The Final Debate

John McCain had a lot of ups and downs last night, whereas Barack Obama was cool, collected and level-headed. McCain can barely contain himself with the situation in which he is in. How can a political upstart, in his eyes, possibly share that stage with him. The split screen gave it all away. He sneered and could barely contain himself. He again stated that the "fundamentals of our economy are strong," all evidence to the contrary. The one good line that he had last night, that he is not George Bush, was effectively parried by Obama. 

After Iraq, after Afghanistan, after Katrina, after Abu Graib, after Guantanamo, after the financial collapse, any Republican candidate would face almost insurmountable odds against being elected President. But John McCain has too often fallen in platitudes about cutting taxes and earmarks. Surely, these are the times for bold and enlightened leadership. And surely McCain has failed to get past the rigid ideology that he has concocted.