Debatabloggin' - kickin' it live!

27 minutes until it begins. What will we see? Do you have the constitution to make it into a drinking game?

Every time McCain says 'My Friends' - sip.
If he says POW - drink.
If he looks Obama in the face and says Wright or Ayers - chug, and hold on tight.

If Obama says 'look' - drink
If he mentions his Kenyan father - chug
If he brings up Keating - switch to whiskey.

More soon....
...
Sort of sleepy...this better be EXCITING!
...
What if it were a presidential masturbate?
...
John McCain settling in oddly - may have ants in his pants...also his weird shoulder thing is awkward in EVERY position. Going for the black and white look - maybe a bit of nostalgia on his part.
...
Obama sporting a flag lapel pin. McCain soft out of the gate - perhaps trying to out Obama Obama.
...
None of these candidates will ask each other questions - that would be INSANE.
...
Some plumber in Ohio will be saved by McCain. With McCain's help perhaps Joe the Plumber will be able to get pants that stay up.
...
Sitting that close, I'd be drawing distracting doodles on my note pad to try to get in the other guy's head.
...
The Ireland cannard - why aren't all businesses moving there? They have good beer, bad weather, and far fewer bombs than before.
...
John McCain reflects on life during the depression...across the board spending freeze is INSANE...the effects of doing so mean tons of job losses.
...
John McCain knows how to do stuff, he just keeps it to himself. I seem to remember futile discussions in elementary school that ended in someone claiming to know stuff but otherwise refusing to give any details, thuse rendering their claim somewhat dubious.
...
John McCain is actually looking at Obama. Too bad this is the last debate.
...
McCain getting a little pissy. Not mentioning one economic policy he opposed of the Bush Administration.
...
Oooh...are you willing to say the same crap to their face...ohhh but it's all Obama's fault because he wouldn't debate him all summer long. What? John Lewis...McCain as George Wallace...brings a tear to JSM's eye. Public financing...Obama spending most money since Watergate? What?
...
Obama pivots to the American people rather than bitching. Good move. Taking the high road, though perhaps some might think he's avoiding the issue. All seems like the right thing to do to me.
...
McCain is completely unable to sustain a point over the length of his time limit. He is a TERRIBLE debater. He bounces from idea to idea hoping to score points.
...
AYERS!!! Boo YAH! ACORN!!! zang! It's all out there now.
...
Obama comes back with facts...McCain comes back with 'facts'. McCain is throwing all of the nasty out on the table...but then whiplashing back to some nonsense about his campaign being about the economy and Obama raising taxes. My neck still hurts.
...
Running mates...McCain is bound to mention her Maverickness, and possibly in those terms...wait for it...Obama stalling puffing up Joe Biden.

Sarah Palin is NOT POPULAR with 'Americans'. She has a net negative favorability rating, and not even close. But she does know autism is a problem...WTF? Man my neck hurts. How does he make these changes of direction without stopping for a drink?

Obama pivoting to spending issues related to healthcare vis a vis autism funding.
...
RAISE YOUR TAXES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
...
Onto to energy and climate change/control whatever
NAFTA!!! Canadian oil EH?

Clean safe plentiful - nuclear powered ships.

Clean coal - so clean you can whitewash a fence with it. Take it away Tom Sawyer!

Obama comes back with rationality. McCain mostly sputters, shooting out as many points as possible - incoherently or not.

Drill baby...ok maybe not. We'll look at it NOW!

Free trader or free TRAITOR?

The fist is out. Columbians are teh awesome, helping us keep drugs from the unwitting youth of America, who apparently are being strapped down and forced to use drugs by people who are not Columbians. DAMN YOU non-Columbians!

And back to energy...and then back to restricting trade and raising taxes.
...
Healthcare: controlling cost and increasing access are not mutually exclusive.

Screw this healthcare crap - more on the Columbian Free Trade Agreement.

Now for the McCain bamboozlement...we need to have each of you facing down the insurance companies on your own...and buying insurance as a group of 1. And more from Joe the Plumber.

Joe the Plumber will be the best boss ever.

And now explaining the bamboozlement...you're all screwed.
...
Big government at its BEST! Who doesn't want that? What we don't like is big government at its worst.

I have good insurance. No one at my employer has taken advantage of the non-existent hair-plug benefit.

John McCain will screw you - really. Listen to the otherwise insane US Chamber of Commerce.
...
Roe vs Wade...ugh..litmus tests bad...though a litmus test by any other name would still give you Alito/Scalia.

The gang of 14 was a terrible idea. The filibuster is a terrible idea. John McCain is a bad idea.

'Strict adherence to the constitution' is the world's loudest dog whistle. And another name for the Republican litmus test.

Obama going into the difficult place of abortion. Not explaining it well, but giving it a college try.

Lilly Ledbetter - that's a good one. Yellow Ledbetter is a good Pearl Jam song. Apparently treating women fairly is a trial lawyer's dream.

Oooh...McCain going into the born alive controversy...wow...he truly is leaving it all out there.

Obama up to the challenge...again.
...
Once again, goes for the high ground with reducing unwanted pregnancy. McCain on the other hand goes straight into the gutter, demeaning the 'health of the mother'.
...
Next question...education...why do we suck?

hard for the bad typist that is me to type and watch McCain's goofy looks when Obama is talking, so I'm essentially listening to this on the radio...just a 47" radio!

McCain - education is a civil right, but he will likely place all of the blame on the Teacher's Union. Let's send all kids to school in the suburbs. If you can't fix schools, don't even try.

McCain really has almost no concrete plans, or at least doesn't know many details of 'his' plans.

Bad teachers? Or just more mediocre teachers, like virtually all of those that taught at WHS.

Parents don't want their children to suck. On this we can degree. DC is another one of those places, like Alaska, that isn't like anywhere else.

McCain managed to remain lucid on the education issue, inexplicably. Though he still veered into Palin/special needs with little regard for sanity.

VOUCHERS!!!

CHARTERS!!!

Because of McCain's shoulder issues, watching him write is like watching someone in theater performing in front of a huge audience, weirdly exaggerated and melodramatic.
...
Closing statements.

McCain is disliked by everyone in both parties - on this we can agree.

You cannot trust this shifty dark guy sitting next to me.

There's a long line of McCain's, and maybe one too many.

Obama - Washington sucks, but W and JSM suck more.

Fundamental change. The fundamentals of our change are strong. Or in crisis. Or something.

Much better about talking to the camera than JSM.

Appealing to everyone's better angels, just like a terrorist. Shifty bastard!

Good night...and good lunch.

Bob Schieffer's mom grew up in an era when women couldn't vote, since Bob is 6000 years old.