Live-blogging the debate

11:04 — Well, I have just checked Hugh Hewitt, who is a republican cheerleader, and even he basically calls it a tie.  All of his stuff is spin, though, so you have to see through it.  Had he thought McCain had scored any real points there would be an immense amount of crowing from him.

10:56 — Michelle Malkin does not claim that McCain won, and she is a right-winger, so maybe it was a boost for Obama.  Also, she is disappointed that McCain wants to keep housing unaffordable for responsible people. Thank god someone else agrees with me on this.

10:52 — FiveThirtyEight.com also calls it a clear win for Obama.  I just figured it was my bias at work when I liked Obama’s answers…

10:40 — Well, I have just checked Andrew Sullivan.  He thinks that this debate was “a mauling” by Obama and “electorally fatal” for McCain.  Wow.  I thought Obama did well, but Sully is euphoric.  Maybe it came off differently on TV.

10:35 — That’s it. Probably a draw on the whole.  I liked Obama a little better, of course.  The reason I began supporting him for president back in 2006 was that I liked his thoughtful and intelligent speaking style, which seemed to be evident here.  I was pleased with Obama’s performance.  McCain made no gaffes and seemed like a reasonable person.  I don’t think anything about the election will change because of this debate.  Still looks like advantage Obama for the presidency.

10:32 — Question is “what don’t you know, and how will you learn it?”  Obama is weaving around a bit, then returns to his family roots and the American dream.  Did not really answer the question (which is a good question I think).  Obama is basically repeating stump speech talking points here.  McCain: “I don’t know what is going to happen here at home and abroad…”  ??? “I don’t know what the unexpected will be.”  McCain is not answering the question very well either, but says “I believe in this country.”  Both whiffed on this last one, I think.

10:27 — I like McCain’s response on whether he would consult the UN before responding to an Iranian attack on Israel.  I certainly think that if Iran tries to annihilate Israel, they should expect an immediate and forceful military response from the US.  Obama also says it is unacceptable for Iran to get the bomb and does not want to give the UN veto power over the US.  He does not want to ignore the UN and diplomacy in general.  I judge them equal on this question.

10:25 — The pre-debate talk was that the townhall format would favor McCain.  So far this has felt like a normal debate and Obama has sounded as comfortable and at ease as McCain has.

10:21 — I am listening on the radio, so I can’t comment on their body language.  I wonder if this is a better way to focus on what they are actually saying?

10:15 — Obama is following up: he should have just said that he didn’t say he would “invade” Pakistan and left it at that.  By talking more he diluted his point.  Incidentally, it is a flat out lie for McCain to claim that Obama wants to “invade” Pakistan.

10:12 — Obama repeats again that he is willing to go into Pakistan if he will be able to take Osama bin Laden out.  McCain says Obama is talking big and it is turning public opinion against us.  I believe that if anyone’s opinion of America goes down because they hear Obama say he will get Osama bin Laden, then that is a person whose opinion of America is not going to be positive under any circumstances — certainly not under a McCain administration.

10:06 — McCain says “Obama will bring our troops home in defeat and I will bring them home in victory and honor” (or something like that).  To me, that just doesn’t sound right.  I personally believe that the opinion of the world toward America if Obama is elected would make it more likely that our troops would come home in victory. Also, how does McCain define victory?

10:00 — McCain: “America is the greatest force for good in the history of the world.”  Seems like a pretty grand statement, but it stokes my patriotism.

9:58 — Obama points out that McCain wants to deregulate the health care industry.  If that was meant to scare me, it worked.

9:56 — Obama says health care should be a right.  McCain just said it was a responsibility.  Obama really wants to explain his health care plan and I get the sense that he knows this stuff cold.  Obama is doing more finger-pointing at McCain, which sounds small to me.  Obama: “government should crack down on insurance companies that are cheating their customers.”  I like this!

9:52 — Question about health care.  This is a question I care about.  Probably my top issue.  Obama says that average people will be able to buy the same kind of insurance that he and McCain get and that no one will be excluded for pre-existing conditions.  Sounds good to me!  (Too good to be true, actually).

9:50 — McCain says “I know you go weary of this back and forth…” and then he goes right back into the back and forth on who voted for what bill and so forth. I rolled my eyes.  He mentions off shore drilling, which I think is a drop in the ocean.

9:46 — Obama: “I favor nuclear power as one component of the energy mix.”  I like this.

9:40 — I’m getting a little sick of Obama and McCain accusing each other of having bad tax plans and repeating the same points over and over again.

9:37 — McCain says he doesn’t want to raise taxes on anyone.  To me this sounds like he doesn’t want to raise taxes on the very wealthy, like Obama does.  I like Obama’s ideas here better.

9:34 — Obama says he wants the American government to set an example by not running up a big debt.  He also says he wants to raise taxes on the very rich.

9:33 — Obama wants to double the size of the peace corp!

9:32 — So far this debate seems pretty tame.  Both candidates sound okay.  Obama seems a bit more on point to me, but I am a decided Obama supporter.

9:28 — email question:  what sacrifices are you going to ask the American people to make?  McCain says that some government programs will have to go.  He mentions Obama’s overhead projector again.  It seems like he is determined to drive that projector point home.  Obama starts by recalling Sept. 11th.  He then reminds us that Bush asked us to go out and shop.  He claims that Americans want a different kind of leadership than that.  Obama says he is going to ask Americans to conserve energy.

9:23 — Brokaw asks the candidates to rank their priorities. Healthcare, social security, and entitlement reform.  McCain says he can work on all three at once.  Obama says energy is his top priority.  Wants to be free of mideast oil in 10 years.  I am personally skeptical he can do this.  Obama then attacks McCain on giving tax cuts to big oil companies.

9:18 — Teresa asks “how can we trust you guys when both parties got us into this crisis.”  Obama says “I understand your cynicism.”  Obama points out that there was a surplus when Bush came into office.   McCain: “I have been a consistent reformer”.  Says Obama voted for a $3 million projector for a planetarium in Chicago.

9:17 — McCain again mentions that he wants the government to buy up bad loans.  Sheesh.  This sounds like a terrible idea to me.  The last thing we want to do is prop up wildly over-valued home prices.

9:11 — Oliver asks about how the bailout package is going to help people who are hurting.  McCain says he prefers the term “rescue”, not “bailout”.  Obama accuses McCain of being a deregulator.

9:08 — Brokaw: who will you appoint as treasury secretary?  McCain obviously does not have a name in mind.  Says he wants someone that Americans can identify with.  Finally names Meg Whitman.  Obama mentions Warren Buffett (who is 78).

9:05 — The first question is about the economy.  Obama is speaking fluently.  Seems like a lot of nice ideas.  Fix healthcare, fix energy, think about the middle class, etc.  McCain: I have a plan to fix this problem — it has to do with energy independence. (???!)  It is a bad thing that home values are decling.  (not for me!).  Wants treasury to buy bad home loans and let people stay in their homes.  He wants to stabilize home values.  (I would like home values to plummet, thank you).