Debate: McVesuvius vs Ocalma

The Washington Post called last night's debate between candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, "A Hard-Hitting Final Round," where "McCain mocked Obama's 'eloquence,' offered sarcastic retorts to the Democrat's answers and repeatedly invoked a plumber named Joe to accuse his rival of waging 'class warfare' by wanting to raise taxes on the wealthy."

Obama's measured response was to "largely refuse to return fire even as McCain taunted him, defending himself against the Republican's accusations but repeatedly trying to turn the conversation back to the economy and the country's bleak financial situation."

McCain's debate performance was.... unsettling. For someone who likes to crow about how he has reached across the aisle to get things done, McCain seemed intolerant and disdainful of Obama's views, barely able to control his impatience and seething anger.

Regardless of what he tells you about his putting country first, he's still the self-centered controlling toddler McCain recounts in his autobiography, "Faith of My Fathers,".... "At the smallest provocation," he wrote, he would hold his breath until he passed out. As McCain describes his tantrums.... "I would go off in a mad frenzy, and then, suddenly, crash to the floor unconscious."

He took this habit of or-else temperament to the school yard, admitting, "My small stature motivated me to.... fight the first kid who provoked me."

Riding on his daddy and granddaddy's coattails, he was accepted, and tolerated, at the Naval Academy despite infamous "McNasty"-flaunting of the code of conduct. ("McNasty" was an actual McCain nickname at the Naval Academy.)

"When McCain was not shown the pampering to which he was accustomed, he grew petulant - even abusive. He repeatedly blew up in the face of his commanding officer..... Midway through his final year, McCain faced expulsion, about to 'bilge out' because of his excessive demerits" but his mother went straight to the top, and the academy's commandant stepped in to save him. (RS)

Insofar as his "top gun" image goes, McCain writes "I enjoyed the off-duty life of a navy flier more than I enjoyed the actual flying.... I drove a Corvette, dated a lot, spent all my free hours at bars and beach parties." McCain finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class.... 894 of 899.

McCain shamelessly used his famous military name to absolve him of his reckless behavior... including crashing planes and self-described "daredevil clowning".... once on a run at McCain field, when ground control put him in a holding pattern, lieutenant commander McCain demanded on his radio.... "Let me land, or I'll take my field and go home."

McCain admits to an "immature and unprofessional reaction to slights" that followed him to the Senate where he has "very few friends" according to GOP Sen. Bob Smith.

As examples of the many occasions McCain was unable to control his volcanic temper.... he called Iowa's Sen. Grassley a "f---ing jerk," and when being called out-of-line for barging into an immigration legislation meeting at the 11th hour to seize the reins and claim credit for the negotiations he exploded "F---- you! I know more about this than anyone in the room."

"Three of McCain's GOP colleagues have gone on record to say that they consider him temperamentally unsuited to be commander in chief" including "Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi who weighed in that 'the thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He is erratic. He is hotheaded.' " (RS)

There is no better indication of McCain's impulsive approach to governing than his barely-vetted, spit-in-the-country's-face selection of running mate Sarah Palin... "a born-again moose hunter whose only qualification for office is her ability to electrify Rove's base."

The country has suffered through eight years of a shoot-from-the-hip, gut-deciding, incurious president better suited to lead frat-party hijinks's.

McCain has discarded his promise to "treat my opponents with respect and demand that they treat me with respect." While Obama lived up to McCain's pledge last night, an eye-rolling, scoffing McCain didn't even try.

Most telling, perhaps, was McCain's self-centered final two-minute statement in the debate where he invoked his sense of entitlement to be president because of his family tradition of military service.

Well.... this time McCain is facing something he must earn. Being a spoiled, barely-in-control "McCain" isn't enough.

November 4!

Advice for McFlighty

What's a candidate to do? As John McCain watches his favorables plummet while Barack Obama's rise, McFlighty is in desperate need of some steadying advice. The Washington Post asks five experienced politicos "What Could Change the Election."

John Podesta, Bill Clinton's Chief of Staff, thinks McCain's only hope is to give the electorate less McCain, to.... "change the dynamics of this race, but his erratic responses to the economic crisis aren't the way to do it. He could consider announcing that, if elected, he would pledge to serve only one term." But, wouldn't that position Bush's-dimmer-twin Palin as the GOP candidate in 2012?..... (hair-on-fire alert) aaaaaagh!

Newt Gingrich, former GOP speaker of the House and OK-for-me-but-impeach-Clinton womanizer and legislative bomb-thrower, true to form thinks head-on attack is McCain's best bet... "McCain has to focus on the Reid-Pelosi-Obama machine and the threats they pose to most Americans." Get a grip, Newt, no one wants more "Axis of Evil" scare-tactics.

Mary Beth Cahill, John Kerry's outmaneuvered and Swiftboated 2004 presidential campaign manager, advises McCain to "regain his footing as an independent-minded leader capable of appealing to independents".... but she can't help adding that's "unlikely to happen." Well, she should know all about grabbing defeat from the jaws of.... oh, never mind.

Peter J. Wallison, (who?) counsel to Ronald Reagan (oh), just can't fast-forward to the 21st century with his advice to McCain... "Republicans have been discouraged and frustrated" by McCain's "apparent refusal to challenge Obama on two obvious points." Those points? What else but "deregulation" and that moth-eaten GOP mantra "tax cuts." Wallison.... how gigantic is that trickle-down mortgage on Reagan's "shining city on a hill"?

Stuart Eizenstat, chief domestic policy advisor in the Carter White House, and senior positions in the Clinton administration, thinks a winning strategy would be a memorable debate line like... "Are you better off today than you were two years ago?"... or eight years ago? This helps McCain how?

Tonight's debate is important, but a game changer? Only if McCain flashes his old grin and announces he was only kidding.... Mitt Romney is really his VP pick.