And the winner is...

John McCain made some good points, but he sure looks old and tired.

Calling these things "debates" is a ridiculous joke!!! Stop cutting everyong short Tom Brokaw, a debate involves BACK AND FORTH!!!!

Such a waste of time, just stump speeches thorughout...

I'm glad that we got the straight talk from both campaigns about who won... at least now everything has been clarified

Time is running out on you American peeps, no more debates, no more speeches-- get Obama and Biden into the White House and everybody start pulling your sleeves up and work. McCain and Palin --- they're are just distraction.

The rules for this debate were drawn up by Obama and McCain. Tom stated that during one of his interventions. I agree that they should have been able to go at it more. That's how you see somebody under real pressure and their real character shows through.

Oh, please! The truth is, I don't think McCain would vote for McCain. Even HE doesn't seem to buy the same old tired ideas he is selling. He's losing steam and getting desperate.

He is unsure, unsteady, and erratic. He has gone 100% negative and his running mate's silly gimmicks are meant to disguise the fact that her views are extremist and extremely dangerous.

Obama, on the other hand, seems to have real ideas, conducts himself well, and looks and sounds very presidential. He's run an excellent campaign and proven himself in 2 debates now. I think this race is over.

OBAMA IS A CON MAN WHO HATES WHITES." READ HIS BOOK." THE AUDACITY
OF HOPE. iT SHOULD BE CALLED "THE AUDACITY OF HATE"

Obama clearly won. Surprising he was better on foreign policy than McCain.

I woudl like to hear more of McCains plan to restructure the principal balance of mortgages. There was no detail. How will he choose which mortgages to restructure?

lame

Dan your comment is funny as hell and right on point. I dont think it matters who won the debate. Obama supporters will support Obama, McCain supporters will say he won, and all the people who were undecided are probably still undecided. Let's talk about who lost tonight, though: the American public. If we were expecting to hear anything different from either candidate tonight other than what we've been hearing over and over and over again, we definitely lost.They both lied when asked if we have still to see the worst of the economic crisis. They both know that this is not going to be over anytime soon. If we expected either of them to step away from the stump speeches and show some character, we, the American public, lost the debate tonight.

I thought Obama knew where the pie charts were and what they meant...that's important. I thought Mccain knew where to find the thing...and that's important.

it was a draw!

What a joke. I'd call it a tie mainly because it was just full of stump speeches and no substance.
Obama would not answer a question and McCain was trying too hard to be funny. I wish McCain would have asked Obama to be more sopecific on his proposals. Obama just went on and on about how we are feeling. I know how I'm feeling so stop the BS and answer the question. Well, if Obama wins I guess he'll make us feel good even when he tucking it to the taxpayer. some of the things he said hinted toward socialism and that is scary. America is supposed to be the land of oppurtunity and you shouldn't be penalized if you succeed.
I have to say to you critics of Sarah Palin, even though she may not have the resume or the charisma of the other candidates I like her more and more. After tonight I've come to the conclusion that the other three so called experienced candidates are a lot scarier than she is.

Mcain may be older but he clearly is a stronger figurehead. In contrast Obama appeared weak and would be viewed as a lamb against the lions when it comes to protecting America

Obama was at his best. I felt compassion for McCain who looks as though he knows it's over. Obama should send a thank you note with a 100 roses to Hillary Clinton. She pushed Barrack to depths that initially he didn't have . After two years of shaking hands across America Obama knows and understands Americans in a new way... His performance tonight was poetry in action. Beautiful. Brilliant. Honest.

What's the point of making cynical and sarcastic comments in response to these obviously pointless spin statements from each candidate's spokespeople? Crass comments here aren't a whole lot different than what we saw tonight, which was little in the way of substance. Each continued to hammer their messages, that the other is out of touch or inexperienced or just plain wrong, each distorted the others' positions in the hopes that what we'll remember isn't a salient point but a sound bite. Yes, it's a beauty contest, and 21st century campaigns are forced to target the voter who can be swayed by the exotic and scandalous, because those that care enough to grasp the real issues and what each candidate might really believe or stand for already know full well who they'll vote for. I believe that the choice this year amounts to which candidate we think is more thoughtful, which is brighter and more intelligent, and which will place a higher premium on making well-considered and well-informed decisions once elected. It's disappointing that we can't expect that during the campaign, but isn't that just the reality of what running for office is these days?

