The First Debate . . . First Impressions

Well, I made it through the first presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain without my head exploding. I thought Obama did a decent job of tying McCain to the failed record of George (the "W" stands for War Criminal) Bush. I cheered when Obama brought up McCain's recent gaffe concerning a meeting with the president of Spain, a NATO ally of ours. It is tough though when Obama has to debate a pathological liar, whose sole ambition is to be president before he kicks. If I had been drinking milk it would have shot out my nose when McCain mentioned how proud he was a maverick as a partner (running mate.) With Palin's recent media exposure, and subsequent falling in the polls, I'm surprised that McCain mentioned her at all. He didn't actually say her name though. I was also happy when, in response to McCain's story of his bracelet from a dead soldier, that Obama said "I have a bracelet too." I'm so tired of Republicans being able to claim that they alone are the standard bearers of patriotism in this country. I am a veteran myself (U.S. Air Force, 1978 to 1982) and I think McCain's record on veteran's issues is abysmal. He likes to mention his backing of veteran's groups, but he leaves out all of the veteran's group in which he has very low ratings. He certainly doesn't have a very good reputation among the very important group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. I don't know how he can say that he "loves" the veterans when he was against the recent G.I. Bill and didn't even have the balls to come to Washington to vote on it. (Instead he opted to attend a fundraiser in California.)I do think that the McCain campaign was a tad presumptuous to post a web ad this morning declaring that McCain had already won the debate when he hadn't even committed to attending it yet.

No that it's over and I've gotten Justin to bed it's time for me to watch the pundit's reactions and eat some comfort food (whole wheat spiral noodles slathered with blue cheese dressing. Yum!)