Live Blogging Debate at 6pm *Asterisks mark spots where we need fact checking

the first question is about global economic conditions. BO has the first question;
Alan Schaeffer, "with the economy on the downturn..what's the best way to bail these people out?"

BO:
Whoa...no opening statements.
BO thanks Alan and doesn't bother to answer the question because he's "final verdict of failed economic programs of PResident Bush" It's all Bush's fault. LEt's cut down CEO pay.
So he has no answers but is talking about AIG junket. Those execugives should be fired.
More government hand outs. Bail out, Health care. Same old stump speech.

McCain:

OUr job to fix the problem and I have a plan. Energy independence. Taxes low. Stop spending spree. So far nobody is answering the question.
Home values are a concern.
As president of us I would order secry of treasury to renegotiate home loans and make sure they can pay the lower mortgage. Gads. More bail outs.

Brokaw: who would you put at Treasury. McCain says someone we would trust.
Buffet?
Meg Whitman, CEO of Ebay? Somebody who inspires trust and confidence because we don't have trust due to corruption on Wall STreet and cronyism in DC

BO: buffet? It's important to help the middle class. No answer.

McCain had stage right this time...the better for him to do arm grab of the opponent.

by the way, they're doggone late AGAIN!

Is Tom Brokaw doing an imitation of himself?

Brokaw: please keep your answers to a minute.
Oliver Clark question: economic crisis difficult times how will you bail us out? This guy's nervous. I can't believe this question made the cut. Didn't they just answer this?

McC: is being obsequious. He's being homey and folksy and seemingly passionate tonight. Hope it works for him.
Yay!!!! Brings up Fannie and Freddie giving big dolla to Big O. "In history! in history!" He's going to have to drill that bad boy. HE's tying F & F to BO. "Some of us who stood up against this, others who took a hike" He shoots, he scores.

BO: We have to take action. I have to correct a little bit of Sen McCain's history that's no surprise. He's talking about the letter he wrote about bailing out bad mortgage holders two years ago. Oh, BO likes the free enterprise system.
**"I never promoted Fannie Mae." That's utter nonsense.

Brokaw: are you saying it's going to get worse?
BO: No. Good answer. Not that the Wall STreeters would take your word for it.
McC: it depends on what we do .That's a good answer. He still wants to buy out those people from their homes, though. Gadzooks.
We can do it!

Teresa Finch: how can we trust either of you when both parties got us into this global economic crisis? Well...it's an angle of the same question.
BO: I understand frustration and cynicism. Maybe you're putting off buying a new car. He's giving a history lesson again. Half a trillion deficit. IT's all Bush's fault.
So..while it's trust nobody's completely innocent here, we've had the largest debt in history and McCain voted for 4 out of 5 GWB budgets. What did you do?
Can't borrow from Chinese and send money to Saudi Arabia. College affordability.
***says he's actually CUTTING the budget!!!!! That's a good one.

MCc the system in WAshington is broken. I have a record of bipartisanship. This situation cries out for bipartisanship. calls out citizens against government waste.
Calls out obama as the biggest liberal big spender. He's proposed $860 billion in new spending?
(obama smiles) Mc Cain goes over to the face of one of one of the questioners.
calls out BO for an overhead projector on a planetarium in Chicago.
Eric the great says McC is too calm.

Brokaw: new economic realities. WHat are highest priorities.
Health care, energy, entitlements. Put them in order.
McC: need bi partisan support. we can work on all three at the same time. I've got a record. I don't want to hear that verbiage...I want him to give me examples. Calls for nukes, wind, tide, solar.
BO: we'll have to prioritize. No, really? WE
1) Energy $3.80 for gas in Nashville. Russia, Venequela, and countries like Iran are benefiting. ARent' these the same thugs he wants to sit down with?
JFK mention
2) Health care.
3) eduation. Wasn't on the list Brokaw gave them but at least it's a clear
He wants a line item veto again. No duh, BO, every prez wants one. You just don't GET one.

