Reply #233: Thank you for this beautiful post.

[elizfeelinggreat]

I was at first affronted that Lehrer told Obama (twice!) "Say it directly to him", and then he said something like, "I'm determined to get you to talk to each other." It put me on the defensive because I'm not crazy about Lehrer and don't trust him anymore but perhaps he knew what was happening and was making a point of highlighting it because when five minutes had passed and McCain still hadn't glanced Obama's way I was outraged. Then he pointedly asked McCain to respond directly to Obama and McCain would not do it. It was an undercurrent as I watched, and I did not see the whole debate but in the parts I did see McCain was clearly refusing to acknowledge Obama. McCain's demeanor was that of a bigoted bully.

Like many others I was ashamed because it reminded me of the racism that still exists in our country. I remember as a young child being admonished not to look at "them", as if by not looking they didn't exist and were no danger to me. The older people in my family outgrew that thinking many years ago, thank God. To see someone who had achieved what McCain had showing that old decrepit behavior so blatantly - that was infuriating and shameful.