Dr. Strangelove vs. The Man of Reason and Restraint

First take: I don't know what you saw tonight, but I saw a markedly unstable, angry, unreasonable, stubborn, condescending, sneery, pompous, vindictive and ultimately unlikeable McCain being met and overcome by an eminently reasonable, tough yet gentlemanly, clear thinking and highly intelligent Obama. He ran cool, calm circles around McCain's huffing and puffing buzzwordery and let McCain's prissy self-aggrandizement stand out in contrast, for all the world to see. McCain couldn't even bring himself to look at Obama. Amazing, in a very sick sort of way.

If anybody is still undecided about what four years of McCain would do to the nation, I suggest they watch a replay of tonight's debate with the sound off. Make sure to watch a version that includes the split screen element. I know MSNBC had it, but I don't know if others did.

McCain's truly awful facial expressions and body language while Obama was talking were scary, indeed. I've never seen another presidential candidate with such a twisted, demented look on his or her face during a TV debate. Not even Richard Nixon. And that's saying something. There is real danger lurking there in McCain, and a rash, reckless disregard for others that was very apparent in his demeanor. I can't say it any other way.

As for the content, let's just say that McCain kept laying into Obama with less than honest accusations and proclamations and Barack came back with the facts and undercut him nearly every single time. I thought he made McCain look like a very small, sniveling, wise-ass of a man, too het up to think straight and too poisonous inside to be gracious in any way.

It was presidential grace and dignity vs. snotty digs and underhanded hits. Who do you think we need at the helm in the coming storms?

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