Huge.  You forget how grossly misplayed the photo of Rumsfeld meeting with Saddam in the ’80s was by the left.  Diplomats or advisers from both sides meeting is one thing (it isn’t a photo-op), presidents meeting with presidents or advisers is completely different and shows tacit approval (and would be a huge proopaganda bonus for the President of Iran.  It might be OK to be in contact with them to state out or demands, but having the President do it is a bad idea.

And that is what Obama stated (previous to the debate) he wanted to do.

This one I find sort of interesting, because it depends on what you mean by "we."  Kissinger now insists that he thinks that it’s bad that the President should do it, which is how he tries to insist that Obama is wrong: but the fact remains that he essentially supports high-level talks to Iran.

I’m not sure what substantive distance there really is between the President and the President’s direct foreign policy subordinate talking to someone is, but the key area of dispute is over whether we should have a list of demands made up that must be fulfilled before even sitting down and talking.  Kissinger pretty clearly agrees with Obama that that’s not something worth pouting over.

I think that’s right.  Talking to a foe at all should never be played as a bargaining chip on its own, even if the for might try to spin it to their benefit.  If you have a list of demands, it might just as well be the best place to get them a hearing. 

There are certainly legitimate tactical arguments to be made about whether the President should do it or not, but I don’t think any side of them is life or death, or a sign of poor judgment.

Bad’s last blog post..Ghost Haunts Dumbells, Say Dumbells

Apples to oranges in any case.  DailyKos is basically a giant blog community (where the opinion and partisanship is in open and detailed display), whereas drudge is basically a news aggregator with headlines and story selections that are crafted to tell generally right-leaning narratives.

I’m not sure, though, that the audience of drudge leans as heavily conservative as the editorial decisions do.  A heck of a lot of people left and right read drudge.

I dunno, Obama made a couple of Pratfalls last night.  The big one, in my mind, was the "Henry Kissinger agrees with me that we should have unconditional talks with the President of Iran" lie.  A close second goes to "I have a bracelet too!  Gimme a second to read the name of the soldier off of it" gaffe.

But you’re right.  Considering how gaffe-prone and boneheaded the Big Zero can be he did well.

It was the “Straight talk express” vs. the “Smooth-talking a good game express”

But in part because conservatives billed this as the forum where Obama would make a pratfall and bloody his own nose, Obama wins handily from any sort of political perspective.

This advances Obama’s claim to be a competent President and it doesn’t advance anything at all for McCain.

CosmicConservative’s last blog post..VP in spiked heels

Meant to say McCain there…

But …..if the objective is to win the Presidency (hint: it is) I think Obama ultimately prevailed. He held his own ground, was well prepared, and took no major damage.

It’s kinda like 04′ — I thought Kerry mostly outperformed Bush in the debates, yet still gained little, if any, political traction.

HB

/kidding

I’m just getting back at all the lefties who said that anytime Bush could get through a debate.

Sorry again:

I SWEAR TO GOD Senator Obama HAD AN EARPIECE IN tuned to his ADVISORS!!!!!!1111!!!!/////!!!1111

/snark