Live Debate Post

8:57 To review from the pre-debate post, I'm watching MSNBC (in case I comment on a particular shot angle or something, or a commercial), and also following online at the C-SPAN Debate Hub, and I'll be continuously posting within this post, so keep refreshing!

9:01 Showtime at the anti-Apollo. Doesn't get more anti than a university in Mississippi

9:03 Why the acrobatics to try to shoehorn economics into the foreign policy debate? Just say "ok, economics, go!" It's like "How It's Made" on the Discovery Channel, where they have a little intro into why water heaters are important or whatever instead of just getting on to how it's made. Just go!

9:05 Lucky for Obama to get to go first. He gets to be the first to say all the obvious stuff like opposing CEO pay

9:06 Obama needs to say "fundamentals of the economy" as often as possible

9:06 Why the mention of Kennedy? He's out of the hospital already! It was a minor seizure!

9:07 "Probably, certainly" followed up immediately by a reference to the fact that he's an old man. nice!

9:09 Obama's desperate to not answer if he's in favor of the bill. Of course, I'm sure McCain will do the same.

9:10 Taking McCain's line about a 21st century regulation plan.

9:11 What a long way to go to not say much with the Eisenhower story, John!

9:12 Attaboy! "fundamentals of the economy fundamentals of the economy fundamentals of the economy fundamentals of the economy"

9:13 Lehrer's trying to pick a fight between the candidates

9:14 Barack needs to ask McCain what exactly he wants to cut. Earmarks are in the grand scheme of things a tiny portion of the budget. You could completely get rid of earmarks without making much of an impact on the deficit. What else are you going to cut?

9:15 He's still mentioning the $3 million for bear DNA despite picking a VP who did almost exactly the same thing.

9:16 YES! Obama is in fact talking about the insignificance of earmarks. This stuff ain't so hard. Archinal in 2024! You heard it here first

9:18 People weren't corrupt before the last 5 years?

9:19 This is a fun format for a debate, ain't it? They're going to be cutting each other off before this is over. Hopefully McCain will bang on his lecturn with his shoe.

9:21 But under McCain's plan, 100 million families won't see a dime in income tax cuts

9:23 The vast majority of Americans are hearing about "taxing health care benefits" for the first time right now

9:24 McCain has tried and, by his own admission, failed to control spending.

9:25 The "voting for tax increases for people making $42,000 a year" is based on votes on broad, non-binding budget guidance resolutions. No one's taxes would have been raised by Obama's votes.

9:27 Apparently Obama thinks it's more fun to talk about what we can spend money on instead of what we can't, which is what the question was.

9:30 That was actually a pretty good answer from McCain about cost-plus contracts

9:31 Obama did a good job of stepping on McCain's "hard to reach across the aisle from that far to the left" line, knocking McCain off rhythm.

9:33 Classic illustration of differences between them. McCain wants a "spending freeze", capping all spending with one fell swoop, whereas Obama wants to have a more nuanced approach

9:34 Is it just on my computer that the C-SPAN instant response graph thing isn't working?

9:36 Classic Republican "Harry and Louise" scare tactics on Obama's health care plan

9:37 Obama needs to mention Bush more

9:40 Why exactly does he think Iran doesn't have increased influence even if we "win"?

9:41 "Senator McCain and President Bush..." Keep saying that, Barack!

9:42 Here's a timeline of McCain's statements on tactics and strategy in Iraq to debunk his claim just made that he has opposed Bush's war execution since 2003

9:43 True, the next President won't have to decide if we have to go in Iraq, but he will have to decide if we go to war in Iran, Syria, Russia, Lebanon, etc. So who thought what about the previous decision is kind of relevant, despite McCain's hopes.

9:44 Good job with remembering McCain's quotes re: WMDs and being greeted as liberators

9:47 Nice answer about voting against funds for troops, making it instead about timelines

9:50 Gotta admit McCain's doing better on foreign policy questions than he did earlier

9:53 McCain didn't push the parallel between Afghanistan in the 1980's and Iraq today as hard as I thought he was going to. I expected a more explicit statement that leaving Iraq will risk a Taliban-like government in Iraq eventually...

9:56 Wow, Obama went to the "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran" thing! The claws are out more than I expected

9:58 Where's McCain going with this history lesson?

9:59 So he's saying "I know how serious war is, but I'll make jokes and sing stupid songs about it anyway"

10:00 It's time for an old-fashioned bracelet-off!

10:02 McCain got more than a little snotty there with the "when I chair a sub-committee..." thing

10:03 Then stop wasting time, Jim!

10:04 "And I don't care how many brown people I have to kill to avoid that Second Holocaust!"

10:07 "But Russia and China are bad! We can't talk with them!"

10:08 Is Obama going to mention the "never negotiate from fear, but never fear to negotiate" line? Let's find out!

10:09 Attacking Obama on meeting with Ahmadinejad et al didn't work for Hillary. Why does McCain think it will work for him?

10:12 McCain is really trying to hammer on the "Obama doesn't understand" line

10:17 Look how many nationalities Obama can name! See, he's qualified!

10:20 I'm sorry, I'm bored by this Russia stuff. There, I said it

10:24 Apparently Obama's bored, too, as he's doing some contortioning to get back to energy

10:25 Obama's looking over at McCain a lot, while McCain's looking at Lehrer or the floor. If you're into reading body language, that's a plus for Obama

10:26 McCain said "How could anyone be against alternative energies?" Come back to this blog this weekend (probably on Sunday, as I'm on call all day tomorrow) for a list of times McCain voted against it.

10:27 McCain's said several times tonight that he thinks we tortured people since 9/11. Does that mean a McCain Department of Justice will pursue criminal charges against members of the Bush Administration?

10:31 Ending our occupation of Iraq is not just Obama's plan. It's the plan of the Iraqi government!

10:33 Heh, Obama was apparently saving the "We're spending $10 billion a month in Iraq when we could use that money to fund X, Y and Z here" argument for near the end, when it's more likely to be remembered. Well done

10:34 Oh, well if McCain thinks Obama is unprepared, I'm convinced. Thanks for clearing that up, John!

10:35 McCain says, basically, "Ready on Day One!". Great! Again, that worked so well for Hillary

10:37 And we're done. Another new post for post-debate thoughts