WHO WON THE THIRD PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE? It depends on how you score it, Bryan Preston writes:

Score this debate a win on energy for Obama, but a win on the facts and the long game for Romney. Moderator Bob Schieffer was probably the best of the three presidential moderators. Both candidates got roughly the same amount of talk time, neither got the patented false Candy Crowley fact check.

Mitt Romney accomplished what he set out to do tonight. He went toe-to-toe with the sitting, snarking president three times and acquitted himself well enough to have the majority of Americans see him as the next President of the United States.

Definitive Voice of Conventional Wisdom™ David Gergen concurs.

Michael Graham adds, “Turning this debate into an opportunity to stop Mitt’s momentum was always going to be tricky. Clearly Axelrod and Co. never figured out the trick.”

Further thoughts and links from Allahpundit at Hot Air.

RELATED: There’s that laser-like focus: Obama ‘death stare’ is the new Biden smirk.

Al Gore, call your office.

MORE: “Romney was thinking about America, and Obama was thinking about losing the election.”