What were they expecting...

..."I know Sidney Portier, and you're no Sidney Portier"?

Senators John McCain and Barack Obama landed some punches Friday night, but neither delivered a knockout blow in the first presidential debate featuring the two party nominees.
Heading into the debate McCain was supposed to have the edge, given that the topic was originally focused solely on foreign policy and national security. However, the economic emergency that has struck the nation and the world forced an 11th-hour format tweak to allow the candidates to address the issue. The first forty minutes of the debate was on the economy, with moderator Jim Lehrer offering both candidates a stage to elaborate on how they would address the urgent situation.
Polling shows that voters have more confidence in Obama than McCain when it comes to the economy. McCain, though, warmed up as the discussion turned to his turf: foreign policy. When it comes to terrorism and Iraq, voters prefer McCain over Obama. While McCain successfully pointed out that he clearly has more experience on foreign policy issues, Obama did hold his own.
The timing of the debate, in the middle of negotiations for the $700 billion economic bailout package, added to the tense atmosphere that was already heightened by the aversion McCain and Obama clearly have for each other.
McCain continued to try to paint Obama as inexperienced and unable to hit the ground running on day one if elected president. In turn, Obama sought to tie McCain to the Bush administration.
One of the sharper exchanges of the night came over the issue of Iraq and, in particular, McCain's direct criticism that Obama did not support the surge of U.S. troops into the country. It prompted Obama to fire back that the war in Iraq did not begin last year, but in 2003.
The candidates also sparred over meeting with leaders of hostile nations as well as how the United States should deal with Russia.

Rico says it's like watching two junior-high-school kids fight; one awaits the first 'your mama' in these debates...