"McCain as the Alpha Male"

[Matariki]

You've got to be kidding? Washington Post op-ed take a Backwards Day view of McCain's eye contact, etc.

Read the comments. NOT ONE agrees with him (when I looked this morning)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/27/AR2008092701357.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

<excerpt>

There were no knockout blows in the first presidential debate of the fall, but John McCain out-pointed Barack Obama often enough to encourage his followers that he can somehow overcome the odds and deny the Democrats the victory that has seemed to be in store for them.

It was a small thing, but I counted six times that Obama began a sentence with the words that McCain was "absolutely right" about a point he had made. No McCain sentences began with a similar acknowledgment of his opponent's wisdom, even though the two agreed on Iran, Russia and the U.S. financial crisis far more than they disagreed.

[swag]

1. Bush-lovin' Broder can't help himself.

Like St. John McCain, Broder too at one time tied an onion to his belt - it was the fashion at the time.

[Beregond2]

2. The Alpha Corpse.

[Matariki]

5. The comments are more telling than the editorial

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/27/AR2008092701357_Comments.html

[CJCRANE]

3. McCain displayed submissive behavior IMO.

Bush is the one who displays alpha male behavior - when he's with other world leaders he always pats them on the back or grabs their shoulder or other physical invasion of their space.

[Matariki]

7. Indeed. Exactly right about Bush.

It's funny how Broder is scrambling to turn the eye contact issue around to mean the exact opposite of what everyone else is saying it means.

[whistler162]

4. Never in his life has Senator McCain been a Alpha male...

more like the old pack member that can barely keep up with the pack and will soon be left to starve.

[Coexist]

6. submissive males avoid eye contact, alpha males interrupt

Obama = alpha
McCain = submissive

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

10. Most dogs won't look their master in the eye

In the animal kingdom, that would constitute a challenge and your dog already considers you the leader of the pack. McCain is the dog, here, while Obama is the master.

[Bucky]

8. Oh goodness, why didn't you SAY this was David Broder. Safely ignorable.

Broder is the perfect gauge of what not to say.

[featherman]

9. I feel kind of bad for McCain. Somebody instructed the old fool that this was Alpha male behavior

and to make sure and look down and avert your eyes from your younger, taller, stronger opponent... especially when he is looking you down.

"And that's how an Alpha male acts".

Now there's a piece of bad advice.

[Overseas]

11. Broder is a crabby old grouch himself so doesn't realize that crabbiness is a sign

of deteriorating mental prowess. You get frustrated and angry when faced with a smarter, more alert opponent.

Mr. Angry Crabbyman is not Mr. Alpha Male. It is Mr. Brain Shrinkage.

He's trying desperately to pretend that McLame being angry makes him appear strong. But it doesn't. His unwillingness to engage in a true debate, brushing off his opponent instead of engaging, makes him look like he just can't handle a real exchange.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

12. John McCoward is a COWARD!! He couldn't even look Obama in the eyes, man to man!

He tried to weasle his way out of the debates. COWARD!!! Obama showed statesmanship, looking directly at McCoward and addressing him directly, man to man, eye to eye!! Obama ain't scared of McCoward!!!