Colin Powell endorses Obama, Joe Wurzelbacher: Third_Presidential

ON THIS PAGE: John McCain puts in a solid performance in the third and final presidential debate at Hofstra University -- and enter plumber Joe Wurzelbacher of Ohio, the new Joe Six Pack

Obama wins pres. debate

Colin Powell endorses Obama

Scandals And Scumbags

Joe Six Pack and Wendy Wine Cooler: Palin's brat pack

McCain Flip Flops on all issues

Palin fashion: Naughty Monkey

McCain has fun with funerals

Is this what we want from the next president of the United States? McCain's age is becomin an issue in the campaign. He was slow and hesitant during parts of the third debate

Katie Couric fan page: the legs

What's with crossed legs?

Sarah Palin's fitness program

Why is Hollywood liberal?

Sarah Palin and dinosaurs

VP debate pages: Biden wins

Newsweek upsets Palin camp

3rd Presidential debate

Third Presidential Debate

Blow by blow account of the third and final presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain at Hofstra University, New York, moderated by Bob Schieffer of CBS News

This debate is seen by many as John McCain's final chance to reverse his fortunes. Wall Street's crash has harmed McCain's campaign, with growing numbers of voters more confident that Obama and the Democrats have the answers to the nation's economic wills.

	Each candidate has two minutes to answer each question, followed by a five-minute discussion period. The second debate was town hall format, with candidates standing and pacing as they answered audience questions. The final debate at Hofstra University will have the candidates answering questions posed by moderator Bob Schieffer. No pacing up and down this time.

Polls taken after the first two debates -- the first at the University of Mississippi on September 26, and one at Belmont University on October 7 -- suggested that television viewers thought Obama had won both meetings. None of the first two debates fired up the candidates or the listeners. They have been strong on details, low on passion, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

Third presidential debate: John McCain did much better in the third presidential. He stayed on topic and was focused in his criticism of Barack Obama.

After a sleepy start, in which neither candidate was fired up, it turned nasty when John McCain questioned some of Obama's past associations, such as his fleeting connection with former extremist Bill Ayers.

An irritated Obama answered the questions calmly while McCain sat smiling, pleased that he had switched the debate to his beloved negative tactics.

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	The candidates were quizzed about their running mates, Joe Biden and Sarah Palin. Obama defended Biden for his experience. McCain spoke up for Palin as a reformer and maverick. "She will help sweep out the old boys' network and special interests," said McCain. "I am very proud of her," he added. Here, Obama missed an opportunity to score some points at Sarah Palin's gaffes in recent weeks.

Obama was polite about Palin, not criticizing. McCain attacked Biden for his opposition to the Iraq war and for his support of partitioning Iraq.

Discussion turned to eliminating dependence on foreign oil. "We can eliminate our dependence on Venezuelan and Middle Eastern oil by building new nuclear power stations," said McCain. He then added all the known energy sources to his wish list.

	"We can within 10 years eliminate our dependence on Venezuelan and Middle oil," said Obama. "We need to expand domestic production, but we have 3 to 4% of the world's oil resources and use 25% of the world's oil, so we can't drill our way out of this crisis." "I admire Sen. Obama's eloquence," said McCain, suggesting Obama was not genuinely interested in offshore drilling.

	There was a long discussion about free trade, with Obama saying he defended free trade when it respected worker rights, naming an agreement with Peru that he liked. McCain continued to press Obama him on a free trade agreement with Colombia, saying "Sen. Obama does not want to sit down with our closest ally in the region, Columbia, which

would create jobs in America. "He wants to restrict trade and raise taxes".

The duo sparred on health care, both agreeing it was a mess requiring a fix. McCain mentioned obesity, the first time FrICTION has heard the problem mentioned during the debate. McCain said fitness programs and education were needed to rid America of obesity.

Obama, defending his health care plan from McCain criticism, reiterated: "If you have health insurance, you don't have to do anything, you keep it, you keep your plan.

Joe the Plumber featured heavily in McCain's arguments. Joe was someone Obama had met on the stump. Both candidates addressed Joe, speaking directly to him via the camera. McCain said Obama's plan meant higher costs for Joe the Plumber.

