I just wanted to share some observations on last night’s debate before my girl and I head out to the Y for some morning treadmill action:

1. I think they both did poorly. For the first part of the debate, which focused on the financial crisis, they both threw together random strings of facts and quips hoping that something would stick. Neither one assured me that he had a strong grasp of the problem.

2. I wish McCain would have been more assertive. He needed to look at Obama more often and make direct statements like, “You don’t seem to understand …” or “You were wrong about …”

3. When Obama asserted that he “stood up and opposed the war when it was politically unpopular,” Nathan and I both wished McCain had responded with, “Stood up where? A park in Chicago?”

4. Obama was condescending to Jim Lehrer, with comments like, “Please go ahead” and “You said you had one more question. Please go ahead and ask it.” That was a big turnoff.

5. McCain should never refer to himself as a maverick. It sounds silly. And, the Miss Congeniality joke was used one too many times.

6. I guess McCain was warned to keep his temper in check. But, I wish he would have been stronger. It’s OK to get a little angry/aggressive when discussing our nation’s safety and the defense of our allies.

7. McCain needed to pull a few lines from Fred Thompson’s convention speech to explain why Obama’s tax plan would be disastrous. Instead, Obama got away with the idea that taxes would be lower for 95% of Americans.

I’m glad (I think) that there are two more debates so that these two men can review last night’s performance and give us a better discussion of the ideas next time.

I’m off to battle for a parking spot with the families who infiltrate the Y this time of year to watch their kids play soccer.