From Germany It Was Clear: So Why Didn't the Media See McCain Suffered a Nervous Breakdown?

In Cologne, Germany it's 5 a.m., and it's where I watched the last presidential debate on CNN and the first half hour of political analysis from the so-called best team on TV.

Once again, in spite of the polls, the media pundits seem intent on keeping the campaign suspenseful, with the initial comments from almost everyone that it was McCain's best performance and that he had clearly won the first half hour. How? Just by being aggressive? C'mon, Paul Begala. By making faces and interrupting Obama rudely? Who are you kidding, Candy Crowley? By attempting to retort Obama's reasoned responses to his misrepresentations of the Democratic candidate's policy, in particular to the ad nausea discussion of someone named Joe the Plumber?

Except McCain didn't retort or refute or blow away Obama in any of the attempts. He just displayed a sad, desperate man spewing the big lie like the old saying goes, "if you repeat anything often enough there is a certain truth about it." McCain apparently felt that if he kept reiterating his lame charges of how Joe the Plumber's business prospects would suffer under Obama's tax policies, even after Obama explained why his charges were untrue, he would win the undecided voters.

McCain presumably thought that if he raised his voice and looked contemptuous that independents would see in him a strong and vigorous president. Instead, he revealed the ugly side that has been talked about on the campaign trail -- his capacity to be mean and unpleasant. He was lucky he didn't blow his top for which he is well known, though he came pretty damned close.

Which is why I was astonished that in the initial exchanges on the CNN panel almost everyone -- Republican and Democratic advocates in particular, as well as the supposedly impartial journalists at the table -- had something good to say about McCain. Christ, the panelists should have noted that from the outset McCain's outbursts and constant grimacing while obsessing about Joe the Plumber showed he had actually become unglued.

Later, with the exception of Bill Bennett, it was felt McCain undid any good to his candidacy by his harping about William Ayers in an overly long segment in the middle of the debate. However, Bennett, who has appeared reasonable on other occasions, seemed determined to skew opinion in McCain's favor. Bennett harrumphed about Obama in an extremely denigrating manner to cover up the fact that John McCain in his debate performance had not been intelligently strong and forthright. It was almost as if McCain needed a champion because it was clearly his last hurrah.

Look, a reasoned presidential candidate might have tried to score some zingers in about Obama, but it was clear the Ayers "terrorist pal" charge was not going to stick, so it was very reflective of McCain's judgment, or lack thereof, to drag it on endlessly. This, even as Obama thoughtfully and patiently tried to explain to McCain -- and really the vast audience watching -- how the whole discussion and the time expended was a waste of time while the world economy was suffering.

My German friends are amazed at how the campaign is unfolding. It seems a no-brainer to them as the DAX goes down and their life savings are in jeopardy because of the securities they own, which are tied to the failures of the American economy.

Yet the TV panel has to justify its salary and keep interest in the campaign for the next few weeks, so most of these folks propped up McCain. Even with the majority's admission that the Republican blew his chance for "victory" in the last half hour, to this observer up late at night and thousands of miles from his home base in Los Angeles, they showed once again why people are fed up with the media. Why people don't believe reportage in the way they used to. And it is simply because we don't need their analysis. We have all watched the same debate they have. If they can seriously without cracking a smile tell us that McCain was so much better, as opposed to the near nervous breakdown I witnessed, then I'm going to have to consider doing in the future what I did tonight, which is shake my head vigorously and turn off the TV.

Read more reactions to the Obama-McCain Presidential Debate from HuffPost bloggers

Comments

[WilliePilgrim]

In the very first paragraph you point out that the coverage seemed more intent on keeping the event "suspenseful" and with that you've touched on the salient point of the debate because it certainly has nothing to do with intellectual strengths as one would be led to believe is the purpose of debate...o­r whatever it was they were doing up there. Suspense and controversy brings our eyes to the screen and with our eyes on the screens we can be exposed to advertisement in both overt forms, such as direct appeal by sponsors commercials, and indirect forms such as the organizations own self-promotion, both of which translate into revenue. The game clearly is to keep us 'glued to the tube" for as long as possible, hence the focus on lapel pins and sexual scandal and sexual appeal, the kinds of things monkeys inately get excited about. It takes education and exposure to the nuance of history and theory for people to greally understand what's going on in a political campaign and that's not the kind of thing that brings in advertising dollars, nor is it taught in our schools all that much.

[JohnnyKay]

Thank you for stating the obvious.

