Sweeping Up the Wreckage After the Debate

Thanks to a “senior moment” on the part of my cable modem, I was unable to complete my post-debate analysis and publish it last night. In retrospect, that’s probably a good thing. By the end of the entertainment, I was nearly catatonic. In case you don’t care to be kept in suspense and have no interest in reading this entire column, I’ll let you know right up front: I’m awarding the “win” to Obama for that performance, but not because of any great demonstration of skill or cutting repartee. I also didn’t see it as the blowout that some observers witnessed. This debate was, quite simply, a non-event, but Obama managed a workmanlike performance delivering his usual points while McCain spent a large portion of his time fumbling around, making odd, puzzling comments and producing an epic fail on the visuals.

During his first couple of answers, McCain was shuffling around the stage prompting my wife to ask if he had hurt his back recently. “He walks like Frankenstein.” Thanks for that visual, honey. Now I’ll never get that image out of my mind all night. Big Mac made a number of his points forcefully, particularly in the last half hour when the conversation swung to foreign affairs, but he kept peppering his camera time with strange looks and sideways comments. When he referred to Obama as “that one” he lost me for several moments. It invoked nothing more than an image of my mother explaining to my dad about some transgression committed by I or one of my siblings. All in all, McCain just looked older and more tired than I’ve seen him at any time during the campaign. When he said things were “going to be tough. Gonna be a little tough” he sounded like he was channeling George H.W. Bush with his “not prudent at this time” routine. By contrast – and I’ve never said this before – Obama smiled, was engaging and, quite frankly, spent the evening looking presidential. When he finished up, I finally found myself looking at him and saying, “Yeah. I guess I can see him as the leader of the free world.”

With little else to offer, I will provide you with a possibly amusing aside. An associate of my wife was actually in attendance at the debate and reported her findings on he blog. (The participate in various knitting and sewing projects.) She may have given us the best moment of an otherwise unremarkable debate. Photos are provided of Barack Obama approaching her, and she hands him her knitting project to hold while she snaps some pictures. Those photos alone are well worth the price of admission.

Right up until last night when I appeared on The Rick Moran Show, I have been telling myself – and all of you as well – that this race isn’t over. And it’s true. There could still be something that changes the dynamic of this race and swings things back in McCain’s direction. But after last night’s performance, I’ll be darned if I can imagine what the something might be. Apparently I’m not alone, since even some of Big Mac’s most ardent cheerleaders seem to think that the ship is taking on water at an alarming rate. The fat lady may not be singing yet, but I agree that she’s checking the sheet music.