Live Blogging The Final Debate

• Thank God this is the last one. Is it wrong that I'd rather watch Keith Oelberman than the debate?
• McCain's not wearing a flag pin!!!! Doesn't he love America????? Shame on him!
• If you love Joe The Plumber so much, Senator McCain, then you should marry him. Oh wait, you're against that. Yours is a love that can never be.
• In each and every debate, the candidates were asked what programs they would have to cut in response to the economic crisis. In all three times, they didn't answer the question. The country wants to be brought together by a plan that we all have to contribute to. What we really need is a tax making all gasoline $4/gallon, with all the revenue going to fund new energy sources.
• This debate is turning out to be the most interesting of the three. The format's working and they seem to really be getting into it. Cat fight!
• Obama prepared for this one. This is the best McCain has ever been (says Nilda), but I haven't seen Obama as sharp as he is tonight.
• Nilda says she should be a political analyst. "So it's Barack Obama's fault that you're running a negative campaign!" Yeah, but you have to give the illusion of objectivity, Nilda.
• Man, McCain's angry. He can barely contain himself, snarling, fidgeting, sighing loudly and interrupting both Obama and the moderator. Watch the red meat intake, Senator.
• Why is it that when McCain tries to turn positive and talk about a "brighter day for America," I suddenly get cold?
• Oh no! The question is about the running mates. Don't attack Palin! Don't attack Palin! Just talk about how great Biden is. Phew!
• Everyone's saying that no matter how the election turns out, Palin will be a star in the Republican party. I say that if McCain loses, Palin's star will fall with the campaign. She'll be the Dan Quayle of this election, a thesis paper, at best.
• An article by Mark Jacobson in this week's NY Magazine says that Palin's statement that she "didn't blink" when accepting the VP position was her Macbeth moment. That was the moment where her ambition took over since this was a bad idea.
• The article also points out that many Alaskans, although they love her, couldn't believe that Palin didn't note the Exxon Valdez decision - where the Court reduced the punitive damage award from $2.5 billion to $500 million - as one of the Supreme Court decisions she didn't agree with. This from "the energy governor."
• The debate is running behind? Shocker.
• Obama really seems like he gets the big picture. He's smart and understands both sides and can make a decision about what the best course is. Or maybe it's just the Obama t-shirt I'm wearing.
• Maybe comparing Obama to Hoover in the election of 1932 isn't a great idea, McCain. Hoover was a Republican unable to deal with a financial crisis, who then lost by a landslide to FDR, a Democrat who brought us the New Deal. Which one do you think you are in this scenario?
• Don't believe the polls. This election is far from over and there is no guarantee that Obama would win if the election was today. The real danger is that people will think Obama's got it in the bag and won't turn out to vote. My job is to get Forrest to vote. After convincing me to pick Miami over Houston in last week's football pool, its the least he can do.
• Upholding Roe v. Wade is a proper litmus test for any judicial nominee.
• Thanks for bringing up Ledbetter, Obama, the Supreme Court decision prohibiting a woman paid less than her male co-workers for 20 years from going to court. I think you all know how I feel about that decision.
• Nilda is horrified - horrified! - that I would check the score of the Phillies game. "But you don't like baseball!" I know, but if the Phillies win, they're in the World Series. Horrified that she'd have to suffer through another sport, in addition to football! Let's hope, for her sake, that the Flyers don't have a good season.
• This is the first debate where I thought Obama was the clear winner. He was calm and was well prepared on all the issues, so much so that McCain was clearly pissed off at all the zingers. McCain was good, but Obama was better. Of course, the tv pundits haven't come on yet, so I don't know what to think yet.