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Obama's kennedy Moment
The debate was basically a draw. But McCain lost because he had to
change the game and he didn't. Obama won by NOT losing. Like Kennedy in
1960 when debating Nixon, Obama proved equal to McCain on the podium
they mutually shared.
A big chunk of the American people are waiting to dump the GOP on the
lamest of excuses. Now they have that excuse. Obama held his own and
looked presidential. McCain looked liked yesterday's left-over
meat-loaf.
Demographics have been turning against the GOP for the last decade and
McCain who never had a serious chance of winning now looks pretty
spent. His bag of tricks is empty.
Obama won the presidency when he defeated Hillary after Super Tuesday
earlier this winter. Now the long march is nearing its end. but Obama
will inherit a government and an economy that has been basically gutted.
Could this have been prevented?
Possibly.
I was watching an old clip on YOU TUBE of the 2000 presidential debate
and cringed as Al Gore repeatedly made a fool of himself with his
erratic behavior. Bush looked presidential compared to Al Gore. But
barely....and that's not saying much.
Had Al Gore run a campaign just one fifth as good as Obama did this
year there would have been no chance at all for Bush to steal the
election eight years ago.
Al Gore is no fool. I met him in 1982 at a futurist conference in DC
when I was a student at UC Berkeley and he was just an unknown
congressman. Al Gore was a visionary then, he still is one now. But he
will always be a lousy campaigner and American politics rarely ever
rewards losers. Even when it rewards crooks on a regular basis.
Comments (5)
You are letting myth get in the way of history. The first debate is the much talked about one. Radio audiences gave it to Nixon, not Kennedy. It was all about style: Kennedy was tanned from CA campaigning and had make-up on. Nixon was recovering from illness and eschewed make-up.
But on the radio, these differences didn't matter.
I listened to the Obama/McCain debate initially on the radio. McCain came across bullying with his constant interruptions. The video only made me gawk more with the lack of eye contact.
But Nixon did far better in his debate with JFK than McCain did with Obama.
September 28, 2008 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great....all the more reason to be optimistic.
September 28, 2008 3:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have said this before, but I think it is applicable here. McCain is playing checkers looking feverishly for the closest checker to jump. Obama is playing chess and continually planning three or four moves ahead. McCain is impulsively reckless and reacts to events. Obama views the big picture and how he can influence events.
September 28, 2008 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've heard you say that before, it's a great analogy. Keep saying it.
September 28, 2008 4:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, Obama has what you call in basket-ball " court sense." He sees the whole landscape and is very disciplined....
September 28, 2008 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
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