McCain to Base Foreign Policy on Average Height of Citizens

I think the lessons of Iraq are very clear that you cannot have a failed strategy that will then cause you to nearly lose a conflict.

-John McCain

Though I'm not sure he actually has learned that lesson.

Despite all this, McCain has probably convinced some voters that Obama just "doesn't understand" this stuff. Not because McCain has made a valid argument but because it's easy to remember the line. And if you're going for numbers you should bet on the public being easily fooled. Obama did a good job of looking confident on every issue. He probably could have been a little more smug about what he does understand. Maybe something like a nice complex explanation followed by a line like I understand *that*, John. And I can explain it again -- slower, if you need me too.

I hope that Obama is saving the pounce for the economy debate. McCain is on a single peg-leg and he didn't get knocked over. C'mon Obama. Sweep the leg!

Obama's points:
Bringing up McCain's little bomb bomb bomb song.
Recalling McCain's confusion regarding Zapatero.
Talking with foreign leaders isn't just inviting them over for tea.
You don't muddle through...

He should have pushed the Spain issue further. John really stepped in it on that one. Not so much the interview as the cover-up. If you didn't hear something then it's fine to be confused. But once your staffers print out the Wikipedia page for you there's no excuse to say that you can't commit to meeting with Spain. Then in the debate McCain claims that he simply meant that he doesn't like to plan that far ahead. Who's buying this?

McCain's biggest reach: Accusing Obama of being too much like George Bush. Does he think that'll work?

On the question about sending more troops to Afghanistan, when Obama said that we have had the highest fatalities this year since the war began, McCain looked like he saw a leprechaun run under Jim Lehrer's desk. During Obama's response and throughout the debate he kept making the same face. Squinting and peering down, even covering his eyes. This isn't a political point. Unless McCain decides to chase down the rascals and bomb Ireland. Which he almost certainly would.