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Eloquent Eye Rolling

John McCain acted like a schoolyard bully in last night's debate. Eye-rolling, ridiculing of intelligence, ignoring responses, squeezing his lips together in an apparent attempt to restrain himself from all the outbursts demanding to be released (either that or trying not to vomit, I'm not sure), flamboyantly scribbling all his wicked good comebacks on his notepad, repeating accusations instead of responding to the facts presented, sighing loudly into his mic, and even wrapping it all up with a snort-laugh.

He claims that education is important and needs attention, but he's three for three in his taunting of Obama's support for that planetarium that didn't have functioning equipment in the theater. Apparently McCain is all for education as long as you're not interested in space. Better get those Hubble repairs done now, as there might not be any replacement scientists coming up if McCain has his way.

He said that throwing money at problems isn't a solution. Then he proved to us that he feels strongly about this by calling for a renewal of No Child Left Behind, the failed program that put increased burdens on schools with zero funding to support those mandates. He's right in that just "throwing" money doesn't (always) work, but most programs do need some funds if they're going to implement change.

McCain at least twice, and perhaps three times, said that Sarah Palin knows more about autism than most of us. How's that? Her child has Down syndrome. I've read that Down syndrome kids are at a higher risk for autism, but nothing I've seen indicates that her child actually has autism. Know who knows about autism? A friend of mine who is the single mom to an autistic child who is reaching adulthood. Whose husband divorced her because parenthood just wasn't as fun as he thought it would be. Who has always had to make her job choices based on the health plan and who works from home all hours of the night so that she can give him the attention he needs during the day.

Then there's the Joe the Plumber, to whom McCain called out all evening in an attempt to frighten working people into believing Obama's tax plan will put them into the poor house.

McCain: Joe! Obama wants to spread your wealth! He's going to take your money away and buy overhead projectors with it!
Obama: Under my tax plan, anyone making less than $250,000 per year would see no increase in taxes, and 95% of small businesses fall into this category.
McCain: Joe! Obama wants to spread your wealth! He's going to take your money away and give it to other people!

McCain: Joe! You want to have your own plumbing business, but ask Senator Obama what the fine will be if you don't buy into his mandated single-payer health plan!
Obama: Under my health plan, if you have company insurance, you keep it. You don't have to change. If you are a small business making less than $250,000 per year you will have no fine for not offering health care to your employees. If you are a large corporation who can afford to offer health care and you don't, then yes there will be a fine to help pay for the group insurance plan that federal employees have and that we will extend to other Americans.
McCain: Joe! Congratulations -you're rich! You've succeeded in business and have lots of money and employees, so now Obama's going to fine you for not offering health insurance.

Me: Well, yeah. If he's a success and has lots of money and employees, why isn't he trying to make sure his employees stay healthy?

McCain: We want the facts! Sigh, eye-roll, sarcasm, snicker. What about Bill Ayers? What about Acorn?
Obama: Ayers fact, Acorn fact, everything fact, complete disclosure, fact, fact, let's discuss the issues that people care about.
McCain: But we want the facts! What about Bill Ayers? What about Acorn?

McCain on a few occasions lauded Obama for his "eloquence" but then made fun of that eloquence as manipulation. Because people who use words good is bad for the bullies. Other kids might start to listen. Bully lose control.

If we're all fortunate, bully lose election as well.

Full post as published by Rogue Slayer Law Student Movie Fan on October 16, 2008 (boomark / email).