Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

My hat is off to these two distinguished gentlemen, a job well done!

A very challenging and vigorous debate, being the last debate with the economy in a crisis, businesses folding, unemployment rising, high prices, energy shortages, unaffordable health care and more. This is the greatest economy crisis since the Great Depression.

Coming into this debate and the beginning of a 20-day sprint to Election Day, Barack Obama won the last two and is ahead in national polls and surveys. This is John McCain's second attempt at running for President.

The debate focused on the economy and domestic policy, a timely topic as voters assess which candidate they trust to handle the historic meltdown of the U.S. economy.

John McCain launched a heavy assault on Barack Obama’s judgment and experience, making a last-minute effort in the final presidential debate to change the course of a campaign moving decidedly in Barack's favor. Barack said he could handle the attacks until election day, calling it politics as usual and said the focus should be on the people and issues.

Here are a couple of things I noticed. As this very anticipated debate began, I could not help but notice the whistle in the speech of John McCain. Is it something like a wink?

Joe Plumber, Joe Wurzelbacher, a plumber from Toledo, Ohio who is he? Is he an idea of the average American? What about Americans who are unable to get employment due to -- no jobs, age, disabilities...? How can they buy a business or afford health care...? If you can not buy food, clothing and shelter, how can you buy a business?

McCain told Obama, he was not President Bush and if he wanted to run against President Bush, he should have run four years ago.

Obama responded by saying, If I've occasionally mistaken your policies for George Bush's policies, it's because of core economic issues that matter to the American people - on tax policy, on energy policy, on spending priorities - you have been a vigorous supporter of President Bush.

Is Sarah Palin, qualified to sit in the Oval Office? McCain said a lot of stuff, but I did not hear an affirmative yes.

Fundamental change versus Politics as usual? This is the difference I see between the two candidates.

What have I learned from the debates? I do not want to run for President. For the first time in my life, I watched all four debates, including Vice President.

Enjoy and see you at the polls.

Wednesday, 15 October 08
Debates sponsored by the Commission On Presidential Debates.

Presidential Debate Number 2

To view all three debates, Go to My Debate.org