Best and Worst of the Debates

Now that the debate season has come to a merciful end, here's a look back at highlights and lowlights from the four sparring matches between Obama and McCain and Biden and Palin:

Best zombie impersonation: McCain sticking out his tongue at the end of the third debate after walking off stage the wrong way (view a series of photoshopped pictures poking fun at McCain)

Best exercise in anger management: McCain refusing to look at Obama during the first debate

Worst exercise in anger management: McCain grimacing and rolling his eyes at Obama during the third debate

Worst debating technique: Obama declaring "I agree" or John is "absolutely right" no less than eight times during the first debate

Best attempt to communicate in Morse code: Tossup between McCain's blinking and Palin's winking

Best impersonation of a retiree who can't find his Buick: McCain wandering around stage at the second debate

Biggest boon to the T-shirt and button industry: McCain referring to Obama as "That One"

Biggest winner of the third debate: Joe the Plumber, who, while capitalizing on his 15 minutes of fame, has now held more press conferences than Sarah Palin

Biggest loser of the third debate: Joe the Plumber, who, on closer inspection, turns out to be a registered Republican and a tax cheat who doesn't have a plumber's license. And his name isn't even Joe. As Jimmy Kimmel joked, "He's the Sarah Palin of plumbing."

Worst stroll down memory lane: Joe Biden's invitation to take a walk with him down the street to Katie's Restaurant in Wilmington, which, as it turns out, has been closed for 20 years

Phrase most responsible for getting people plastered in debate drinking games: "My friends"

Most mavericky: Sarah Palin winking, wrinkling her nose, giving a shout-out to a third-grade class, and blowing off debate moderator Gwen Ifill by ignoring her questions. Commander-in-chief material? You betcha!

Best debate spoof: Tina Fey skewering Palin in the VP debate by declaring "I believe marriage is meant to be a sacred institution between two unwilling teenagers," and breaking out a flute at the end and asking about the talent portion of the competition.

Worst outreach to women voters: John McCain mocking Obama's abortion stance by saying, "He's (for) health for the mother. You know, that's been stretched by the pro-abortion movement in America to mean almost anything. That's the extreme pro-abortion position, quote, 'health.'"

Worst comic fodder: Barack Obama, whose largely gaffe-free performance has comedians everywhere fretting about what they're going to do for material the next four years

See Also:
Joe the Plumber Cartoons (About.com)
Jon Stewart on the Final Debate (Daily Show)
John Oliver on Joe the Plumber (Daily Show)
McCain's Debate Faces (Huffington Post)
The Final Debate in a Minute (23/6)
The Maverick Introduces Joe the Plumber (23/6)
Undecided Voters Focus Group (Daily Show)
What Monster Did John McCain Become Last Night? (Wonkette)
Kevin Costner as Joe the Plumber (Urlesque)
Ode To John "Air-Quotes" McCain (MadKane)
Debate's Unasked Questions (Reason Gone Mad)