After the jump for all the debate goodness.

10:41: I wanted to do more inline analysis, but I didn’t realize how tough a job liveblogging actually is.  You never really have time to think.

So, I’ll be back in a bit with another post on analysis of this debate.

10:37: Closing Statements
Obama: Father born in Kenya.  My father knew no other country that you can succeed more.  Need to restore respect for America.

McCain: I am ready for the position, been working on many issues including veteran treatment since left military.

10:26: What’s likelihood of another 9/11?

McCain: We’re safer than we were then, but not out of water.  Moves on to bi-partisanship, working across aisle.  Need to have better intelligence.  Need better interrogators so not torture again (author: does he agree that there’s been torture?).  Had more govt. reorg since DoD created.

Obama: Secure in some areas, but more to do.  Secure nuclear sites, etc.  Threat not from nuke over skies, but suitcase.  Need missle defense.  Need to spend more on nuclear non-proliferation.  Also must focus on al-Queda.  Can’t only focus on Iraq, but also need to go in Afghanistan.  Need to work on how we’re perceived to gain assistance in WoT.  Need to restore rep.  Less reputation now.  Gives McCain credit on torture issue.

McCain: Obama doesn’t understand if fail in Iraq, al-Queda will grow bigger, if follow Obama’s withdrawal plan.

Obama: McCain focused solely on Iraq.  Bin Laden still out there.  Need to also focus on China.  Borrowing billions of dollars.  They’re active in South American and we’re not because tied up in Iraq.  Speaking billion in Iraq, so can’t on other issues, incl. Vet support.  Need broader focus on issues, not just Iraq.

McCain: Obama doesn’t have knowledge and experience to lead.  Obama being stubborn on surge.  On veteran support, I wil take care of them.  I have leadership on this.  I don’t need on-the-job training.

10:24: Missed a bit because of a call.

Obama: McCain voted several times against alternatives.

McCain: Obama against nuclear repossessing.  Need offshore drilling, will help at least temporarily.

Obama: Never objected to nuclear waste, but need to store safely.

(They pass back and forth a bit)

10:16: How do you see Russia?

Obama: Approach must be reevaluated. Must remove from South Ossetia.  Tell them they can’t be 20th century dictatorship.  Tell other countries to be part of NATO.  Can’t go back to Cold War policies.  Must work with Russia on loose nukes.

McCain: Obama’s response to SO “Both sides must show restraint.”  This is naive. Russia a KGB-type run government.  Russians in violation of ceasefire agreement.  Want to work with Russians, but must expect them to respect international boundaries.

Obama: I said Russian invasion illegal.

10:04: Reading on Iran.

McCain: Cannot allow to get a nuke.  Need League of Democracy to impose tough sanctions on Iran  Democracies can put pressure on Iran.  Iran moving forward with getting weapon.  Obama didn’t want Republican Guard labeling as terrorists.

Obama: Legislation was to broaden mandate in Iraq.  War in Iraq has emboldened Iran. Cannot tolerate nuclear Iran.  Do need tougher sanctions.  Going to need sanction agreement from Russia.  Need to engage in touch direct diplomacy.  “No talking” policy not worked.  Not talking has increased emboldening to get weapon.

McCain: Obama wants talks without preconditions.

Obama: I reserve right to talk to anyone at my choose of time and place.  McCain brings up Kissinger.  He says meet with preconditions.  Need preparation with any talks.  I was called naive on talks, but Bush sent ambassador.  Cut off talks with DKRP, and they beefed up nuke capability.  Then reversed.  Attacks on Spain issue.

McCain: Kissinger didn’t say face to face with Iran president.  (Obama: Of course not).  Can’t sit across from Iran president, because of his disgusting statements abotu Israel.  DKRP broken all agreements.

Obama: McCain mischaracterizing my statements.  Kissinger did say meet Iran without preconditions.  Can’t solve every problem without talks.   Repeats need for prep.  Obama parsing words.

(They back and forth a bit)

9:51: Leher: Afghanistan plan

Obama: More troops.  Al-Queda attacking troops across from Pakistan.  Must press Afghan government.  Must attack poppy trade.  Must deal with Pakistan and safe havens for Al-Queda.  Giving a lot of money to their govt.

