The First Presidential Debate–Obama vs McCain

The first Presidential debate of the 2008 election season is over, and it gives Barack Obama a clear edge as the race enters its last 39 days!

Barack Obama had to prove that he was a legitimate candidate for Commander in Chief.  He had to show that he had a world vision for the future of American foreign policy.  He had to demonstrate that he was a serious nominee, despite charges of inexperience, to take on the many challenges that the next President will face in the coming four to eight years. 

Without a doubt, he scored a victory and showed he had the toughness and ability to meet the challenges this nation faces, the greatest crisis we have encountered since Franklin D Roosevelt took the oath of office in 1933.  He confronted Senator McCain, fixed his eyes on him as he spoke in refutation, and yet at the same time showed the proper respect for a senator who was really the best Republican running in the year 2000, who SHOULD have been the nominee of the Republican Party that year.  The problem is this is not 2000, but 2008, and time has passed Senator McCain by .   He seemed to be a vision of past times, when what we need is a vision of future times.  He failed to look at Obama directly, and seemed almost aloof, as if Obama did not deserve the same respect that Obama has always expressed for McCain’s  service and sacrifice for this country. 

The purpose of a presidential election is not to award the Presidency to a person based on past performance or honors, but on WHO is best equipped to deal with future challenges, who has the most agile mind and the most even tempered and stable personality to deal with the many unexpected events that will most certainly occur and challenge the mettle of the occupant of the Oval Office.  Based on that sober reality, Obama deserves to win and most certainly will gain in future polls.

Then, the upcoming debate on Thursday, October 2, between Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin will most certainly add to Obama’s advantage in the public opinion polls and in the election itself.  Is there ANYONE out there who will claim that Palin will either win the debate or make such a good impression that it will give McCain the edge?  Isn’t it clear to EVERYONE that in his first major decision, Senator McCain has shown VERY POOR judgment?  After next Thursday, we will see a growing advantage in the polls for Obama, with McCain’s only hope of winning being if somehow he can score a clearcut victory over Obama in their second and third debates.  Even if that were to happen, the tides of history seem to me to be running against Senator McCain in the sense that Barack Obama represents the new 21st century in his thinking, while McCain represents the past 20th century in his perceptions and outlook.  History moves on and history is being made as we watch and observe!

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