Top Items:
Brian Montopoli / CBS News:
CBS Poll: Uncommitted Voters Say Obama Won Debate — UPDATED CBS News and Knowledge Networks have, once again, conducted a nationally representative poll of uncommitted voters to get their immediate reaction to tonight's presidential debate. — And this new poll has good news for the Democratic ticket …
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CNN:
CNN Poll: Obama won the night — NASHVILLE, Tennessee (CNN) — A national poll of debate watchers suggests that Barack Obama won the second presidential debate. — Fifty-four percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released 30 minutes after the end …
Taegan Goddard's Political Wire:
The Second Presidential Debate — Tonight's debate wasn't even close. Sen. Barack Obama ran away with it — particularly when speaking about the economy and health care. Talking about his mother's death from cancer was very powerful. On nearly every issue, Obama was more substantive …
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Marc Ambinder, The Opinionator, TIME.com, Liberal Values, Matt Ortega, THE LIBERAL JOURNAL, Wonkette, Time and Real Clear Politics
Deacon / Power Line:
OBAMA EDGES CLOSER TO THE PRESIDENCY — I thought that Barack Obama won the “visuals” of tonight's debate. He looked younger and more vigorous, of course, but, in addition, John McCain did too much moving around. He seemed focused on addressing a “town hall,” as he has done so well over the years.
Discussion:
Viking Pundit
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Live-Blogging Nashville — 10.33 pm. This was, I think, a mauling: a devastating and possibly electorally fatal debate for McCain. Even on Russia, he sounded a little out of it. I've watched a lot of debates and participated in many. I love debate and was trained as a boy in the British system to be a debater.
David Talbot / Salon:
The Palins' un-American activities — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd, at a rally in Vienna, Ohio, on Sept. 16, 2008. — “My government is my worst enemy. I'm going to fight them with any means at hand.” — This was former revolutionary terrorist Bill Ayers back in his old Weather Underground days, right?
Discussion:
Washington Wire, AMERICAblog News, Reason, THE LIBERAL JOURNAL, Taylor Marsh, Buck Naked Politics, JammieWearingFool, folo and The Jed Report
RELATED:
RADAR:SECRET SERVICE LOOKING INTO POTENTIAL THREAT AGAINST OBAMA15 minutes ago
Discussion:
Opinion L.A.
Stephen Green / Pajamas Media:
Drunkblogging Tonight's McCain-Obama Bout — In the blue corner, it's Barack Obama. In the red corner, it's John McCain. Ready to document the blows with a martini in hand, it's Vodkapundit's Stephen Green. — 7:06PM “Let the markets run wild and prosperity will rain down on all of us.”
Discussion:
Dr. Melissa Clouthier, Jules Crittenden, The Other McCain, Classical Values, Whiskey Fire and TigerHawk
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Michelle Malkin:
Liveblogging the town hall debate: Zzzzzzzz — I don't have any prizes to give away, but you get Special MM.com Bonus Points if your insipid question suggestion gets asked tonight. — As for drinking game proposals, I recommend taking a swig every time Tom Brokaw inserts his two cents after the citizens ask their questions.
CNN:
Transcript of second McCain, Obama debate — NASHVILLE, Tennessee (CNN) — Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama debated in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday night. NBC's Tom Brokaw moderated the debate. Here is a transcript of that debate. — Brokaw: Good evening from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Andy McCarthy / The Corner:
You Guys Are Nuts — We have a disaster here — which is what you should expect when you delegate a non-conservative to make the conservative (nay, the American) case. We can parse it eight ways to Sunday, but I think the commentary is missing the big picture.
Marc Ambinder:
Live Blogging: Third Half Hour — 10:29: Here's a YouTube of “That One.” — 10:24: McCain uses question about whether US would defend Israel military if Iran attacks to bring up “without preconditions” vow, but McCain does not answer question...neither does Obama...smart of them both not to answer this question.
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Ann Althouse / Althouse:
[I doubt that] Obama wore an earpiece that was clearly visible on HDTV. — (Enlarge.) — ADDED: Scrolling around and looking in different frames, I don't see it. I think this picture creates an illusion of a clear plastic earpiece, but I can't see it in other frames.
