Zen-Bama vs. the Macho Military Man

I said in the FORUM not long ago that John McCain was going to lose this election due to his temperament, not issues. After watching the final Television debate, I am all the more convinced of that. McCain came out of his corner ready to lay his opponent flat on his ass. He combined Jack Dempsey with General MacArthur, maintaining as much intensity as he could for 90 minutes, and always on the attack. At moments he was the Big Scold, in others he was a grimacing Warden. In vivid contrast, Obama came out like a calm and self-assured Sugar Ray Robinson, pound for pound the best in his weight and class; he was almost serene as he fought off body blows and was very adept at counter-punching. He never lost his cool while McCain fumed, fussed, and could not hide or mollify his emotions.

From the standpoint of information and spirited exchanges, this was the best debate. But that isn’t what won the debate for Obama. He won because this debate, like the other two, was a clear-cut expose of the Senator McCain’s temperament, that is, his deep-seated anger, his negativity and impatience, which registered on his pliant and helplessly expressive face, his smirky smiles, and his troubled and teeth-clenching certainty. He wanted to change the debate into the FIGHT CLUB, rather typical of a macho military man. Obama, sensing his campaign is well ahead on points decided all he needed to do was avoid a knockout blow and show how steady he could be under fire. Letting McCain blow off every which way was a smart tactic. Let him sink himself.

In the final analysis, it all boils down to this: I think any Republican would have a tough time winning this year; the majority of voters have had enough of them for now; let the other guys try to save the day. They are tired of getting the short end of the stick, weary of this worship of Wealth for the few and Wall Street’s greed and recklessness. The Republican’s credo is business first, workers second; free trade first, human rights second; and men first, women second. If that isn’t evidence of class warfare, I don’t know what is. McCain is still in sync with the Ultra-conservatives who have been in the saddle for 8 long years, with the clique that has taken us all to the edge of financial collapse. Obama is a better bet to back us off from the Abyss.