The debates are over. Obama clearly won all three. John McCain "improved" by some metrics, some pundits have declared, over the three debates. Yet he still lost. In this most recent debate last night, as David Gergen pointed out, watching McCain on the split screen was "almost like [seeing] an exercise in anger management." Yet that wasn't really different in any of the three debates. The split screen just made it all the more apparent. And that's where temperament comes in.

Throughout this election, we have seen some extremely negative, and extremely brutal attacks, from all sides of the aisle. In such an unfortunate turn of events, and as a result of feeding the fire, we have seen certain people on one side of the aisle resort to racist, bigoted and ignorant statements and calls, and not only proclaim the opposing candidate as a terrorist, but call openly for his death. "Kill him!" "Off with his head!" (And let's speak not of the fact that such things sound so familiar to those terrorists these same people declare to hate.)

And throughout the entirety of it, Barack Obama has kept his calm, and his cool. He's kept his temper under control, even under hte most trying of times. The worst we have seen him was, if I remember correctly, a statement he made concerning his wife, Michelle, when the "whitey" lies and rumors began to spread. Yet even then, his temperament was intact.

When Obama came under fire for Jeremiah Wright, he did not lash out at the world, but rather responded a speech that has now become iconic, and will surely go down in history as one of the greatest speeches of our generation.

When Obama came under fire for Bill Ayers, he simply said, "listen, I was eight when the Wethermen committed those heinous acts," accompanied by this adorable photo. What more can one say? But these were just the things that got the huge media attention. There were plenty of isolated incidents, there were plenty of smaller, less publicized attacks on him. On his character. His patriotism. His love of country. His entire being.

But never once did he say, "you have no right to ask these questions," as John McCain and his campaign did when anyone tried to question his running mate on anything, even mundane policy  issues. Obama had to walk a tightrope. He had to portray himself as calm, cool and collected leader, but at the same time, as a forceful and decisive one. And he had to avoid being seen as an uppity, angry black guy. We all know that disgusting stereotype.

I know that most people here probably already realize the things I'm saying. There have already been such comments and posts. But now that the debates are over, and especially after Bob Shieffer's brilliant question concerning the tone of negativity that has been infused in the campaign, it needs to be said again. Barack Obama has done something that was practically impossible to do. And he has done it consistently throughout this campaign. He has improved upon what was bad, and enhanced what was good about his conduct in this campaign.

And he has done it through more than most Presidential candidates ever have to. His primary battle with Hillary Clinton was comparable in many ways to a general election campaign. It's heated, contentious tone. It's do-or-die media narrative. It's urgency. Everything. And we need to recognize that. If Obama, as I hope and believe, wins on November fourth, it will be because he has run one of the most brilliant political campaigns in a generation, done it against all possible odds, and more than anything else, kept his temperament calm, collected, and consistent. He is truly a man to be admired.