The Final Nail in the Coffin? Live-Blogging Debate Finale! 20 Days to Go!

I am pumped for this. This is McCain's last chance to change this race. Unfortunately, the format of this debate doesn't lend itself to a game-changer. He could try to be nasty and call Obama out on the Ayers stuff, but being angry and aggressive to a person sitting at a table right next to you tends to not play well with independents. Regardless, I'd expect McCain to throw everything but the kitchen sink at Obama tonight. If we see the kitchen sink - Ayers and Wright - we'll know how desperate Senator McCain truly is. It'll be a sign of how negative he'll be willing to go in these final weeks.


9:01: Oh, Bob Schieffer. So clearly the best of the moderators. Throwing down the gauntlet early, as he promises that if the candidates don't ask each other follow up questions, "I will."


9:03: And once more, unsurprisingly, we start on Wall Street. McCain has said that people are angry 4 times in the last minute, possibly as a subtle defense of his vocally racist rally attendees.

After Obama's well-detailed remarks, McCain overtly refuses to ask Obama a question, and goes instead into an anecdote about Obama meeting "Joe the Plumber." Obama counters that Joe's misconceptions about his tax plan probably come from a McCain campaign ad. Bam. So far, both candidates are coming across as extremely well-prepared and much more intelligent than past debates.

McCain continues to insist that Senator Obama is going to take "Joe the Plumber's" money. He also doesn't understand why Obama wants to raise anyone's taxes right now. One wonders if McCain understands the relationship between tax revenues and government spending...we could be in for quite a deficit under President McCain.

Much like the last debate, McCain suggests that businesses will outsource jobs to Ireland with its 11% business tax rate. Move over, India and China. Fear the Irish!


9:14 Bob Schieffer takes both candidates to task on deficit spending, demanding that the answer to the reality of their proposals. Obama takes the debate towards the ideological difference between his and McCain's opinions on "investing in the American people."

McCain takes a page out of Sarah Palin's book and blatantly refuses to answer the question, going back to the last question. And you thought we had nothing to learn from her...

He also replays some more of his greatest hits, referring to that DoD deal on a jet that he stopped (and mentioned in every debate).


9:21 McCain gives an incredibly snappy answer directly to Obama, declaring, "I am not President Bush; if you wanted to run against him, you should have done it 4 years ago."

He also asserts (again) that he is aiming for a "new direction." Then Obama talks about his maverick tendencies in breaking with the Democratic Party. Is it just me or did the campaign roles just reverse?

Nope, back to reality - Obama takes a jab at Fox News. And then calls McCain out on being a "vigorous supporter" of President Bush on core policies.

McCain has "the scars to prove" that he stood against his own party. He then smiles eerily at Senator Obama, and asks, "You wanna know how I got these scars?"


9:26 Schieffer is the best moderator ever. Once again he demands that the candidates answer for their negative campaigning, right here, face to face.

McCain gives the excuse that Obama refused his town hall request. To paraphrase Jon Stewart, Obama didn't want to play Monopoly, and so McCain punched him in the crotch. McCain asks why Obama didn't repudiate Congressman Lewis' remarks, and why he gave up on public financing.

This is it. Showdown time.

Obama cites McCain's 100% negative ads. And then pivots BEAUTIFULLY, towards the need to not worry about "candidates' hurt feelings" and that candidates "should be made of" the legitimate issues and policy debates. He sneaks in a hit on McCain's desire to "change the subject," and portrays himself as the guy that cares about the issues that matter to people. Well done, Senator.

McCain counters with Obama's "unprecedented" amounts of money in negative attack ads, and pretends that his campaign has been about real issues.

OBAMA CALLS THEM OUT! He defends Lewis, and wonders why Palin didn't ask those at her rallies to stop. It was an "inappropriate comparison," to be sure. But once again, Obama pivots towards the "serious differences" in their policies.

McCain is "proud of the people who come to our rallies." And seems to accuse Obama of discounting the patriotism of veterans at McCain's rallies, though I'm not sure what that has to do with anything.

Obama once again calls for vigorous debates, but warns against calling each other "bad people." McCain brings up Ayers, and says we need to know the facts. Also brings up ACORN, and I wonder how a REPUBLICAN gets off accusing a DEMOCRAT of the greatest voter fraud in history????

Obama wonders why Bill Ayers, Professor of Education, has become the centerpiece of McCain's campaign. Explains very carefully how he and Ayers ended up on the same committee, and declares decisively that Ayers has nothing to do with him or his political career.

Moving on to ACORN. Says it was the fault of volunteers who forged names, having nothing to do with his campaign.

Now we look at the larger issues of who he surrounds himself with. One thinks of his respect for the Lincoln biography, "Team of Rivals," as he talks about the bright legislators and advisors who have shaped his thinking.

McCain continues to harp on the "started his campaign in his living room" nonsense. He sounds more and more non-grammatical as this debate goes along.


9:40 Bob Schieffer deserves a medal. Asking about the choices of running mates, and how those decisions demonstrate certain characteristics. Great, great question.

Biden versus Palin? I wonder who wins this debate...
Biden fights on the side of working families, shares our core values, is a great legislator with a long list of accomplishments.

I can't wait to hear how McCain thinks that we've "gotten to know Sarah Palin." She saw corruption and she resigned? Why didn't she do something about it instead. McCain insists that she's a reformer, a "breath of fresh air." Riiiiiight... "Oh, and by the way..." Great segue into special needs children, McCain. Didn't see that one coming.

Obama dodges the question of whether or not Palin is ready to be Commander-in-Chief. He does, however, point out that McCain's spending freeze wouldn't allow for increased funding of research into Autism.

McCain insists that "spending more" isn't the answer; instead, we need transparency, accountability, and reform. Because all of those things will help fight autism, right? ...Right?


9:47 Schieffer! I hope he runs for President. A great question on the empty promises of "ending our dependence on foreign oil."

McCain ignores the climate-change side of the issue, and focuses entirely on the national security side.

Obama focuses us on the future of our economy. Borrowing money from China to buy oil from Saudi Arabia isn't a workable economic model. Growing the auto industry and growing solar, wind, and geothermal energies is the way to go.

McCain asserts that we must drill now. Doesn't really explain why, other than that we can.
He also attempts to accuse Obama of not understanding the Latin American labor situation, and Obama promptly calls him out on it, showing off his Columbia education by discussing the details of Colombia.


9:56 And once more, McCain decides that his best strategy to win this debate is to repeat all the talking points that lost him and Palin the last 3. Now he's riffing (briefly) on sitting down with Chavez without pre-conditions.


Now we move on to healthcare. Obama claims the ability to lower costs and expand coverage. Thankfully, he's not lying, because it's entirely feasible.

Obama announces, "0," as "Joe" comes up again. Not a bit of taxes on healthcare benefits. McCain has been staring at Obama, mouth agape in surprise, for upwards of 20 seconds. Obama even offers him a 50% rebate if Joe offers his employees healthcare. Now he digs back into his bag of old tricks, and hits McCain again on his $5000 tax credit versus taxing healthcare benefits.

Best moment of the debate:



This has been the best debate so far, by far. Both these guys bought their game, but while Obama's game has become increasingly presidential throughout this race, McCain sounds dottering and bitter. He also won't let this idea of Obama "spreading the wealth" go quietly into the night. Nor will he retire his really awkward "gold-plated Cadillac insurance policies" phrasing, which obviously won him so much support in the last debates. He's also completely lying about the realities of healthcare coverage.

McCain still tries to frame this debate as government getting in the way of you doing it yourself. Classic ideology clash, but it's not gonna help McCain as long as Obama explains his stance carefully. Obama quotes the Chamber of Commerce as he undermines McCain's logic.


10:07 Schieffer brings up the under-appreciated issue of the Supreme Court (gotta love this guy). McCain refuses a litmus test, even on the Roe v. Wade issue. He also ABSOLUTELY 100% DISTORTS THE FACTS ON HIS GANG OF 14 ACCOMPLISHMENTS! Hold on, before I get to that, McCain just claimed that Obama voted not to confirm Justice Breyer, when Obama was 33 and still in Illinois. I think he meant Alito, or maybe this is just another one of Grampa Simpson's history lessons. McCain clearly pieced his history together "mostly from sugar packets." Now, as for the bi-partisan compromise, Republicans were trying to outlandishly end the ability of the Senate minority party to filibuster, and Democrats wanted to stop them. 14 members of the Senate avoided this showdown, but the Republicans were completely in the wrong on that issue, and McCain has no right to claim that the Democrats were trying to merely "block a majority vote."

Also, if anyone noticed, McCain just called Obama "Senator Government."

Obama, roughly agreeing with McCain, demands that his Supreme Court appointments be intelligent and thoughtful people, because there can be moral people on both sides of the abortion debate.


As the debate shifts to abortion, McCain calls out Obama for voting "present," and for standing in favor of partial-birth abortion. McCain's eyes go wide as Obama disagrees and tries to tell the truth. Obama voted against "life-saving treatment for infants" because there was already a law on the books, and it was because the bill contained no provisions in cases to save the mother's life that Obama voted against banning partial-birth.

McCain continues to use Obama's "eloquence" as an attack against him. I hate that sounding smart seems to connote lying in his eyes.


10:16 Schieffer, asking the last of his great line of questioning, wonders how our massive spending has failed to improve our quality of education.

Obama gives a history lesson, a classic Democratic talking point, looking to the need to invest in education in order to grow the economy in order to keep our nation strong and safe. And stressing the "safe" side of that, Obama calls for "an army of new teachers."

Ah, but just in case he sounded like he was erring on the side of government, Obama throws in a reference to parental responsibility.

But just in case anyone missed Obama's education platform, McCain is going to repeat it for him, stressing the need for charter schools and merit pay for teachers (exactly what Obama said 40 minutes ago). McCain, of course, accuses Obama of wanting to "throw money at the problem."

So, let me get this straight. McCain just said that he wants to increase education quality by doing away with qualifications and certifications for teachers? "Hey you! Want to teach? Here's a ruler, have fun."

Obama reprises his role as friend of the little guy and friend of local needs, focusing on the importance of local control of local school districts. He also reminds everyone that McCain completely agrees with him on two main points (probably because of the ear-piece that Obama's wearing that connects directly to my microphone...don't you see that hump on his back?).

And just in case Obama hadn't won the vote of every last college student yet, he hits McCain on believing that affordable college is a "special interest."

For the second time in this debate, McCain seems to suggest that Palin's child has Autism. Unfortunately, it's Downs Syndrome, but hey, it's not like the difference makes any difference to Senator McCain.


10:28 Now, we get our final statements (following a creepy, over-extended McCain laugh). McCain sounds tired and drained in this final statement, almost beaten. He doesn't have the feeling behind these words that he's had in the past, just like he's going through the motions.

Still, this was easily his best debate so far. It's a shame he lost it anyway.

Obama focuses the "risk" on embracing the same failed policies of the last 8 years, not any suspicion of his character and background. Also emphasizes "coming together," and echoes McCain by expressing the honor of serving.


I lied, Bob Schieffer's mom is the coolest. McCain is quite the jokester, faking to go around the table the wrong way (I thought he was falling at first).

Tom Brokaw declares "Joe the Plumber" is the winner. Great free advertising (assuming that's the name of his business, that is).

Terrific debate; McCain failed to change people's minds about Obama (although he started very strong), but both candidates looked much stronger than they had in their past two encounters.