What They're Saying About John McCain at the Nashville Debate Volume 2

CNN's David Gergen: "I thought John McCain was more effective than he was last time on domestic policy. I thought his answers in general were more organized and he made his points more effectively." (CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360," 10/7/08)

Fox News' Charles Krauthammer: "McCain won the first hour on domestic (issues)." (Fox News' "Presidential Debate," 10/7/08)

ABC's George Stephanopoulos: "I thought Senator McCain started out very strong when he said we have to address this financial crisis by having a plan to buy up all of the bad mortgages in the country showed real compassion and empathy there..." (ABC's "The Candidates Debate," 10/7/08)

Stephanopoulos: "I was also struck in the way that both candidates
handled the stage tonight ... As we know Senator McCain wanted these town hall meetings all year long against Senator Obama. He made a crack against that. He is comfortable in this setting." (ABC's "The Candidates Debate," 10/7/08)

ABC's Charlie Gibson: "I do think if there was any new proposal in the debate, it was what John McCain said about buying up the struggling home loan mortgages and renegotiate them at a new value, have the government do that." (ABC's "The Candidates Debate," 10/7/08)

The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza: "Nice moment for McCain: he claps a man (Terry Scherry) who asks about Iran on the shoulder and they shake hands." (Chris Cillizza, "The Nashville Skyline Debate," The Washington Post's "The Fix" Blog, http://www.washingtonpost.com/, 10/7/08)

NBC's Chuck Todd: "[M]cCain did get stronger, I think, as the night went on. When it turned to foreign policy, you can see his comfort zone and you could see him getting more comfortable " (NBC's "Presidential Debate Coverage," 10/7/08)

NBC's Andrea Mitchell: "I think he was very comfortable in the format ... McCain was walking around approaching some of the questioners. Thanking them. Actually coming quite close to them. ... And as Chuck has pointed out, with the economy in such a tail spin, he came armed with a new proposal to have the government buy up failing mortgages ... That was a gutsy move." (NBC's "Presidential Debate Coverage," 10/7/08)

The Politico's Ben Smith: "Really, the first of the night. McCain takes a question from a Navy veteran. 'Everything I ever learned about leadership, I learned from chief petty officer,' he says, walking over to the man and patting his shoulder." (Ben Smith, "A Connection," The Politico's "Ben Smith" Blog, http://www.politico.com/, 10/7/08)

Commentary's Jennifer Rubin: "On Afghanistan, Iraq and Russia McCain talks in action words what we will do, what will work and what our goals will be. Although he obviously wants to assure voters he will show restraint, his real strength is projecting a force of will and determination." (Jennifer Rubin, "National Security," Commentary's "Contentions" Blog, http://www.commentarymagazine.com/, 10/7/08)

National Review's Mark Levin: "And he has shown more energy than usual. Obama is supposed to be the great orator (what happened to the messiah and the fainting?). The 72-year-old McCain has the upper-hand on the 47-year-old messiah, IMHO." (Mark Levin, "In Defense Of McCain," National Review's "The Corner" Blog, corner.nationalreview.com, 10/7/08)

CNN's Bill Bennett: "The last comments [John McCain] made, I thought, were quite impressive and quite moving." (CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360," 10/7/08)