Live Blogging the Debate

This is the first time I've done this, so bear with me. Click on the "read full post" link to follow along...

9:04PM: The debate just began and I'm concerned because Obama is running out of time on his first question!

9:05PM: And yet, somehow, he managed to squeeze it all in. Nice.

9:07PM: McCain, I'm bored. But I get it. Bi-partisanship. Yes, yes. But what about how to stabilize the economy?

9:10PM: Jim Lehrer tries to keep the candidates on task. And fails. I have no idea why McCain is talking about Eisenhower.

9:13PM: McCain has a "fundamental belief in the goodness and strength of the American worker." Really?

9:15PM: Gateway drugs! Woohoo. Oh? McCain's just talking about the perils of earmarking and pork-barrel spending, which Obama has been party to. McCain, are you calling Obama a pig?

9:17PM: McCain is smirking, not a good sign...

9:20PM: But I think that Obama has done a good job of explaining what he's doing and trying to articulate that he doesn't want to harp on one issue (i.e. pork-barrel spending).

9:22PM: Is it just me or does $250,000 or up yearly income seem like a reasonable definition of "rich" (re: Obama's definition of those who will be taxed under his proposal)?

9:24PM: McCain, did you just interrupt Jim Lehrer? Shame on you.

9:26PM: I don't know exactly how what McCain and Obama are saying lines up with the facts (as specious as that term is these days), but McCain's constant smirking and giggling is annoying me. Like a snide little kid who thinks he knows betters. Obama seems a lot more professional. And very relaxed, which is good.

9:32PM: Jim Lehrer for President! ;)

9:34PM: Sometimes I can't quite get the leaps of logic. Obama was talking about not wanting to cut money for education despite the bad economy and then McCain responded by saying that Obama doesn't support nuclear power. Is it just me? Did I miss something?

9:38PM: This is the second time that McCain has said he wasn't voted "Miss Congeniality" in the Senate. I keep imagining him in that Sandra Bullock movie. (Someone should spoof that. Get to it. 1,2,3, go!). And now he just called himself a Maverick. Does anyone else think it's a little goofy to keep referring to yourself by cute little nicknames (not to mention movie titles)? McCain, you Rogue you!

9:41PM: I hate the phrase "we are winning in Iraq." How exactly are we winning...? By the way, regarding something McCain said a few minutes ago, is he really that conservative of a spender?

9:49PM: What prevents someone from lying outright during the debates?

9:55PM: McCain rubs me the wrong way, for obvious reasons, but I think they're both doing a pretty good job so far, as far as argument and rhetoric are concerned (although I'm not thrilled with McCain's "tell-us-what-Obama-will-do-wrong-instead-of-telling-us-what-he(McCain)-might-do right" strategy). But their both articulate and obviously smart. It makes me wonder what the Palin/Biden debate is going to be like, especially after Palin's performance during her Katie Couric interview.

10:00PM: I was wondering how long it would take for McCain to mention the "war that [he] was in," although at least he hasn't reminded us (because we've forgotten) that he was a POW.

10:00PM: Now they're playing the "my bracelet from a grieving mother of a soldier is bigger than your bracelet from a grieving mother of a soldier" game.

10:04PM: McCain's proposed A League of Democracies (a.k.a. A League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?). I see a movie option in his future.

10:09PM: This section of the debate brought to you by a new tongue twister. Say "Ahmadinejad" ten times fast and follow it up with a few "perestroikas." It's apparently all the rage.

10:16PM: Is McCain paying attention or has he been reading Sarah Palin's talking points? Henry Kissinger has, in fact, suggested that meeting Ahmadinejad without pre-conditions could be a possibility, for exactly the reasons Obama outlined.

10:24PM: "John, I'm sorry, that's just not true." Obama is not against nuclear power. Cautious is not the same as against. And, McCain, you have not consistently supported renewable energy. No matter what you say.

10:31PM: Seriously, McCain, stop using your soft, condescending, "I'm important and sensitive" voice and stop saying that "Obama doesn't understand [insert pretty much anything here]." Uncool.

10:36PM: P.O.W. He just said it. (Although it's kind of funny that he said, "when I came out of prison.")

10:37PM: How come McCain got the last word? Didn't he start the closing statements?

10:38PM: Okay, as my partner just pointed out, the weirdest thing ever is the fact that the wives come out afterward and supportively hug and kiss their husbands. Why does that seem so wonky?

10:39PM: Bob Schieffer of CBS: "This was supposed to be John McCain's debate [...] but Obama really held his own."

11:00PM: I'm out for tonight. More comments later. Any thoughts from you all?

CNN has a transcript of the debate if you missed it.