Obama and McCain at the Alfred E. Smith dinner

If this McCain showed up this season, the race would be tied. I firmly believe that McCain lost at least five or six points based on his campaign alone. His selection of Sarah Palin sealed the deal for disaffected moderates.

Pretty interesting to see Obama and McCain behaving in this venue. It's quite a contrast to the debates and the general campaigning, and almost comes across as a huge inside joke - that they are able to suspend their connection with the issues and emotions that drive this election and able to have big laugh about it. Yes, I understand this important to mental health, and may even function as a positive sort of bonding ritual for the parties, but how many of the rest of us the luxury of that off and on switch? I understand the need to keep things in perspective, to be able to laugh at stuff, especially the tough stuff, but it still comes across as a little spooky to me. Maybe I just need another cup of coffee, or maybe it's the approach of Halloween. It just seems too much like a party on the titanic.

See, that's the McCain I thought we would get during the campaign. It's good to know that it's still in him, even if we rarely see it these days.

I'd say that Obama's comedy writers are better, but McCain is the better comedian somehow. Obama's just too much of the straight man.