In last night's debate McCain referred to Obama as, "that one", and it didn't come off as funny, it seemed weird at best and condescending at worst:
At another point Senator Obama was talking about his readiness to be Commander-in-Chief when Senator McCain interrupts to say, "Thank you very much" to a weird compliment Obama paid McCain in order set up Obama's point about McCain's inflammatory rhetoric regarding foreign relations and war. I think you can see steam coming out of McCain's ears when you see him in the background:
By the way, the policy McCain unveiled during the debate about the Treasury Department buying up bad mortgages is a discretionary provision in the bailout that passed last week, he would just order the Treasury Secretary to do it asap.
Then, after the debate while the candidates and their spouses were making the rounds shaking hands with the audience you had what I thought was a tense moment. Here is the sequence of events as I observed them: Senator McCain tapped Senator Obama on the shoulder; Senator Obama turns and extends his hand to Senator McCain; Senator McCain sees Senators Obama's extended hand and points him to Mrs. McCain; Senator Obama turns to Mrs. McCain and shakes her hand and then Senator Obama and his spouse high tail it away from the McCains. You look and tell me if I'm wrong:
Apparently, this is not the first time Senator McCain has had a problem shaking Senator Obama's hand:
If McCain has trouble looking Obama in the eye and shaking his hand how would McCain, if he wins the presidency, ever be able to meet a head-of-state or other diplomat that he either doesn't like or disagrees with? I would guess that meeting would either not happen or would not go so well.
I'm going to play mind reader here: Senator McCain's body language in relation to Obama and lack of eye contact with him in the last debate and to some extent this one (what was he writing down every time Obama spoke?) may have something to do with McCain's inability to comprehend how in the world he is losing to a freshman senator with little track record and a weird name. McCain goes on and on about who he's met, where he's been, the negotiating tables he's been at. But at times it comes across as exactly what it is, someone talking about great things he or she has done long ago, but with no attempt or ability to relate them cogently to the issues of the day. McCain seems to believe that talking about Ronald Reagan, Tip O'Neil, Teddy Roosevelt, and Herbert Hoover will somehow, someway resonate with undecided voters. As a pundit said, to paraphrase, Senator McCain was playing 20th century politics, unfortunately it's not the 20th century. To go one step further, Senator McCain was talking 20th century politics and not connecting with 21st century realities.
As always, thank you for consideration and response to this post. I too would think that shaking hands would be a simple matter of courtesy.
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