Obama, McCain agree! (On the FAA. Sort of.)

As the venom continues to flow in this entertaining presidential race, we've found one area in which Barack Obama and John McCain are in accord. And you can thank computer problems at the Federal Aviation Administration.

By now you've heard that some kind of FAA communications glitch led to hundreds of delays Tuesday, including a couple of dozen in Charlotte. In historical terms, this is far from a big deal. But we also live in a time when people love to whine about air travel, so it's no surprise that the two guys jockeying for the White House weighed in with statements:

"The news that the Federal Aviation Administration has experienced a communications failure that has delayed flights across the eastern United States is yet another example of Washington failing the American people. It once again highlights the need to reform and repair a broken system. While we still do not know the full extent of today's problems, we do know that unless action is taken now, the breakdowns of today will become all too common in the future." -- John McCain

"This incident is yet another reminder of how dependent air travel in this country is on an antiquated air-traffic control system. Airline passengers are sick and tired of delays and cancellations. It's time we overhauled the system. As president, I will work to deploy the next generation air-traffic control system, and order the FAA to work in the interim to minimize disruptions like the one we experienced today." -- Barack Obama

Whose statement is better? Like I'm going to touch that question in this politically-charged environment. (Nor will I wonder what Hillary Clinton would say.) I do find it interesting that Obama referenced a next-generation air traffic control system -- something the airlines have been demanding forever -- while McCain more generally mentioned "reform," "repair" and "action."

But none of that means anything, really. Between the activity in Iraq and Afghanistan and the economy -- plus the sheer cost of revamping air traffic control in this country -- I'm skeptical that either guy will make the prevention of future glitches a top priority come January, especially as airlines reduce the number of planes in the air. We'll see.