McCain/Debate/Never made eye contact once

CH, Are you speaking from real knowledge, or throwing out if it'll stick or not?

Just guessing-- it baffles me he wouldn't make eye contact. I'm just trying to figure it out.

I'm not sure either; that's the reason if we had any psychiatrists amongst us who could explain it.

It'll be interesting to see if McCain makes eye contact in the next debate. If he does, it'll mean that the first one was an accident. If he doesn't, then it'll mean it's part of their strategy for some reason.

Well, it might mean that his handlers said to him "That no-eye-contact thing tested really badly! You must make eye contact this time, even if it kills you!"

I think McCain just can't stand Obama and was simmering with anger towards him (related to how things went down in the big Obama/ McCain/ Bush bailout meeting, which I posted elsewhere), and was trying to stay focused and not blow up at him.

soz, You bring up a very important point about McCain's temper; he couldn't afford to show his true self at this debate, because he would have lost the election.

This garnered MUCH disdain from the ladies on anther board I visit, Many didn't care what the reason was, and just thought it was absolutely rude, especially considering the moderator mentioned several times for them to address each other.

Sort of like what I do with my daughters.

He lost many points with those ladies just because of that alone.

I agree-- it seems as if McCain's style is to wing it-- until his handlers set him "straight."

I don't think he hates Obama at all-- if he hated him he would have treated him more like he treated Romney in the primary debates.

You really don't know that.

I've been hearing this, what you've said about the anger it sparked in viewers that he did not make eye contact. But are those viewers who support him or no?

I don't know it-- it's a gut reaction. Romney, for all surface interpretations is highly unappealing. Obama is the opposite.

I thought McCain's before, during, and after the debate were poor. But I thought I contact among predators generally meant attack not cowerdice.

Yes, people usually don't look into the eye of the person they're going to kill.

I thought McCains manners before, during, and after the debate were poor. But I also thought eye contact among predators generally meant attack not cowardice.

soz didn't say McCain hates Obama, she said he can't stand him.

Big difference.

I think was soz said is pretty accurate.

I think the lack of eye contact is related to all that smirking he did when he was listening to Obama. Like, "Look at me, I'm not even gonna aknowledge him, AND I'm going going to put on this grin because we all know he doesn't seem to understand anything"

Pretty unsophisticated, but I guess it works with people who don't want to analyze what was said themselves.


I've seen people do this....with and without the smirking. To me, the grinning was what put him in the same league as a child who will throw a tantrum if he has to pay attention.

I've done the lack of eye contact thing myself when I really don't want to deal with someone I find annoying, because I'm afraid if I make that eye contact, I'll be sucked into some conversation.

Why do we want a leader with a short fuse that makes snap decisions? Seems like all the experience he's had hasn't taught him patience and the ability to consider before deciding.

Can't stand-- hate to me there is a level of intolerance there, no matter what. McCain could not stand and hated Romney. There was no doubt about that.

I have a feeling McCain admires Obama on some level-- especially his being so young, including Obama's discipline and his intelligence.

McCain is old enough to be Obama's father, and their could be some resentment that this is McCain's last chance and he's got a youthful and formidible opponent who could beat him.

McCain is old enough to be Obama's father, and their could be some resentment that this is McCain's last chance and he's got a youthful and formidible opponent who could beat him.
That in itself speaks volumes...don't you think the person who wants to be the future leader of the country should be beyond petty stuff like that?

Add resentment to a short fuse and snap decisions...wooo boy.

John, you're old, get over it. Happens to the best of us.

I think the eye contact thing is overplayed. There were four separate places for McCain to look during the debate: The live audience, the moderator, Obama and the camera. We only see the camera, and only the one for the network we were watching. I did some channel surfing and you definitely got a different view from the different networks. I think it is a stretch to ascribe evil intentions to McCain based on eye contact. There are several other reasons to do so and with much better reason.