From the mailbag:
As for both the venue and questions asked, Saddleback was the only ‘real’ debate. In that forum, Obama clearly lost. The remaining debates have been dreadful, by comparision.
True. Rick Warren was the only guy to extract any damaging soundbites from Obama – the “above my pay grade” line. The ludicrous Debates Commission and all its painstakingly negotiated rules – “After a 1 minute opening answer, the opposing candidate will give a 30-second response, after which his opponent will have a 45-second pre-rebuttal to the moderator’s optional follow-up” – is all rubbish, which serves mainly to insulate the Democrat and assist him in his ability to pass himself off as Mister Moderate.
As for Senator McCain, I’m inclined to agree with Andy below.