Liveblog! Obama and McCain Meet Head On For The Last Time, Unless You Count Election Day

It's here! The final Debate of Debates, this final night that endeth a journey through an endless series of Presidential Debates from Philadelphia to Oxford to Tampa to Nashville to St. Louis to Des Moines to Cleveland to Boca to Myrtle Beach to Austin to now this — this final Night of Nights and Debate of Debates, a night where ANYTHING can happen because this race is TOTALLY UP IN THE AIR!

Well, not really. John McCain pretty much needs a miracle. But this is the 2008 election, where crazy is the new normal, so really, who knows. As the conventional wisdom goes: All Barack Obama has to do is be steady and 'Presidential,' while meanwhile McCain has to try do the same — which is a LOT harder for him. Oh well - at least he'll be seated tonight, so he won't have to worry about The Wander.

Meanwhile, NBC and CBS each led their evening newscasts with the financial crisis (sorry, ABC, I catch you at the office and left early today) - but the point is, the night of the final presidential debate, it's not even the top story because the economy is going to hell in a handbasket that is also on fire, for good measure. So really, it's all gonna come down to this. Will McCain lose his temper? Will "That One" speak professorially? (Drink every time someone on cable says that!) Will McCain dare to speaketh the name of William Ayers? And what will the squiggly lines of CNN have to say about it all? Tune in, all, because our liveblog is live....and in a few minutes, so will the final Presidential Debate of the 2008 Election. Join us below!

Update: Obama is kicking McCain's ass, and McCain is saying things like "I can do this! I can do that!" Our focus group is biased, granted, but man.

Comments

[ramsha]

All four debates have shown that MAC does not have the temperament to remain calm, at times, when it is called for most in a great leader. It is obvious that he is listening to his different advisors in the campaign and acting out. That is why his actions seem erratic. It is like a gambler going from slot machine to slot machine hoping one of them would yield better results. By and large the worst slot machine turned out to be the screaming Sarah Palin for VP.

[grannyluv]

Yippee-Let's all hear it for socialism. Redistribution of wealth - great idea. Big, really Big government with NO accountability because we will have dem's running the sentate and congress too. Can;t wait to see how much of YOUR money they get and how little you get back! If BO wins - we loose, but who cares, as long as the liberals run this country - right!!!! All the illegals will come out of this smelling like a rose and you can pay for it out of your pocket. Yippee!!!!
Americans for Tax Relief are so dumb, they don't agree with this. Can you believe it!

[Biffmeister]

"Can you believe it!"
I always have trouble believing posts like this, but here it is anyway.

[LeBeau59741]

Can anyone explain to me McCain's claim to have "repudiated" attacks made by his campaign?
The only "repudiation" I've seen was when he did attempt to talk a few folks off the ledge at one of his "town hall" rallies, calling Obama a "Decent family man" and "not someone you need to fear" after weeks of stirring up that mistrust and anxiety.
Does anyone know of anything that he's said other than on that day that "repudiates" anything?

[kdubbg]

He specifically called him a decent family in response to the accusation that he was a Muslim. As if being a Muslim automatically made him some kind of vile creature.

[Biffmeister]

The event you mention is the only one I'm aware of also. Other than that the repudiation would appear to be defacto.

[nanton29]

I thought McCain had his best performance tonight in the three contest. I am certainly not talking substantively here, because when it comes to substance and answering the question there is no question that Barack wins. However the sit-down at a table style worked for McCain. Obama on the other hand appears excels when he is standing at the podium or just walking around on stage. His height and athletic build compliments him. McCain, on the other hand seems to stumble around and is unconvincing.

[moishi]

Unlike NBC, I didn't need to read the polls to realize that Obama won. He clearly was the only man on that stage qualified to be president in this time of crisis. I just wish he would point out that--because employers must match the federal withholding tax of their employees--his tax cut for middle class earners would also result in a substantial tax break for small businesses, including Joe the Plumber. Of course, an Obama tax plan would cost more for corporations whose CEO's rake in hundreds of times what the workers make. But the small businesses that pay their workers a fair wage and don't shovel the lion's share to the top executives will be significantly rewarded.

