Debate Deblogging: Final Round -- FIGHT!

9:00 PM From Zandardad's alma mater of Hofstra University, Obama vs McSame live. Format is both candidates sit at a large desk with moderator Bob Scheiffer in the middle.

9:01 PM Bob lays out the rules, Domestic Policy, 10 questions, 2 minutes for each then 5 minutes of discussion, 9 minutes total on each question.

Question 1: The economic crisis. Why is your plan better? McSame first. Shoutouts to Nan Reagan. Americans are angry. Short and long term fixes. One short term fix: must put a floor on the housing market, buy mortgages. Disappointed at Paulson.

Obama: Looks at camera, not Bob. Talks about bailout lacking rescue plan for middle class, four points. Job tax breaks, tax cuts for middle class, I agree with my opponent on helping homeowners, I disagree with how he does it. Long term, fix energy, health care. Discussion. McSame tells story about how Obama will put small businesses out of business. No tax increase for you, Joe the Plumber! Obama discusses his tax policy: McSame cuts taxes on corporate America, I wand tax cut for 95% of America. McSame looking patient. My conversation with Joe was that fact he needed at tax cuts. 98% of small businesses will get tax decrease! McSame: Obama's gonna take Joe's money! Class warfare! Why increase ANYONE'S taxes right now? Obama: ExxonMobil and Warren Buffet can afford it. Nobody likes taxes. But we got em. McSame: TAXES! TAX RATE iS 35%! WE'LL LOSE JOBS! CUT BUSINESS TAXES!

Bob: Shut it. Wash, really.

9:13 Question 2: We ran the numbers. Each of you will add $200 billion to the deficit with your plans. I want specifics on what you will cut. Obama: I'm going paygo here, Bob. $15 billion on insurance subsidies and programs that don't work, we cut. We differ on investing in America. If we invest now in health care, we save later, energy too. McSame: HOLC bought up mortgages, they made money, Clinton brought that up. Bob: what are you cutting? McSame: Foreign aid to countries that don't like us. I like energy programs. Spending freeze, I will take the hatchet, ethanol subsidies, tarrifs, I can save billions! I will veto earmarks! Obama likes earmarks! I cut pork! Obama: Across the board spending is a hatchet, John. We need a scalpel. Earmarks are crap in the long run. Bush came in with a surplus, he then doubled the debt and the deficit. McSame voted for Bush. Bob: Can you balance the budget? McSame. Yep, and I'm NOT BUSH YOU WHIPPERSNAPPER! YOU RAISED TAXES! WE CAN TAKE A HATCHET! I will balance the budget, we can do it! OBAMA LOVES PORK! LOOK AT OUR RECORDS! You tell me ONE TIME you stood up to your leaders of your party!
Obama: Tort reform. Charter schools. Clean coal. Yeah, I stood up. If if mistake your policies for Bush's, it's because at the core THEY ARE. You stood up on torture. Economics? 8 more years Bush.
McSame: I got scars! I disagreed! I reject your argument.

Sorry John, you lost this one.

Question 3: Both of you ran mean ass commercials and had attack dogs. Are each of you willing to make those accusations in person, right here, right now? McSame: Town hall meetings would have stopped this. Obama refused. I blame him. I regret how we both attacked...BUT I'm calling Obama out on John Lewis. I repudiated all of the bad attacks unlike Obama. I took the high road and I tell the truth. Obama spent more money on negative ads than anyone in history! He gave up on campaign finance limits! He lied!
Obama: We expect campaigns to be tough. 100% of McSame's ads are negative. People want to hear about the issues instead. The notion that the town hall meetings justify your negative crap is silly. I don't mind being attacked. We can't afford your negative stuff. Stick to the issues. He's changing the subject. I want to see him talk on the economy. He won't. He's politics as usual.
McSame: CARDINALS! You attack my stuff. Your ads are terrible! Unprecedented negative attack ad spending! I'm talking about the economy! I'm talking about Joe the Plumber! I didn't hear your repudiation.
Obama: OK fine, you want to open this can of worms? Let's talk about Palin's hate rallies and people yelling "terrorist! Kill him!" Let's talk about how John Lewis called you on it. I did repudiate him. We have difference on real issues.
McSame: I'm proud of our people, and yeah we call em on it. I'm not gonna stand for anyone picking on my people! I won't stand for it! Yeah let's talk about your rallies! I have repudiated it all, you haven't! Won't stand for it.
Obama: We don't have time for this crap. We've have real issues.
McSame: AYERS! ACORN! GREATEST VOTE FRAUDS IN HISTORY! OBAMA PAID THEM OFF!
Obama: Fine. Bill Ayers is a professor. Let's talk about him. Let's talk about all the people who worked with Ayers, all the REPUBLICANS. ACORN? I helped them along with the Motor Voter laws. Here's who I associate with, Volker, Luger, Buffet, Joe Biden.
McSame: AYERS! ACORN! AYERS! FACTS ARE FACTS! WHAT ARE HIS DETAILS! WE MUST KNOW! Oh, an I'm about the economy. I won't raise taxes like he will.

Obama killed him.

