The Debate: Has McCain Given Up?

The town hall setting was supposed to be comfortable for McCain, and maybe he took comfortable to an extreme conclusion: that the people attending were extended relatives that he doesn’t remember due to dementia and that Tom Brokow fellow must be Tommy, the kid from the old neighborhood who was always too big for his britches. That’s the only explanation for why McCain chose this moment to be snarky, mean, and borderline disrespectful to Obama – he must not have remembered he was on television, trying to win the Presidency.

The thing is, while neither side was excellent, Obama was good enough for the win (CNN had the insta-poll at 56% to 30%). But nobody is going to be talking about their answers on health care, Russia, or the economy. If the debate comes up, these are the topics:

1. McCain calls Obama “That one”. Whoops. Seriously, John, why not call him “sambo” or “my golf caddy”. Cause when you point to an African American Senator and say “That one”, that’s what we hear. Dumbass. If there’s any moment the McCain staff wants to take back, it’s that one. Also, knowing this happened makes me want to watch The View today, cause there ain’t no way Hasslecrack isn’t going to fry over that one.



2. McCain blows off just about everyone. What in God’s name made McCain think this move was a good idea???



Now, for the record, they did shake hand immediately after the debate, but it wasn’t visible on camera. But what would it have cost McCain to shake the guys hand again? Obama has his arm out, and McCain gestures at his wife? Wha? Also… what’s going on with Cindy? Michelle is working the crowd, and Cindy has her hands firmly behind her back to avoid contact with the untouchables (middle class – shudder!). Surely someone in the campaign, an intern perhaps, has the solemn duty to carry her hand sanitizer for moments when she must shake the hand of a dark person.

3. The blowoff continues: I don’t have video on this (CSPAN had it, but I couldn’t isolate this part). Anywho, the debate is over and the Candidates and the Wives run around saying hello and pressing the flesh (except Cindy, of course). And then, less than ten minutes later, McCain and Cindy disappear. They leave. Are they stupid? They left the man they themselves refer to as a celebrity alone with a room full of cameras and undecided voters? Obama and Michelle spent almost an hour talking, shaking hands, and taking pictures… and anchors all over the country got to point out “What you see now is the Senator and Michelle working the crowd. McCain has left.”

There’s a reason Bill Clinton was beloved by the average person – and sacrificing your bedtime to talk to people would have been a good idea, John.

And 4th, talking down to people: Another video I don’t have yet – Grrrr. Anyway, an African American male asks an economy question. McCain proceeds to say how he probably didn’t even know what Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were.

Ummm… did McCain just assume that a black guy couldn’t know what Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were? NOT GOOD.


So that’s it – a boring debate in terms of policy? Yeah. It was sorta “whatevs”. But that only made the above four gaffes worse. McCain looks out of touch, angry, and couldn’t land a joke if Jesus was his copilot.

So the question is: Has he just given up? Cause Independents are not going to respond well today. And if McCain doesn’t rope in Independents, he might as well take an early nap.

***Edited to correct "that guy" to "that one". Which is worse.