Live Blogging Debate 2

It's only ten minutes since I finished my preview. Do I have what it takes for ninety minutes of live-blogging?

9:03, Here are the candidates. I hope the hell this debate is better than the first one. First question to Obama on global economic conditions.

What's the fastest, most positive solution to the problems of older people in the economy? Please, Obama, please--do not lay out your principles first. Just get to the solutions.

Obama begins with some criticism of the Bush economy, but he is doing pretty good. First, there's the rescue package, then a "middle-class rescue package" before he dribbles on about long-term solutions.

Not that great.

Now, it's McCain's turn. His solution is energy independence, lower taxes, and stopping "the spending spree."

In other words, McCain is totally avoiding the question.

Ah, the first surprise of the evening. McCain proposes to buy up all the bad mortgages as a way to "stabilize home values."

McCain takes his second stab at being funny when he says he's not appointing Tom Brokaw as Secretary of Treasury.

It doesn't work. I'm not sensing much sense of humor out there.

Obama wants a treasury secretary who doesn't believe in the "trickle down" theory of economics. McCain named some names. Obama does not.

Oliver Clark wants to know how the bailout package is going to help. I don't think there's going to be a lot of baiting and denunciations tonight. Everything is really somber.

Ooops. I'm wrong there. McCain segwes to to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as an example of "cronyism," "greed and excess." I don't know. It will be interesting to see if this is going to work. The idea of buying up housing loans doesn't seem like it's going to work.

Obama's turn. At least, he starts dealing with reality. Two points to Obama for realism. Obama is pretty good on deregulation, better than McCain on Fannie Mae. At least I think he's better.

9: 16, Brokaw asks if things are going to get worse before they get better. I think they're going to get worse, but Obama punts like any good politician would punt. McCain punts too and says "it depends."

Once again, this is a pretty dreary, evasive debate. I'm not impressed. Does TPM think they're on they're "A" game again.

9:18, Question of "both parties" getting us into this global economic crisis. Obama accepts that there is a lot of blame to go around. Obama claims that the Bush administration should get most of the blame even though nobody is innocent. Now he goes onto investments and spending cuts.

9:20, What the hell is McCain doing. He's moving around in the most artificial, Penguin-like way? Where's Danny Devito when we need him?

9:22, McCain points to Obama as the "most consistent big-spending liberal" in the Senate. McCain gets into the pork-barrel thing again. It looks like McCain is taking the kind of "medium aggressive" strategy that I thought would be most likely.

Actually, McCain scored a couple of points on pork despite his Penguin imitation. Maybe the Penguin made the whol manuever a negative.

9:24, McCain begins a response on the big problems with "entitlement reform" and tells people they won't be able to get the same Social Security benefits that they've been getting. That doesn't sound like good news.

McCain--"Gutting social security, building nuclear power plants, and bad health care."

Obama starts with energy independence and sounds pretty nice. Then, he moves to health care and education. Pretty good. Obama's pretty good on these issues. He's sounding presidential and McCain is sounding pretty cranky.

9:28, McCain wants to eliminate programs and agencies and he mentions defense contracting and Boeing. Well, Boeing is in Seattle and Chicago. McCain wasn't going to win Wash State and Illinois anyway.

9:29, McCain mentions an across the board spending freeze.

9:30, McCain throws a big health care softball to Obama. Obama has an interesting response in that he moves to 9-11. This is Obama at his best because he's convincing when he's talking about personal responsibility. When McCain talks about personal responsibility, I think about him dumping his first wife. Now, Obama's giving a testimony to young people. This is all very nice.

9:33, EVERYBODY GOT REAL STONED--Is everybody drunk like Wall Street. Obama wants to begin ith Washington, talks about "sharing the burden" and uses teachers as an example, and is pretty convincing while doing it. This is the kind of moment where I'm proud to carry Obama's water.

9:35, Now McCain is accusing Obama of ruining small business and he's trying to sell his awful health care proposal.

9:37, Questions about "huge unfunded federal mandates" and Brokaw piles on with social security and medicare.

Obama's stab at humor doesn't work either.

Obama insists on replying to McCain on tax policy. They're going to fight it out here. Obama is pretty strong here and sounds presidential.

9:41, McCain claims that fixing Social Security isn't that tough. Right! McCain then proposes a "Medicare Commission." Now McCain goes back to taxes and claims that he has a better record.