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Ann Althouse / Althouse:
Live-blogging the big “town hall” debate. — 6:14 Central Time: I'm just setting up the post so you'll know I'm doing this again. — 8:11: After they blame each other for the financial crisis, Obama tells us we don't want to hear them blaming each other. We just want to know how to stay in our homes and pay our bills.
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
“That One” — The moment the contempt spilled over:
Discussion:
The Reaction
Mike Allen / The Politico:
Advisers worry about ‘grumpy McCain’ — When Politico's Ryan Grim approached Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) after the evening of the Senate bailout vote, the reporter didn't even get his question out. — “Excuse me, you're bothering me,” McCain said. — It was a surprising rebuke …
Kate Howard / Tennessean.com:
Cindy McCain makes appearance at Children's Hospital — Cindy McCain said today that she expects her husband to clear the record at tonight's debate and let America know where he truly stands. — McCain, who stopped to visit a half-dozen children at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital …
Oskar Garcia / Associated Press:
ACORN office in Vegas raided in voter-fraud probe — LAS VEGAS (AP) - Nevada state authorities are raiding the Las Vegas headquarters of an organization that works to get low-income people to vote. — A Nevada secretary of state's office spokesman said Tuesday that investigators are looking …
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Hullabaloo, Atlas Shrugs, The Jawa Report, The Raw Story, Townhall.com, TPMMuckraker, www.redstate.com, NO QUARTER and Riehl World View
Frank Bruni / New York Times:NEW!
Downturn in Decibels, Too — Neither candidate was selling morning in America. At times it seemed more like a competition to see who could paint the gloaming in the least unsettling hues. — Tuesday night's presidential debate was remarkable for the dourness of its mood …
Discussion:
Guardian
AMERICAN DIGEST:
Let's Face It, the Only Candidate This Year Who Has What It Takes to be President Is... Because she's the only one who is young enough and idealistic enough and man enough for the job.
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
THE “HANDSHAKE” THAT WASN'T — You can see our initial comments on this below. And here's the video — make your own judgments ... Late Update: A few readers say the two shook hands right after the conclusion of the debate, at that moment where Brokaw told them they were in the way of his teleprompter.
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns and Money
Bob Cesca / The Huffington Post:NEW!
That One?! — They say that Senator McCain's strong suit is the town hall debate. If this was, in fact, Senator McCain's strength, he might as well go home. Sorry... homes. — While not as smirky as the first debate, Senator McCain was jittery, reptilian (the darting tongue), scattered and overall just plain creepy.
Jonah Goldberg / The Corner:
Luntz's Focus Group — This is purely a methodological question. If the reporting on blacks said they were torn between the candidates I wouldn't be asking this question. But his focus group is allegedly a collection of “swing voters” from Virginia. And it appears there are a relatively large number of blacks in the focus group.
Discussion:
World-O-Crap
Sara Goo / Washington Post:
After Bailout, AIG Executives Head to Resort — Less than a week after the federal government offered an $85 billion bailout to insurance giant AIG, the company held a week-long retreat for its executives at the luxury St. Regis Resort in Monarch Beach, Calif., running up a tab of $440,000 …
The Politico:
McCain proposes bailout for homeowners — Here are details of the plan Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) announced during Tuesday night's presidential debate “to keep families in their homes, avoid foreclosures, save failing neighborhoods, stabilize the housing market and attack the roots of our financial crisis”:
Associated Press:
Obama wishes he had more time for staying fit — NEW YORK (AP) — Barack Obama says he wishes he had more time for staying fit. And the Democratic presidential candidate admits that he still occasionally smokes a cigarette. — “Most of my workouts have to come before my day starts,” …
Hilzoy / Washington Monthly:NEW!
Debate: Reaction — I thought Obama won this one — he was more fluid and fluent and confident, and McCain sounded tired to me. That said, I didn't think it was a blowout. But it didn't need to be. McCain is the one who needs to shake up the race; Obama just needs to solidify is support.