I saw large parts of the first Obama-McCain debate. Let me give you the opinion of a foreigner (assuming you're an american reader):

  • clearly no obvious winner, perhaps a very little plus on Obama's side that's all ; Obama caught McCain a few times with better arguments, McCain caught Obama a few times with excellent remarks. I even saw McCain destabilizing Obama at least twice.
  • McCain's brain is still working very well but he should stop making references to the army all the time
  • I heard nothing - just nothing - smart on the financial side
  • I found hearing both of them speak of tax cuts in the current context plain hilarious
  • I just hated the "I have that bracelet from a soldier..." series
  • Obama mentioned Biden once ; McCain did not mention Palin at all
  • McCain does not like Montana bears...
  • McCain's spending freeze on everything but defense and veterans made me scream
  • Obama did not answer clearly enough when McCain said he never had a hearing as the chair of NATO committee for Afghanistan

Globally, it was boring and I don't think it had the potential to change anybody's opinion.