The second presidential debate between Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama took place yesterday, and both candidates delivered soft blows. During an exchange, however, McCain referred to Obama as “That One” instead of calling him by name.
In the first debate, McCain
did not look at Obama despite talking about him numerous times, even when moderator Lehrer repeatedly asked him to look at Obama. Many called that disrespectful.
In the second debate, McCain did better in that department and looked at Obama, but his contempt was still there when he pointed his fingers at Obama and called him “That One."
McCain talked about voting records of the Energy Policy in 2005 and said “That One” voted against it, and he voted for it.
Darren Davis, a professor at Notre Dame, who specializes in the role of race in politics, told
Huffington Post, "It speaks volumes about how McCain feels personally about Obama.”
Huffington also said
McCain’s contempt was palpable and unpalatable. She added “That One” won the debate.
Independent voters agreed, as demonstrated in the second video above. One of them said McCain's comment was childish, while another said it was disrespectful. At the end of the debate Obama tried to shake hands with McCain and McCain refused, instead asking his wife Cindy to shake hands with him.
Obama didn’t flinch when he was referred to as “That One”.
Whether the comment is a slight or not, Obama
won the debates according to Fox, CNN, CBS reaction groups.