The Debate.

This was Obama's worst debate. Did he lose? I wouldn't say so. But I wouldn't say he won, either. He was attacked vigorously from John McCain and his responses never returned with a blow back. However, when the debate looked like it was being handed to John McCain, he royally ruined it for himself with his capricious mannerisms. Rolling the eyes, rude interruptions, scoffs and sarcastic comebacks made him look horribly unpresidential. Instead, with Barack almost never flinching, he came out on top. He came out as the professional, the intellectual, the one who is truly prepared to lead on day one.

What troubled me most was what John McCain had to say about women, something that most certianly lost some votes for him: it was the comment about "the health of the mother". I understood his point, that language such as this can be construed, but that's something you bury in the back of your mind and keep quiet about. Instead, McCain came out and in effect said he wasn't concerned about the health of the mother. I wonder how many feminists and Palinists just felt trampled on by this comment? I'm a gay man, I'll never have to deal with the choice of abortion. But even to some degree I felt a bit offended. Knowing that if my sister's health was at risk and yet my President questioned the validity of her claim is not a becoming characteristic of a leader of this great nation.

Lastly, the Reds and Blues are pretty locked up by this point. From this point on, it's the Independents that matters. How did Barack speak to them, how did McCain? On this matter, I feel McCain continued to same negative attacks, silly accusations and the continued trite and banal plans to fix our economy: nothing. Barack, as always, continued to lay out his plans in a methodical and systematic approach. McCain accused him of being elegant (and this is bad?), but I wouldn't say he was elegant--I'd say he was Presidential.

No winners, but McCain should have won. He ruined it for himself though.