Skipper

I didn't see the debate so I'm only basing this on the views of others. Justin Webb, BBC editor, reckoned McCain was much better in this debate expressing restrained aggression. Obama was calm, as always and maybe a bit too professorial according to Webb, but he came back well at his opponent and reported that early polls suggested Obama won it overall.

Frank Luntz, the US pollster, watched the debate with a group of swing voters, four of whom, at the end of the debate said they would now vote for Obama. To some extent this was McCain's last chance to knock Obama off his perch and the verdict, albeit mostly impressionistic, is that he failed. Polls in the Observer the week before last had Obama winning 264 delegates in the electoral college- he only needs 270 to win. Fingers crossed by Obama supporters nothing major happens to affect this lead.
For a full briefing on the campaign so far go to here