Brokaw reminds them to stop filibustering.
McC 78 year old internet user who was a depression era person.
What sacrifices would you ask every American to make?
Seminar emailer.
McC I've taken on defense contractros and have saved taxpayers money. HE's wandering. What's the deal with the O bama overhead projector? This is lame.
Spending freeze on everyting except veterans, defense, etc.
Obama is pouting and smirking.
I'd smirk about the stupid overhead projector too.
BO: you know, sigh, 9/11 where you were on that day and how th ecountry was coming together...unified...and....and....and.....
The president was smart ...at the outset. Go out and shop. not the call to service American people were looking for. But hey at least he wasn't trying to scare them as you Libs keep talking about. explore for oil offshore. use the leases you already have. "use them or you lose them"apparently BO doesn't realize that IS how oil leases work. I don't like his dependence on the unsophistication of the audience out there.
doubling the peace corp. military troops not the only ones bearing the burnden of rewning america. Hey ...those middle school kids a couple of posts down arent' doing anything
***this is one of his most troubling programs. This is his FORCED SERVICE. This IN LIEU of military service.
BO follow up: McC tax cuts will give CEO's more money. He just said that. Paraphrase.
HE doens't answer the qeustion. McC's cuts in programming
McC: Obama wants to raise taxes. Keeping track of his proposals is trying to nail jello against the wall. McCains got to punch this up. Obama's got a secret 50% of small business revenue will be taxed by Obama.s Obama is frozens. He kind of looks like a ventriloquist he's so stony.
doubling tax exemption, 5K tax credit for health care instead of fining businesses. LEt's not raise anybody's taxes.
BO wants to respond.
Brokaw: looks guys...l ha! blows him off!
question: would you give congress a date certain to reform medicare and social security within two years. Where were you Tom and NBC when the president tried to do that????
BO we won't understand medicare and SS unless we understand the other tax policies. What?
completely ignored the question. He's ignoring it because he's po'd he didn't get to follow up
*****only a small minority of small businesses would be hit with taxes. I think that's what he said.
CEO's on Wall Street. He wants to give them $700 m in tax cuts. Yes, I'm sure BO, McC wants to do that. Right.
Does anybody buy this tripe?
McC: I'll answer the question. It's not that tough. Stop with the 'my friends' already! WE can sit down with our political oppoentns. NObody cares that Obama didn't sit down with opposition party. Medicare commission and recommendations--like base closing commissions. make congress vote up or down. Well, ok, I thought the answer was going to be lame but it wasn't that lame.
BO 94 times to raise taxes. Stop with the Jack Bauer rasp already, McC!
Our best days are ahead of us.

Ingrid Johnson: What would Congress would do about climate change and green jobs.
MCC: Ugh. I've disagreed with the Bush ad on this issue. Traveled the world. Kept the debate going. Danger that climate change opposes. Answer: nuclear power. Obama doens't like it but I've been nuclear powered ships. It's clean and it's green Japanese, French do it.

BO: one of the biggest challenges of our times aaaaaaanddddd it's an opportunity. *****If we create this new economy we can create 5 million jobs. Just like government scientists created the first computer we can ---well, who knows, he's not clear. Let's look at the record. McC hasn't done anything. voted 23 times against alternative fuels. EAsy to talk during campaign. "Sustained" effort by the president. Still hasn't answered the question.
*****3% people. 25% oil. Canard.
We'll innovate and export that. We need to give China energy.

Brokaw: Guys keep it short. Should we vote a Manhattan project or should we fund garages like Silicon Valley
McC: it's appropriate to have govt do some of this. Goes back to 23 votes. I've voted against pork barrel projects. IMported oil is a national security issue.
We've got to drill offshore and do it now. Nuclear power. Look at the record.

Lindsay Trella: selling health care coverage as a marketable commodity is an issue. Should it be a commodity?
BO: Well...
Every answer starts with a well. Affected as much as "my friends" by McC
crushing burden to families. Moral commitment economic imperative to do somehting about the crisis. If you've got health care you can keep it (thanksvery much). We'll work with employer to bring down the cost of your premium, computerize medical records. In other words this is a huge govenment mandate..which raises the prices for all. BO in charge of the health care industry.

McC: You've identified major issue. 5K refundable tax credit across state lines. In AZ they may offer you a better deal . Those people with employer health paid benefits...95% of the American people will have increased funds to have the insurance of their choice. Hair transplants won't be covered. Wrong joke, wrong time. That should have been Palin's at the veep debate.


Brokaw: Health care right or responsibility?
McC: responsibilty. I'm nervous about govt mandates. I didnt' get the whole answer. Good one, though.
PErhaps maybe BO will tell us how much he'll fine employers for failing to provide their mandated coverage.
BO talks about his grandmother dying of cancer at 53. She died in a hospital. He says she was denied insurance due to preexisting conditions. Now we're onto children. MC C voted against SCHIP...good. That was the illegal alien mandate. Oh, and children? They were 25 years old under that bill. He can't construct a cogent argument for his insurance plan. He keeps jumping from one thing to the next and can't construct the argument. This is lame.
He's going long again. Here's deregulation attack again. WE need change. McC is actual change. BO is just the same old Democrat

How can America be a peace maker in the future.
McC: countries that are militarily strong need to be economically strong as well. America is the greatest force for good in the history of the world. The difference is to know when to go in and not. Good answer. You need someone with knowledge, judgment to make those calls.
WE can't afford on the job training.

BO why did we invade the country that didn't attack us on 9/11? WE did, BHO. and we went after the chief sponsor of some of those thugs: Saddam Hussein.
WE've spent too much money in IRaq.
****We agree "we are a force of good in the world." but we've never seen it's economy decline, respect diminished, has constrained us and kept from acting in Darfour.

