I thought John McCain decisively defeated Barack Obama last night on substance. He schooled Obama on foreign policy and managed to steer the economy argument to earmarks and spending—his turf. If the MSM (D-Obama) was balanced, it would be pummeling Obama today for his Kissinger gaffe. My guess is it will barely touch it.

On style, of course, Obama is hard to match. In reality, when you dice his words and substance, he’s the best disguised empty suit we’ve ever seen in national politics. He slides and dissembles gracefully and almost invisibly. Two times, however, I thought he slipped up.

When Obama tried to match a story McCain told about a fallen soldier and the bracelet he wears, he had to look down to see the name of the soldier and verbally stumbled, briefly. If you are going to wear a soldier’s bracelet, you better have the story down stone cold or it looks like your symbol is a hollow pander.

Another way Obama panders (and many other politicians) is constant use of the word “folks.” I always thought Obama’s use was particularly incongruous because in the liberal elite circles he hangs, I’m not convinced the “folks” are a big concern. But Obama reflexively uses the term of endearment, even when referring to terrorists.

And the point that I originally made is that we took our eye off Afghanistan, we took our eye off the folks who perpetrated 9/11, they are still sending out videotapes and Senator McCain, nobody is talking about defeat in Iraq, but I have to say we are having enormous problems in Afghanistan because of that decision.

Obama doesn’t have to pander to terrorists—I’m sure they already are hoping he wins.

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2008 election, al-Qaeda, Barack Obama, Iraq, John McCain, journalism, liberals, terror