Saturday's presidential debate was fascinating to assess. Both candidates presented themselves with vigour, dignity and clarity, without resorting to gaffes, cheap jibes or innuendoes.
Although this first of three debates focused on foreign policy, the financial crisis dominated its first half. Obama focused on the realities in Main Street, with messages about the need for the state to provide universal basic health insurance and to create new industrial jobs by seriously restructuring for renewable energy. McCain added a plug for nuclear energy.
A debate over business taxes and tax breaks was eye-glazingly inconclusive. A more lively foreign policy debate centred on national security: the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and how to deal with Pakistan, Iran and Russia.
Concerned not to sound weak or indecisive, Obama came across as more soldierly than McCain on America's current wars. He labelled Iraq as a disaster, a damaging diversion from the priority of destroying Al Qaeda. McCain claimed that as a result of his favoured troop surge strategy in Iraq, this war was now going well.
Obama's powerful wrap-up stated that no US soldier ever died in vain who died obeying the lawful commands of his commander-in-chief the president, but that the latter's obligation was to take responsible decisions about when to take the country into war. This moment was a window into the pain of 4000 US soldiers dead in Iraq, a war whose human burden is being borne by poor American families.
Policy differences were pronounced on the issue of pursuing Taliban into Pakistan sanctuaries, a strategy Obama favours but of which McCain emphasised prudence. McCain showcased his foreign policy experience and sought to portray Obama as rash and inexperienced.
On Iran, both men affirmed resolute commitment to Israel and contempt for Ahmadinejad's offensive anti-Israel threats. McCain baited Obama on earlier pledges to try to begin a dialogue with Ahmadinejad. In a tedious debate on negotiating tactics, both candidates bizarrely invoked Henry Kissinger as their guide.
Both men's tone on Russia was tough: though rejecting the idea of a new cold war, they spoke of how the conflict with Georgia showed a new, more threatening Russia. With surprising command of detail, McCain reeled off easily unfamiliar words like Saakashvili, Tymoshenko and Yushchenko. Obama did not rise to the bait.
Though both aimed for a presumed US moderate centre, there was a perceptible difference in world view. In old-fashioned language, McCain proposed a league of