As with most things, whoever you were planning on voting for before the debate will be the same guy you're planning on voting for after the debate.

These debates are a joke.

As are all the polls. Let's see what happens come Nov 4th.

I'm guessing Obama Landslide.

I agree that it was extremely annoying that time was such an issue. Why not just make sure each gets equal time instead of being so anal about sticking to short answers? Our political system leaves something to be desired. In fact thanks to electronic voting machines that mysteriously leave no paper trail we're not even able to certify the results and I don't care who you're voting for...that's RIDICULOUS!

as history show how you LOOK in a debate on television matters

McCain lost .... he was cranky, dismissive, rude --- calling Sen. Obama "that one" during an attack on Obama. It honestly makes me sad to see this man who once seemed a hero.

Now an old angry tired corpse on the stage.
Scary angry old attack troll.
America likes it's senior leaders to have charm like Reagan.
McCain is not Reagan --- he is just another Bush.

Yay!! Now that my trusted newspaper has told me who "won," it makes my decision regarding who to vote for so much easier. Never mind that the very question "Who won?" is meaningless, given the farce these so-called debates are - dumbing down the political process. It would have been so much better to have those two bozos debate Nader, McKinney and Barr - at least it would have kept me awake.

What a travesty of our democracy by the candidates of these two major parties - democracy that we supposedly hold high up.

You judge a man by the company he keeps: Obama with William Ayers and Tony Rosco, McCain and the Keating Five. God help us!

Debate? - Just OK.

The real fun was on Palin's plane. She spoke again, to reporters!

As reported by Fox - Even Fox could not put lipstick on this pig:

Palin to the press corp on her aircraft today:

"Americans are caring about the problems in the economy of course And wanting to know what those long term solutions are that our ticket can provide and what the other ticket is proposing so when you talk though about what it is that we are proposing and what it is that Barack Obama is proposing again it is relevant to connect that association that he has with Ayers not so much he as a person Ayers, but the whole situation and the truthfulness and the judgment there that you must question if again he's not being forthright in all of his answers as to how did you know him, when did you know him, why would you continue to be associated with him?" Palin asked, "It makes you wonder about the forthrightedness, the truthfulness of the plans that he is telling America in regards to the economic recovery because that is first and foremost on Americans' minds."

Rod,
You're an idiot, a bigot and a loser. Sorry your candidate will have his taxes increased in January. Maybe he can sell a house or a car or two.

Look, I'm an "old" guy myself (73 years old). McCain looks tired and just "old." Mr. McSame isn't someone we want representing our country at this important time. We need vigor that inspires hope, not the same old, tired stuff that has got us in serious trouble. McCain didn't inspire me last night; in fact, he scares me. I think there will be a landslide Obama win on Nov. 4.

We had our greatest hope in the likes of Ron Paul. In the primaries John Mc Cain sneered and scoffed at Ron Paul. Funny! yet Ron Paul is the only one with a clear vision to help solve this crisis. Also, Ron Paul is honest enough to call it what it is, " we are in a depression" . Of course both candidates will not admit to this or offer a clear workable economic plan, so once again it's just telling people what they want to hear, simply posturing for votes.
Also, how come no one is discussing the fact we have destroyed our manufacturing base? Making it impossible for us to get out of this mess without printing greenbacks and creating super inflation, Both mean good but are out of touch

Rod - based on your comment I don't believe you really read the book nor heard the sermon which inspired the book.

As we talk the way we walk, it is clear that McCain is not able anymore to walk straight while Palin is capering around like Alice in Wonderland. To resurrect from the crises (both international as domestic) the Bush Administration has caused, the US needs freshness supported by experience and not an over-aged football player and a niffy cheerleader....