9:42, Question from Ingrid Jackson who wants to know what McCain would do about climate change and green jobs within two years. McCain talks about his efforts on greenhouse emissions. McCain thinks that nuclear power is "safe and clean." I'm sorry. I just don't see "Chernobyl Power" as a green technology.

9:45, The people in the audience look pretty skeptical about Obama. Are they just as suspicious of McCain? Or are they just weirded out by being on camera?

9:46, Obama nails McCain for voting against alternative energy sources.

9:47, Brokaw complains about candidates not obeying the rules of the debate. They don't care.

9:48, McCain looks like he's ready to break out his horrible Joker smile. Don't do it John!!!

9:49, Now there's a question from Lindsey Trulla on health care. Obama's up and is explaining his health care proposal. It looks like this debate is working out for Obama because it's basically a wash. Obama's doing well on health care by explaining both his proposals and McCain's really awful health proposal.

9:52, McCain tries to be personal but he starts moving around Penguin style again. Why is he doing this? Now, McCain moves onto criticizing the mandatory dimensions of Obama's health care proposals. This isn't working. McCain is giving a $5,000 tax credit for what adds up to a $12000 insurance expense.

McCain's leery of government mandates.

Obama defends his mandates.

9:59, Moving onto foreign policy--One guy asks about the ability of the U. S. to be a peacemaker. McCain talks about military strength. McCain doesn't sound very convincing talking about keeping the peace. That's because he believes in military action first.

10:01, McCain stands on his judgment. Obama is going to have a strong comeback on Iraq.

10:02, And Obama has a strong, reasoned response on Iraq. I'm beginning to be impressed with Obama. McCain is doing well, but I think Obama's doing better.

10:03, Brokaw asks about the Obama and McCain doctrines on intervening in humanitarian crises. Obama is against standing idly by in the face of genocide and ethnic cleansing but acknowledges the limitations of our resources. Obama emphasizes alliances in dealing with humanitarian crises.

10:06, McCain bores into Obama on withdrawal deadlines for Iraq. He emphasizes that the situation requires a "cool hand at the tiller." But McCain is not a cool hand and he demonstrates it with his contempt for Obama on Iraq.

10:07, tie on intervention goes to Obama.

10:08, Katie Ann has a question about Pakistani sovereignty and hot pursuit across Pakistani borders. Obama responds with a strong statement on the problem with the threats in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Obama is for intervention if we can kill bin Laden. McCain responds with need for confidentiality on attacking Pakistan. McCain goes to his hole card in the reference to Petraeus. "Talk softly, carry a big stick."

Obama is pretty much ignoring the rules of engagement.

10:15, Brokaw asks about Afghanistan. I think Obama's showing leadership on Afghanistan. He was strong on Afghanistan during the last debate as well. McCain's waving around "General Petraeus" like a kind of magic wand. Is Petraeus more like holly and Phoenix feather or walnut and unicorn hair. I go with unicorn hair.

10:19, This debate is wearing me down because it's not that good. Now, they're talking about Russia. McCain is criticizing Putin. Does Putin want to "reassemble the old Soviet Union?" McCain talks about international pressure on Russia.

10:22, Students are starting to leave. I don't remember students leaving the Biden/Palin debate. There were 60 students here altogether.

10:23, Obama is doing well in the townhall format. If Obama had done all ten towhalls that McCain wanted, he would have a bigger lead.

10:24. Question from Terry Shirey on Iran attacking Israel--like Iran with its 6 billion defense budget would actually attack Israel with its 10 billion/year in American aid.

Give me a break. Iran isn't a threat at all. McCain responds with his comic book concept of a League of Democracies.

10:27, Obama is against nuclear weapons for Iran and has a long answer on Iranian nukes. Obama's in four-corner mode as he strings out the debate.

10:29, The Last Question from Peggy in New Hampshire about "what don't you know and how will learn it." Obama has a nice response about passing on the American Dream to the next generation.

10:32, McCain moves forward to reply. I don't think McCain understands is that the quesgtion is about whether he's willing to keep learning.

McCain gives one too many testimonies to the wonderfulness of America. As a result, my daughter collapses into an exhausted heap.

I thought Obama won. Hopefully, that won't jinx him