[strangelet]

I just ran through this after the fact, mostly because I have come to expect a certain level of wit from Rachel's productions. But who are these Carney people that seem to provide 30% of the comments? I had to stop reading. I was looking for commentary on the debate, not rehashed (and thoroughly humorless) right-wing talking points.

[labman57]

I thought both candidates did a respectable job at presenting their points of view on the various issues. However, McCain once again did not appear to be comfortable in his own skin, sometimes seeming to be trying to contain pent-up rage.
This is not the temperament that we want in the person who will become the leader of the free world.

[Ipreferobama]

John McCain belittle or dimiss the importance of a woman's health in this debate. Very demeaning.

[LeBeau59741]

I was tickled that Obama had such reasonable and logical answers for McCain's attacks on his voting record with regard to abortion..­.. but slightly disappointed that he did not point out that late term abortion is quite rare and almost never happens except when the life of the mother is at stake.

[ErnestineBass]

Anybody else notice how, once the debate ended, and all the hand-shaking between the candidates and their wives was over, McCain stomped off the stage and left "Mama Moneybags" standing all alone on the stage?

McPissy? LMAO

[SantaFeStars]

I have several friends who are teachers around the country, and they are all voting for Obama.

McCain came across, again, as smirkey, disrespectful and just plain annoying. Looks like he's ready to explode any moment.

[grata2ude]

http://news.aol.com/elections/debates/article/presidential-debate-hofstra-mccain-obama/203722?icid=100214839x1211670540x1200705762

Lets get these polls going for Obama

[greenmonk]

NBC had a returning group of "undecided" voters on as a panel. Seriously, who could possibly be undecided if you are presented with the choice between continued destruction of the American way of life led by an erratically fragile opportunist with a hockey-mom riding shotgun - or - Someone who can truly lead and inspire, a modern day Robin Hood who will reverse the unfair tax burden on working people.

So of course they are not really undecided, their biggest compliment they gave to Obama is that both candidates did well. But most of them were praising McCain as the better speaker. The one that confessed she was now going to decide to vote for Obama was told she wouldn't be on the next show of "undeciders". So the wingnuts just keep pretending they are undecided, they're such proliferate liars after all, and soon have the room. That NBC can't see this this is unacceptable.

[imreal]

Those people are looking to enter show business and they recieved their few minutes of fame..Typi­cal republican­...doing what they can do to get in the spot light..I dont believe anyone is undecided at this point in the election..

[StillAmused]

Someone please pour a stiff one and get a cold, damp face cloth for Andrea Mitchell who keeps mumbling something about McCain having "won on points". Do they give points for running in circles on one foot with the other stuck in place?

Why, it's the deceptive and devastating "Curly Howard" gambit!

Nyuk-nyuk.

[CintiBlue]

LOL!!!

I can picture Curly perfectly - thanks!

[StillAmused]

Anyone remember what McCain said? Heard lots of words, lots of groping to build sentences, not much content.

Something about caring for autistic children, rebuilding America, reform, reform, reform, doing all kinds of great stuff... if only we can find some OTHER gullible country willing to pay for it all, since McCain doesn't believe in taxes -- especially for Exxon-Mobil.

As for McCain's cowardly, cheap-shot "guilt by association" surge ("We need to know"), Obama recited the actual facts so calmly that McCain didn't even feel the two-by-four when it broke over his head.

[KeithMayass]

he said : me myself and I . me me me me

that s all i remember

[mbliberal]

Hillary is rocking on CNN. She said President Obama at least twice and it sounded great!!!!!!

[grannyluv]

Hillary is already starting to run for the presidency for 2012! You go girl! 4 years of this and not doing her job we're paying her to do.