McCain: Mistake to ignore Afghan after Soviet invasion.  Can’t cut off aid to Pakistan.  Obama would do military strikes (Author: He really said not off the table as last resort).  Can’t attack Pakistan, but must gain cooperation of Pakistanis. Need additional troops, but more.  Must have strategy.

Obama: Really said if we have bin Laden et. al in sights, but if Pakistan do nothing, must strike.  Attacks McCain on DKRP and bomb bomb Iran.  Coddled Musharraf for 10 years.  20th century mindset of “he’s our dictator.”  Pak not going after Pakistan.

McCain: Failed state in Pak when Musharraf came to power.  Didn’t support Reagan bombing plan. Supported first Gulf  War.  Went up against party on Bosnia, Kosovo, et al.  I have record on foreign wars.  Anecdote on soldier bracelet, mother says “don’t put my son’s death in vain. (author note: THANK YOU McCain!  Can rest for a minute).  Anecdote on doing anything to win war means I have record.

Obama: I too have a bracelet from mother say make sure “this doesn’t happen again.”  No one’s talking about defeat in Iraq. Attacks McCain on “muddling through in Afghan.”

McCain: Obama should have gone to Afghanistan.  I’ve traveled to these places so I know what’s going on.  If we suffered defeats in Iraq by accepting Obama’s plan, chaos will ensue.

9:39: Lessons of Iraq war.

McCain: Went in, but war badly handled.  I fought for more troops.  Consequences of defeat Iranian influence, sec. violence, civil war.  Petraeus has done a lot of great things.

Obama: Need to go back to decision to go in.  I opposed.  We hadn’t finished job in Afghanistan.  Got distracted.  $600 billion spent, many lives lost.  Al-Queda resurgent.  Spending $10 billion a month when they have $79 billion surplus (why does he keep bringing this up?)  Must used military wisely, and didn’t with Iraq.

McCain: Next prez must decide what is left behind when leaving Iraq.  Obama opposed, and admitted to surge success, but says would still have opposed.

Obama: Yes, violence has been reduced.  Brilliant job done. Surge strategy to contain damage done in first four years.  McCain wrong on many things, as violence, weapons of mass destruct.  Next prez must be wise in deciding on future conflicts.

McCain: Obama doesn’t understand strategy.  Anecdote on re-enlisted soldiers.  Obama doesn’t want to win in Iraq (Obama: Not true).  Peace is coming to country.  Obama voted to cut off funding for troops.

Obama: McCain opposed funding with timetable.  Different opinion on that.  Strategy not question, but initial decision.  Afghan getting worse.  Can’t do it if tied up in Iraq.  Need to get back to Afghanistan.

McCain: Gen. Mullen says Obama plan dangerous (Obama: Not true).  Patraeus and bin Laden say Iraq central battleground for WoT.  Obama would have been out last spring.  Obama’s plan would lead to disaster.

9:35: Will either say must cut back due to crisis?

Obama: I will make tough decisions, but must know values.  But if spending 300 billion on tax cuts, and leaving out healthcare, bad decision.

McCain: Can’t hand HC to govt.  Families make decisions. Must cut spending, and I’vr fought.  Obama has $800 billion in new spending.  Should cut that.  Must take care of vets.  Healthy economy with low taxes recipies for recovery.  Spending restraints, too.  Spending got out of control.  Can be done, because I’ve fought for it.  I have plans.

Obama: Bush presided over biggest increase in spending and McCain supported.  To pretend last 8 years hasn’t happened is stupid (he didn’t say “stupid”).  McCain voted with Bush 90% of time.

McCain: I’ve been maverick.

9:33: Leher: Will either of you do anything major?

Obama: Must be energy independent.  Can’t give up, but cut some.  Agree with McCain on scrubbing govt.  McCain calls me most liberal, but just against Bush pols. Worked with Tom Coburn on google for govt.

McCain: Spending freeze except for vet bens, defense.