Brokaw: Obama / McCain doctrine for the use of military use of force?
BO we may not have national security issues at stake but moral obligations. Holocaust references. Rwanda. Non answer. Ethnic cleansing and we stand idly by that diminishes us.
Sooooo...Saddam not in our national interest but genocide somewhere is? How do make that case? He jumps around. THere's no continuity there. He's doing a dance.

MCC if we had done was BO wanted to do in IRaq we would have had a wider war, AlQaeda woudl have reestablished base. HE would have brought our troops home in defeat.
Best answer so far. Just because he's irrefutable on it.
Must tempered with ability know how to affect a situation;requires cool hand at the tiller.
Went against "his hero" REagan and disagreed on sending Marines to Lebanon. I know those situations, I've done it. The security of your young men and women is my second priority; our country is first.
Must make sure we don't leave and make the situation worse!
Great answer!

Question about leaving too early. In Vietnam it created Cambodia.

BO: We must reverse course. They're plotting to kill Americans right now in AFghanistan.
Must end IRaq war to put troops in Afghanistan. I don't believe him. Must change our policies with PAHK is stan. Must not help the Taleebahn.
I think we will take them out and crush AlQaeda.

MCC: my hero is a guy named Teddy R. About walk/talk softly and carry a big stick. Mr. Obama talks loudly. If you we washed our hands of Afghanistan and let the Mujahadeen down. History lesson. At least when McCain gives a history lesson, it's actually based on reality.

BO I want a folowup. Obama. Brokaw...ahem..Boht are staying
*********"NObody called for the invasion of Pakistan. " Yes he did.
Oh, now the threshold for going invading is if American lives are being threatened.
Goes after McCain for saying bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb IRan.
THat's not talking softly.
He's filibustering.
MCC: I want equal time to respond. Not true. Not true. I have obviously supported the efforts of the US militarily. I was joking with an old veteran friend about going into IRaq...
I'll act responsibly just like I've done in my career. WE have fundamental difference.

Brokaw: we're failing in afghanistan we've got to get an acceptable dictator.
BO: we are going to have to make the IRaqis act responsibly, withdr4aw oour troops and send them to Afghanistan. Our bases and outposts are now targets for Taliban. When I met with Karzai I made it clear ...
Wow...he's lecturing everybody.
MCC: Patreaus is in charge there now. IT's the same overall strategy. Some tactical changes. We have to have to the same strategy on the counterinsurgency in IRaq. BO still won't admit he was wrong about that.

Alden in Texas: how can we apply pressure to Russia for humanitarian issues without causing another cold war?

McC we won't have another cold war. Putin has surrounded himself with KGB apparaciks. Watch Ukraine. It's in the sites of Vladamir Putin. WE have to make them understand there are penalties for such behavior. Bring more forces to bear such as G8 and international community. Hopefully, we'll use leverages we have. Unsatisfying answer. I would like to see more specificity but maybe he can't.

BO: Well....the resurgence of Russia is a central issue for the president....aaaaaand...can't just provide moral support but we've also got to help other former soviet states...aaaaaand...more money for other countries. See around the corners. Anticipate what's coming.
*****I called this Georgia situation a long time ago. Energy is key. WE need to reduce our energy consumption. That will strengthen us and weaken them.

**The president didn't feel he needed to get Bin Laden and let him or words to that effect. That is outrageous.

Brokaw: Russia: evil empire. Yes or no.
BO: they do evil things
MCC depends

Terry Sherry, retired Navy Chief. If despite your best diplomatic efforts, Iran attacks Israel, would you help them or let the UN call the shots?

McC: thanks for your service and no we wouldn't wait for the UN. Iran getting nukes would destabilize the region. Calls Israel a stinking corpse. Obama wants to sit down with IRanians without preconditions. IT's on the record.
OF course he's right.
Hope they stop the quest for nuclear weapons but at the end of the day we can't allow another holocaust to take place.
BO: we can't allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon. Waiting for his "but" moment...
Aaaaaaand...
it is important to use all the tools at our disposal..such as UN with other countries to tighten sanctions, reduce energy consumption so Iran has less money. WTH?
** How much IRanian oil do we import?????
and just remember...if we reduce our energy use...we can bring IRan and Russia to their knees. IT's all about energy consumption. that's pretty much what he's saying.

PEggy from New Hampshire:
What don't you know and how will you learn it.

BO : Michelle is there and she can give you a longer list than i do. The things about being Presidnet. HEre's what I DO know. This country gave me opportunity. Well, isn't that nice of him to give a shout out to the USA. So...no answering the crazy question.
dreams, wages, incomes are down. No healthcare. No money for college! This place is a hellhole and it's all George Bush's Fault!
That's why I decided to run for PResident. To give you college money.

MCC: I don't know what all of us don't know is what happens here and abroad. Challenges around the world...new and different. What the unexpected will be is what I don't know. I've prepared for this my whole life. I know what it's like to fight for hope during tough times, depend on others.
I believe in its future. Times are tough hand at the tiller...country first.
Didn't knock it out of the park.