Guardian UK: It's President 'That One' to you

[marmar]

It's President 'That One' to you
John McCain needed a good performance in the second debate - and he failed badly, sounding mean and dispirited

Melissa McEwan
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday October 08 2008 05:30 BST



Welcome to: Townhall Debate: Muslin versus Mavrick – Beyond Thunderdome!

Before Barack Obama and John McCain are even introduced, I am struck with wonderment at the staging for the event, which is being held in what appears to be an airtight, windowless bomb shelter gussied up with an ocean of cheap red carpet, a vivid blue wall, one jarringly incongruent purple podium, and risers bought from a Bozo Show firesale. When the senators walk out, I half expect them to chuck the debate and instead play the Grand Prize Game.

Which would actually pretty fun for us all.

But, instead, we're treated to watching Barack Obama advocate change, John McCain invoke his record, and Tom Brokaw get snippy because the candidates didn't adhere to the rules and blocked his teleprompter.

By the time Obama gives what was a surprisingly stirring response, even to the ears of this jaded cynic, to a question about what each candidate would ask the American people to sacrifice, he is really hitting his stride. He sounds confident. He sounds inspiring. He sounds presidential.

McCain, on the other hand, sounds condescending – perpetually chanting "My friends, my friends," like a manic tic, and answering every question with the breathless voice of a desperate, imploring parent. "Yes, you've got to go to the dentist," says my friend Devo, doing his impression of McCain's beseeching whine, "but I'll take you to McDonald's afterwards." ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/oct/08/uselections2008.johnmccain

[billyoc]

1. haha! Those English. Quite a flair for the vernacular.

:rofl: