Tonight will be the last time these two men have to be in the same room and look at each other. (Actually, looking is optional.) Barack Obama, with a sizable lead in the polls, just needs to—sports metaphor!—run the clock down and take a knee, while John McCain might have to roll the dice and actually say something useful to the American people.
It will all take place during the third and final presidential debate, held at Hofstra University in Long Island. This is probably the Arizona Republican Senator's last best chance at clawing his way back. After tonight, it's nothing but attack ads and promises of nude pictures of his daughter, Megan, to surface if he wins.
All right, that last one you might be waiting forever for. But tonight has to yield some sort of surprise. After all, BC Magazine is going to live blog the whole thing. The fun begins at 9 p.m. EST, but the live blog will kick off a tad before that, so we as a group and community can fan the flames of partisan rhetoric ahead of time, that way the marshmallows can begin to singe quicker than you can say "subprime mortgage."
Sure, you can comment on the debate "below the Amazon belt," but in this case, sweet heavens, why? Using CoverItLive technology, you can step into this little applet window and spout off your nonsense with us. We merely ask that you be as courteous as you would be with anyone else on Blogcritics. Um ... check that. We merely ask that you be more courteous than normal. We don't want to have to throw the one-time banhammer at anyone. (Actually, we love doing that. So please deprive us of our one true vice.)
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Ramsey Ksar
Hey, if you want to try out another service, check out gsnap.com. It's a new service similar to coveritlive but different in many ways (you can broadcast updates to/from a mobile phone in addition to them web). They're also covering the debate.
Previous debate
Upcoming debate.
2 - Matthew T. Sussman
Actually I think we'll go with the software that doesn't draw traffic away from Blogcritics.
Also, kids, Dave Nalle will be liveblogging with me. With two sources of hot hair, we'll see if CIL technology can withstand helium-like force.
3 - Erik
McCain seems more on the offensive this debate.
4 - Mike H
Obama is getting his teeth kicked in tonight. McCain has changed the game.
5 - Heloise
Sussman I've been live blogging before you ever got online and I've never heard of censoring it. Usually done between professionals but I don't get the methodology here. There are only a few people here to begin with.
Heloise
6 - Matt
Its a shame. The only insightful moment so far was McCain's comment that Obama's corporate taxes would decrease jobs because companies will go overseas. Now we're back to the mudslinging. I'm over this election.
7 - El Bicho
"Actually I think we'll go with the software that doesn't draw traffic away from Blogcritics."
but you'll post commets that do? How did georgia's 9:40 Best.question.ever link get through
8 - Heloise
Sarah's future job "advocate for special needs" she'll fit right in with the Kennedys if she goes there.
In fact she has special needs like a brain.
Heloise
9 - Heloise
Sheifffer has to muzzle McCain. Old folks like to ramble on and McCpone has that down pat.
10 - jwd21
John McCain is kicking butt! He's made a turn around in this debate, but again I suppose the media (not the American people) will nominate that smiling monkey (that's not racist, he looks like a chimp when he flashes that "I'm better than you" smile) as the winner.
11 - DJ
McCain cool down you are losing!!
12 - Clumper
Who does Obaaa think owns all those "big corporations" he wants to tax out of existence? Millions of little people - teachers, union members, firefighters, government emoployees and regular Joe Sixpack families - who have pension plans and 401(k) plans and investment clubs. Obama deliberately misrepresents the percentage of small businesses that exceed his $250,000 threshhold for damatically incre4ased taxes. He is a fraud and charlitan.
13 - Heloise
There you have it folks: how live "crap" blogging goes with conservatives--they're all conveniently for regulation when it comes to opposing views!!
14 - John Wallace
Look. Obama is kicking McCain's teeth on healthcare.
15 - Heloise
Lizards have no teeth didn't ya know? I mean McCain looks like a smiling cameleon. I don't mean that as racist but when he smiles I think reptile in the grass.
People said Hillary looked like a chipmunk with her big cheeks and I was sure she laughed at that.
Heloise
16 - Leigh
McCain is slightly dismissive of Obama. When will he learn that throwing rocks at your opponent makes him look weak.
John focus on the issues not on the other guy
17 - Foruma
The most important debate in our nation, and not enough time allocated to it
18 - lorry
McCain is on the attack because he is desperate to recover his losses. His conduct is sly, sarcastic and sneaky, twisting facts in his desperate scramble. Obama has been clear and concise as usual but I don't know why he has been not more aggressive in McCain's ludicrous choice of running mate though.
McCain's attacks about Obama never traveling to South America (esp columbia) --- does he know who he has chosen to possibly give the reins of the united states and much of the world to??!!! - someone who is ridiculously and proudly un-international in their experience and outlook.
I mean this talk about Joe the plumber is really some cheap psychological tactic to relate to the individual voter with this fictional 'joe' entity. Lets look at the bigger picture here.
19 - sally
I am so proud that Obama has been talking about what he is going to do and sticking with the issues.McCain scares me on health care! Is he nuts! Obama is so presidential unlike McCain who keep jabbing at Obama, he. reminds me of a bully, not a president.
20 - Heloise
Ooops there it is: the McCain eyerolling at Obama comment on S. America will go down in history as the moment that McCain lost it, I mean the election.
WTF? According to McWhat having a Dow's child makes one fit to be VP or POTUS? When did that happen. White people can get into the White house just by fucking showing up!!!
Heloise
21 - Marc
Doesn't Palin's child have Down Syndrome?
22 - Erika W
Did you guys hear McCain mention that 'those big cadillac style healthcare plans that include things like cosmetic surgery and transplants'!?
I guess I'm being frivolous with that new kidney I need, huh?
23 - Heloise
Oops Freudian slip...she has trisomy 21 aka Down's syndrome. They don't know flip about Down or Dow to tell the truth, not even the difference LOL
24 - Heloise
My headline: "The Last Wednesday" goes from A (Ayers) to Z (zzzz as in sleepfest)
Heloise that's my headline
25 - Dr Dreadful
An excellent, well-moderated debate. McCain came out swinging and dominated the early exchanges. But Obama absolutely killed him on healthcare and he seemed to go back into his shell after that.
Obama was cool and collected throughout, brushed away McCain's Ayers/ACORN attack like dandruff, and didn't fall for any of his opponent's goading.
McCain did come to life when the conversation turned to education and performed impressively, which surprised me somewhat. I hadn't realized he was so passionate about that subject.
Overall, a controlled showing from Obama and a solid performance by McCain - although by no means the ass-kicking he promised to deliver.
A tie, and game over, I think.