The Final Debate: Their Essential Selves

Before we get started: Does anyone know whether Joe the Plumber is kin to Six-Pack Joe?

This was by far the most interesting debate to date, perhaps because we are -- at last -- down to the wire. Just as people often reveal their truer natures in times of crisis or under extreme pressure, McCain and Obama tonight seemed reduced to their essential selves. Cool Obama was quintessentially cool. Tense McCain was INTENSE. Both men smiled a lot, but both seemed less good-natured than like well-mannered pit bulls (without the lipstick), snarling behind teeth bared in imitations of mirth.

At this point, most voters who care have figured out where the two men stand and differ on health care and the economy. Given that people ultimately vote for The Person rather than The Issues, the final debate needed to answer lingering questions of character, trust and judgment. If McCain hoped to gain ground by highlighting Obama's association with Bill Ayers, he failed. Obama's recitation of his relationship with the former terrorist-turned-education-professor -- serving on an educational reform board funded by a friend of Ronald Reagan -- made it seem a non-issue. So much for Obama's terrorist pals.

McCain should have taken Obama to the mat on abortion and Obama's vote as Illionis state senator against legislation to protect infants who survive abortion. Obama successfully deflected, first acknowledging that such a vote indeed would seem bizarre if not for the fact (his assertion) that existing law already required aid to such infants. Meanwhile, Obama used language beloved by conservatives, saying not only that we need to seek ways to reduce abortion, but asserting that "sexuality is sacred," and that people shouldn't engage in "cavalier activity." That sounds like the abstinence crowd talking, not the far left....

The Eastern elite always take “presence” over “substance” as their whole lives center around the superficial. They live, eat and breath cocktail party behavior, contacts, impressions, word use.

However, other parts of the country see that as what it is - superficial, vanities, nonsense. We see through that nonsense and judge people on what is inside them - the essence of the person.

We see Obama as he is - a snake in the grass that will destroy this democracy and turn it into another dictator run country. All under the very eyes of the “elite” hoping to join in controlling the dirty masses from a powerful position.

I have no use for any of them.

The salt of the earth people are the ones who have saved this country over and over and set the tone of America for the world. They will also be the ones defending this country from the Washington “elites” too busy with their vanities to see through all the corruption to the souls of people.

However, other parts of the country see that as what it is - superficial, vanities, nonsense.

Your entire post is spot on. Thanks for writing. To your first point, my wife and I were watching the much-maligned-here Fox Panelists recapping/opining on the debate post-game show. They've been maligned here for giving low marks to McCain and high marks to Obama.

I had an extremely low view of their discussion, but for a different reason, one that is directly to your point. They got through the entire first segment, from Krauthammer, to Barnes, Nina whatsername, the whole crew, and ALL they spoke about was style. They mentioned things like how McCain looked when he raised and lowered his eyebrows.

I shut it off, and complained to my wife--they didn't bring up a single issue. It was complete rubbish. I said they might as well have Simon, Paula, and Randy from American Idol comment. It would be no less substantive, maybe more so.

Imagine:

Randy: McCain, you my dog...yo, you my dog, but those eyebrows man, dude...you gotta come correct next time.

Paula: I don't know, John, hiccup, I just don't think that your suit goes with, hiccup, your tie.

Simon: Dreadful. Awful. Worst performance ever.

(hopefully you've seen enough of that dumb show to enjoy my comedy-thoughtbubble.)

The "buzzword" throughout the MSM last night was "affect." McCain's AFFect. I think I heard it a dozen times on every channel. Could be fodder for a Rush montage. Just a fancy pants way of saying style, presentation.

Mind you, presentation and likability are important pieces for any salesmen, and that's what they are, but certainly it's not the WHOLE story, is it??

AMEN, brother.

Thanks again for writing. Sorry again for the rambling. I'm wound up.

Momma told me, when I was young,
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say.
And if you do this
It will help you some sunny day.
Take your time... Don't live too fast,
Troubles will come and they will pass.
Go find a woman and you'll find love,
And don't forget son,
There is someone up above.
And be a simple kind of man.
Be something you love and understand.
Be a simple kind of man.
Won't you do this for me son,
If you can?
Lynyrd Skynyrd

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