Last Night's Debate

There should be no doubt left in anyone's mind who needs to be the next President of the United States.

Obama was able to take McCain's supposed strength and turn it back on him. The laundry list of the many ways McCain was wrong on Iraq was a great moment. McCain fell back on the same tired soundbites and stories he's been using for over a year in every town hall meeting. I found myself speaking along with him Obama's "I've got a bracelet too" was a home run, as was using McCain's "Bomb Iran" song against him.

While always showing class, Obama came back at nearly every McCain argument. We can argue whether Obama came at him hard enough. Certainly there were a few missed opportunities; he probably should have nailed him on the GI Bill vote; should have come at him harder on the economy and in my opinion should have taken off McCain's head the tenth time he was told, "he doesn't understand...it shows naivety." McCain has no right to comment on anyone's grasp of the complex issues when he did pick Miss.Congeniality to be his running mate. Obama was too polite to point that out.

But let's get to the most important matter. Is John McCain the man we want to lead our diplomacy going in to the future? This man has such disdain for anyone that disagrees with him. He wouldn't even show a political opponent the courtesy of looking at him. You could see the clenching and tensing of his face while Obama was speaking. His hatred for Obama was written all over his face, as was his hatred for Romney in the primaries. The stories about McCain's demeanor and temper are well documented. He is not the person I want as my head statesman. If his hero was Ronald Reagan, then he's rejected one of Reagan's greatest attributes as a leader and diplomat, the ability to disagree and still maintain warmth and civility to your opponent.

Is this the man we're going to trust to try and avoid another war, when with two already, and an army stretched to the limit, there's only one way remaining to build up our troop strength?

Nico's Happy Birthday card from Uncle Sam is only six years away.

Americans and the media will argue who won this debate on points. Bottom line is though Obama cleared every hurdle presented to him. He knows the issues, and he can present his answers in a thoughtful manner (a refreshing change.) He should have proved to all last night that he will be strong enough to lead through a crisis and he will not hesitate to use military might when absolutely necessary. He achieved what Kennedy achieved in the 1960 debate, and what Reagan achieved in the 1980 debate.....He was Presidential