"We exempt small businesses," said Obama in response to McCain's accusation that his healthcare plan would penalize small businesses.

"If you have an employer-based plan, you keep it," said Obama. "Under McCain's plan there is a big risk you'll lose it. All I want to do is lower your health care costs."

Discussion continued on Roe v Wade, Supreme Court judges, and education. John McCain argued strongly against abortion, Obama mired himself down in an explanation of some his votes in Illinois. Obama was strong on education, a subject he obviously feels passionate about.

Barack Obama delivered a solid but uninspiring performance in the third presidential debate, doing enough to stay ahead of John McCain. Independent voters were turned off by McCain's personal attacks on his opponent.

Both candidates seem tired. John McCain has done well in this debate. Barack Obama, as the leading candidate, did what he needed to do. He could have been more passionate in rebutting McCain's accusations, but he did a good job of portraying himself as calm, intelligent, and in command of all the issues. At times he was professorial, rather humorless, but these are minor misses that he can afford.

At times McCain went too far in his criticism and seemed rude and irritated, which might put off independent voters. But McCain will be pleased with his performance, even though it might be too little too late.

by Zack Pine for FrICTION

What the pundits say

Eugene Robinson, Washington Post: "Voters heard Democratic Party ideas juxtaposed against Republican Party ideas. That, more than grouchiness or demeanor, is what worked against John McCain and led respondents in the network instant polls to overwhelmingly favor Obama."

E.J. Dionne Jnr., Washington Post: "Ayers, ACORN and Joe the Plumber were the stars of McCain's desperate effort in the third and final presidential debate to revive a candidacy that has been on the skids ever since the economic crisis hit."

New York Times: "Mr. Obama maintained a placid and at times bemused demeanor � if at times appearing to work at it � as he parried the attacks and pressed his consistent line that Mr. McCain would represent a continuation of President Bush's unpopular policies, especially on the economy... That set the backdrop for one of the sharpest exchanges of the evening, when, in response to Mr. Obama's statement that Mr. McCain had repeatedly supported Mr. Bush�s economic policies, Mr. McCain fairly leaped out of his chair to say: 'Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago.'"

What do you think? We welcome contributions from left, right and between

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Fathers Speak Out

Katie Couric Page

Colin Powell Endorses Obama

Barack Obama picked up another heavyweight endorsement in the form of Colin Powell, retired general and Sec. of State under George W. Bush.

In recent days, John McCain has added Joe the Plumber to his column, while Obama boasts Powell's more significant backing.

McCain has always made a point of Obama's lack of military experience. With a Republican and General Powell on his side, Obama cancels out the military advantages of Captain McCain.

Powell's criticism of McCain and Sarah Palin are stinging: "I must say, he [McCain] seemed a little unsure about how to approach the [economic] problem... He didn't have a complete grasp of the economic problems we have."

Speaking of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. "I don't believe she's ready to be President of the United States, which is the job of vice president," Powell said, adding that it raised "some questions in my mind" about McCain's judgment.

What does John McCain's economic adviser, Joe the Plumber, have to say about this?

(Colin Powell's endorsement: Why did he do it? The implications. Full page of coverage.)

Who Is Joe The Plumber?

Well, he's not a plumber. And, ooops, he owes taxes, McCain didn't vet him before trying to turn him into a folk hero

Joe "The Plumberr" Wurzelbacher

John McCain introduced Joe the Plumber to the American public with the words, "A couple of days ago, Senator Obama was out in Ohio and he had an encounter with a guy who's a plumber, his name is Joe Wurzelbacher."

Katie Couric of CBS Evening News interviewed Joe by phone after the third presidential debate. Joe was still undecided, but he likes McCain's health care plan. He disagrees with Obama on rasing taxes for those earning more than $250,000.

Katie Couric: "We want to go to Joe the plumber, Joe Wurzelbacher from Toledo, Ohio, because Joe is telling me that he's got three live trucks parked outside his house - actually from Holland, Ohio, let me correct that, Joe. Was this a bit of a surreal experience, hearing your name mentioned not once, but twice, but almost half a dozen times during the course of this debate, Joe?

