN Poll Vs. CNN Spin on Presidential Debate

John Stephenson

CNN's Dobbs Highlights Wall Street's Political Contributions

Mike Bates

Liberal Media’s Debate Spin: No Winner, So Obama Won

Watching Saturday’s network morning shows, the talking heads seemed to agree that Friday night’s debate did not produce “a clear winner” or any “knockout punch,” and that it was unlikely that any “needle was moved” among undecided voters. Yet those same networks tried to also argue that Obama had really won the debate, superficially suggesting that McCain’s “disdainful” body language poorly…
Rich Noyes

Open Thread

For general discussion and debate. Your choice of topics today.
NB Staff

Saturday Sports Open Thread

For sports-related discussion and debate. Your choice of topics today.
NB Staff

Andrea's Pro-Obama Editor's Cut

Andrea Mitchell gave it the old Hollywood try for Obama this morning.  Summarizing the debate on Today, Mitchell managed to cobble together a video clip that showed McCain's only stumble, while snipping out what many including her colleague Chris Matthews saw as the debate's most salient feature: the multiple times Obama expressed agreement with McCain.And so it was that Andrea treated us to…
Mark Finkelstein

In 'Nightline Report Card' Stephanopoulos Gives Obama the Win

Awarding Barack Obama two grades of A-minus and one B-minus while presenting John McCain with two grades of B-plus and one B-minus, at the end of his “Nightline Report Card” segment on Friday night, ABC's George Stephanopoulos declared Obama the “winner” -- with a big illustrative check mark on screen:Bottom line, the winner is Barack Obama. He comes into this race where the country wants change…
Brent Baker

Reading New Republic Tea Leaves to Determine Debate Winner

P.J. Gladnick

'I've Got a Bracelet, Too

In recent memory, every presidential debate eventually distills down into a few catchphrases. Al Gore became known for his sighs and love of lockboxes. John Kerry actually served in Vietnam. Dan Quayle was no Jack Kennedy.Barack Obama has a bracelet, too.That inartful comeback will likely filter out through the political ether in the days ahead. What might not filter through our partisan press is…
Matthew Sheffield

MSNBC Rues Obama Not Tougher; CBS Shows Only Obama Backer

In the 20 minutes of post-debate analysis before the broadcast networks ended coverage and the cable channels moved on to other shows Friday night, on MSNBC Chris Matthews and Andrea Mitchell fretted that Barack Obama wasn't tough enough in attacking John McCain on the economy as Mitchell also hailed Obama -- “But, boy, he did show a command of foreign policy in terms of the nuts and bolts of it…
Brent Baker

CNN, MSNBC Quibble Over McCain’s Slip-Up On Ahmadinejad’s Name

CNN’s Iranian-born chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour, during the network’s post-debate coverage, made fun of John McCain’s stumble during the debate concerning the pronunciation of Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s name [see video at right]: "On sort of a cosmetic level, I was quite -- I sort of giggled a little bit when I saw John McCain stumble over Ahmadinejad's name."…
Matthew Balan

Chris Matthews Slams John McCain for ‘Contempt’ Towards Obama

During late night coverage of Friday's presidential debate between Senators Barack Obama and John McCain, “Hardball” host Chris Matthews attacked the Republican for showing both “contempt” and an “inferiority complex” towards his Democratic opponent. The MSNBC host asked liberal Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson, “What do you make of what I take as contempt? And I’m not sure contempt is…
Scott Whitlock

Kissinger Says Obama Wrong on Kissinger's Position in Debate Tonight

Here is something that the media should focus on. In the debates tonight, Barack Obama said that even Henry Kissinger agreed with Obama that on a presidential level a diplomatic meeting with as rogue a leader as Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a good idea. McCain immediately said that this was not true, but the issue wasn't further addressed in the debate. Well, now Henry Kissinger himself is…
Warner Todd Huston

Matthews Mad Obama Agreed So Much With McCain

How disappointed was Chris Matthews with Barack Obama's debate performance tonight? How angry was Matthews at Obama for agreeing so much with John McCain?  Enough that Matthews unleashed the ultimate Dem insult, saying Obama reminded him of . . . Richard Nixon.Matthews first vented his frustration at Obama adviser Linda Douglass.CHRIS MATTHEWS: Linda, my friend, why did your candidate agree so…
Mark Finkelstein