1) Bob Schieffer is tonight's umpire.
Domestic Policy, nine minute segments.
If you don't ask the follow-up, He will.

2) Is Nancy Reagan OK? McCain may have to leave if the situation craters.

3) Dude...what is that look on McCain's face?

4) And to be fair here, is that the real Obama, or a bobble head version?

5) Diverticulitis. next question.

6) tax question:

JM: short and long term fixes: wants to reverse decline in home ownership. Wants 300b to buy home mortgages and renegotiate.

BO: rescure plan is 1st step. No rescue package for middle class has been seen yet
1. Jobs, end tax breaks overseas
2. Tax cut for middle class less than 250k access Ira earlier
3. Wants to renegotiate mortgages
4. Mentioned health plans

Mccain bringing up Joe Plumber. This is the same position that I am in. I have a small business and dont make much money yet

Obama refutes: keeps bringing up 95% tax cuts, but that isnt true. Its a tax rebate. So if you dont work, you will get money. Good gig if you can get it.

Ouch: Mccain brings up Spread the Wealth. Sounds like Marxism.

7) Who is this plumber that makes $250K??? I'm in the wrong line of work!

8) Obama just made a joke: He said that Nobody Likes Taxes, Ha, he does.

9) I'm replacing the secret word in the drinking game from "Maverick" to "Joe Plumber"
-temporarily.

10) Rick - how do you get a rebate on taxes you don't pay?

11) Great question, ask Obama...he has a way to do it. Its a big part of his plan.

12) http://www.wsj.com/article/SB122385651698727257.html
Interesting read on that, Russ.

13) No one does like taxes but it takes money to run a country.

I am in a hotel and the colors on this TV are all wonky. Like in my case Obama is Red and McCain is green. It's so confusing but I can hear their voices and that helps some.

14) McCain is done with Maverick. He and Palin may never say it again after being hammered on how silly it is.

He's still all about sound bites, so "Joe Plumber" is sure to get you drunk in a drinking game tonight. And of course, there's always "My friends...."

15) both will add 200 billion to the deficit?
Where's Ron Paul?

16) Russ,

Truthfully, what he will be doing is this:

Say you make 20k and have a family of 4, you end up paying no income taxes. But your employer pays a payroll tax. Obama wants to give YOU $500.00. Somehow he thinks that that is a tax cut.

17) Drink until the Presidential Debate banner leaves the screen.

18) I agree Joe, spending is out of control

19) I like ending subsidies for ethanol and lifting the tariffs on Brazil sugar cane ethanol

20) I was an art major, Joe. That whole page looked like hieroglyphics to me.

21) McCain said, "overhead projector" again.

22) pretty, ain't it?

23) 2 points for McCain for "I am not President Bush." That was totally called for.

24) Rick, if you only made 20k per year for a family of 4, I have a feeling you would run to the mailbox for that $500.

25) How are we going to make money by removing the tariffs on sugar based ethanol?

26) McCain has budgets in his cheeks.

27) I'm about 2:15 behind on the DVR. I will catch up when we find out who the corporate sponsors are.

28) russ,

yes I would, hell, I will take $500 for free today.

Joe,

the point is that corn based ethanol is inefficient and is subsidized by taxpayers. it is a ripoff

29) Eye contact is happening. It's a bit scary.

30) lets see how they both dodge this question regarding dirt

31) Here we go....FINALLY the "Say it to my face" question!

32) Dirty Politics... awesome question!

33) true, Obama did back out on the townhall meetings

34) I thought McCain was going to cry

35) Rick,
Tariffs are taxes the federal government collects on goods brought in. I agree that corn products are too heavily subsidized and my father works in a corn processing plant. I think keeping those tariffs in place though brings our government money that doesn't have to come from citizens tax dollars.

36) I will say this, McCain is very good at what he does.

37) 100% of McCains ads are negative????

38) Sounded crazy to me too, Rick...but I'm sure he wouldn't have gotten the go ahead to spout that off unless his people had researched it first.

39) JOE THE PLUMBER - DRINK!

40) I will just have to agree to disagree with you on that one Joe.

True the govt collects those revenues but then the seller has to artificially raise their prices to recoup it. The consumer is punished. If Brazilian sugarcane ethanol is more efficient, then why shouldn't we use it instead of ineffecient corn based ethanol? The taxpayer and consumer end up getting hurt in the end.

41) If it isn't positively for him then it is negative...or neutral, but why would anyone pay for a neutral ad?

42) This is boring!

43) Rick,
I agree that those costs are usually passed onto consumers, but if we are going to have to bring product in from Brazil, why not collect a tariff on it? Doesn't it protect the American farmer to collect them?

44) I think Obama is playing prevent defense...McCain is actually doing the best job that I have seen him do so far in the debates

45) The terrorist question just came up....Obama might fight back hard here.

46) Look at the split screen here.

On the left, Obama - calm and cool....smooth as silk.
On the right, McCain looks like he could crack walnuts right now, and looks like he could cry any minute.

Somebody is desperate.

47) stupid DVR delay. I'm at the tit-for-tat comment.

48) Joe,

I will start a separate blog tomorrow on that. It is a great issue with good points on both sides and deserves more time. But, if you want to take first crack at it go ahead.

49) ACORN!

50) I agree Russ, McCain is desperate.

51) HERE WE GO....if Obama doesn't bite back on this one, he's crazy.

52) I'm all for giving it more time tomorrow.

53) I am glad he is finally setting the record straight in person. The Ayers/Acorn issues have really gotten out of hand.

54) Obama didnt mention that his campaign has paid Acorn 800k

He implied that they had no relationship in this campaign which isnt true

55) BINGO

What voter fraud has ACORN committed?

56) ACORN = motor voter
that's all good.

57) I like motor voats.

58) Russ,

Read any of the headlines the past week.

Registering the Dallas Cowboys in Vegas, Mickey Mouse, etc. etc. etc..

59) Biden vs. Palin
Good question.

60) Rick,

Read PAST the headlines. ACORN didn't register those 'voters'. They paid independent contractors to go out and register voters. If anything, ACORN was the victim of fraud.

Are you suggesting that Micky Mouse is going to show up in Vegas to vote for Barack Obama?

61) "Her husband's a pretty tough guy too."

WTF?

62) Those are just the names that stick out. What about Joe Smith or Jane Doe. Then these goons will go in and vote multiple times. Believe me, I live in Chicago and know how it works.

Plus, it makes you wonder what kind of people ACORN is hiring

63) I'm trying to document a high school debate 'watch' party right now. I'm trapped in a basement with like 30 kids, 3 of who have realized that a debate is going on.

64) Yeah, Dave. I'm totally not texting you back. Are you bored or something?

65) Are you sure it's not a Twilight book party, Dave?

66) McCain has blinked 4,981,293 times tonight. He wins.

67) I like adding more nuclear power plants

68) agreed.

69) Dave, how did you manage to get a "hall pass" from Courtney to go film a high school debate 'watch'? Besides I thought you told me today that you were going to catch up with an old "friend" tonight. What were the quotes for anyway? Sorry, I just don't know this stuff.

70) Now Obama wants to expand domestic production and look at off shore drilling??????????? flip flop!


I was hoping Obama would go more into his "green" economy ideas, I actually like those.

71) Honestly, I think he has always said that. He doesn't think it can be the only solution, but it has been on the agenda.

72) I thought you wanted more drilling, Rick? Looks like you can vote for Barack now!!!!

73) John McCain is so annoying to look at and listen to, if he wins I will never be able to watch him speak. He is not even staying on topic. I love how he said the negative campaigning really hurt his feelings, and then he did some more negative campaigning bringing up Ayers and ACORN. He is so stiff, he looks like he just got out of the morgue.

74) Obama has never traveled south of the US border? Is that true?

75) lol, Russ, have you been drinking????

76) http://www.palinaspresident.com/
priceless

77) Obama makes some good points on the efficient cars

78) If you watch closely McCain clamps his jaw down every few seconds. Look on his right (your left). That is crazy! Almost robotic how precise the timing is.

79) Nice site Joe!

80) Didn't McCain just try to explain to his supporters (to a rain of boos) that they don't have to be afraid of an Obama Presidency?

So why does he seem so afraid of the possibility tonight? I fully expect his closing statement to include some warning of a modern holocaust if "That Guy" gets in the white house. He'll at least mention spinners on the presidential limo.

81) I have plenty of footage of kids watching the tv, but I totally need some brief interviews to make this somewhat interesting. I'm trying to wait till it's over so I can talk to the 3 kids who are watching.

82) How is he going to cut premiums by $2500? Just wave a wand???

83) Dave: All the pie is gone. I hope you are eating some snacks.

84) Yep Rick - I've been doing shots every time McCain breaks a pencil, and looks like he's having an aneurysm. Totally wasted right now.

85) 58 minutes in and I still haven't gotten a commercial.

86) in case anyone is bored here...

http://www.palinaspresident.com/

87) JOE THE PLUMBER!!!

Drink

88) ha

89) Interview the drunk kid Dave! He will make you famous.

90) He IS gonna cry now!

91) where is the cut off line between small and large business in Obama health plan?

92) Is McCain playing Tic-Tac-Toe with himself?

93) I was going to say....5K wouldn't come close to paying for my family's insurance.

He's snapped. He's talking to imaginary people now, more than the moderator. Not a bit senile.

94) He's playing the old fashioned version of this.
http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/logic/dots/

95) JDI is Rich!

96) You can buy McCain's illustrations at http://www.mccainsdoodlez.gov after the show folks!

97) Wooo-Hoooo!

98) Obama just said "You all".....

99) Abortion!

100) Again, look at the split screen and ask yourself who should be holding the football.

101) I think I've run out of alcohol in the house, hearing Joe so many times.

102) Easy, McCain....Obama looks shifty

he needs to get his eyebrows cut

103) Where is the right to privacy in the constitution? What page? My copy doesnt include it.

104) Never mind, I've tapped into the reserves.

105) I'm sitting here watching the debate, but there's so much chatter that I can't hear much. So I keep refreshing this page to hear what they're saying. Sure seems like an interesting debate.

And Courtney, you ate the pie? You just jumped the shark.

106) Don't nuke the fridge.

107) John McCain is going to adopt every unwanted baby in America!!!!

That's it, I'm on the McCain Train.

108) Good question:

US spends more than almost every other country on education and yet we are not getting results.

109) Unpossibel. We have NCLB. We're covered.

110) good night all, I have seen enough.....I am still undecided though.

111) Rick that wasn't a question. But if it was, the answer would have been "because I said so."

112) Undecided? I saw a funny pie chart about the undecided voters today. :)

113) Civil rights issue of the 21st century?

114) The Chancellor of Washington D.C. schools has said they will start paying students to get good grades as well as paying teachers based on performance. Something to investigate.

115) McCain's facial antics are really distracting, I'm sorry but he is coming off as a jerk and Obama seems to be in much better control and has answered his questions thoughtfully and for the most part has stayed on tract.
Obama just did a great job on "no child left behind." Mandates without money.

116) It also looks like that district's annual budget is nearly 1 billion dollars.

117) McCain looks like his head is about to explode....really is this who we want controlling the "red button"??????

118) http://dcps.cfo.dc.gov/dcps/cwp/view,a,1212,q,498018.asp

119) What makes Sarah Palin an expert on Autism? She has a baby with Down's. I want to throw something at the tv but its not the tv's fault!

120) They're all "special."

121) I asked the same question out loud even though I'm sitting here alone.

122) joe said "special".....DRINK!

123) Watching McCain is a little sad in a way. His mannerisms remind me of an aging employee, passed retirement age, trying to hang on.

He's Willy Loman.

The writing is on the wall. The boss has called him into the office to give him the axe, and he's doing everything he can to convince the boss he can still sell women's hosiery. The boss doesn't buy it.

You can buy stuff online now, and Barack Obama is the Internet.

124) Are you sure he's not Mr Humphries?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Inman

125) McCain stuck out his tongue. I think he has given up.

126) McCain came across like Ringo Starr. I'm not sure which one was more irritable.

127) Yeah, I was a little surprised there at the end when McCain looked into the camera and screamed "NO MORE FAN MAIL!!"

128) He's got too much to do. After all, he does have seven houses to clean.

By the way, did McCain snort/laugh at the end?

129) Who won?
I think McCain's, "I'm not president Bush." comment is going to be all the media remembers in the morning.

130) Obama. Easily. Oh yes, and the Phillies are beating the Dodgers, 5-1. Seven outs away from the World Series.

131) Sweet. I love the underdogs. I saw one sports show call a Philles/Rays series the worst thing that could ever happen to ratings.

132) Did anyone in Philadelphia watch this debate?

133) There are no winners in "debates" like these. They are too short, structured, rehearsed, and choreographed. The greatest debate would be the two candidates, two comfy chairs, two coolers, one camera, no moderator. They would spend the entire debate watching each others' campaign commercials and calling bullshart when necessary. No time limit, no notes, just two dudes talking about trillions of dollars.

134) A poll on the Chicago Tribune's website currently has Obama winning tonight's debate with 87.3% of the vote. Of course, only 1,500 votes were tallied so far.

135) ...and it's a poll in Chicago. I'm sure the Arizona Republic poll has different results.

136) Yeah, these things are pretty much "sandboxed." Nothing really exciting ever happens. I would like to see the Quiz Show setup. Each candidate in a soundproof booth. They both get read the same question and as soon as the time runs out the candidate's audio gets cut out.

137) Maybe they could run a debate "The Joker's Wild" style. Three screens spin and that determines the question. Every once in a while the candidate would get lucky, "Joker! Joker! Joker!" Jack Barry would then count out dollar bills to fund your favorite earmark.

138) There's no freakin way that Joe the 'plumber' makes 250k a year. I know lots of plumbers, and that is not reality. He might work for a plumbing company, or a plumbing supply company selling 2,000 dollar toilets, but I'll bet 50 bucks that he wears a suit to work.

139) Man, I missed the humzoo comments. Was on twitter. Comments kind of echoed what everyone said here tonight.

Hi-light of the debate - Mrs. Shoo letting the television / McCain know about her thoughts about his edu plan.

140) Shoo,
Who had a better debate discussion, Humzoo or Twitter?

141) Well... both are great platforms that serve up data in a html format. One is more of a micro-blogging site while the other is a full blogging platform. I'd like to think Joe the plumber...

Ohh you didn't say anything about responding in debate form. Humzoo. Twitter was totally lagging. Was cool to see interaction on twitter from our local paper. http://twitter.com/sjrwebdesk

142) I pretty much yelled at the tv the entire debate. Why the hell is McCain so damn condescending? Ok maybe I was yelling because of the beer... but still! The whole Roe vs. Wade debate made me pissed off! I guess McCain plans on taking in all those children in his 8 houses? I do wish we heard more about green energy. I'm still not happy with either energy plan. I'm pretty sure McCain sealed his fate last night. BuBye and please take the wolf killer with you. Thanks.

143) Amen, Spike.

144) I actually fell asleepb sitting up-right on the couch...was the debate THAT boring. I, too, can't figure out what McCain was talking about when he kept talking about autism and Palin. Is he getting the two confused? They are no where close to the same thing. Only both under the label of "special needs children". But so are many other things!

145) Last night, I got better sleep while the debate was on than I've gotten in weeks. So now, my subconscious mind knows who to vote for...
Maybe my voting strategy will be to try and fall asleep in the little voting booth.

146) That debate made me angry. I threw things at the television.

p.s. McCain's education plan sounds like NCLB revisited...and we can see how well that turned out.

147) Great blog, Joe. Wish I'd have been on last night.

Russ-#107 That's exactly what I said. McCain will adopt all babies that are born instead of aborted!! Good for him!! (I wonder how Cindy feels about that?)