If McCain can't shake Obama's hand when offered..........

[Proud Liberal Dem]

If McCain can barely stand to look at his opponent (as he did particularly in his first debate with Obama).................

If McCain refers to Obama as "that one".............

If McCain endorses his campaign's personal smears against Obama based on DUBIOUS past "associations"........................

If McCain won't condemn his own running mate for reciting hate-filled speech and using tactics now perfected by hate radio spewers like Limbaugh, Hannity, Boortz, Savage, et. al and practically whipping up an angry mob against Obama (or even ordinary Americans with whom they have a serious political disagreement with- as may be the case)............................

If McCain can't trust the judgement of the American people enough to allow Palin to be subjected to the same scrutiny and public "vetting" process that all candidates for the two highest posts in our national government have historically undergone and (hopefully) will undergo in the future..............

HOW IN THE HELL can HE claim to be the only candidate this election who is capable of "reaching across the aisle" to work with his opponents??!!!!

Obama is 10X the honorable gentleman McCain claims to be and will EVER hope to be. I believe that Obama is the one that we should be looking at to help bring ALL Americans together to solve our problems (those that genuinely want to be part of the solution anyway).

McCain/Palin, unfortunately, is just the logical extension of Bush/Cheney's "my way or the highway" approach that has severely polarized and damn near destroyed any possibility of civil political discourse and genuine bipartisanship in this country.

[Historic NY]

1. If McCain can't shake Obama's hand when offered, how can he reach across the aisle?

[MindMatter]

16. If he does all those things to Obama, how will he treat other heads of state?

[democrattotheend]

2. I saw that exchange, and it looked like McCain tried to shake Obama's hand

while Obama was shaking Cindy's. But then when he realized Obama was shaking his wife's hand he kind of shrugged and seemed to say non-verbally "okay, I tried" and walked away. I was actually afraid based that McCain was later going to claim Obama snubbed him.

[spooky3]

4. A gentleman would have patiently waited until Barack and Cindy were finished

and then extended his hand.

It is the most basic human courtesy.

[Divernan]

5. A gentleman would have shaken hands with Michelle Obama, but McCain didin't.

[spooky3]

8. yep, another example of churlishness

If he can't bear to be civil to the Obamas, how in the hell is he going to succeed at diplomacy with anyone?

[MagickMuffin]

7. I just watched it again and here's how it went down, I watched it in slo-mo

McCain taps Obama on his shoulder, Obama turns around and offers John his hand. John points to Cindy, so Barack shakes Cindy's hand. Michelle was standing behind Barack and wasn't a part of the exchange.

Then the McCains wave to the crowd and leave the building. The Obamas stayed and worked the crowd and talked to the people there.

[Citizen_Penn]

3. McCain exhibits all the signs of one who has been...

sampling the products that made his wife a wealthy woman.

Barely contained rage, incoherence, inability to create and maintain healthy relationships.

Could John McCain be an alcoholic?


Seriously, how does the religious "right" justify supporting a candidate who lives on alcohol $$$?

I was raised in a Baptist home, and taught from Sunday School on - liquor is the devil!

I've used this talking point on several fundie acquaintances - stops them cold, like a deer in headlights.

[No Elephants]

6. "Honor" to McCain is only a way to try to get elected, just as "POW" is.

[regnaD kciN]

9. Actually, they DID shake hands...

From TalkingPointsMemo.com:

Late Update: A few readers say the two shook hands right after the conclusion of the debate, at that moment where Brokaw told them they were in the way of his teleprompter. Here's what TPM Reader KP said ...

Hey, i watched the video of the debate. The moment right before Tom Brokaw told them they were in his way, they clearly shook hands vigorously. Then they took a moment to stand side by side for the audience and Brokaw was like, hey move it.

The moment you showed on video was when McCain was obviously presenting his wife to shake Obama's hand.

On the other hand, in the video above, Blitzer seemed to think they had no yet shaken hands.

Special Late Night D'oh Update: It turns out KP's right. They did shake hands right at the end of the debate, at the point where they got in the way of Brokaw's teleprompter. It wasn't on CNN or NBC but we just found it on ABC. No question. They shook hands before McCain later snubbed him and then ran off in a huff.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

11. I cheerfully withdraw my remark about McCain not shaking Obama's hand

The truth is the truth. Thanks for keeping me (and the rest of us) honest.

I proudly stand by my other statements.

[demokatgurrl]

13. He's still damned rude and I honestly think he hates Obama. n/t

[Proud Liberal Dem]

15. Oh I'm sure he does

Didn't he recently snub Obama when they were together in the Senate chamber? He and Obama apparently have had a pretty fractious history since Obama has been in the Senate (see the snarky letter McCain wrote to Obama about the ethics reform initiative- check Obama's campaign website)

I would LOVE to be a "fly on the wall" when he's at home or at his campaign headquarters after these debates and I can't wait for the post-election insider "tell all" book about the McCain/Palin campaign!

[OneBlueSky]

17. yes, they did . . . and here's the video . . .

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/222684.php . . .

scroll down to the second screen . . .

[goddess40]

10. Pandering to his racist followers?

Just a spoiled asshole who knew he lost AGAIN and was being a poor sport?
Racist himself?
(I know about his daughter and his lack of protecting her and her absence during this campaign support this belief more than disproves his possible racism. I've also heard that he said his wife brought Bridget back to the states without his knowledge, which could be more pandering to the racists that support him but it's still throwing his daughter under the bus to benefit himself.)

[noiretextatique]

18. bingo

his disdain for obama is a clear message to racist america.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

12. it shows what sort of person McCain is. One who cheats and is rude

[Arkansas Granny]

14. I'll admit I wasn't watching the screen closely after the questioning ended,

but weren't Obama and McCain standing beside each other talking or shaking hands when Brokaw made his comment about them standing in the way of what he was reading. Everyone laughed and they moved to opposite sides of the stage. I had seen a brief of shot of them before that from the back when it appeared that they were speaking to each other.