Water Glasses? Hofstra Sweats the Debate Details

Comeback unlikely for grumpy-seeming Republican

(NEWSER) - The debate last night was all about whether John McCain could pull off a game-changer; while some pundits saw his best debate performance yet, most agreed that he didn't score.

• Time’s Mark Halperin liked what he saw at first, as McCain "showed off the best of himself—dedicated, sincere, patriotic, cheery, earnest, commanding." But he lost it in the second half, getting "aggressive and distracted."

Says he will get tough with both candidates

(NEWSER) - CBS veteran broadcaster Bob Schieffer has vowed to stand firm when he moderates the final presidential debate tonight, and will press the candidates to answer questions put to them, Politico reports. Jim Lehrer, Gwen Ifill and Tom Brokaw have come under fire for being too easy on candidates in previous televised debates. Schieffer may be aided by an in-your-face format in which he and the candidates will be seated together. More»

Abortion, Supreme Court among issues ignored in McCain-Obama encounters thus far

(NEWSER) - There's just one debate to go, and a surprising number of "hot buttons have gone unpressed," writes John J. Pitney, Jr. in the National Review. A search of the previous debates' transcripts turned up plenty of topics that demand a visit:

• Abortion: “So far, nobody has even uttered the word in the debates,” despite the sharp contrast between the candidates.

Campaign sees tomorrow's encounter as chance to reroute opinion

(NEWSER) - Tomorrow’s debate will be the one town-hall-style encounter John McCain gets with Barack Obama, and analysts believe it will be crucial to keeping the presidential race from slipping away, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Republican has a reputation for excelling in the town-hall format, which brings out his spontaneity and wit. More»

He disagrees with McCain on need for postponement

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama disagrees with John McCain and says "it's more important than ever" to hold the first presidential debate Friday, CNN reports. Obama spoke soon after McCain called for a postponement, announcing that he was suspending his campaign to return to Washington and work on the financial bailout. So is the debate on or off? Stay tuned, but Obama says he will continue to prepare for it. More»