As someone who is well versed ins enior moments by personal experience (yes, you can be over 50 and use a computer), I heard "that one" not as a contemptuous reference but as Senator McCain blanking on his "what's his name.

We have many of those moments here as "that thing" is always "you know" around my house.

You also might want to consider that doing a Presidential debate in front of 100 million people is a lot of pressure to be under- I would think for most people regardless of age.

I choke on recalling people's names under pressure - doesn't necessarily mean it was a senior moment.

I'm nearly 67, married over forty years, Thankfully, My wife can finish my sentences,

BTW do we really want Palin's hubby running the show? NO!

Dude, you don't want Todd Palin runnin' things? Dude!

No, it wasn't a senior moment. It was an attempt at a jokey, over-familiar tone that didn't work within the more formal context of a debate. And here, context is everything. Given Obama's race, saying anything like "That One" or "You People" is monumentally stupid. Why is it that Obama, the younger, less-experienced of the two, is the one with the style and social graces that should be second nature to someone who's been in public life as long as McCain?

Wordman:

No, it wasn't a senior moment. It was an attempt at a jokey, over-familiar tone that didn't work within the more formal context of a debate. And here, context is everything. Given Obama's race, saying anything like "That One" or "You People" is monumentally stupid. Why is it that Obama, the younger, less-experienced of the two, is the one with the style and social graces that should be second nature to someone who's been in public life as long as McCain?

Yeah, right. And when Obama writes a book, when he has lots of time to reflect and choose his words carefully, he comes up with offensive cliches like "typical white people".

But I guess, that's OK with you.

MisterPerson seems to forget that Obama has a white mother so saying "typical white people" would be indicting himself.

Then again MisterPerson is having a few senior moments today!

There, McCain behaved with all the petulance his privilege allowed, earning the nicknames "Punk" and "McNasty." Even his friends seemed to dislike him, with one recalling him as "a mean little fucker."

Rolling Stone: TIM DICKINSON

You are asking about style and social graces that, I believe, never existed. Its pretty clear Dickinson doesn't much care for McCain, but all the same, I think 'mean little fucker' is pretty accurate.

I agree that the 'that one' comment was a poorly aimed attempt at sarcastic humor. I found the above link from 'Thy Goddess', and if I remember correctly, she labeled it 'John McCain is a Misogynist Douchebag'