Campaign 2008
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The 2008 DEBATES

Oct. 15, 2008: Domestic Policy
Candidates focus on rival's record (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

In debate, McCain attacks and Obama digs in

Republican John McCain made his most forceful assertion of independence from George W. Bush last night and used the final debate of the presidential calendar to deliver his most direct attack yet on Barack Obama's character and policies. (By Sasha Issenberg and Michael Kranish, Globe Staff)
Place: Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y.
Candidates: McCain and Obama
Sponsor: Commission on Presidential Debates
Moderator: Bob Schieffer of CBS
Topic: Domestic policy
Oct. 7, 2008: Issues from voters
Candidates focus on rival's record (AP)

Candidates focus on rival's record

The distinct approaches of John McCain and Barack Obama framed a tense, but largely civil, encounter as the two candidates took questions from voters at a town hall-style event in Nashville. (By Scott Helman and Susan Milligan, Globe Staff)
Place: Belmont University, Nashville
Candidates: McCain and Obama
Sponsor: Commission on Presidential Debates
Moderator: Tom Brokaw of NBC
Topic: Issues from voters
Oct. 2, 2007 -- Vice Presidential Debate
Fight for reformer title (Reuters)

A fight for the title of reformer

At the only vice presidential debate, both Joe Biden and Sarah Palin held their own and went on the attack. (By Susan Milligan and Scott Helman, Globe Staff)
Place: Washington University, St. Louis
Candidates: Biden and Palin
Sponsor: Commission on Presidential Debates
Moderator: Gwen Ifill of PBS
Topic: National and international policy
Sept. 26, 2008: Foreign Policy
John McCain and Barack Obama debate (Emmanuel Dunana / AFP / Getty Images)

Candidates clash on finances, war

Though the first debate was supposed to focus mainly on foreign policy, Barack Obama and John McCain spent more than a half hour at the outset exchanging criticism of each other's records and economic plans. (Boston Globe)
Place: University of Mississippi, Oxford, Miss.
Candidates: McCain and Obama
Sponsor: Commission on Presidential Debates
Moderator: Jim Lehrer of PBS
Topic: Foreign policy