Debate Live Blog - Part I

Watching the Fox coverage with Brit Hume presiding over the network coverage.

He hands it over to Jim Lehrer, who quips about taking a deep breath and holding his breath for 90 minutes (I think it was Lehrer).

"Global Financial Crisis" - so that's how he is going to work in the credit crunch.

Lehrer says the questions are his own and are known to no one other than himself. Calls for no noise of any kind.

Eisenhower quote: "We must achieve both security and solvency".

First question to Obama on the financial recovery plan.

Obama: Usual thanks to the usual people. Clearly coached to be direct in his answers and not so theoretical. First mistake: blames Bush and then says McCain has supported it. McCain has the chance now to knock it out of the park. We'll see.

McCain: Expresses thoughts about Ted Kennedy's health. Going for the "bipartisanship is keen" track. He better get back to the Obama assertion (i.e., lie). He whiffs.

Follow up: do you favor this plan?

Obama: Haven't seen the language. Optimistic, blah, blah. Obama now lying about having called for action on the "subprime mess". This must be a lie, as his campaign has never made this claim.

McCain: Responding, but meekly. Warming up with Ike story about D-Day Eve and the two letters - one expressing thanks for a successful operation and the other offering his resignation because of its failure. He goes to the point of the story: accountability. But he deflects credit and doesn't take on the Obama fabrications.

Obama: Making up a story line (not watching out for Main Street), and McCain is letting him get away with it.

McCain: Presents well, but isn't responding to Obama, just stating things that he has said before.