Off the Meds
So is this the real John McCain?
No question the man who turned up last night did a better job than he'd done at the previous two debates. But here's the problem for McCain: he's either last week's guy, who seems to be on medication, or he's this week's guy, who seems to have been abruptly taken off it.
He gave the game away in his first answer when, in talking about the economy, he said that Americans were angry. But Americans aren't angry, they're poleaxed. They're terrified. They're afraid they're going to lose their jobs or their homes or their pensions. They're worried they won't be able to send their kids to college. If John McCain thinks they're angry, it's either because he's projecting, or else he's simply been going to too many of his own rallies.
As he smirked and blinked and raised his eyebrows, I couldn't help wondering what tonight's McCain seemed like to all those conservative pundits who'd been hoping a different McCain would show up. Is this what they meant? Is this the John McCain of Bill Kristol's dreams?
Whichever McCain shows up, some things stay the same. He's a towel-snapper. He can't land a joke. He seems old. (As Martin Short said on Letterman just after the debate, "The only time he doesn't have to pee is when he's peeing.") And he's an absolutely terrible actor. Every time McCain went into his Joe-the-plumber-bit, those undecided voters on CNN were unmoved. They were probably not saying barf, like some of us were, but that's only because they're not allowed to talk amongst themselves during the debate.
At the Time Politics conference this week, New York Times columnist Frank Rich asked, "Was there any way that the Sarah Palin choice might have played out differently?" CBS' Jeff Greenfield gave a wonderful answer. He said the question reminded him of a woman friend who'd said of her divorce, "We would have had a wonderful marriage if he had been a completely different person." Isn't that great? It's practically a Zen koan, not that I know what a Zen koan is. But one of the most remarkable things about Barack Obama is that he's the same person every time he shows up. And as for John McCain, a completely different person showed up tonight, and it didn't seem to matter.
Read more reactions to the Obama-McCain Hofstra Presidential Debate from HuffPost bloggers
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McCain can't make anything stick because no matter how hard he tries he is still a Republican at the end of the day and nothing will change that. His party is bankrupt and most of the country knows it, so no matter how much he huffs and puffs he is not going to blow Obama's house down. Obama has the inner strength to just let McCain do his act and pretend to be concerned for Joe the Plumber and Joe Sixpack when the reality is he represents the ultra wealthy in our society which is why Republican's are paranoid about taxes. Just look at the concern about capital gains taxes - that is a dead givaway that McCain could care less about us. Why reduce Capital gains when almost no one will have any capital gains this year, and especially since 401's and Ira's are tax sheltered anyway. McCain had a better third act but it did not change the outcome.
Mr McCains performance last night reminded me of trying to have a sensible, mature talk with my son when he was 17, it ended up with my son not being able to make his points thereby resorting to eye rolling and making faces. It didn't work for me then and it didn't work now for Mr. McCain. He didn't come off as having intellect or class, he came off as petulant and angry.
As a woman, his cavalier attitude towards my "health" was a huge turnoff and his snarky dismissal of equal pay for equal work was the final point for me. I am not voting for him. Capital gains cuts are a joke, more of the same from the republican party. Sorry but your economic policies haven't worked for me and I am a fiscally conservative, liberal socially independent voter.
The morning after each debate, I gallop to my computer to see what Nora has to say. Who else can sum up a debate by calling McCain a "towel snapper"? I know just what this country needs. After Obama has finished his eight years in office, it's Nora Ephron for President!!
I (a guy) second the nomination of Nora to follow Obama in '16. Nora's the anti-Hillary--all the liberal virtues and brains of Hillary without the appalling moral compromises caused by her blind ambition. Nora should be the poster-girl for Wellesley at its best, not Hillary.
"McCain: he's either last week's guy, who seems to be on medication, or he's this week's guy, who seems to have been abruptly taken off it."
I think McCain was on some new drug. His eyes sparkled in a way I'd never seen before.
I have one word for you, Nora... PRECISELY.
My theory is he missed his afternoon nap.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I flip over to Fox News occasionally to see if Hannity is still talking about Ayers (he is, by the way). I did so immediately after the debate. To my utter surprise, Krauthammer and Kristol were almost effusive in their praise for Obama. I was shocked. SHOCKED, I tell you! So, I do not think this is the John McCain the Bill Kristol wanted to see.