See, that wasn't so hard, was it?

[peterg76]

The media has to pretend the election is close or it will look too obvious when the Republicans steal the election (again).

[protagonia]

The MSM is not America's friend.

[zizyphus]

McCain was pathetic. How anyone could say he did good is beyond me. Captain Queeg comes to mind. McCain was good at the roast later, though. He is good at telling snarky jokes.

I have a feeling that the reason why the Republicans are making such a big deal out of nothing over Acorn, is that they plan to tie the election results up in the courts for months.

[SlyRoxy]

I havent watched television in almost two years and I dont miss it. I watched the debate on msnbc.com without any commentors and their opinions. I always knew the media spoon fed me bs most of my life but when I lost cable and found the internet it really made me sick how much baby food I had injested for so many years. I like being able to see both sides of the issue. Though at times the other side can be hard to find via net but its worth it when you do. I cant stand to watch anything on television anymore if I cant find it on the net then its not worth my time. I too saw McCain coming undone during the debate and it was great to watch Obama take a stand. Its too bad the people commenting on the debate werent actually watching it but then thats television for you and I didnt have to suffer through it.

[johnnygoodwud]

i like campbell brown and gergen, but the rest on cnn are pretty much political hacks. lets face it without the campaign to write about, some of these folks will probably be out of a job. keep the campaign interesting, and keep working.

[texanna]

Watch online. You can go immediately to as many different sites as you'd like and not have to deal with the "talent" on the TV and their lame attempts to keep a conversation - any conversation - going just to fill the 24/7 newscycle.

[bascombe]

thank you. you nailed exactly why no one watches cable to get their opinion(except FOX dummies). these self-important jackals wnat to be the story. most should be fired.

[RobinLandseadel]

As I watched the debate [developing a migraine that's still with me] all I could really take away from the event was the twitchiness of John McCain. Naturally I assumed that Obama mopped the floor with the senator from Arizona. The MSM must have its reasons to be so consistently in the tank for McCain, but I can't imagine that it will do them any good.

[irisda]

I watched cnn and thought the same thing as well. I wondered if I were watching the same debate as the panelists. smh But I thought because the expectations were so low, they felt that they hide to do the impossible to make the discussion worth watching.

[AnthonyVolpe]

We can't afford to let up now. If Obama gets complacent and his supporters get complacent, he could still lose.

[breezyholler]

I agree with Anthony ...We cannot let up ..and perhaps the msm is really performing a service by keeping us riled up and wondering just how anyone could possibly be so out of touch that they could still support McCain...W­e must all keep our eyes on the prize....d­on't let complacency creep up on you!
I WANT TO SEE A LANDSLIDE.­..THAT LEAVES NO DOUBT AND NO ROOM FOR WHINING!!!!!

[Manx]

I, too, watched the debate on CNN and the same thoughts crossed my mind. Bill Bennett has a special affinity with McCain because McCain is a gambler and Bill Bennett is an ex-compulsive gambler. According to Jon King's scorecard, McCain won the debate. Of course, Jon King has long been a fan and McCain groupie. Candy Crowley has been denigrating Obama for months. The whole format is wrong. If one commentator says white, the other has to say black. Controversy trumps intelligent and real analysis. The cable networks want to make it a horserace for boosting ratings. It's all very commercial.

[shanefish]

Pathetic, simply put. Our "left" media has helped the dems and reps deface our once great nation. Wake up people and watch a little less TV!

[roch20]

Best analysis yet...!!! Man, you really did pay attention, no bias, no misinformation, you should get Paul Begala and Candy Crowley's job, thank you for a very well done article and thanks to the Huff!!!!

[BrenDavis]

THANK YOU. I was beginning to wonder if the much-lauded "first half hour" which McCain supposedly so handily won was only broadcast in an alternate reality - a place of which I, sadly, am not privy.

Despite the enormous personal and political downside of his performance last night for McCain, happily there is a long-range upside for science: in 90 short (?) minutes McCain added volumes to his already impressive legacy of rapid eye blinking, tongue darting, and various facial contortions that will provide fodder for behavioral psychologists worldwide - such as those who write a column here on the HuffPost, in fact - for years to come.

Country First indeed!

[BillMelater]

Yes, I was amazed at how McCain just beat a dead horse. Ayers? ACORN? They are just trying to make mountains out of molehills. Rediculous! And McCain? He seemed to be getting infuriated that nobody is believing his lies. Aw, too bad.