The leader of the free world should not be a man who so so quickly becomes visibly annoyed, is hot headed and prone to bad temper. A man with those tendencies is far more likely to be rash in judgment, and less likely to be able to detach enough to make clear headed rational decisions. If this was John McCain's best format, I think he really blew it.
As my son's high school football coach said, you must be "Hot in the heart, cool in the mind, " translation...passionate but logical, with clear vision and the ability to think on your feet.. That's Barack Obama.

These so-called debates lack everything a true debate should be: question-answer-repartee in short: a sparring match. What we saw was repetitious stump speech showing neither candidate what they really think about matters that occupy the voter's minds.

Let me get this straight. McCain is proposing that the Feds buy a defaulting homeowner's mortgage, which should not have been taken on in the first place, revalue the home lower, renegotiate the mortgage and lower the payments - so that the owner can stay in the home and just make those lower payments. What happens to the family next door who bought the same house but are making their payments. Are they going to get their payments lowered as well?

KNRBBRS is right it is a beauty contest and nothing proves that more than immediately after the brake the commentary that followed. The "analysis" from the residental stratigest (the one who tells the sheeple what to think) was based on STYLE first and foremost, at least on the channel i watched. Irregardless of channel any stratigist not concerned with SUBSTANCE and POLITICS is just adding "spin". Its all a facade anyhow, corporitism is our government and it has been for many years and its only getting stronger.

As the majority of french people, I just wonder how blind some american people can be to continue to trust disastrous Bush and "maverick" Mc Cain. Maybe the media. Mc Cain does not seem to have any vision for America and "c'est le jour et la nuit" : you guys should realize how LUCKY you are to have Obama for the sake of your country destroyed by the Bush admin.

"HAY" - ROD - I have read his (Obama's) book. HAVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am voting for John McCain. I supported him in 2000 and will do so again. I was disappointed, however, in my candidate last evening. The attacks on his opponent took away from the importance and purpose of the debate. I would like to see John McCain be the man he truly is speaking from his heart, talking honestly with the American people about the direction he will take America as President of the United States especially during these troubles times. I do not wish to hear his opponent's name from his mouth unless they are words of praise.
I hope the next and final debate reflects the man, John McCain, as he really is. The next President of the United States.

Is everyone blind to McCain's huge gaffe that just made him unelectable? He proposed buying bad mortgages to keep people in there homes they cannot afford. Is this the old USSR? Another $300,000,000,000 burden on the taxpayer! If we keep printing money to prop up an unrealistic housing market, the dollar will be worthless and our life saving destroyed.

Obama is the lesser of two evils. It would be better to vote third party.

Obama was a clear winner. Once again, he proved to more articulate and presenting much better ideas than McCain. This is a time when the wealthy should pay more taxes--the country that made them rich is hurting and they should feel an obligation to help. McCain was wrong about the foolish and ultimately tragic invasion or Iraq and he was wrong in supporting deregulation. He and Palin would represent more of the same.

I agree with the comments made that the debate format allows nothing more than a rehash of campaign statements that we have been hearing for the last eighteen months or so. Regardless of the merits or demerits of both candidates, and I think either of them is so much better than what we have right now, new brooms sweep clean.
For that alone, I will opt for Obama, even though in the past I have admired McCain. Neither McCain nor Obama is stupid or incompetent or does not love this country. Of that you can be sure.

I am amazed that there are no comments on the number of times McCain said "I know how to do---" But no words on what he would do! He has lied so many times about so many things, why should we believe him when he says, "I know how--"

Speaking of being afraid of a canidate.. I am afraid of Obama... He is a radical.
He's done the drug scene, but haslnt been called on it as others have. I don't like the people he has been associated with and the defaming Gods name in the pulpit by his so called "spiritual advisor". Who could attend services for 20 years and not know "how" fanatic his pastor was toward America and the press conference he gave was downright scary. I don't know how the American people would choose such a canidate over John McCain. He is the stronger of the two and has definitely proved his love of this country. suffering and tortuere he suffered

i am naturalized american citizen and proud muslim. we muslims want president john mccain to win so he will do much more for the muslims. sarahs family would receive many camels and goats for her service. muslims want maccain he is like us muslims hot blood cool head.