Debate Reactions: Obama the Clear Winner

A focus group of Independent voters watch the Democratic debate, and when it ends, overwhelmingly come down in support of Barack Obama...

Time (Halperin): Tenaciously drove his four core issues (change, unity, inspiration, problem solving), and incorporated them into almost every answer. LINK

Atlantic (Marc Ambinder): … I’ll give Obama the edge LINK

MSNBC (Richard Wolffe): …This was by far his best debate

NBC (Chuck Todd): … And then came Iraq and Clinton once again showed why the issue has been such an Achilles heel. Obama just has an easier time talking about his position. Clinton has to sit there and re-explain why she was for it and why she's not for it now. LINK

Politico (Ben Smith): “Obama's comfortable turf”: His trump card is his vote against the war, and he's moved toward a new argument for why it's relevant. "I think I will be the Dem who will be most effective in going up a John McCain...because I will offer a clear contrast," he says. "I don’t want to just end the war, I want to end the mindset that got us into war in the first place." LINK

TMP ( Josh Marshall) In the context of the race, I think this helped Obama because it put the two of them on the same level, the same stature level. As I've said before, Obama in general has not been a good debater. But this was a good one for him. LINK

Daily Dish (Andrew Sullivan) "Obama Won" I'd say that he won the primary election tonight. She is still a formidable candidate and her massive institutional advantage may eventually give her the nomination. But she hasn't won this primary argument or this primary battle. LINK