'That One'?

John McCain wasn't man enough to call Barack Obama a terrorist sympathizer to his face tonight, but he couldn't mask his utter contempt for his opponent and fellow United States senator.

Referring to Obama as "that one" while discussing an energy bill vote was just another look into that nasty, angry old man's soul. He possesses, or is possessed by, an ignoble temperament. It was crude, dismissive, and dehumanizing. What a crass, horrible little man.

On matters of substance, from foreign policy to the economy to health care to energy policy, Obama wiped the floor with McCain. Hands down. No contest.

CBS News:

Forty percent of the 516 uncommitted voters surveyed identified Barack Obama as tonight's winner; 26 percent said John McCain won, while 35 percent saw the debate as a draw. (As you might have noticed, these percentages add up to 101 percent; the reason for the additional percentage point is rounding of each of the individual totals.)

After the debate, 68 percent of uncommitted voters said that they think Obama will make the right decisions on the economy, compared to 55 percent who said that before the debate. Fewer thought McCain would do so – 48 percent after the debate, and 41 percent before.

Before the debate, 59 percent thought Obama understands voters’ needs and problems; that rose to 80 percent after the debate. For McCain, 33 percent felt he understands voters’ needs before the debate, and 44 percent thought so afterwards.

CNN:

CNN's poll of people who watched the second presidential debate showed 54 percent saying Democrat Barack Obama won and 30 percent thinking Republican John McCain was the victor.

Going into this debate, the conventional wisdom was that McCain needed an unequivocal, game-changing victory tonight. Not even close.

Third time's the charm?