Hey, wait a minute, I thought McCain wasn't going to show up for the debate unless those children in Washington got together and had a bailout deal all sewed up, ready for passage? FLIP-FLOPPER!

Not sure if it was just me but this debate was absolute snoozeville. Early on Lehrer kept trying to have Obama and McCain mix it up, as if Lehrer were a ref in a prize fight who kept having to force the fighters to take shots at each other vs. just dancing around. I thought after the initial jitters settled out the two candidates would indeed begin to trade blows, but it was not to be. Eventually I fell asleep.

Awaking this morning, I discover that Obama apparently won.

Oh well, if it takes nice-guy, above-the-fray behavior to win these things over an opponent who is known to have anger issues, then so be it (I'll just drink more coffee next time). It will likely force McCain to get down and dirty by the next debate (another Hail-Mary) in an attempt to rile Obama, hoping he'll say something regrettable, and yet would more likely make McCain appear small, shallow and mean.

Having said that, it would be refreshing to see Obama really take some jabs at McCain, nothing below the belt but have prepared some substantive one-liners that have a high-percentage likelihood of getting under McCain's skin so the viewers can get a glimpse of his temper. Some theorize that's why McCain avoided eye-contact all night. Obama should test the waters on this front next time around.