Yellow Dog

I agree with much of the analysis of Friday's debate, which noted that--while the debate, arguably, could have been declared a draw in terms of substance--McCain lost points on style, with Obama exhibiting the more presidential temperament. McCain came across as old, grumpy, and angry, and you half expected him to yell at Obama, "Get off my lawn, kid!"

But while I was irritated with McCain constantly and arrogantly telling Obama that he was naive and "didn't understand," I thought Obama had a good comeback in his interview today with Bob Schieffer on Face the Nation:

SCHIEFFER: Senator Obama, it seems to me that the whole debate came down to a couple of questions. You questioned Senator McCain's judgment repeatedly, he repeatedly said you just didn't understand; that you didn't have the knowledge or the understanding to deal with these issues, both the financial issues and foreign policy issues.

Sen. OBAMA: Right. Well, the interesting thing is he kept on asserting I didn't understand, but beyond saying the line never indicated what exactly I didn't understand. It's true I don't understand Senator McCain's positions on a whole host of issues, because given how the Bush administration has created an extraordinary crisis in the economy and considering that we remain bogged down in Iraq--al-Qaeda is resurgent, Iran is developing nuclear weapons--that our foreign policy is, if not in a shambles, then certainly not in a place that I think anybody is comfortable with. Given those facts, what I don't understand is that Senator McCain continues to promote them. There was not one instance where Senator McCain could support his assertions with some indication that, in fact, he had some secret understanding of what the Bush administration was doing that made sense. In fact, he essentially is defending a status quo that is not working for the American people.

SCHIEFFER: Some Democrats said that they thought he was being condescending to you. Did
you take it in that way?

Sen. OBAMA: Well, I think it was a--it was a debating trick, which is to essentially just keep on asserting that because of my vast years in Washington, somehow I'm better qualified to be president. And one of the points that I've made consistently in this campaign is that if the length of tenure in Washington is a measure of your wisdom, then people should vote for somebody else. But I think the American people understand that the conventional wisdom in Washington, which John McCain has followed for the last eight years, is exactly what needs to be changed.

Obama: "No Welfare For Wall Street", Nominee Is Inclined To Support Congress' $700B Bailout Package If It Also Protects Main Street - CBS News