Players or Politicians?

15 Joes for McCain. 5 for Obama. That summed up the debate in a nutshell, as FOX news reported just moments after the third and final presidential debate between candidates McCain and Obama. Kind of like, well, a final score. 

Other FOX News contributors discussed different analogies, one of my favorites being the tennis match one. According to the contributor, McCain looked as if he were running all over the court while Obama was smoothly knocking em' back on the opposing side. Yet another contributor compared the debate to "an old heavyweight title fight": McCain appeared to come out strong, but he lost it through and through as Obama "hung in there." 

Did I, at some point during the debate, flip to ESPN?

No, perhaps not. But I don't think the Obama campaign would have had a problem with the sports-like coverage. Obama as a Serena Williams or a Muhammad Ali on the political scene isn't an image that would hurt just mere weeks before the election. In Wednesday night's horse race, Obama took the reins, which is a comfortable position to be in during the countdown to Nov. 4. 

However, while Obama was clearly the dominant fighter, FOX also reported that there was "no knock out punch," in other words, no huge winner. In a FOX focus group depicting a room of 23 voters, none of which supported Obama at the start of the debate, said they were still voting for McCain although they thought Obama was the clear winner of the debate. The great irony? Frank Luntz was leading the focus group.

And while McCain obviously wasn't as eloquent, one of the FOX news contributors had to highlight one of his so-called sharpest moments, which was when McCain turned to Obama and said, "I'm not President Bush." It's no surprise there that the majority of the same viewers responded favorably to that question. 

Also noteworthy was the question regarding the vice presidential candidate picks. According to FOX News, Obama handled himself well. Obama didn't bash Sarah Palin, but McCain didn't play her up either. Again, another point for the Obama strategists.