A few people echoing my thoughts about the debate exactly, via Kleinheider:

Both Robert and Robin Duncan said that, as they looked at the stage in Nashville during the televised debate, they had an uneasy feeling that they didn’t see the next president of the United States standing there.

Of course, they almost certainly did.

Robert and Robin are not alone. As of late, like some kind of Stockholm syndrome victim, I’ve found Messrs. Clinton and Bush particularly strong, sturdy, and well-reasoned. Now, of course, I’m one of six remaining Bush supporters, but both men have some unapologetic gravitas that’s lacking with the candidates. Both McCain and Obama — despite his altogether coolness — appear borne out of this crazy post-9/11 decade as reactive to the times and temperament of America, rather than pushing forwards a long-range vision. As a product of how early this election cycle began (and the blindsiding of the economic crisis), the primary seasons were basically removed from the two issues that became central for this campaign: the economy and, to a lesser extent, energy. The primaries were incredibly shortsighted, basically, and so we received shortsighted candidates. Wouldn’t you feel better if Hillary Clinton were running against Mitt Romney?