The end is near. Be very afraid: Fox News has gone liberal. Well, until Romney came on and lost what little credibility he had left.
I do -- and did -- too. After the debate, I was SHOCKED at what was coming out of the people at Fox News' mouth! I had to twice check the logo to make sure I was indeed on Fox News. Perhaps the Fox News folks realize their fighting a losing battle and are slowing turning by praising Obama when they can get away with it?
I use Fox News as my "balance" (if that makes sense). I spend a lot of time on sites like HuffPo and want to see what "the other people" are reporting. Ironically, 99% of the time, it is the opposite of the truth. The truth I get on fine sites like this one.
HuffPo should be required reading for all voters. :)
It's all about the sinking ship. Just like with Bush, no one wants to be seen as affiliated with McCain now that he's losing this large.
Maybe they took it to heart when Obama called them out during the debate. I know, I know.. unlikely.
I just hope the voters that seem to jump and haw to the surly antics and sliming tactics of McCain and Palin will not win over those who appreciate the even handed, cool, intellectual and presidential demeanor of Barack Obama. If they prevail at the polls, I think the mess we will have in this country will make the Bush years look like a walk in the park.
Obama/Biden'08.
There is, for me, a consistent feature in Sen. McCain's appearances: his attempts to reinforce his self-image, whether this is the "maverick" taking on his own party; the "maverick" who extends his hand across the floor (though usually to Lieberman as he says); the person who has his feelings offended when someone says that maybe he is contributing to the atmosphere of vilification; the person who resents others receiving respect from the public and who, as a result, needs to be demeaned; and the only person in this current stage of the campaign who understands and advocates for the average American. Even Mr. Schieffer received some of this animosity when he was corrected (in my opinion, rudely so) on "climate control" as he was speaking. While I may be off on this, Sen. McCain shows signs of deep narcissism without any mitigating empathy.
I got the opposite impression. McCain seemed hopped up on something and it wore off in the second half off the debate. His eyes were bugging!
Adderall.
Actually, I think they have him _on_ meds.
From personal experience, that looked like somebody on an Adderall jag to me.
I thought the top of his head was going to blow off . . .
I thought Adderall, too.
I've seen people without ADD or ADHD take Adderall and they exhibited a lot of the same things as McCain. The bugging eyes. The clenching jaw. The anxiousness. The list goes on and on.
McCain was a little "too on" last night.
This time we are going to go for smart instead of 4th from the bottom. Been there done that....I am proud that most americans are not as gullible as they used to be..I hope MCCain retires and takes most of congress with him..
McCain looked more hyped up for this 'event', rather than sedated.
Appeared as if he might have taken something with an amphetamine-type effect [to try & keep him alert?] b/c his eye [particularly his right eye] often seemed to be almost "popping' out of its socket. Appearing hyper-vigilant is a common 'speed' drug characteristic.
In fact, his eyes were so frequently 'wild looking', I half-seriously joked that he was listening to some 'implant audio' with his advisors telling him what to say, and was repeatedly 'distracted' by that.....r
The simple fact is that Honest John has a pretty sad hand to play.
He can'[t run on the record.
He can't run on the ideology.
Running on fears and smears isn't working because of the state of the economy (though I'm sure it would have a much greater impact if the economy were better).
And neither he nor Palin have much in the way of rhetorical skills - which means the talking points become laughingly obvious.
So I fear this election does not evidence a "great awakening of intelligence or tolerance" as much as scared voters turning to alternative.
"...as much as scared voters turning to alternativ
And, as much as I like Obama, the reality is that there is only one viable candidate. McCain has yet to prove - at least once in his life - that he is a leader. So far? Not one scintilla of leadership ability.
Makes for an easy decision.
The country wants cool, unflappable, intelligent, steady, polite over herky-jerk and weird. Besides who wants a president who bases his entire economic program and tax policy on the whining of a plunger jockey?
Is your conclusion predicated on the results of past elections?
If so, please cite chapter and verse.
We are in a unique situation right now called the Great Global Financial Crisis. Looking at past elections to predict what will happen would mean a McCain victory but this is highly unlikely. We will soon know.
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