My intent when I started writing this article was to chastise the TV media for missing the boat on their debate coverage. Way to often we spend too much trying to determine who "won" the debate instead of reinforcing to the viewers/voters what the candidates SAID.
In an election season during which so many issues (the economy, health care, the war in Iraq, etc...) carry so much weight with voters, there isn't a better chance to hear what the candidates plan to do about each of them than the Presidential Debates. Locked down to the issues by the moderator, each man is presented a chance to explain what he thinks about the various issues facing the country and what he plans to do about them.
On local newscasts last night, everyone was out to declare a winner. I know this might surprise you, but the Republicans in town thought John McCain had "won" the debate. Democrats felt Barack Obama was the "winner." Shocking.
So this morning, I jumped online to point out the same problem on the various websites... and that's when I stumbled across MSNBC's Debate Analyzer. Awesome. It gives you the ability to choose keywords and zip to that point of the debate to hear the candidates thoughts. It also tells you along the bottom which question/issue they're addressing.
If you saw the debate and want to take another look... or missed it the first time and want to hear what the candidates had to say about the issues important to you, it doesn't get much easier than this.