Joe "The Plumber" Wurzelbacher is a registered Republican who owes $1200 in back taxes. He's not officially a plumber, and nor is his first name Joe, it's Sam.

JOSEPH WURZELBACHER: Yeah, actually, surreal's a good word to use for it. It was - you know, I was glad I was able to act as some type of point, you know, to where they could sit there and hammer out what they both think, what they want to say. But ultimately, you know, the important part was the debate.

It turns out that Joe isn't really a plumber at all, or rather he's not a qualified plumber. State and local records show Wurzelbacher has no license, although his employer does. There are no records of inspectors citing Wurzelbacher for unlicensed work in Toledo.

Mr. Wurzelbacher owes nearly $1200 in income taxes. In January 2007, Ohio's Department of Taxation filed a claim on his property. The lien remains active.

Joe, a registered Republican, is not quite the working class hero John McCain had hoped for. Still, he's enjoying his 15 minutes of fame. He has a number of television appearances lined up, which might help him with those back taxes.

POLLS SAY OBAMA WON DEBATE

In a CBS poll immediately after the third and final debate, Obama emerged as the winner among undecided voters.

John McCain improved on his performances in the first two debates, pushing Obama to be defensive on his connection, real or imagined, with former extremist radical Bill Ayers, who is now a professor at the University of Illinois.

Obama was especially strong on health care, convincing voters that he has the better plan.

CBS interviewed the much talked about Joe the Plumber, who joins Joe Six Pack as election celebrities.

Latest polls show McCain-Palin's attack ads backfired

Weeks of nasty attacks on Barack Obama have backfired on John McCain according to new polls released ahead of the third presidential debate.

With only three weeks to go before the election McCain is trailing his Obama by double digits in battleground states. McCain needed to land a knockout blow in the third presidential debate to reverse the trend.

A CBS News/New York Times poll has Obama leading by 14 percentage points, the fifth survey in a week to register a double-digit lead.

The poll revealed that six in 10 voters said that John McCain had spent more time attacking his rival than explaining what he would do as president. About the same proportion said Obama was explaining more than attacking. (Thanks to London Times)

GOP withdraws Ads from Wisconsin

The GOP is withdrawing ads from Wisconsin, moving them to more competitive states. John McCain's campaign will continue to air ads in WI.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE on the third and final presidential debate: "In many ways, Obama managed to remain calm in the face of McCain's onslaught, sometimes even laughing at him. But the Democratic nominee was forced to spend time defending and explaining his plans, his policies, his supporters, and even himself... Taking center stage at the debate at Hofstra University was a plumber named Joe from Ohio who was invoked so often throughout the 90-minute session that it became comical. Also mentioned were Chicago's Adler Planetarium, the Chicago Tribune, and University of Illinois at Chicago professor Bill Ayers, who lives on the South Side of the city."

What next for John McCain?

Michael Tomasky, an American writing in the Guardian, UK, thought McCain did well in the third debate. He was surprised that undecided voters did not like McCain's performance: "I don't know what McCain does next. Just plays it out, I suppose. He should really lay off the personal attacks at this point and just do his best. If he continues to go for the jugular, if his rallies still get ugly and he doesn't calm them down, if 100% of his television advertising is still attack-based, he now risks permanent damage to his reputation."

Friction Reader, George Edwards: "This was John McCain's strongest debate performance. It was obvious he was the guy with the job to do. He came out strong, forcing Obama on the defensive on a number of issues such as the relationship with Bill Ayers. Obama seemed bored at times, tired and even annoyed by the need to keep re-treading the same ground. As so often before, McCain cannot really control his aggressive streak and he turned arrogant, smiling and sneering at Obama. It's a tactic that turns off undecided voters, who want to see candidates respect each other."

Friction Reader, Naomi Miller: "I thought Barack Obama was very tired. John McCain was on the attack from the start. He has a mean streak which I don't like. I think Obama did a good job. McCain was much improved, but I don't like him."

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