THE BIG STORY: McCain's inability to look Obama in the eye

[calmblueocean]

All throughout this debate, Obama addressed questions to McCain and looked directly at him. McCain refused to look at Obama. What's the explanation? What message was he trying to send? And why?

Keywords for conversation: "obvious contempt", "disrespect", "national embarrassment".

[speedoo]

1. Yes, and that will be true in the other two debates.

Huge advantage for Obama.

[woodsprite]

2. I'd like it to be that, but I think it's gonna be the "John has a good point - I agree w/ John".

It sucks.

[calimary]

4. I HATED that.

At one point I looked up from my notes and said "WOULD YOU STOP AGREEING WITH HIM, DAMMIT????"

The four WORST words in the English language: "My opponent is right..."

GOOD GOD. Why not just hand it to him, Barack? SHEESH.

:eyes:

[woodsprite]

3. I'd like it to be that, but I think it's gonna be the "John has a good point - I agree w/ John".

It sucks.

[Bubbha Jo]

7. I thought those a wise move because he even "bettered"

the point.

[nickgutierrez]

5. We only need one keyword: "Angry"

McCain looked angry. He couldn't make eye contact, and the one time he really responded to something Obama was saying, on meeting with Ahmadinejad, he sounded furious and ridiculous.

[Mz Pip]

6. I thought it made him look

small and belligerent. Like he was afraid of Obama.

[Abacus]

8. I noticed that in the introduction,

some obvious animosity coming from McCain.

[fishwax]

9. I think the media should run with it the way they did the "Al Gore sigh" back in 2000

[calmblueocean]

11. That's what I'd like to see, too. Honestly, I want an explanation.

What's McCain's story? Does he think that not looking at your opponent projects strength, and so he's willing to just insult Obama on national television because he thinks it makes him look like a big shot?

I want an answer.

[goodgd_yall]

18. Really

Has anybody mentioned the weird height of Korean question yet? If not, these pundits are not doing their job.

[DefenseLawyer]

10. Damn it people, Putin is K.G.B.! Duck and cover!

To the bomb shelter.

[OhioBlue]

12. liars have trouble looking someone in the eye

they often glance down or to the side when telling a falsehood.

I think Bush believed his lies.

McCain... he just lies and knows it's a lie.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

13. McCain is ashamed of himself and his campaign.

[PA Democrat]

14. Is this how McCain would deal with foreign leaders he does not like?

He does not have the temperament to be president. Can you imagine him sitting with a foreign leader in tense negotiations and refusing to MAKE EYE CONTACT?

[calmblueocean]

26. That's a serious question, too. Why would McCain think this kind of insulting conduct is acceptable?

And which world leaders would he alienate by doing something similar?

What it really shows is someone who cannot control his emotions, someone ruled by anger.

Not someone we want as president.

[Clio the Leo]

15. Guarantee if you asked him, McCain would NOT be able to say what color Barack's tie was. NT

[nc4bo]

16. Angry. Hateful. Jealous. Little. Man. nt

[goodgd_yall]

17. McCain also looked evasive when Obama shook his hand

He really is a grumpy old pisser.

[firedupdem]

19. He's nasty, condescending, and a total asshole... n/t

[goodgd_yall]

20. And he has a black heart

Aargh! Really, it shows he is holding on to a lot of negative feelings and thoughts. Angry little man...

[kenny blankenship]

21. it's very telling! McCain is not a man in possession of himself

And if there is ONE characteristic that you need in a President it's that they should be able to control their feelings and function in dialog with others while under intense pressure. McCain doesn't have that true self-control and coolness. He has a deficit. He covers up for that deficit with cockiness. Then, when he actually gets in a high pressure situation, like being in a room with the source of his stress, he cannot maintain.

"Cockiness" has no where to go but verbal aggression and of course McCain knows he's unable to berate Obama like a junior officer or a staffer. Cameras are present and the world is watching. The strain is unbearable. So then you see the tics, you see him averting his gaze from the person he's experiencing tension with. His verbiage becomes rushed and confused and his "temperature" visibly rises. He looses his cool and shakes his head repetitively and generally appears to retreat into an attitude of disbelief that he even has to hear these dissenting opinions. Why they're crazy, yeah that's what they are they're crazy. They just don't know anything like I do.

In a real world crisis, or a unmediated confrontation with a subordinate, McCain's bluster can go ballistic, since nothing then can stop it. Or like our current "high functioning moron", when faced by opposing views he may retreat into that belligerent but withdrawn attitude where he is completely right and yet completely alone in a world of people who disagree with him because "they're crazy". Either way, you can easily see how this personality um...trait.. let's call it, can be fatal for many people who would be subject to his decisions as President.

[chalky]

22. If I heard him say, "He doesn't understand..." one more time

I was going to punch the television. Really, it wasn't the shifty eye thing but that patronizing phrase that wadded my shorts. And it really pissed me off was when he said that, then turned around and rephrased everything Obama had just said! I had to pause the broadcast and walk away after that one.

[vanderBeth]

23. He did come off very condescending.

[Mariana]

24. It made me think he was barely in control of himself.

[dbmk]

25. Because he had to lie several times

A more deliberate reason might be because Obama is higher.

[crickets]

27. I think he meant it to look condescending, just as he meant the "he doesn't understand" phrase.

Overused, it comes off as petty and childish. He's trying to look as though it isn't worth his while to meet Obama's gaze, but instead it looks as though he doesn't have the nerve. It's the liar who has trouble meeting the eyes of the person he's addressing.