Well, there's 90 minutes of my life I'll never get back. Holy hell. I'll give Sarah Palin this much grudging credit - at least she brings suspense to these dull affairs. With her around it's like sitting on the porch watching a child tease a dog...anything could happen! These other three, Biden and McCain and Obama, are pros. They know to leave the dog alone, so there's really not much fun in watching.
That being said, Obama wasn't brilliant last night. But when you put just OK next to dreadful, the comparison is enough. It reminds me of the Celtics of the mid-80s or the Patriots of the last few years. You knew going in they'd win, the question was by how much, and you were a little disappointed when they didn't win by a bigger margin. "What, Bird only went for 29 points? They only beat Philly by 8? What the hell?"
Obama didn't stumble, which is just about all the GOP is left hoping for. I am torn watching him protect this lead...is it too early? Of course, there are times to run the ball when you're up late, and avoid mistakes and turnovers (see the Colts-Jags game this past Sunday as Exhibit A). The polling all shows Obama winning this debate handily, so it certainly seems the right tactic. I suspect the American people are looking for calm leadership rather than unpredictable maverickyness.
One last thing: the physical differences were striking. As a short, stocky guy myself, I'm familiar with the challenges McCain has going against a taller, leaner foe. The cameras love tall and lean, and TV is an unforgiving medium. Obviously McCain's body also bears the scars of his war wounds, which should get him some slack, but I'm reminded of another Presidential candidate who was injured in wartime and managed to get around a stage OK.
Maybe if McCain and the Republicans didn't disdain Hollywood so much, they could have done what JFK did and solicit some help from professionals on how to move and interact with the broadcast technology despite physical limitations from war injuries.Less than four weeks out now, and I expect to see Obama's poll numbers continue to rise. The only people who care about William Ayers are wingnuts already voting for Palin-McCain.
2 comments:
it does seem at times like Obama is running out the clock or in football terms "playing not to lose." but i also agree, the public would quickly be turned off by him, if he went into a full-frontal assault on the older, more feeble looking mccain... he wins these debates by NOT screwing anything up.
if i had my way, i'd just cancel the third debate.
i know it's kind of late in the game, but if i'm john mccain, i'm looking at ways of shaking this race up... up to and including a late season trade: jettisonning gov. palin in favor of someone more moderate. she only excites the base and turns off anyone but the most rabid of conservatives... she is a one-trick pony AND that trick got old 2 or 3 weeks ago!
Thanks for the comment, plez...I checked out your blog and added it as a link on my site. Anybody that enjoys NH's own John Irving and has an appreciation for Elia Kazan filmmaking bears watching!
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