Ok. I've had a bit to drink... but I have to ask this question:

[Haole Girl]

Do you think McSame is a racist for never looking at Obama during the debate?

My husband says he is.

I asked, "How do you know he's a racist?"

My husband replied, "Because they can't look at you... they can't acknowledge you..."

That, if it is true, is very very wrong. :-(

[AwakeAtLast]

1. Whoa! I never thought of it that way!

I don't have an answer, but that is interesting!

[Haole Girl]

2. I never did either

I probably wouldn't have even posted this discussion, but I was curious what other people thought.

[RadiationTherapy]

3. I watched it on TV for maybe 7 minutes. That was my only conscious thought:

McCain won't even look at him. I absolutely thought it was racist.

[Haole Girl]

5. Thanks

:hi:

[S n o w b a l l]

4. No, I don't think that at all

I think as an old white man he has some prejudices, but the not looking at him tonight had nothing to do with that, imo.

[Haole Girl]

6. Why do you think he avoided eye contact with Obama?

:shrug:

[S n o w b a l l]

10. Basically cause he's a lying chicken shit..

I doubt he could look anyone in the eye that he was debating. That's just who he is.

[av8rdave]

24. Because he knew he was being dishonest, and

deep down inside, I think he's intimidated by Obama. He knows he's more intelligent, better educated, better spoken, quicker on his feet and far more charismatic.

[Midlodemocrat]

17. I agree with you. I don't know if McCain is a racist or not

but I think his not looking at Barack was out of intimidation tonight, not a racial factor.

[Wapsie B]

7. Yes I think that can be a tipoff for racism.

If you can't even look your opponent in the eyes there's something going on there.

[Haole Girl]

8. I know there was something going on...

McCrazy! :crazy:

[reyd reid reed]

9. I don't necessarily think that's true.

I mean, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that he is but I don't think not looking at Obama tonight is an indication one way or another.

[Haole Girl]

13. My first thought too

It's just too hard to know what goes on in another person's mind. Nice to see u 'round, RRR! :hi:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

11. Interesting. My thought is that: McCain knows he has lost and is

too embarrassed to look Obama in the eye. I really don't think McCain is racist but, I could be wrong.

[Haole Girl]

14. Maybe he was just nervous

Possible, I guess.

[BarenakedLady]

12. I don't know but

I like that Obama actually made eye contact with the camera several times. McSame just addressed Jimbo and no one else.

[Haole Girl]

15. Yeah, that was cool

I think Obama did especially well in the second half. He was on fire! :D

[Lil Missy]

16. No, I think it was another tactic to dismiss and discount Obama. Just like

all the times he mentioned Obama was "naive", or "didn't understand."

[Swede]

18. I think McCain's got a bad temper,he was trying to control it.

I don't think he's racist,but you never know.

[BeachBaby]

19. Nah. I don't think it's about race.

McCain has had political relationships with both Powell and Rice.

I believe the reason behind the no eye contact was because he was lying through his teeth - and we all know that people who lie can't meet your gaze when they do.

[emilyg]

20. No.

[Inchworm]

21. I don't think it says racist as much as

it shows a lack of confidence in self and hiding from knowingly spewing bullshit.

:hi:

[RFKHumphreyObama]

22. No

That's not to say that I have genuine criticism of how he has handled race issues in the past -it has been confusing and contradictory at best and politically opportunistic at worst. He has both supported and opposed affirmative action programs and was an opponent of the Martin Luther King holiday until he realized that it was not in Arizona's economic interests and then he switched positions. If my memory serves me accurately, he also failed to turn up at the Republican debates which were sponsored by African-American organizations or targeting African-American audiences. He did get in trouble for using a racial epithet toward Asians in the past and seemed very reluctant to apologize

Then again, he has a Bangladeshi adopted daughter whom he does seem to have genuine love and affection for. That makes me doubt that he is totally racist. He may not be a racist on a personal level but may have racist views -believe it or not I know many people like that.

But either way I don't think it was the motivation behind not looking at Obama tonight. I think he was generally unnerved by the whole thing and probably was concerned that looking at Obama would distract him or something like that

On Edit: Looked at the pictures of McCain not looking at Obama. In retrospect, it does seem like a very pointed snub. I still tend to think it was McCain being an asshole rather than McCain being racist. Which doesn't excuse it one bit

[patomime]

23. ...I had...

that thought in my mind, when he wouldn't look at him.

It could also be that he was mad at Barack for having one up on him, this week. Nothing went as John planned this week, and John's tactical maneuvering of suspending the campaign failed miserably. I've always believed John McCain thought it was gonna be a cake-walk.

He (JM) came off as abrasive and insulting in the debate, especially when Barack was being a gentleman and saying "I agree with you John." By doing this, Barack was telling John to calm down, I think, and acting like the adult in the room instead of the child John McCain was.

It's unfortunate that race is still at play in 2008. I hope it was something other than that. Either way, McCain did not look the part of executive and I think that's what people will really remember.

Barack remained cool and calm under the pressure, what an executive is supposed to look like.