(October 15, 2008
Hempstead, NY
Hofstra University
Focus on Economy and Domestic Issues
I gotta say, being from Long Island and having the final debate here at Hofstra is pretty exciting. Too bad it was virtually impossible to get tickets. According to all objective measurements, Obama/Biden are 3-0 so far, and I'm sure Senator Obama will be looking for the sweep tonight. John McCain finds himself in an unenviable predicament. On the one hand, he desperately needs to shake up the race and cut into Obama's lead while making him seem unacceptable. On the other hand, his relentless attacks have seemed to backfire, with Obama seeing consistent (albeit modest) gains in his already decent lead. John McCain has already promised to bring up Ayers, but will he actually do it? Will we see the mythical "honorable" McCain we've heard so much about? Or will we see an extension of the wingnut-fueled do-anything pol of the past few months? We're about to find out.
In the meantime, check out this hysterical McCain debate prep video.
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9:00 pm: Are we're off.
9:00 pm: First question: Why is your economic proposal better than the others? McCain repeats the lie that Fannie and Freddie are the real culprits behind the economic collapse. For more on that, read Matt Taibbi's smackdown on Byron York.
9:07 pm: Obama goes right after the middle class.
9:08 pm: McCain is absolutely botching his response.
9:09 pm: Obama to McCain:" "Looks like you're watching some John McCain ads." Sets him straight on his tax policy.
9:11 pm: McCain: Obama's entire economic policy is based on "class warfare"
9:17 pm: McCain is pulling a Palin, answering questions that aren't asked. Undecided Ohio men are loving it.
9:20 pm: "I'm not President Bush. You should have ran in 2004 if you wanted to run against him."
9;22 pm: McCain gets aggressive. Ohio men love it, Ohio women not so much.
9:23 pm: Obama nails FOX News. "Even FOX News says that's not true."
9:25 pm: Scheiffer on attacks: Say it to his face!
9:27 pm: McCain avoids Ayers altogether. Gets all his jabs in pretty effectively.
9:31 pm: How can McCain say with a straight face that he's running a positive campaign?
9:33 pm: Did Obama really just bring up Ayers himself?
9:35 pm: McCain unloads his ACORN and Ayers clip.
9:36 pm: Obama: Let's get the record straight on Ayers and ACORN. Fingers crossed.
9:37 pm: "Mr Ayers has become the center piece of your campaign, Senator. Your attacks say more about about your campaign that they do about me."
9:40 pm: Obama is doing a poor job of calling out McCain's disgusting campaign tactics.
9:41 pm: Running mate question. Can McCain actually sell Palin?
9:42 pm: McCain adequately re-brands Palin. Is it really smart for Obama to avoid critiquing her completely?
9:46 pm: Obama is coming across pretty wonkish tonight.
9:52 pm: The dials love Obama talking about Detroit making the cars of the future. Obama really needs to run more positive, 21st century-themed ads. The one during the Olympics was great.
10:00 pm: Joe The Plumber is John McCain's new BFF.
10:04 pm: Obama savages the McCain health care "plan"
10:07 pm: McCain enters the minefields of "crazy base land" on the issue of judges and abortion.
10:10 pm: Obama impresses with his views on abortion despite McCain's disgusting attacks.
10:18 pm: "Professorial" Obama is incredibly articulate and effective.
10:24 pm: McCain has some serious contempt for Obama. The body language couldn't be clearer.
10:25 pm: Hysterical:
10:17 EDT: [Sean] Who's in charge of toweling off Roland Martin after this debate? He's hitting that button like he's fighting Mike Tyson at the end of Punch-Out.
10:27 pm: Damn, that McCain smirk is creepy.
10:30 pm: Strong closings from both. Off to spin alley.
Gergen: "It was like an exercise in anger management for McCain up there."