Obama: Doesn’t make sense.  Can’t freeze all with medicare situation. Need to end Iraq war to get cut spending.

McCain: Sending $700 billion overseas on oil.  Need smorgasbord of option, stumps on nuclear.

9:26: What will you give up to pay for bailout bill?

Obama: Won’t be able to do all things I want, but must do energy independence.  Plan for freedom in 10 years.  Need alternatives.  Need to fix healthcare.  Deductables up 30% acc. to report.  Must compete in education; invest in science, and make sure keeping pace with others in science and math.  Elim programs that don’t work, readjust priorities.

McCain: Cut spending.  Obama has most lib. record.  Need to look at all depts.  Elim ethanol subs.  Gives ship building example.  Fixed price contracts.  I’ve fought bad contracts.

9:14: Differences in two plans?

McCain: Need to get spending under control.  Repubs went to Washington to change it, but Wash changed us.  Need to control earmarks.  Brings up bear DNA.  I will veto all earmarks.  Brings up Obama’s earmarks.

Obama: Earmarks process is corrupt, so I suspending.  Doesn’t directly address McCain accusation, though, but says he’s not like other pols making them.  Attacks McCain on CEO comp.  Must rebuild economy from ground up.  Tax plan helps 95%.  Can’t follow Bush/McCain plan.

McCain: Goes back to Obama earmarks.  Have people under indightment for corruption.  I’ve been called sherriff.  Obama has plans for lots of spending.  Must cut spending and cut taxes.

Obama interrupts: Must cut corp loopholes.  Called for healthcare plan.  Will pay for every dime. $18 billion in pork barrell is huge, will go through budget.  That’s not all.  Can’t neglect middle class in favor of rich.

McCain: Obama finds business tax objectionable.  Biz go to place where biz tax low.  I will cut.  $18 billion lot, but there’s over 2000 requests.  Obama recent convert to no earmarks, but used to do a lot. Must give tax breaks to middle class.  I’d like to hear about his definition of rich.

Obama:  95% see tax cut. Below $250,000 will see tax cut.  Must close loopholes, and not give taxcuts over them.  McCain says health tax breaks, but corporate tax offsets this.

McCain: McCain talks about energy bill, I voted for, he voted again.  Must compare our records.  Obama voted for taxes on people as low as $42,000.

Obama:  Not true. Opposed to tax breaks for oil companies.  McCain opposed to bill.  McCain chuckles.

9:09: Leher: how do you feel on plan?

Obama: How did we get into situation?  I warned that lax regs and subprime that we must stop abuses.  Wrote to SecTreas to inform of magnitiude of problem.  Must solve problem short term, but also look at how got rid of regs, didn’t set up regulatory network.  Blames on dereg policy.

McCain: Will vote for plan.  I also warned about crisis.  Eisenhower?  Gives anecdote about Eisenhower about Eisenhower taking accountability at wartime.  Must hold people accountable, why I called for firing of SEC Sec.

Obama: McCain right on responsibility, but not just at crisis time.  Plan for years good for wall steet but not main street.  Brings up “fundamentals.”  Leher pushes him to speak directly to McCain.  Reg Americans having trouble paying bills, etc.

McCain: Must fix system, have a long way to go.  Need stricter interp and consol. of reg agencies.  Have belief in strength of American worker.  Must get through times, but have belief in USA.  Best days ahead.

9:04:

Obama’s opening statement: At a defining moment… going through two wars…hearing about wall street, but main street affected for long time…must move swiftly and I have a plan…must have oversight…taxpayers should get money back when market back.  Obama attacks McCain and Bush on degregulation and trickle down economics causing crisis.

McCain’s opening statement: Kennedy in hospital, prays out to him.  Not feeling to great about things and neither have Americans…seeing Repubs & Dems sitting down together…don’t underestimate crisis…failures on WS, but also MS.  Dems/Repubs sitting down to make package…must have transparancy, etc.  Went back to Washington and met with reps.  Repubs decided to be part of solution.  Not beginning of end, but reverse (?  didn’t catch it).  Must elim independence on foreign oil.

9:03pm: It’s on!