Friday night is date night for my hubby and me.  We go out to dinner, relax, talk, and usually see a movie.  As you can tell from the number of movie reviews on my site, this has been a long-standing tradition.  But this Friday night was different.  We chose to stay home and watch the first presidential debate on TV. We sent out for Chinese food, opened a bottle of wine, and eagerly awaited the first question.  Obama waved to the crowd, a big smile on his face, and approached McCain with an open hand.  The two went to their respective podiums, while Jim Lehr summarized the rules.  The debate was on. Given the current economic situation, and the pending probable bailout, the subject was bound to turn to the economy.  But the scheduled topic was foreign affairs, so that was a huge issue as well.  It didn�t take long before I was practically yelling at the television.  Jim Lehr kept telling both of the candidates to talk to each other, and yet McCain refused to even LOOK at Obama.  It was rude, and disrespectful.  I felt that Obama was being respectful to McCain, acknowledging where his opponent was �right� before making his point and sometimes correcting McCain.  But McCain was disdainful, and condescending to Obama.  Several times he said: �Senator Obama doesn�t understand.�  Or that he is �na�ve.�  I just wanted Jim Lehr give him a lecture in basic etiquette. Obama handled the whole thing with dignity and grace.  That�s the kind of attitude and demeanor we need in the leader of this country.  We don�t need some hot-head who won�t listen, who does what he wants without input from others, and who is easily angered and irritated.  McCain can�t even get along with the other people in his own party (except for Bush, of course, whom he has supported more than 90% of the time) so how is he going to get along with other people in positions of leadership to make good decisions?  In the debate he said that when he looks into Putin�s eyes he sees the letters �K G B.�  How can he have a rational conversation when he�s thinking combatively? So much is said during the debates, but even more is revealed between the lines.  At the end of the debate, Barack and Michelle Obama approached John and Cindy McCain to shake hands.  I think good manners say a lot about a person. After the debate, NBC had Joe Biden give commentary about how he thought the debate went.  Wow!  The Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee!  He talked about how well Obama did, and was generally pleasant.  Then for the Republicans, since Sarah Palin �refused� the invitation to appear, Rudy Guiliani was to give his commentary.  He didn�t talk about how great McCain did, he talked about how bad he thought Obama did!  Again, snarky and rude behavior.  And where was Palin anyway?  What could be more important that commenting on the first presidential debate and supporting her running mate.  The Republicans evidently have her sequestered and she�s not allowed to speak to the press.  That pretty much tells me that even they don�t feel she is qualified to be on the ticket, and that she doesn�t have anything intelligent to say. I�m just glad the Vice Presidential debate is on Thursday night.  I wouldn�t want to give up another Friday date night just to be stressed out all over again.

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