WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/27/08) - There are mixed reactions to last night's first United States Presidential Debate between the two major party candidates running to be the next Commander In Chief of the Economy as well as Commander In Chief of the Military. McCain supporters say Arizona Senator John McCain won, while Illinois Senator Barack Obama supporters say Obama came out on top. And, Depending on which tv/radio talker you listen to after the debates, you have your choice of, it was a draw, or, Obama proved he was ready to take control of the military and the economy, or, McCain's strategy seemed to be to try his best to look stern and to not look at his opponent, and so on.

U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign released the following statement from McCain Wisconsin State Co-Chairman and Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker on the first presidential debate, held in Oxford, Mississippi:

"Tonight John McCain showed America why he is the candidate best suited to be commander in chief," Walker suggested.

"Providing straight talk on our economic crisis on Wall Street, the security of our nation and the global challenges we face as a nation, John McCain is the only presidential candidate with the leadership to carry us forward for generations," Walker continued.

"Barack Obama may speak well but America needs a president who can lead," Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker concluded.

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Joe Wineke issued the following statement on what Wineke refers to as Barack Obama’s clear victory in the first presidential debate and John McCain’s complete failure to offer anything beyond the failed policies of George Bush.

"After a week of erratically flailing about on the economy, John McCain needed a huge victory on his home turf of foreign policy, and he didn't get it," Wineke explained.

"Instead we saw a 20th century candidate (McCain) when America needs a 21st century president (Obama)," Wineke added.

“Despite Senator McCain’s decades as a Washington insider, Barack Obama went toe-to-toe and then some on foreign policy, while presenting the steady judgment and vision to lead this nation," Wineke stated.

"Obama made a clear case for the change America needs, while John McCain was stuck in the past, defending the same old failed policies of George Bush,” Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Joe Wineke said.

The Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman Reince Priebus released the following statement regarding the first presidential debate Friday:

“As he did the entire week with the crisis on Wall Street, tonight Senator John McCain demonstrated he has the courage and leadership to make the right decisions that will move our country forward," Priebus noted.

"From their pocketbooks to keeping America safe, McCain provided voters with straight talk about the issues they face on a daily basis," Priebus observed.

"While Obama says he understands the world better than Senator McCain, it is my hope Americans will see beyond his words and take his record for what it is,” Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman Reince Priebus stated.

The Politifacts.com Truth-O-Meter fact checkers found many things that were said by both candidates were accurate, but, some were not quite true to not at all true.

At the presidential debate in Oxford, Miss., Barack Obama described his tax plan and said, "Here's what I can tell the American people: 95 percent of you will get a tax cut."

The Truth-O-Meter finds that to be Half True. 95 percent of "working families" will get a tax break. A detailed analysis by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center found that if you look at all tax filers, 81 percent would see reduced taxes under the Obama plan.

John McCain made some boo-boos too on some of the statements he made during the Presidential Debate in Oxford, Mississippi, according to the fact checkers at Politifacts.com.

When talking about responsibility, McCain used the following example, which he has used many times before:

"President Eisenhower, on the night before the Normandy invasion, went into his room and he wrote out two letters. One of them was a letter congratulating the great members of the military and allies that had conducted and succeeded in the greatest invasion in history, still to this day, and forever. And he wrote out another letter, and that was a letter of resignation to the United States Army for the failure of the landings at Normandy. Somehow, we've lost that accountability," John McCain said.

The Truth-O-Meter shows that history indicates Eisenhower did not write a letter of "resignation" regarding the World War II invasion. However, General Eisenhower, did write a note accepting blame if the invasion went wrong:

"Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based on the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt it is mine alone," General Eisenhower wrote.

The Truth-O-Meter has declared the McCain "resignation" example of taking responsibility, False.

See the front page of WisconsinReport.com for the latest findings of the Truth-O-Meter.