"Sunday's presidential debate surprised me. It had not occurred to me that Ross Perot would play such a significant role; he certainly provided some humor. He also said some things that people want to hear and gave the impression he could take charge, run the country, and fix everything. Although Perot may have won the debate, Bill Clinton won the presidential debate.
Because of his own presentation, Bill Clinton retains his strong lead. He came across as a thoughtful human being of presidential stature. George Bush seemed apologetic and then defensive, especially during the last part of the debate. He engaged in attack tactics as he referred in a demeaning way to the 'nuclear freeze crowd,' as if only his definition of patriotism is valid.
Perot may have picked up votes from some who were undecided, but I doubt anyone's preference changed. Bill Clinton will win the election, possibly with the calculated assistance of Ross Perot."
"The Oct. 11 debate went pretty much as expected: The candidates were well-rehearsed, avoided embarrassing mistakes, and added little that the country had not already heard during the campaign.
President Bush, who already had experience in previous debates, but is not considered particulary articulate, spoke without slipping into the fractured syntax to which he is sometimes prone. On the other hand, he offered nothing except his experience and a repeated insistence that things were not so bad, as his opponents suggested, as a basis for his re-election. He was most successful at seeming confident, but sometimes at the cost of appearing flippant, even smug. The end result was that he did little to change his position in the race.
Clinton, who came into the debates with a significant lead in the polls, performed very conservatively, repeating at every opportunity the autobiographical information he had used in his convention acceptance speech. He was at his best when he responded to Bush's charges about his behavior as a student and in his plea for reconciliation in America, but his performance suffered from an inability to show either his wit or his humor.
Perot, who had nothing to lose, gained the most from this debate. He managed to sound 'Trumanesque' through plain talk and introduced the only amusing moments of the evening."
"There's little doubt that the American people benefited from the debate. The debate gave us all one more chance to learn about the candidates as persons and as presidential timber. We learned about their positions and priorities and the debate gave the candidates one more chance to show off their skills and strengths.
That said, I suppose many close observers of the campaign learned nothing new. Thanks to both the format and the caution of the candidates, we did not learn as much as we might have. And for all the hoopla and attention, I doubt the debate will have any impact on the outcome of the election.
Clinton achieved what he needed to. He didn't lose. Bush failed to close the gap between himself and Clinton. And with his use of humor, Perot probably scored more than the other two. His numbers went up, but he won't win the election."
"George Bush won. Perot came in a close second. I was really impressed to hear what he had to say. Before the debate, people were making fun of him. But when it was over, more people thought he won the debate than anyone else.
Because I'm a psych major, I noticed Bush's eye contact and composure. He seemed very confident. I got a better feeling from him. Clinton looked nervous, uneasy. I think he was worried Bush might bring up the Moscow trip.
I think this debate will set the tone for the rest of the debates. I do think Perot has a fighting chance."
"President Bush failed to articulate any new vision for the country, and Ross Perot gave a wonderful performance. Bill Clinton avoided making any major mistakes and met his goal of appearing "Presidential." Bush needed a knock-out, and he clearly did not damage Clinton. If this debate sets the tone for the rest of the campaign, Clinton will win by a landslide in November.
Although Perot performed well, a vote for Perot is a wasted vote and aids the least favorite candidate. On election day, Perot will not win a state, and he will be unlikely to affect the outcome of the voting in more than a few states."