The final debate (thank the stars)

The final debate of the 2008 presidential election campaign is here as U.S. Sen. John McCain squares off against U.S. Sen. Barack Obama. I've been watching most of these debates on CNN because I get a kick out of the dial chart graph and the pundit scorecards but others are questioning their value.

No matter.

9:03 p.m.: Moderator Bob Scheiffer begins with the economy and a request that the candidates avoid their talking points. Good luck with that! "Why is your plan better than his?"

9:04: McCain uses a form of the word "anger" at least three times in one minute.

9:06: Obama is using the same script from his economic proposals speech yesterday. He's also showing deference to McCain on some issues. It's an approach that's worked well in the first two debates.

9:08: McCain brings up an Obama encounter with a voter in Ohio regarding small businesses. Obama retorts with who they want to cut taxes for. McCain quotes Obama saying "We need to spread the wealth around." He's a closet socialist! "Why would you want to increase anybody's taxes right now?" McCain asks. Obama mentions Warren Buffet, McCain attempts humor, "We're talking about Joe the plumber." Again, his attempts to look funny come off as angry.

9:17: Schieffer tries hold the candidates' feet to the fire, asking what they will cut. McCain says spending freeze, then scalpel. Which programs, the moderator asks again, trying to get some, uh, straight talk. He gets some but also a lot of talking points we've heard in the past, including the overhead projector nonsense debunked in a letter to the editor today.

9:20: First sound bite of the night from McCain: "Sen Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against Presidrnt Bush, you should have run four years ago." He challenges Obama to name a time he stood up to leaders of his party, which Obama does. Obama gets in a good line, "Even Fox News disputes" a McCain claim. Obama says he's shown commendable independence, "I give you enormous credit for that," but on economic policies you promise more of the same thing.

9:25: Scheiffer challenges candidates on pledge to take the high road in this campaign. "Are you willing to say to each other's face what people in campaign have said about each other?" McCain doesn't answer and blames Obama for the tone because he wouldn't do more town halls. McCain says he regrets some of the tone. Brings up John Lewis and suggestion that McCain and Palin associated with segregation era. "That to me was so hurtful, and Sen. Obama you didn't repudiate those remarks." McCain claims he's always repudiated, which simply isn't true as video from campaign rallys last week show. McCain also brings up public financing, says Obama didn't keep his word on that. Obama falls back on polls that show Americans feel largely that McCain has been more negative. Obama says McCain's add have been 100 percent negative. I'm not sure that's 100 percent true -- surely there have been some McCain biography spots during the campaign. "What the American people can't afford is four more years of failed economic policies and what they deserve is that we talk about what's most pressing to them." Obama hasn't responded to the John Lewis comment.

9:30 p.m.: Runs through a litany of Obama ads he says are untrue.  Smart move. Forces Obama to bring up Ayers if he wants to do likewise. Obama doesn't take the bait. McCain brings up Lewis again. Obama reponds this time. Says Lewis "inappropriately drew a comparison" and put out a statement saying "he had probably gone over the line," which isn't what the Lewis' second statement said, I don't think. McCain is being really disingenuous bringing up people at rallies that aren't saying racist things. How does Obama criticizing the racists equate to criticizing the non-racists at the rallies?

9:35: Obama says "disagree without being disagreeable." The CNN graph chart goes wild. McCain brings up Ayers and ACORN. Obama says "Mr. Ayers has become the centerpiece of Sen. McCain's campaign..." The CNN graphs have flatlined. Uncommitted voters don't care about this subject. Obama fights back on ACORN. Obama says, "Let me tell you who I associate with..." Smart move. It's a positive direction to take this rather than negative. McCain goes negative again and the CNN uncommitted voters don't like it.

9:40: Scheiffer asks about people they will bring into the government: "Why would country be better off if your running mate became president than  his running mate?" Scheiffer's questions are far and away the best of those of any moderator in this election cycle. Obama talks about Biden and then segues into tired talking points. This may be the toughest question for McCain to answer. As he tries to tout Palin, CNN's women aren't buying it but the men are. Scheigger asks Obama, "Do you think she's qualified to be President?" Obama answers carefully and smartly compliments her special needs funding and how he would do it and McCain wouldn't. So crafty. McCain tries to make Biden look bad for mistakes on foreign policy. Interesting tactical move. McCain is definitely more forceful and on his game in this debate than in the first two.

9:51: McCain says Obama would only say "we'd look at off-shore drilling." Are Republicans chanting, drill, baby, drill! McCain says Obama "has never traveled south of our border." Really, McCain? With Palin on the ticket you want to go there? Really?

9:57: This is easily the most substantive debate yet. There's more candor by both candidates. Yes, we're getting a lot of talking points too, but I'm also hearing some new things. McCain brings up Joe the plumber again. Who wants to bet bookers for the morning shoes are all calling Joe and trying to line him up for an interview? How did this become all about small business owners? Are they that big of a voting bloc? CNN's voters appear to have lost all interest: The graph has flatlined.

10:06: Roe vs. Wade: McCain says he won't apply a litmus test for Supreme Court nominees. Back and forth they go arguing about abortion. McCain: "We'll do everything we can to improve adoption in this country." Hmmmm...

10:18: Education: Obama says parents bear some responsibility. Both candidates' words seem to meet with the approval of the CNN dial twisters.

10:26: Closing statements time. For the first time this debate cycle, the CNN analysts on average give more positive points to McCain than Obama. In polling in the days to come, will Americans say McCain won the debate? And if so, will it move voters into his column? We'll see.