Foreign policy and eye contact
A lot has been made about McCain's lack of eye contact with Obama, and certainly, watching him made me uncomfortable. All that grimacing and grinning and squinting when he wasn't talking really impacted my ability to listen to him when he was speaking. What I saw was a nasty, twitchy control freak.
So on foreign policy, do we want a President who acts this way when talking to another head of state? Maybe that is why he doesn't want to speak to, or negotiate with, any head of state that isn't 100% on his side -- because he can't hold himself together well enough to listen in a calm and respectful manner.
Don't Americans usually want that calm, rational, look-you-in-the-eye sort of President who will project a strong image to both them and to the rest of the world? That is where I thought Obama's comments regarding restoring the image of the U.S. to the rest of the world were excellent. Bush has torn that image down, and did the man standing next to Obama show the qualities needed to restore that image, or would he only build on the Bush legacy, only in an even more disrespectful and unlikable manner?
Well said!
mcSham.... the expert in diplomacy... er..dumplomacy
September 27, 2008 5:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Being a bit odd, I usually listen to Presidential debates first on the radio before getting distracted by the images.
At the beginning of the debate when McCain jumped in on a point, I thought Obama was in trouble for appearing weak.
But by the end, when McCain wasn't even being fair -- and by, to my ears, shouting into the mike -- I realized that most people would see this as a bullying tactic. (Perhaps McCain learned this from Bill OReilly?)
Then I watched the debates. I was shocked that McCain was jumping in hard and not for a single instant looking at Obama -- when he was clearly addressing him!
The combination looked overly aggressive to me -- even for a political contest.
I'd rather have Obama be overly polite than being as aggressive as McCain. At the end of the day, the image I have was of a McCain who is smart on his talking points, but hostile and angry, and Obama who is calm in the correctness of his talking points.
Remember, at the end of the day, the impressions and emotional response of the debate will linger in people's minds -- not the talking points.
In that regard, Obama did quite well, though not enough to decisively tip the scales in his favor.
September 27, 2008 7:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
The eye-contact issue was very important, something that was all over the web in comments sections right after the debate. As you state, Darma Bum, people want a look-you-in-the-eye president. The Presidency is a very visceral thing for most people. It IS a personality contest. It always has been; it always will be. And stupid little things that drive "high information" people like us at TPM crazy -- e.g., Gore sighing at George Bush in 2000 -- are VERY important to most people. Americans don't want a President who sighs, and they also don't want a President who can't make eye contact. All the "low information" people I know -- e.g., my in-laws -- were all talking about McCain not making eye contact today.
September 28, 2008 2:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Actually, I thought McCain reminded me more of Cheney in the debate - Lack of eye contact, devious looking, very cynical. If he's not "Mr Congeniality" in the Senate how's he going to relate to the leaders in NATO? That Nations for Democracy scheme was just the right wing version of Kucinich's Dept of Peace and total BS. It reminded me of some sort of illegal arms trading scheme like Iran/Contra.
September 28, 2008 8:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
I have a question: At the end, when everyone was shaking hands, it looked to me as if Obama shook hands with Cindy McCain and then turned to shake hands with John, and was snubbed. Did I miss a handshake? I haven't seen anyone else comment on it, but I'm curious if anyone saw, or has video, of that moment?
September 28, 2008 11:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
I know what you're speaking of -- McCain wouldn't look at Obama during the handshake immediately after the speech, and then when the Obamas went to greet the McCains, he didn't act like he wanted to shake Michelle's hand, and I think he did turn away before he could shake Barack's hand again.
I laughingly told my spouse I thought McCain didn't use the bathroom before the debate and he needed to make a mad dash to the urinal! :P
September 28, 2008 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink