Agreed. Obama should have taken the opportunity in front of the 57 million people who tuned in to prove the pundits who all claim he is too "cool" and "aloof" wrong. It would have been very easy to "hammer" McCain on any number of issues. In typical modern-day Democrat form, he stayed studiously on-point to a fault. Obama should have taken the debate opportunity to channel some middle-class rage/fed-uppance (even though he is apparently far removed from it personally), as well as capitalize on McCain's dreadful week of debacles and compete blunders concerning all things economic. In a boxing match, if your opponent is faultering, do you stop and let him catch his breath and recuperate? Unfortunately, I feel that Obama has been put in a corner. Being African-American he simply is not allowed the same amount of "anger" that a white candidate would have, for fear of invoking those dreaded Al Sharpton images from the middle-American electorate who still need to "get to know him" (although he has been a candidate in the mainstream media spotlight for the past year and a half). Obama, I'm sure, was well aware that McCain would use his infamous ticking-time-bomb temperament against him and play the angry white Republican role. Unfortunately, I think he's over-calculating the consequences of not hitting back too hard. Even if black, I think he can get away with showing a little anger (though for sure the mainstream media will saddle him as a Jesse Jackson/rev. Wright-type). Its an unfortunate, unspoken predicament that Obama faces. He really needs to take a gamble here, though, and channel at least some of the rage. Or use sarcasm. Or play the poor, pathetic, completely out-of-touch grandfather card of condescension against McCain. There are a lot of interesting fight methods Obama can employ. I'm not sure if he'll be Machiavellian enough to pull it off come time for the next debate. The good news is: as of right now (things are always subject to change in the mainstream media once McCain's people start bitching enough to the station honchos), most are giving the edge slightly to Obama, and recognizing McCain's 'stylistic' flaws and crotchety discomfort. We'lll see if that sticks. Come Monday morning, they may be calling it a landslide for McCain. Let's just hope Obama gets our message.

 

I didn..t watch the debates in their entirety ... I only read the Spanish Newspaper, *El Pais* ... sometimes I go on YouTube and watch some stuff from the Mainstream Press ... clips and such ... I didn..t even know that Nader/Gonzalez was on the ballot until I got my *Vote-by-Mail* (as they call it in California) ballot ... Of course, I agree with Nader and Gonzalez more than anything ... their shared criticism of Corporate America is right on the money ... (pun intended) ... The problem (blessing?) is that the United States is too fucking HUGE of a country ... Ideals, Philosophies, Perceptions, Politics have already (within .. hmm ... 200 years or so ... but really ... most drastically in the past 100 years ... ) grown more and more polarized depending on Region, Culture, Climate, Morals, etc ... Obama is most OBVIOUSLY the Main-stream Corporate Choice that I prefer .... and I believe his candidacy appeals to the United States of America as She is today in 2008 (meaning ALL of the Regions .. ALL of the cultures ... which ... from State to State may vary as drastically (and sometimes MORE so) as the Variety in Culture .. Way of Life .. you will encounter from COUNTRY to COUNTRY here in Europe ... the U.S. DOES have things that bind the States together in a way that the European Union can..t compare .... and Obama has enough of a little bit of everything to make him viable ... but, basically, what it boils down to is that he seems to be the Best Running Candidate Capable of Doing a Good Job ... (it..s like if somebody asked me to choose between Prince and Michael Jackson ... I would choose Prince ... because I believe he is better capable of Performing, Composing, Delivering quality Music straight through the Creativity of his own Hands and Voice ... and doing so in a way that appeals to a large Majority of the Population ... but ... really ..... probably ... I would prefer to Vote for Tom Waits ... ) .... The Debates ... based on what I read .. are simply a wonderful way to view the stark contrast between the Perceptions of Reality that two People (and, in this case, possibly ... two PARTIES consisting of large amounts of People) might have ... the McCain/Palin (and practically EVERY) critique of Obama I read from that side of things seem to represent empty, useless, Fear-Rooted attempts to further Cloud the Truth ... more W. Bush stuff (but everyone seems to be a bit more alert this time around ... from 9/11 to the economy crisis of today ... I certainly hope the instincts of the Country are a bit more keen to that WRONG feeling ... the one that lingers in my Stomach and Heart everytime I watch, listen to, study the Words, Actions, Etc of that particular *Right-Wing* Gang of Social Miscreants) .... Obama seems to be keeping it straight and steady ... using some of those good old fashioned *part of the game* Political Tools ... but just enough... not too much ... so that he is steering SLIGHTLY outside of the Idiocy (while all the time knowing that he will have to cross paths with the Game the Idiots Play ... today ... and throughout his Future Career) ... but, to put it quite simply, my perception of Obama is that he simply appears to be a man with the Desire to be President, who continues to make Wise Choices, however much his Opponents attempt to Cut him Down ... and if the Citizens of the United States are really STUPID enough to buy into ANYTHING that comes out of McCain of Palin..s mouth ... if my fellow Ciudadanos are really as Gullible as all that ... and enough of them agree enough together to vote McCain into the White House ... well ... then ... Ladies and Gentleman ... well ... I really don..t know what to tell you ... (My perception based on the Resources I have studied throughout this Year, and my own personal Instincts) .. *