Debate!

Jason and I watched the presidential Town Hall debate last night.

I was surprised that Tom Brokaw wasn't tougher on them about the time limits -- he kept MENTIONING it, but he didn't really boss them around like I thought he might. Jason told me about some Sports Chat show where each panelist can be muted by the host if he talks too long. That seems like a great idea for these debates. A mute button or an airhorn. But the moderator would have to have enough guts to blow the airhorn at the future president, and I'm not sure many respectable pundits or reporters would be willing to do that. Maybe they can build up to it for the next election!

Anyway, I was glad a couple of times when Obama just kept talking, because:
1) It showed he's not such a pussy. He has often been too polite in debates, acting like a decent human being who doesn't interrupt people when they're talking, and who doesn't talk over other people when it's their turn to talk. But he's had to get over his well-ingrained manners somewhat in order to appear strong, since McCain has no similar manners in debate settings.
2) He was actually answering the questions! Some of these topics can't be adequately addressed in 60 seconds. The world is so complicated, and people are so complicated, that you can't always give an easy, short answer.

But, at the end, I was telling him to shut it, when the question was, "What don't you know, and how will you learn it?" He went on and on and never came close to answering the question. Of course, McCain didn't answer it at all, either. Then just shut up!

I felt sorry for McCain when he was wandering around the room. He shuffled, and he looked SO old and frail. He would have been better off staying in or near his seat and looking strong, rather than as if he might fall over at any second. It was also really creepy how he was standing six inches in front people in the audience, so they had to look at his stomach. He should have respected the normal personal space boundaries. Early on, you could see that he kicked one guy's feet while he was trying to get closer and closer -- they both looked down at their feet suddenly. If you are stepping on my feet, you are too close!