Ebert Gives McCain a Thumbs Down

Roger Ebert has written an article in The Chicago Sun-Times lambasting John McCain for not looking Barack Obama in the eye at the Presidential Debate on Friday night. (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/opps/bc.dlll/article?AID=/20080928/COMMENTARY/809289997)

That's right. For not looking at him in the eye. Here's how the article begins:

I do not like you, John McCain. My feeling has nothing to do with issues. It has to do with common courtesy. During the debate, you refused to look at Barack Obama in the eye. Indeed, you refused to look at him at all. Even when the two of you shook hands at the start, you used your eyes only to locate his hand, and then gazed past him as you shook it.

To quote tennis legend John McEnroe, "You cannot be serious."

As I was reading Ebert's lead paragraph I was thinking about Obama's repeated references to Senator McCain as "John." Well, Ebert writes, "Obama looked at you. He addressed you as 'John,' which as a fellow Senator is his privilege." I seem to recall McCain referring to Obama as Senator. Was this not sufficiently respectful? Somehow I don't think Ebert would have entitled McCain to such a "privilege" had he referred to the Illinois Junior Senator as Barack. He would have been the first to chide McCain for being condescending to The One.

Ebert concludes the article by reminding his wife not to invite McCain to dinner. Of course, this assumes he would have ever considered being in the company of McCain much less extending such an invitation to such a distinguished American. Ebert has descended the depths of disingenuousness.

In 2005, Ebert eviscerated fellow film critic Michael Medved after Medved revealed the plot of Million Dollar Baby. Ebert wrote that Medved was "a political commentator and no longer a film critic." In his article on McCain, Ebert writes, "Obama is my guy. If you are rude to him, you are rude to me." Suffice it to say, Roger Ebert is a political commentator and no longer a film critic.