The debate, botox, lying, and debating.
I actually watched the debate last night and have the following observations:
1. I don't think it changed anyones mind. I didn't see any home runs scored and I imagine both sides could claim their side won.
2. Is McCain mainlining botox or what? He looked incredibly wooden and his face was virtually expressionless. I don't generally watched TV and so this was the first time I've seen either candidate for any extended period time. As the debate wore on I couldn't help but notice how little McCain was opening his mouth while he spoke. He reminded me of my grandmother when she started wearing dentures–she kept her mouth "tight" to avoid showing her dentures. Given how much Obama gestured and turned his head, the fact the McCain wasn't doing it just made me focus on his face even more. The man's in his 70's, he's running on experience, what's wrong with showing it?
3. Obama seemed to have to call McCain on lying misrepresenting his record more than the reverse. Of course, I can't be sure on that without actually going through the transcripts. I just had this impression that everytime McCain lied and Obama called him on it, McCain looked like "oh, well. At least I got it out there and I'll try again." It seemed to me that McCain would have done the "debate" the same way whether or not Obama was there.
4. Which leads to me to my final point. To me, Obama looked like the professor that he was. He can't help but make his points expecting to engage the audience on an intellectual level. I would imagine Constitutional law classes aren't meant to be pep rallies. Even those who don't agree are expected to defend themselves with actual evidence. McCain was speaking for the emotional response, Americans are the greatest workers, America is a can do country, don't make their sacrifice meaningless, etc. Obama was debating and McCain was preaching. One requires thinking, the other only requires belief. Guess we'll see which one voters prefer.
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