Obama is the winner in both style and substance in this cycle's first presidential debate.

The political season is on. Last Friday's presidential debate was a wake-up call for me – time to get serious.

These are testing times for America. We deserve a substantive discussion on the big issues.

Like many of you, I watched the debate with friends and suspect my viewing lens was colored with our mutual perceptions of certain comments and mannerisms.

As it was a dreary Saturday, I decided to rerun the debate in its entirety, taking notes and grading the candidates on their responses to the eight questions they discussed. Each candidate gave many answers, just not ones related to the eight questions. What follows is a question-by-question account:

1. Where do you stand on the current economic crisis – do you support the plan being discussed and debated in Congress?"

Both candidates acknowledged the fact that the country's economic system is in peril and that strong measures were needed – with lots of caveats.

Obama: B McCain: B

2. Are there fundamental differences in approach to your economic policies?

Both candidates fixated on tax cuts. Suffice it to say another debate is needed on this topic.

Obama: B- McCain: C-

3. What are you willing to give up in your program priorities, given having to pay for a $700 billion economic rescue plan?

The responses to this question visibly frustrated moderator Jim Lehrer as both candidates refused to be pinned down to specifics.

Obama, however, got the best of the discussion by immediately acknowledging that some of his priorities would have to be delayed. McCain was all over the map, repeatedly saying he knew how to cut spending .

Obama: B-McCain: D

4. What are the lessons of Iraq?

McCain didn't articulate any lessons except "you have to give up on a failed strategy and get a great general in charge." Obama suggested the first lesson was to look at whether we should have been there in the first place.

What followed was lots of predictable back and forth on the Iraq approach with little comment on what had been learned.

Obama :B+ McCain: C+

5. Afghanistan: Do we need more troops, how many and when?

Obama led off on this one and gave an excellent, crisp response: Yes we need more troops, he would send two or three brigades, but the Army can't do that now because of its focus on Iraq.

McCain's response was scattered and, frankly, not very coherent. He talked about not being prepared to threaten Pakistan and about "intermarriage of the tribal Pakistanis and the Taliban."

McCain was dusted on a pitch that he should have hit out of the park.

Obama: A- McCain: D+

6. How do you view the threat of Iran?

Both candidates agreed on the serious nature of the threat and on the need for concerted diplomacy.

They then got into some largely meaningless bickering about Obama being willing to negotiate too promiscuously.

Obama : B+ McCain : B

7. Russia – how do you see the relationship?

Again Obama and McCain largely agreed on the nature of the threat and the way to approach it.

Obama : B+ McCain : B+

8. What is the likelihood of another 9/11 attack?

Once again, on the substance of this question there was little difference between the two candidates.

Both said we are safer but have a long way to go.

Obama: B+ McCain: B

On style, Obama won points with me for starting by addressing the specific question. McCain's approach was often to start with an attack on Obama, followed by anecdotes meant to tug at our heartstrings, which might or might not relate to the question.

There were some strange riffs – all frustrating to Lehrer, who seemed to visibly age in 90 minutes.

Guess what ? On the substance of the national security issues, there was very little difference except in one area, Iraq. Clearly, Obama is more likely to draw down our troops than McCain.

This is an important election.

One route to being better informed is to re-run the debates, after reflection. Another is to review non-partisan analyses of the candidates' positions from sites such as http://www.factcheck.org/, and www.votesmart.org.

Whatever you do, be sure you vote.