Going into tonight‘s presidential debate, John McCain didn’t just need a win. A knockout probably wouldn‘t have even done it. He needed one of those power-punch, drop-the-other-guy-to-the-mat fight-finishers that go down in history among some of the greatest comebacks of all time.

Because let’s be honest: McCain’s campaign is in dire straits. With each passing day, polls put the White House further and further out of the GOP presidential nominee’s reach. In the blink of an eye, the electoral landscape went from bad to worse: what were once “tossup” states are no longer in contention, but instead are firmly in Barack Obama’s grip. Today’s tossups are those ones that use to be the safest GOP states on the map.

But in the second presidential debate, McCain faltered. In what should have been McCain’s strongest night- in the “town hall” debate format that he’s been so persistent in trying lure Obama into- he struggled. All night, he struggled to paint the Illinois Senator into a corner, but was unable to do so. And by the time the debate had ended, Obama emerged the clear victor.

Instant polls found that about the majority of those surveyed watched McCain in a resounding failure. According to CNN, 54% thought Obama won, compared to just 30% for McCain. CBS found 39% in favor of Obama, with 27% in favor of McCain.

The Atlantic’s Andrew Sullivan called it “a mauling,” noting that he didn’t see “how the McCain campaign survives this.” Time’s Mark Halperin said McCain simply, “never broke through.” Marc Ambinder wrote that “John McCain had a 90 minute window to turn his campaign around…and I don’t think John McCain met it.” Taegan Goddard said the debate “wasn’t even close- Barack Obama ran away with it.”

It will take about three days before the effects of McCain’s dismal performance are seen in the polls, but when they do, expect to see another precipitous drop for the Arizona Senator. Unless he can pull a rabbit out of his hat, he may have just sealed Obama’s plans for January 20, 2009.

I read your comment just after forwarding Andrew Sullivan’s page to some colleagues here in Europe. What we feel is that Obama nailed it. McCain is drowning. And he can NOT swim. Splendid! McCain is such a nauseating, shameless, arrogant liar, that it feels so good to watch him go down. He won’t be missed.

I have voted in every presidential election since 1988 and this year I could not be more disappointed with our choices for the top executive position in the United States. Neither candidate has any common sense or ability to speak clearly to the American people. If Barry says "um" one more time I will shoot my television. Both of these political hacks need to go home or be sentenced to life in prison for their incompetence and criminal malfeasance. Wake up America...It's time for the common man to run for president.

While I'll grant you the point about Obama's "um" .... he REALLY needs to go to Toastmasters! ... you are simply mistaken in every other way.

Obama's presented endless details, plenty of ideas, lots of inspiration. He was born low and raised himself up by hard work and skill. What could be more "common man" than that?