This is what has me worried. The same thing happened in the '04 debates. FReepers were all giddy and bubbly and wriggly-jiggly that Bush was going to clobber Kerry in the debates. Guess what? Bush lost.
McCain has to be very very careful of the presentation effect. Remember, this is the mainstream media we're talking about. They're going to do all they can to present McCain as a tired old man and Obama as the vigorous, youthful comer. Everyone keeps saying how Obama can't do anything without a teleprompter. Well, it may turn out that he just might not need it. There was a story on Drudge about O'Bammy taking three days off from the campaign to prep for the debate. McCain better not go into it cold or too cocky, or he may get his head handed to him.
Before the flames start, no, it isn't wishful thinking on my part. I'm pulling for McCain and Palin. I'm just saying debates are always a roll of the dice, and anything can happen.
And yet, no President Kerry. Could it be that debates and daily tracking polls aren't quite as important as conventional wisdom assumes?
I recall that Bush did poorly in the first debate, well in the second, and that the third was a draw; only the media said "Bush lost".
I feel very confident that McCain will get an edge from the debates. He is clearly comfortable speaking off-the-cuff, and he knows what he believes. That self-knowledge imparts confidence. Barry, too, knows what he believes, but he can't say any of it if he wants to be elected. That imparts uncertainty.