The Kicker

McCain brags about how he hasn’t been elected as the senate’s Ms. Congeniality. No, he hasn’t. But Sarah Palin was elected as Wasilla’s Ms. Congeniality, which is kind of shocking, given the record as portrayed in stories like this one from The New York Times.

9:33pm: Obama touts Google for Government. Yes, transparency. Is Sarah Palin listening?

McCain’s “It’s hard to reach across the aisle from that far to the left” line just got a very audible chuckle from the famously staid Lehrer. A deviation from Lehrer’s play-it-“absolutely straight” debate-moderation approach? Well done, Senator!

Just as a fact-checky like diversion, it’s worth reading a bit more about how The National Journal (which is the ‘study’ that McCain cites) arrives at their definition of “most liberal.” In short, if you miss a lot of votes (which presidential candidates sort of do) the rankings come out all screwy.

One half hour in, barely 5-10 minutes on the CRISIS (right?), and zip on foreign policy. A lot on earmarks, though!

Jim Lehrer seems big on getting the candidates to, you know, talk amongst themselves. In this, he is ostensibly subscribing to the First Law of Second-Person Dynamics: the assumption that addressing someone directly will cause the address-er to be more diplomatic and, er, politic in his or her address. A noble strategy, but will it […]

9:20pm: Still? Earmarks? Also, Obama is at least occasionally addressing McCain directly as “John.” (For instance: “That’s not true, John.”) McCain is distinctly addressing Obama as “Senator Obama.” Didn’t Lehrer say he wanted the two to talk to each other?

Drinking games for the debates are nothing new. Here’s a review of the various possibilities: San Diego Union-Tribune The Good: “Swig from a bottle of peach Schnapps when Georgia is mentioned.” The Bad: Requires too many types of liquor. We’re in a recession. Come on. Comedy Central’s Indecision 2008 The Good: “Every time McCain refers […]

9:08pm: CNN has an “Audience Reaction” meter on the bottom on the screen. And it’s flat-lining the whole time. At least Lehrer is getting sassy.