Dinner politics

I just got back from a dinner party.  The topic of
conversation turned to politics fairly quickly.  There
was one McCain supporter in the room, versus four
Obama supporters.  I only said a few things, none of
them terribly trenchant.  I noticed some interesting things
about people's argument styles though.  The most informed
person in the room, person A, was very direct, almost confrontational.
What made his thoughts so compelling was the amount of
facts he had at his disposal.  The one who struck me the
most, though, was person B.  Person B had many good points,
but they were made in a really friendly and unconfrontational
light.  This made person C (the republican) more able to
discuss her thoughts without feeling, I think, attacked as
she probably did from my arrogant ramblings.  Person D was remarkable for
her ability to share meaningful feelings, citing for example,
that while Obama may be inexperienced (Person C's main argument)
his experience with constitutional law and general and obvious
intelligence made her feel like he would be able to understand
complex matters deeply, which in turn gave her a sense of trust.
Note to self: have lots of facts, be open, and nice!   Even when
someone is defending Palin.  You'll learn more from others,
and have more friends.  Though I'm somewhat skeptical having
conservative friends is a worthwhile goal...