Anyone have any idea how the little scrolling “Audience Reaction” is measured? CNN has one trendline for independents, republicans, and democrats, and I’m not sure where they’re getting those numbers.
Update 1: Dennis left a comment with this CNN link which gives a partial answer: “Voters watch the debate from Columbus, Ohio, and give their reaction to the responses in real-time.” But how this is done is not clear; nor is it stated how they gauge who is republican, democratic, or independent (presumably self-identification).
Update 2: Ernanio points out “They have a bunch of potential voters from OHIO seated in a room with a dial thingamaging on their hands that when rotated can go from 0 – 100 to show how much they are liking the candidates intervention.”
I think there should be a graph when Jim Lehrer is talking
@Lauren – I hate it when they talk about bracelets, random individuals, etc. The plural of anecdote is not data. More importantly, anecdotes like that don’t help me understand their proposed policies.
@Dennis – Yep, Ohio is a key swing state again. Could determine the election unless Colorado goes Dem.
@Jessica: I think they’re both in their high-def makeup. And congrats on med school.
The audience reaction thing they explained earlier in the day on a news segment…they have a bunch of potential voters from OHIO seated in a room with a dial thingamaging on their hands that when rotated can go from 0 – 100 to show how much they are liking the candidates intervention. The different lines represent the different groups who are being represented by that group of people in that room. It’s easy to read it, if you pay attention whenever obama speaks the blue line goes up, because obviously the democrats react positively to what he is sayin, etc.
@Larry – I don’t think McCain is reading, but it doesn’t necessarily matter – foxnews pundits will spin it that way.
McCain has made 2 references to Miss Congeniality.
@michael: It seems to flatline when he talks. I don’t get it. I would register fake accounts to Digg Lehrer up… if it worked like that.
@Larry: I think we need someone from factcheck.org to referee; that might help a bit. “Obama/McCain, please retract that incorrect statement.”
Jessica, actually I was thinking OBAMA had too much makeup—McCain’s enbalming fluids look good tonight.
I meant “winning” not “reading”
@Ernanio: Awesome, thanks!
@James: That makes sense. Much more subtle on Barack… score one for Obama’s makeup artist. I was kind of pulling for my idea though, the idea of McCain in a mystic tan booth is incredibly entertaining. And thank you.
@Larry: It’s very much a draw, except for the fact that McCain is reminding me a lot of Bush’s mannerisms and way of speaking slowly and using small words, which probably isn’t a good sign. Obama is attacking the debate questions a lot more directly, which makes me think he’s “winning” a bit more in the classical sense.
Lauren, you’re right! What’s with the reference to “Miss Congeniality”? Is he mocking his own prospective MILF—er, I mean VP’s former aspirations?
I can tell you this… a few times when Obama has spoken all three lines have gone up.
@Larry: How’s that drink coming along? What are you having, dare I ask? I just finished up a Sam Octoberfest. Calming the nerves a bit.
Jessica, you make good points, and you’re making me feel more hopeful…
@Tim: I noticed that too… But I wish I could see side by side how high it goes when Obama talks compared to when McCain talks. There’s more disagreement when he talks, but it almost looks like the Republican bar goes higher than the Democrat bar does when Obama speaks. It could just be because seeing the other two go down skews my perspective, or it could just be that seeing McCain even kind of do well makes me anxious…
Is it just me, or does one not dilute his message when you start every other phrase with “What [opponent] doesn’t undersatnd is….”?
Cool! The old fart’s losin’ it!
…on the other hand, he dug himself a tidy little grave right there!
@Larry: Yeah Obama is doing a good job of actually “Debating” whereas McCain may as well be a pundit because he’s spinning it all. Obama is spinning a little too, but he’s being more direct and confident overall…
but I think Jim is about to lay the smackdown on both of them if they keep interrupting or go over time. At least we know whoever wins will be able to assert himself enough to talk over any opposition…
@Larry: People will let themselves buy their candidate’s smugness if they really, really want to believe it’s justified, I think. Personally, though, yeah, it’s pretty dumb. Does he think Obama is an intellectual elitist or a know-nothing? Seriously.
All the bars are up for Obama right now.
And now they’re all down for McCain.
I will say this: I appreciate this debate format. Much more “debate-like” than in 2004 or 2000, where both sides were essentially allotted time to express their talking points without any real rebuttal.
Crap. Not typing well all of a sudden.
JAMES, I’m having a Greyhound, my favorite drink, and amybe I need to lay off—loook at mi tipyying!
;^)
When Obama writes stuff it looks like he’s powering down/napping… hahaha
And whenever they try to correct each other, I really with that some “adult” would step in and tell the audience who is actually right.
@James…I agree. This is a good debate,
@Larry: Your typing is looking better by the minute. I don’t see a problem here
Am kicking myself for not realizing that this was going to be uninterrupted… I started a few minutes late so I could skip through ads… but instead I’m just a few minutes behind all of you!
Perhaps they should just use percentages instead. Easily read numbers would make it quickly to read, and possibly less distracting.
@James: Oops. You fail at technology
JAMES: Yes, MUCH better format. Let it go on ’til morning!
JESSICA: Your comments make me feel like you and I are on the EXACT same page, politically.
@Lauren: As long as it keeps him from smirking, I like the ‘power-down’. McCain’s smirk looks unhealthy.
I do wish they really would let this keep going until McCain falls asleep.
IIIIII don’t think we’re going to hear the last lead question…
@Derrick: I’d also like to see an integral for each line, divided appropriately for when each candidate is speaking, to get the “cumulative” results from each of the 3 groups for each of the 2 candidates.
@Jessica: I blame my common sense.
I’m puzzled? Whats going on with McCain’s right arm its seem as if its always bent like the TERMINATOR…
@Larry: I don’t know, I don’t think I can keep watching for 3 more minutes.
@shawn w: I once heard that McCain’s posture is due to war wounds. I have no source for that, but his right arm does look like it fits with an axillary nerve injury (obviously can’t verify that personally).
OMG! He is NOT playing the “9/11″ and “IWASTORTURED” cards!
@Shawn: Hey, leave my Governator out of this.
@James: Just start fast forwarding the next time they start talking over Jim. Oh wait… that’s the majority of the debate.
@Larry: You know what that means. We all WIN the Debate Drinking Game.
My TV just switched itself to some Gymnastics program. So pissed.
@Jessica: Looks like Obama and McCain both agree… that Lehrer shouldn’t be able to control the debate.
Woooo Obama!
James: You should look up Dane Cook’s bit about TIVO… you would appreciate it right about now.
I wanna know what the pundits will say about the fact that when Obama speaks even the republicans on the audience reaction like it.
LOL! OMG, now he’s resorting to schoolyard comments like “He doesn’t get it.” Bless his heart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVC7wc508Nk
DESPERATION
Man, why does the Daily Show and Colbert Report have to take Fridays off?
all three lines up for Obama and then… Mac says “Sen. Obama still doesn’t understand”. All three lines go down.