Joe the plumber encounter shows Barack at his best

Barack Obama's encounter with 'Joe the plumber' and John McCain's relentless exploitation of the episode in the final US presidential debate have been widely seen as scoring points for the Republican cause. But I interpreted the Democratic candidate's campaign-trail conversation with this sceptical, Republican-leaning voter rather differently. What stood out for me watching the video of this episode was Obama's empathy and curiosity about the lives of ordinary citizens, his ability to listen, his willingness to reach out to those who disagree with him, and his formidable command of the details of economic policy - a combination of qualities that is rare in a national politician. If all goes well on November 4th, Americans will be fortunate indeed to have this man as their president. Judge for yourself: