The Debate: Liveblogging I

9:22: Obama: McCain's health care plan taxes health benefits...calls it "not a good deal for the American people..."  calls it "an example that the market can solve everything..." McCain: "this is a classic example of walking the walk and talking the talk..."  McCain: Obama voted for 2005 energy bill which was "festooned" with breaks for the oil companies.

9:21: Obama: 95% of you will get a tax cut. If you make less than $250K, then you will not see one dime's worth of tax increases.  On business taxes: "so many loopholes that have been written into the tax code, often with the support of John McCain."   Obama's saying things like "people out there who are working every day..." a lot...

9:19: McCain defends corporate income tax cuts.... and goes back to spending... not sure that earmarks are a big trigger issues these days..

9:19: Obama: "Eliminating earmarks alone is not how to get the middle class back on track..." 

9:17: Sen. Obama "suspended those requests after he was running for President of the United States...$932 million in request...maybe to Sen. Obama is not a lot of money..." McCain goes back to corruption...earmarks "corrupts people"....  Obama's proposing 800b in new spending, McCain says. "Worst thing we could do in this economic climate is raise taxes."   Obama: "I don't know where John is getting his figure..."  lists his spending/economic plans...

9:16: McCain, citing Coburn: earmarks are a "gateway drug." McCain campaign sends out memo entitled: "DEBATE FACT #1: A RECORD OF FIGHTING FOR REFORM."  McCain's laugh line didn't draw a laugh b/c audience told not to veto. McCain: Obama "has asked for $932 million of earmarked pork barrel spending...I suggest that people go up on the website of Citizens Against Government Waste."  Obama: "let's be clear. Earmarks account for $18 billion dollars in last year's budget... Sen. McCain is proposing $300 billion in tax cuts to some of the wealthiest corporations and individuals in the country..."  Obama: CEOs get tax cuts, other Americans don't.

9:13: That 13 minutes was pretty uninformative.

9:12: McCain: "We've got fundamental problems in the system. Main street is paying a penalty..."  McCain: "I have a fundamental belief in the goodness and strength of the American worker...we've got to get through these times..."  Believes in USA.

9:11: Obama: we need more accountability "but not just in a crisis." Turns back to Bush administration again.... Obama: "ten days ago, John said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong..."  Lehrer's trying to get them to fight, but it doesn't come natural to them.

9:10 McCain's tie is bleeding over on my TV

9:08: Obama optimistic about "capacity to come together with a plan." Obama goes right back to Bush admin economic philosophy...McCain says he "hopes" to vote for the plan. McCain: "I also warned about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.. a lot of us saw this trainwreck coming."  McCain brings up Eisenhower's letters on the eve of the Normandy invasion...one of them a letter of resignation for the failures..."someone, we've lost that accountability." 

9:05: McCain mentions Sen. Kennedy, says he's in the hospital, but by this point, Kennedy has been released by the hospital. McCain "not feeling too great" about a lot of things...McCain says that in DC, "GOPers and Dems coming together, trying to work out a solution to this fiscal crisis that we're in."  ... McCain: "It was the House Republicans that they decided that they would be part of the solution of this problem..."  McCain says crisis is not over...sober tone...

9:04: Obama on financial recovery plan...where does he stand?  Starts with Axelrodian-connect-with-average-American language... not so much answering the question... just listing his principles...leaving room for McCain to answer simply....links crisis to Bush-McCain economy....

9:03: Who won the handshake? Just kidding..

9:02: Direct exchanges and cross-talk encouraged.

9:01: HD makeup is different than regular make-up....

8:56: Both Obama and McCain campaigns sent out lengthy pre-buttals.

8:54: The Nagourney rule: watch debates on TV just like everybody else. No Oxford, MS, no spin room here.

8:50: Source on status of bailout negotiations: "Staff working thru the nite tonite -- may have principals meeting tomorrow; vote Sunday at earliest -- may be into next week."

8:49 pm ET: One prominent Dem fundraiser e-mails: "I'm worried that Barack gets knocked around and  flustered by McCain's simplicity and likely populist message..."

Tags: debate | live blogging | McCain | Obama

Comments

I think round #1 goes to Jim Lehrer...

Posted by TheTallestTree | September 26, 2008 9:10 PM

I think neither candidate stood out on the economy although Obama appeared more sympathetic, but his record on spending belies a troubled agenda. McCain made one good point on spending but overall they didn't stand out. On the second part, foreign policy, Obama's lack of actual work contact showed through. He is lost and struggling. He clearly became frustrated more than once. McCain took that segment, so with no clear winner on segment one it's at minimum a close tie. At maximum McCain won but not by much.
Chaulk this one up to McCain. But he better do more next time or he'll lose and Obama will win. Obama better take control immediatly next time or he is in trouble.

Posted by Doug Denehie | September 26, 2008 11:54 PM

McCain is so much better for this country. If Obama wins, all of the business owners that work hard to start new jobs, that in turn helps the economy, will be screwed with higher taxes! We already work into May for the government. Penalize the ones that don't try (people that take advantage of welfare) and reward the ones that do (people that start businesses).

Posted by elletonya | September 26, 2008 11:58 PM