Editor’s Note: This represents instant analysis of the presidential debate on Monday night. For the author’s thoughts in the hour immediately before the debate began, see here.

Here are my first impressions about the third debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney on Monday evening:

1) The Big Points:

– Both men came across as confident and well-informed … and, most important of all, neither committed any serious gaffes.

Here is my prediction for the third Obama-Romney debate at 9 p.m. EST at Lynn University in Florida: I think it’s going to be a draw, plain and simple.

This isn’t to say that I don’t think one of the two candidates will walk away with a narrow edge of “victory” over his opponent by the end of tonight.

Editor’s Note: This represents instant analysis of the presidential debate on Wednesday night. For the author’s thoughts in the hour immediately before the debate began, see here.

Here are my first impressions about the second debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney on Tuesday evening:

1) The Big Points:

– Obama’s performance was much, much stronger this time around.

Here is my prediction for the second Obama-Romney debate:

I think it’s going to be a draw, which will ultimately work slightly to President Barack Obama’s advantage.

Because the president was widely viewed as having lost the first debate, the proverbial bar has been set so low for him this time that any kind of reasonably energized showing will likely be applauded as a marked improvement.