Live Blog: First Presidential Debate - University of Mississippi

*10:39 PM EST, 9:39 PM at Ole Miss*

Brewers lead 5-1, bottom of the 7th, 1 out.

John McCain 1, Barack Obama 0

It's been a long day and I'm tired. I'm going to watch baseball, go to sleep, and write my overall response tomorrow morning.

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*10:36 PM EST, 9:36 PM at Ole Miss*

Obama: "I give Senator McCain great credit on the torture issue." Yes, Barack. Please give us more lines for ads.

By now two things are clear. First, Obama has not changed his debate style at all. Second: with McCain mentioning his agreement with Joe Lieberman to create the 9/11 commission, against the wishes of the Bush administration, he is solidifying his maverick and independent streak.

Summary: McCain is running against Bush. Obama is running against himself. The following is from a liberal Obama supporter friend on Facebook:

"I think our boy is getting beat :( "

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*10:29 PM EST, 9:29 PM at Ole Miss*

Ack! My wireless connection went out for a few minutes.

We're on Russia and Georgia now. Professor Obama gives his 2 minute lecture on the ideal relationship with Russia. What does Commander-in-Chief McCain do? Right off the bat, he nails Obama for his weak, naive initial response to Russian invasion of Georgia. Obama = academics. McCain = defining the differences.

While McCain introduces the world to the possibility of the significant role of Ukraine, showing off his international knowledge, Obama is back on the defensive, trying to explain his initial response to the Georiga crisis.

Wow! Is Obama now for offshore drilling, clean coal, and nuclear power? Not only is he agreeing with McCain's "all of the above" energy strategy. The extremist environmenalist crowd must be going nuts.

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*10:19 PM EST, 9:19 PM at Ole Miss*

Obama: "Senator McCain is absoluetly right. We cannot tolerate a nuclear Iran." Another line for the McCain campaign's next ad

McCain is absolutely killing Obama on meeting with Iran without precondition. McCain gives a great hypothetical of an Obama meeting with Ahmadinejad: we go over there ... he says they want to wipe Israel off the face of the earth ... and we say "no you won't?"

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*9:59 PM EST, 8:59 PM at Ole Miss*

Professor Obama has returned! Senator Obama, what would you do in Afghanistan? First, blah blah blah. Second, blah blah blah. Third, blah blah blah.

Lesson #3 for candidates: with every answer, take the chance to define the differences between you and your opponent. Obama isn't doing that. McCain is.

But here's a very important, and very well-put critique of both candidates that my friend posted on Facebook:

"When McCain talks about past, he has specific examples. When Obama talks about future, there necessarily are none. Both need opposites."

(Cubs and Brewers tied 1-1, top of the 6th, no outs.)

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*9:51 PM EST, 8:51 PM at Ole Miss*

We're on Iraq now. Why is Obama mentioning that his running mate is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee? In order to defend himself for not going to Iraq until this past summer? Why is Obama talking about Senate "inside baseball" and then admitting it's "inside baseball"?

Obama is getting some good hits with independents on various Iraq and Afghanistan votes and issues ... but then comes McCain on the surge:

"I'm afraid that Senator Obama doesn't know the difference between a tactic and a strategy."

LOL!!! The same can be said of Obama's campaign!

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*9:38 PM EST, 8:38 PM at Ole Miss*

Great set of questions from Jim Lehrer: Because of the amount of the bailout, what will you have to give up in terms of spending? Obama isn't even answering the question, talking about investing in energy. How does that even come close to answering the question? McCain is talking about cutting wasteful spending, getting rid of things like ethanol subsidies, and getting cost runs under control (even in defense spending).

Lesson #2 to candidates: Unless you can contest the premise of a question you don't like, answer the question!

Obama started to talk about Iraq as a big money waster, that gave him a good bump in the CNN dial. Which reminds me ... are we going to talk about foreign policy at all tonight?

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*9:22 PM EST, 8:22 PM at Ole Miss*

Obama: "McCain is right about responsibility. McCain is right on earmark abuse. McCain is right on out of control spending. But ..."

The McCain campaign better create an ad based on every time Obama says that McCain is right.

McCain's tax plan, especially his health insurance credit ($2.5K for individuals, $5K for couples) just got a huge spike in CNN's dial among all groups.

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*9:13 PM EST, 8:13 PM at Ole Miss*

CNN has an "Audience Reaction" dial at the bottom of the screen ... cool!

Obama gives what seems to be a forced answer on the bailout question, and then finishes with the usual line of "failed Bush policies." McCain has successfully merged the pessimism of Main Street Americans with the optimism of the bipartisanship that has been the keynote of this week.

The discussion continues: Obama = laundry list of what I'll do, fix, etc. McCain = responsibility, responsibility, responsibility. The independent voters' dial on the audience reaction box just spiked when McCain mentioned that mantra.

Lesson to candidates: use principles, not timelines and laundry lists, when debating your opponents

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*9:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM at Ole Miss*

Bill Bennett on CNN says this will be the "ultimate test of character" for the candidates. True: for independent swing voters, the way they communicate and interact with the American people will be just as important as the substance. If status quo holds, Obama will try to have a conversation with McCain and the moderator; McCain will have a conversation with voters. See my previous post on the Saddleback Forum.

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*8:50 PM EST, 7:50 PM at Ole Miss*

Today, I decided to insulate myself from the same talking heads and surrogates I usually watch at work on Fox, CNN and MSDNC ... err MSNBC ... and lock the TV on CNBC. I did this for two reasons: (1) to watch economists, bankers, etc. yell about the bailout package, and (2) have a clear head so I can analyze the debate for what it is without any "outside influence." (Right now, I'm at home watching the Cubs and Brewers on ESPN ... bottom of the 2nd, 2 outs, tied at 1-1.)

Here are the questions that I want to hopefully answer tonight:

• The McCain campaign has done a good job of showing "why not Obama." Will he start to develop the answer to the question of "why him?"
• Will the senior senator from Illinois show any significant stylistic differences from his primary debates? Or will he continue to be Professor Obama?
• Can McCain successfully merge foreign and economic policy?
• What specifics will Obama provide, not only on the Middle East and issues of war and peace, but on China's economic growth, Russian aggression, America's ability to compete in the global marketplace, trade, etc.? (Assuming, of course, those questions are asked.)

Game on!