Tonight's debate loser: the American people

Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain did their damndest tonight to avoid the obvious facing the American people: an economic downturn for the next two years unlike anything we've ever seen.

Any policy agenda for energy, health care and the war on terrorism will be secondary to just keeping the American people and their families going toward the next day, week and month. That's how bad it is going to be. You can call it a Depression or not. But it will be hell, unlike most of us have seen in our lifetimes.

Sen. Obama is playing defense with a lead; so he's not going to tell people that his agenda of action will be delayed for at least for two years or more. And he sure doesn't want to be called a fear-monger for acknowledging the terrible economic future.

Sen. McCain is trying to play catch up. He actually had more specifics on addressing the economy and its woes than Obama. He actually cited a candidate for secretary of the treasury, which with the bailout of Wall Street has become the most important position in this nation. We'd better get someone of integrity and experience in that job.

Tonight's debate was the most unnotable presidential confrontation of ideas and ideals in my memory. Obama did not solidify his lead. For Americans who see national security as their priority and worry about Russia's rise, McCain picked up points.

Obama made a mistake by setting energy ahead of health care as a priority. He's wrong on that decision when it comes to people in pain physically and in their households. McCain answered correctly in saying a president could and should multi-task issues, putting energy, health care and terrorism on the front burner.

His closing argument was more effective than Obama's. He spoke of hope and dark times he had faced in his life and how it is to fight. With that statement, he won the debate hands down.

The American people overall face a very difficult choice ahead of very difficult times. Tonight, they lost in receiving any new information from the candidates to make that decision Nov. 4.