US Presidential Debate 3 - Live Blogging

8.53 pm - CNN gathers their focus group - another bunch of idiots undecided voters. How can ANY one be undecided at this time?

8.55 pm - Boy, this election is still dragging on. Our election was up and running much later and was done and dusted by yesterday.

8.58 pm - Another older moderator. Where are the hot young newsreader women?

9.01 pm - Breaking news - McCain shakes hand with "that" one.

9.03 pm - McCain says it's good to see you Bob. And then he turns and says "Senator Obama". And that's it.

9.05 pm - "The fundamentals of the economy are weak." Says Obama. The question was WHY is your plan better than his, not WHAT is your plan. As like before, no one answers the question. Obama again says "Senator McCain and I agree ..."

9.08 pm - McCain talks about some Joe that Obama met. Joe the Plumber - that's the name. Can you get any more generic than that?

9.09 pm - McCain: "Senator Obama will raise taxes." Obama: "He will cut taxes for oil companies." Rinse, repeat. I wonder why McCain brings this up - it just gives Obama a chance to state his plan again.

9.11 pm - McCain brings up the tax plan again. Joe the Plumber. I am sure he has a point but he is struggling to make it.

9.13 pm - NOW McCain brings his point, comparing tax rates between Ireland and USA. Just as he is making his point, the moderator shifts the topic. Poor luck!

9.15 pm - "Borrowing money from China to send to Saudi Arabia" is how Obama describes the current energy policy of USA. I like it.

9.18 pm - Again, I am wondering how such a projector in a planetarium can cost $3 million?

9.21 pm - "Senator Obama, I am not Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush you should have run 4 years ago." With that, McCain scores the first zinger of the evening.

9.24 pm - "If I am mistaking you for Bush it's because you agree with him most of the time, and propose another 8 years of the same!" Obama responds. Meh.

9.25 pm - The moderator asks the men to say face to face what their campaigns have told everyone. This should be interesting.

9.30 pm - You said I was bad, no you did! No you did! Nah nah nah ...

9.32 pm - McCain somehow schools Obama after being schooled. It's a funny thing this - McCain looks grumpy but somehow manages to get a zinger or two.

9.37 pm - Obama's strategy seems to be to get McCain to make accusations so he can refute them on national TV. It works because he doesn't get to "lose the debate", get time on TV and serves McCain no good.

9.41 pm - Joe Biden vs Sarah Palin. Who do you think is better? Gee, that's a tough one.

9.45 pm - Obama tears down McCain's support of spending freeze while spending on autism. McCain tears down Joe Biden.

9.47 pm - Zzzzz .. wait! They mentioned Canada!

Obama: "Oh yes, when Obama said he would renegotiate NAFTA the Canadians (that's us, wave!) said we would sell our oil to China." Hmm, I don't remember that.

9.51 pm - Obama gives a solid reply. Lot of facts, few nuances. My union buddy would love Obama's response. Full of protectionism. In this, I am with McCain. If Obama wants to renegotiate NAFTA, we got two words. "Softwood lumber".

9.54 pm - Somehow I think this debate is going McCain's way just because Obama is not attacking him.

9.55 pm - McCain: "Obama doesn't wanna free trade with our best ally while sit across the table with our worst enemy". Zing!

9.59 pm - Please explain your health plans.

Obama: If you got health coverage plan keep it. If you don't, take mine!

McCain: Go to Canada.

10.03 pm - Obama tears apart McCain's health plan. McCain talks to Joe the Plumber again. Maybe Obama can pick Florence the Nurse?

10.06 pm - McCain thinks he has zinged Obama on the health plan but Obama simply picks apart his argument without making a sweat.

10.08 pm - Roe v Wade. To their credit, both candidates state their positions on abortion clearly, unlike Kerry last time who waffled. Again, I am surprised at how progressive Canada is compared to the States.

PS. McCain is pro-life? Since when? 2007?

10.15 pm - Abortion. Abortion. Yawn. Thankfully the moderator aborts the discussion.

10.16 pm - I am just waiting for the debate to be over. This debate has been very engaging and boring. Somehow this is possible.

10.19 pm - How do you educate young Americans? By boring them to death, apparently.

10.21 pm - The undecided voters think both are speaking well.

Obama: "The fact of the matter is ..."

McCain: "We need to ... we need to ..."

10.23 pm - McCain: "Bush wanted to fix the problem - "No child left behind" - but he messed it up so you need me to fix it."

10.27 pm - Hurray, closing statements.

10.28 pm - McCain: "We cannot afford 8 years of the same - huh? - I fight every body, their party, my party, myself (from 2006) ... there's a long line of McCains who served the USA, and I wanna serve again."

10.29 pm - Obama: "The sky is falling, the economy is down, the end times are here. So we can NOT have the last 8 years again. I am change you need. Tax cuts. Health care. Jobs. Higher wages. Ponies for every body."

Verdict: Meh.

I think Obama came out ahead because he didn't lose. Or, as McCain told him when he shook his hand again, "Good job".

PS. Did Michelle Obama gain weight?

PS. Michelle looks hot.

US Presidential Debate 2 - Live Blogging

8.53 pm - 'Perception analyzer' - probably the most over-hyped product on CNN.

9.01 pm - wow, just had a look at the moderator. Apparently John McCain won't be the oldest fossil on stage!

9.04 pm - "A lot of you are worried," says Obama. "This is the fault of Bush and McCain." All this in answer to what he would do. And then he talks some talking points.

9.06 pm - "Senator Obama, good to be with you here tonight." McCain says. First lie of the evening.

9.10 pm - Who would you appoint as Secretary of Treasury? Both Obama and McCain gave the same answer - "Warren Buffet". But Obama didn't say this time "Senator McCain is absolutely right."

9.11 pm - Ouch! Obama just says "Senator McCain is right we have to stabilize blah blah..."

9.12 pm - "Senator Obama and his cronies ..." Oh my, that's low, McCain. Low!

9.16 pm - Very good, polished, dare I say, presidential reply to McCain's charge. He is continuing his cool demeanor from the first debate.

9.19 pm - "There's blame on both sides but it's all George Bush McCain's fault." Obama should be a lawyer.

WHAT is a "net spending cut"?

9.21 pm - I can't focus on what McCain is saying, as he keeps moving around too much. I notice Obama stands at one spot. McCain goes attacking Obama now. Boy is he nasty.

9.26 pm - What will you prioritize? McCain says everything and Obama lists them in order. And who says who doesn't have a plan?

I am reminded of Dion's statement "Do you think it's easy to make priorities?"

9.29 pm - McCain brings up a Chicago projector again. "We have to have a spending freeze." And then he says "defense". "We are not rifle shots, we are Americans."

9.30 pm - Obama is now for offshore drilling. He then tells everyone to be green. Seems to have looked up Dion's Green Shift.

9.33 pm - Obama is doing a Clinton, bringing up normal, every day examples. Teacher living in a budget, CEO = bad guy and so on. "McCain wants to use a hatchet to cut the federal budget while I want to use a scapel."

9.35 pm - "Obama is Jello", says McCain. What?

9.40 pm - Wow, Obama is on fire. McCain is king of bad jokes.

9.41 pm - McCain's solution to everything: We gotta seat down at the table and reach across the aisle ...

9.44 pm - McCain: "Senator Obama wants nuclear power that is safe. Haha, chicken! I have been on navy ships that are nuclear powered. It's safe!"

I am paraphrasing of course. Not!

9.46 pm - Again, Obama points out there is something he and McCain agree on. But this it's a dig on him.

9.48 pm - McCain: Obama voted for a bill with goodies. I voted against. Actually he doesn't even say "Senator Obama". He says "that man". Wow, low. *UPDATE* it looks like he said "that one", not "that man" (as per the comments). Even lower!

9.50 pm - Obama gets a question on healthcare. This should be a softball. "We have a moral commitment to do something." Obama then gives a step by step plan. Any bets McCain will say "my friends" and "we have to work across the aisle"?

"What one hand giveth the other hand taketh away" is how Obama describes McCain's health plan.

9.54 pm - "We have to give Americans choice, not mandate healthcare." That's McCain's take. He didn't even mention reaching across the aisle. *Sniff*

9.56 pm - Obama brings up his mother and her cancer death bed. *sniff*

I have to say again Obama is on fire. He countering charges effectively and he sounds more genuine.

"Did we hear the fine?" McCain's bad joke #3.

10.00 pm - McCain gets his own softball, a question about US army deployments as a peacemaker. McCain shines on this, saying he opposed Lebanon and so on.

"Short career" and "on the job training" is how McCain characterizes Obama.

Obama sidesteps the surge smear and deftly maneuver Iraq as McCain's bad judgment.

10.06 pm - "If we don't act (when there's genocide and ethnic cleansing) it diminishes us." Obama doctrine.

10.07 pm - "I know US military situations. I have been here all my life. I know what to do." McCain doctrine.

10.09 pm - Obama is asked a question on Pakistan. He should be able to clear this without any problem.

"Pakistan is the Central front on the war on terrorism." I am guessing some of my Pakistani friends supporting Obama must be thrilled.

10.12 pm - "... same strategy that succeeded in Iraq ..." says McCain. A strategy that succeeded in Iraq?

10.13 pm - "If he gets a follow-up I want a follow-up" McCain rants. He is justified but looks petty. Unfortunately.

10.15 pm - McCain repeats "I know what is it like to handle young Marines". Sounds dirty!

"I am not going to telegraph my punches." McCain gets a good joke finally. And then, "I have been a military person."

10.17 pm - Amazingly, Obama is schooling McCain on foreign policy. McCain repeats "General Patreaus." He must be McCain's favorite general.

Finally McCain says "Obama is correct in ..."

10.20 pm - "We have got to show moral support for Georgia." This is McCain's home turf, and he speaks correctly and convincingly on the Russian threat.

Obama: "We have to see around the corners. I put out a statement last blah blah ..."

"We tend to be reactive." Obama again brings up Iraq.

10.24 pm - "Is Russia an evil empire? Yes or no?"

Obama gives a long winded reply.

McCain: "Maybe!"

Haha, second good joke of the day. Then he says the same thing as Obama but it is funnier.

10.28 pm - Mandatory Israel question. Mandatory Israel rah rah from both the candidates. McCain gives the more passionate reply. Obama has the more explanatory one.

10.31 pm - "What don't you know and how will you rectify that" is the question.

"Ask my wife," says Obama, to great laughter. It's a great funny line.

"It's never the challenges that you expect it's those that you never thought of".

10.33 pm - "What I don't know is what is the unexpected", is McCain's response. Boooo-ring.

However, a great closing line. "Put my country first."

Verdict: I give this debate to Obama hands down.