Posted on 09/26/2008 10:33:14 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
Nervous Nellies is an establishment on Deer Island, Maine, selling excellent jams and chutneys in a weird and wonderful garden featuring sculptures made of household junk and old car parts. It also pretty much describes the state of mind of the Democratic Party as it contemplates a presidential election it knows it ought to win but could lose.
That mindset was not improved by the televised debate between Barack Obama and John McCain, at least if my personal Democratic focus group, consisting of three women, a business executive, a writer on culture and a think tank director, and one man, a lawyer, was any guide.
All thought that McCain’s aggression scored heavily over Obama’s relative passivity. All noticed, even counted, the number of times the Republican candidate said “what Senator Obama doesn’t understand” or “what he doesn’t get.” Similarly they noted how often the Democrat declined to challenge McCain, even when his record was being clearly distorted, as, variously, on his positions on nuclear power, relations with Iran, and the war in Iraq.
All five observed that, in the critical area of body language, McCain hardly ever looked at his opponent but adopted a slightly superior smile when Obama was speaking. By contrast Obama, who had no problem looking directly at McCain, was almost deferential to the older man, saying, perhaps half a dozen times, “I agree with John,” before launching into a modest critique or dissent.
(Excerpt) Read more at ft.com ...
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Well, there ya have it. They’re quaking in their boots in London.
McCain won the second half of the Debate without question. The first half though Obama’s wonk talk I think faired him well. McCain should’ve responded stronger. We will see what the polls say.
Once again, we must look to the UK for anything approaching an objective perspective on US politics. Even their liberals are more objective than our “neutral” MSM.
LS told me if McCain could advance the right the “bailout” bill then McCain will win.
Let’s be patient.
Hey, McCain is on a plane going back to Washington DC to work on the financial package.
While Obamanation rests by his telephone. What a fake Obamanation is. He is not ready to be Commander in Chief or even make any calls on the finances of the USA.
“...McCain hardly ever looked at his opponent...By contrast Obama...had no problem looking directly at McCain, was almost deferential...”
McCain is a warrior. Who the hell wants to get cozy with his target.
Obama carefully crafts his stage presence and performance. In other words, it’s all an act.
I like the FT....they are balanced. And the articles are concise....you dont have to turn the pages to see more ads like the Wall Street Journal.
LOL passive? Thats not the word I would use. Obama was all in a hissy! I’m surprised that he did’nt ask John ,Jim or Tom if they knew who he was!
That’s because their audience is the UK, which means they don’t need to try to influence their audience’s opinions on the election. So they can just say what they think.
Whereas in the US the MSM are in the Obama camp so they act as the spokesman for the Obama campaignnd will spin everything in their favor.
If the bailout plan morphs into something closer to a free market “workout” deal then McCain wins hands down. Especially since he headed immediately back to Washing to do his job as a US senator while The Annointed One was so stressed by the debates that he cchose to rest, instead of repesenting my happy behind in Washington as one of my Illinois Senators. Yeah, I’m stuck with Durbin and Obama as Senators, and Lahood as my congressman. Ray’s a good guy, but much too much of a Bob Michael Moderate. I’m a lil worried that Lahood’s replacement will follow that same path.
Not only did McCain hardly ever look at BO, he and Cindy did not go over to shake hands with BO and MBO - they came over to where Mac and Cindy were. At least BO and MBO didn’t try to hug them!
Again, a serious UK paper tells it like it is.
Shame our media cannot spit truth out once in awhile.
I wonder...has the media ever declared a Republican a clear winner in a debate for President?
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
The article is published in the Financial Times of London, but the piece is about Democrats at an establishment named Nervous Nellies in Deer Island, Maine
Why should Obama go back to DC he hasn’t a clue what’s going on there. He has spent so little time there he has no idea what a Senator does.
He has less experience as a senator than Palin has as a governor.
Obama isn't fit to be on the same stage with McCain.
Even in the Dem Primary debates, let alone every election Obama has had, he’s never been in a position to be challenged by someone capable from the opposite party. The Dem primary debates were all one-upmanship about who could rob the treasury even more than the other or who was more supportive of wholesale abortion on demand.
Here, though Obama is confronted with a man willing to swing away. He did look petulant and angry when his gibberish was challenged.
I like how he wanted the moderator to move on so John would stop eviscerating him. Just like his supporters not wanting to hear anything bad about the man...
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