The Debate, Palin, And Those Preconditions

While the debates last night were good television it left me with a few questions and comments including the following:

1. There seemed to be a lot of white people in the audience (maybe it was just me though).

2. I can't decide if McCain's strategy of being dismissive to Obama - shuffling papers while Obama tried to speak, and never looking at him directly - helps his case in the sense of trying to put out the image that he's in control and that Obama is in a sense a child (from his experience platform), or if in the end more people will just be put off by him de-personalizing and looking to mock Obama, raising the question that if he eschews an opponent in a simple debate as much as he did, how can he actually be expected to be diplomatic with anyone outside of the U.S. - including allies he might disagree with?

3. The question has to be asked if we really want a President who decides to keep on "the good fight" because a distraught mother asks him too. Because he just can't lose.

4. I thought as much as Obama made some great points, McCain did come off more authoritative in his speaking style at times, and I'm hoping that Obama rises up to the occasion to battle McCain harder versus deferring to the format, sometimes asking to get in a word.

5. As authoritative (or condescending depending upon how you look at it) as McCain was at times - he just didn't seem in control of his emotions and I'm hoping people will realize that we need someone with balance versus a maverick who shoots from the hip - because this isn't the Wild Wild West.

6. I just had to laugh at the fact that while Democratic VP candidate Joe Biden came out and talked about the debate, the GOP didn't send their VP candidate out to talk, because they didn't think she was up for the challenge (and after the week she's had I'm not sure I can blame the GOP).

Where in the world is Sarah Palin?

7. Here's some quick video on the preconditions - which Kissinger did in fact talk about according to news reports - and a point I wish Obama would have kept at harder.



8. Can't wait for the VP debate.