I watched the debate last night by myself and I came away disappointed. I thought at best it was a tie; but that McCain had a little edge. I also thought that Obama was too nice and missed several opportunities to nail McCain. I think I always watch, and always have watched debates being really nervous for the candidate I'm supporting.
Imagine my surprise when many of the pundits; especially the non partisan ones like David Gergen, said Obama had done very well. Imagine my surprise when the post debate polls came out and Obama won most of them.
Imagine my surprise when I went to work today and got my co-workers post debate reaction. The people I work with are extremely conservative, rural, NRA members.
One person that is fairly open minded (someone who I always consider kind of a bellweather on issues and candidates) told me in no uncertain terms that she was voting for Obama. He seems ready for the job and McCain is too old and all about the past. My second surprise was in talking to two guys who are avid hunters and NRA members who voted for Bush twice. They both told me they had been leaning McCain and are now leaning Obama. My biggest surprise came from an extremely conservative Evangelical women who has never voted for a Democrat in any position. Her quote was "McCain was a total asshole and Obama was a gentleman who looked Presidential." She said "I'm voting for Obama, but don't tell anyone because I don't want to eat crow."
Of all the people I talked too today, 99% of whom are conservative; not one said McCain won the debate. Many said he was mean; and several said Obama impressed them and took away some of the fear factor they had.
This is a very small unscientific poll; but it's what I'm hearing here in conservative rural America.