The Past vs The Future

McCain in the first presidential debate of 2008 sounded like he was running for president in 1970. He went back to Russian invasion of Afghanistan to Gorbachov to his various travels and meeting with presidents of obscure countries which have long since fallen off the map of US national interests. Obama looked to the future and what he would do as the US president with the only reference to the past when he talked about his father who had looked to the US as a "beacon on the hill."
McCain presented his resume which is impressive but has obviously not equipped him to have any substantial vision about the direction the country should take. He emphasized that the only thing that mattered to him was defense spending, veteran affairs and preventing torture of detainees. He did not address the domestic issues that are going to really matter with women- the block of voters who could decide this election. His only gesture throught this campaign to women voters has been to put on the ticket a trophy female VP candidate who probably is the least qualified to be in that position than anyone in recent history.
Obama sounded well-informed, balanced and looked to the future to show what he would offer as the leader of USA. He did not drop names of the countries he had visited but instead outlined his policies on the economy and foreign affairs. He did sound unnecessarily defensive and too ready to rebutt McCain's laughable charges against him. This prevented him from setting the tone of the debate to highlight his strengths and instead addressed the issues that mattered to McCain.
Overall, McCain sounded scarily out of touch and unable to learn from past misjudgements like the Iraq war where he seems to want to remain forever. Obama needs to set the tone on his own terms, rather than address his opponent's charges. The diferences between these two candidates could not be clearer. Will America open its eyes and look?