His Own Worst Enemy

I'll make this quick since I'm trying to write while simultaneously fending off the hypnotic insanity of Lazy Town (which, although not as good as Jack's Big Music Show, is still infinitely less annoying than that bossy bitch, Pinky Dinky Doo).*

I think I've been pretty honest and even-handed when it comes to this election season's debates, presidential and vice presidential: I considered the first showdown between Obama and McCain a draw; thought Biden cleaned Palin's clock; and gave the second presidential face-off squarely to Obama, but didn't walk away from the thing thinking that anyone had hit hard or scored big.

Last night, however, was a blow-out -- a thorough decimation by any applicable standard.

Put simply: Obama destroyed McCain.

Or, more appropriately, McCain destroyed himself.

I've made mention of McCain's deficiencies several times in the past -- as have others -- so there's no sense repeating them verbatim once again, but last night every negative quality that's ever been ascribed to John McCain was on display from the first question to the closing seconds. He was angry, disdainful, condescending, erratic, surreally confusing (and confused), openly hostile and, a few times, just plain batshit crazy -- or at the very least inadequately medicated. By contrast Obama, who's naturally calm and gentlemanly anyway, looked like Jesus Christ. He respectfully knocked back McCain's carpet bombing run of horseshit with a kind of rarefied and, yes, presidential dignity that had to be seen to be truly appreciated. The difference between these two men and, by proxy, the futures they promise for this country couldn't have been clearer. McCain is full of bile, rage and ill-advised arrogance, and speaks with a smug certainty that betrays the kind of hallucinatory thinking that's nearly put this nation asunder during the past eight years; last night, more than at any point previously, he exuded a near-lethal combination of overly-entitled adolescent jock swagger and shameless crybaby petulance. His exaggerated smirk never looked like anything less than a mask, hiding his unfettered fury and overwhelming desire to just reach over and punch Obama in the mouth.

As of last night, it should be official.

McCain and Palin have shown their colors to this nation; America knows just what it's getting if it stoops to put them in office for the next four years.

We've seen the kind of pettiness and bluster they represent -- and likewise, the kind of august thoughtfulness exhibited by Obama and Biden.

The choice is -- well, there is no choice.

Not if you really give a damn about this country.

(*Only parents of small children will understand any of this.)