Debate 2008: The Ego vs. the Intellect, McCain vs. Obama

The third and final Presidential debate took place last night where the topic focused on domestic and economic policy and was moderated by Bob Schieffer.

Both candidates held their own – but in their own ways.

Obama focusing on detail – and conveying his message – while clearing up any inaccuracies or falsehoods put out there by the McCain campaign.

McCain’s effort above all was on attacking Obama – many times despite his message. McCain failed to see the importance of the relevance of this bing the perfect platform in which to get his message across. [McCain’s best line of attack or maybe defense was when he said – he’s not George Bush – something for the party base – but with a voting record of 90% in Bush’s favor others will look to dispute this.]

Whereas Obama reserved his attacks – to where – it was almost as if the attack had to be pulled out of him – McCain would often start his segments with an attack on Obama – and then continue attacking throughout.

But here is where the McCain strategy has a problem – the two men see things very differently.

Obama was brought up as a mixed race kid – who had a funny name – and although kids can be good – they can also be cruel – likely Obama growing up would have had to rely on something more than how he looked and his name.

Move over to McCain – the son and the grandson of Admirals – from ‘a long line of McCains’ would have likely relied on his name and status to deal with problems and to get ahead in life.

Where the young Obama would have had to get over his ego and maybe deal with personal attacks or teasing – McCain would have thought he was owed respect – and with that a kind of spoiled brat personality emerged – added to this his now famous fiery – or un-tempered – temper which he almost certainly used to unsure that he was respected – for being a McCain – the son of an Admiral.

Back to the campaign – McCain has employed a strategy – of attempting to trample Obama’s character – but more to engage Obama in a scuffle to defend his own ego – a part of Obama’s personality – along with Obama’s anger – he has long placed under control.

Where McCain used almost a whole segment to – talk about how injured his feelings were when Rep. John Lewis compared his campaign’s crowd stoking to the segregationist Wallace.

Obama on the other hand – came around to the mentioning the violent incendiary sentiments being expressed about him – in particular at the Palin rallies – only after being prompted a couple of times. And even after this he quickly went on to talk about what he thinks the American people want to hear — the things which are actually affecting their lives.

McCain doesn’t get it. Being – as he says – from the long line of McCain’s almost everything is invested in his ego – in who he is – in who he was – to McCain what he is offering comes second to this.

To Obama what he’s offering comes first. In this sense it’s a more humble gesture. As well as he uses his intellect rather than his ego to get his intentions across.

McCain when compared to Obama is like the defunct robot – that relentlessly repeats the same actions – but is unable to move forward – or sideways – that can still somehow throw a good punch or two – but in all the model that needs to be replaced. If McCain is the antiquated rock-um-sock-um robot model – than Obama would be the highly intelligent and agile AI model that is dependable and articulate and self correcting – which is programmed and duty bound – to act to the best of his capability – in fulfilling the needs of the American people.

With McCain’s repeating moves – he would never be a match for Obama’s intellectual agility – in any debate.

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Debate: Set To Take Place And Apparently McCain Has Already Won!!

McCain Wins Debate Before It Happens!!

We certainly know what he was planning!

After days of saying that John McCain would not attend Friday’s presidential debate unless an agreement on a bailout package for the markets was “locked-down,” the McCain campaign has gone back on its word.

On Friday, it announced that the Senator would head down to Mississippi even though, as they readily admit, much work remained needed on the bailout agreement.

The whole episode left even conservatives admitting that the McCain campaign looked erratic and a bit foolish with no apparent direction or guiding principle.

“It just proves his campaign is governed by tactics and not ideology,” said Republican consultant Craig Shirley, who advised McCain earlier in this cycle. “In the end, he blinked and Obama did not. The ‘steady hand in a storm’ argument looks now to more favor Obama, not McCain.”

Shirley added, “My guess is that plasma units are rushing to the McCain campaign as we speak to replace the blood flowing there from the fights among the staff.”

Adding to the rocky perception was a McCain campaign web ad released this morning declaring “McCain Wins Debate!” — put out even before the candidate had announced he was planning to debate.

Aides to Barack Obama were not, generally, surprised by the announcement, though nonetheless pleased. One called the Arizona Republican’s gambit – of leaving the trail to supposedly forge a compromise on the bailout – a “failure.” Other Democrats were equally biting in describing the moment.

“It means that people think he went back on his word,” said Howard Wolfson, formerly the communications director for Hillary Clinton. “John McCain’s presidential campaign has been in a death spiral since the Wall Street collapse and this summit gambit was an attempt to pull out of it. But it hasn’t succeeded because McCain hasn’t done anything to move the ball forward.”

Allies of McCain tried to put the best spin on the announcement, saying that while the bailout legislation was not yet completed, McCain thought it best to address the nation.

“What’s more important than anything that when we go to Mississippi tonight, both candidates can say that the Congress is working,” said Sen. Lindsay Graham

But others couldn’t help but admit that the Arizona Republican had mismanaged the whole scenario, basically walking himself into a corner, stuck with the choice of looking either scared or unprincipled.

“He will been seen as blinking first,” Shirley declared, “since it was he who said he wasn’t going until the crisis is averted. Hobson’s choice, painted in a corner, bollixed — pick your poison, or pick your cliche.”

Source: HP