Presidential Debate #3: McCain's Sad Last StandI’m surprised that so many people think McCain did well. Obama owned this debate if for no other reason than both candidates were talking about Barack Obama. Is there anything about McCain that you didn’t know before the debate that you know now? I can only think of one: he stutters when he is forcing out insincere bullshit in a desperate bid to become President. That is not a qualification for President.
McCain finally brought up Ayers in a debate and what happened? Obama owned it. First, by pointing out that his “connection” to Ayers is shared by the entire Chicago academic community and a Reagan Ambassador (who, Obama was kind enough not to mention, is listed on the McCain website as a supporter) and then by challenging the idea that when the sky is falling on Wall Street, that anyone really gives a fuck about an old hippie. His answer on ACORN wasn’t as powerful but I don’t think anyone but the total nutters on the right have a problem with ACORN anyway.
McCain interrupted and laughed maniacally a lot and some people I know wished that Obama had done the same. Obama made the right call. Obama didn’t interrupt or attack because Obama’s thing is being cool and collected. He never looked chastened or wounded by McCain’s attacks, just bemused. Obama’s smiling communicated “Can you believe he is still peddling this shit?” not “I’m going to let him walk all over me.” McCain’s laughter conveyed “I am angry and barely restraining myself from choking this guy.”
McCain was a bundle of twitches, stutters and barely remembered attack lines. What I saw when I watched Senator McCain was a very high likelihood of President Palin in 2010* if he wins, which would probably be enough by itself to give the election to Obama.
Update: I can’t believe that I’m going to do this, but for a great analysis of the debate, look at The Corner at National Review Online. Not surprisingly, I don’t agree with any of the author’s editorializing about the policies of the candidates or how Obama’s answers match (or don’t) his record, but I think his bullet points perfectly capture the way the candidates come across on television and why Obama is winning these debates so handily.
