One the biggest wtf moments of the debate last night between John McCain and Barack Obama, when instead of referring to Obama by his name, McCain called him “that one”.

Last night on Twitter, blog@migo Kai pointed out how whenever McCain was asked a question by a person of color, McCain seemed incapable of referring to that person by name. I also noticed that while Obama watched McCain intensely, McCain couldn’t seem to focus his gaze on Barack.

While my fellow high school alum doesn’t want to make it about race, I ask then what is it about? What is it about reducing a man, in this case, yes a man of color running for president, to an object? As if there is no wider historical/social/cultural context for dehumanizing people of color.

What was it? General assholeness? I’ll accept that answer too.