Question 4: Why would your running mate make a better President than the other guy's? Obama: Easy. Joe Biden would kick ass in foreign policy, he's from Scranton, he's been through tough stuff and he's fought for the little guy. McSame: SHE'S A REFORMER! FRESH AIR! TAKE OUT THE OLD BOY NETWORK! Oh and she has a special needs kid. Bob: Hey Barry, you think she's qualified? Obama: She's done some commendable stuff. But we can't do what she wants if we TAKE A HATCHET TO SPENDING. McSame: Biden's a nice guy, but he's been wrong on policy. Obama wants to spend more! REFORM! REFORM! NEW SPENDING! MORE TAXES!

Obama by a mile.

Question 5: Give me a number. How much can we reduce foreign oil in your first term? McSame: We'll cut all Middle East and Venezualan oil. Obama's a punk. Obama: Ten years is realistic. We have to stop borrowing money from China for starters. Expand domestic production, use em or lose em on oil company leases...but we have to use less oil. We must invest in energy. And hey, let's talk about trade agreements we're getting our asses kicked on John. I make no apology for doing that.
McSame: DRILL NOW! Also I love free trade. Also Obama hates Colombia and likes drugs. Free trade is a no brainer. Hey, maybe you should go there you dumb ass. Obama: Yeah, let's talk about Columbia, and the human rights abuses they have against workers, unlike Peru. We have to use free trade, but we need to stand up on bad trade agreements. We need to make efficient autos and cut down on oil and make 5 million new jobs.
Obama: HE HATES COLUMBIA BUT HE'D TALK TO CHAVEZ! HE'S HOOVER!

Nope. Obama.

Question 6: Bob: Control health care costs or expand coverage? Obama: We gotta do both. Two women laid off, have no healthcare. We'll cut costs. You have coverage? You're fine. You don't? We'll combine for a huge pool and negotiate the best rates and prevent discrimination. It'll cost up front, but it'll fix it in the long run.
McSame: It's terrible, but the problem is cost, not coverage. We gotta have healthy people to save money. $5,000 Tax credit! Joe! Obama will fine you! TELL US THE FINE! HEALTH CARE BUREAUCRACY! Obama: The fine is zero you jagoff. I exempt small businesses, like I said LAST DEBATE. Uninsured people are costing you money. Let's talk about McCain's plan again...that $5,000 won't cover if, and YOU CHARGE TAXES ON HEALTH CARE FOR THE FIRST TIME! McSame: YOU'LL PAY A FINE JOE! BIG GOVERNMENT! My plan will save people money and shop plans and don't have to take the employer plan! BIG GOVERNMENT! HE'S SENATOR GOVERNMENT! I WANT YOU TO DO THE JOB! DEMOCRATS' FAULT!
Obama: Look, the US Chamber of Commerce says his plan sucks.

Obama.

Question 7: Bob: Would you appoint a person who disagrees with you on Roe v Wade?
McSame: No litmus tests. I voted for a long list of current justices. Obama voted against Roberts. I will find strict constitutionists. Bob: But would you nominate a pro-choice judge: McSame: Pro-choice judges aren't qualified. Obama: No litmus tests. But PEOPLE have the right to choose, right to privacy. I'd vote for qualified judges. We disagree. Like the Ledbetter case. Judges have to understand fairness and justice.
McSame: We have to change the culture of America. OBAMA VOTES TO KILL BABIES! HE'S AN EXTREMIST PRO-ABORTIONIST! Obama: Not true. I didn't get an exception for the health of the mother. But look, there's common ground: preventing unintended pregancy and options for adoptions. McSame: HE'S PRO ABORTION! WE ADOPTED KIDS! WE MUST DEFEND THE UNBORN!

Wash. Personal views here.

Question 8: Bob: We spend more than anyone on education, but we suck. Obama: The debate is more money vs reform, we need both. Early education, reduce dropout rates, recruit an army of new teachers, more pay in exchange for accountability, make college affordable. $4,000 tuition credit for community service. But the real key are parents. Take responsibility.
McSame: Education is the civil rights issue of the 21st century. We need charter schools and school choice. Competition! Free market! But money's not the answer. We must improve education. More loans, adjust loans.
Bob: More federal money/involvement in education? Obama: Yeah...just not like Bush's NCLB. We never funded the programs and it failed. I agreed with my opponent on charter schools and getting rid of bad teachers. Where we disagree? Vouchers...oh and McSame's record on college affordability. Gotta pay for it. McSame: Gee, vouchers worked in DC. School choice is the key, pay more attention son. Reauthorize NCLB. Head Start sucks though. Let's reform programs! Rewards! Accountability! Sarah Palin! We'll cure autism! Reform! I'm a reformer! Vouchers work!
Obama: He's right about DC schools sucking. But there's 50 states to worry about too. McSame: Hahahah! JACKASS!

Wash. Same crap we've heard before.

Bob: Make your closing statements.
McSame: I'm a new direction! I'm a reformer! I can do this! You can trust me! I'm asking you to look at me. I've served my country like my father and grandfather. I'll serve as your President.
Obama: Tough out there for ya. Worst crisis in 75 years, we need change, I'll bring it. We can do it. We must invest in health care, college, energy jobs. Not gonna be easy or quick, but we can do it. Sacrifice and service.
They shake hands.

It's done.

Obama 5, 3 ties...no contest.