Live blogging the debate....sort of

~Taxes are not inherently evil. Taxes are the dues we pay for being members of society. They are meant to provide us with services. McCain seems to lose sight of this fact. At least Obama started to say that he didn't mind paying more taxes for himself.

~What are you going to cut? A freeze on spending is not the same thing.

~Songbird is live blogging, too, and I'm torn between commenting there or here....or both.

~Obama is so much more reasonable...and keeps his cool.

~Can you balance the budget? Ha!

~McCain: I am not Bush. ... I will balance our budgets. Americans are angry.

~What "conduct of the war" did McCain oppose that his party supported?

~I don't think Obama's campaign has been nearly as negative as McCain's...

~Ten town hall meetings? Spare us!

~So is McCain's tagline for tonight "I can prove it?"

~Enough already about Joe the Plumber!

~Okay--John Lewis--Obama is laying it out very well. And I still don't hear McCain repudiating the terrorist claims Palin keeps spouting.

~Oh puh-leeze..."the people who come to my rallies are the most patriotic...." So that makes it okay? There is no where near the level of vitriol at Obama rallies.

~McCain is over the top here about Ayers.

~I love that Obama is absolutely unflappable.

~Why would the country be better with your running mate? There is NO WAY McCain can get through this one!

~Sarah Palin is a role model for women? I think NOT. A reformer? Under investigation for an ethics violation? A breath of fresh air? Now he's playing the "special needs" card.

~I wish Obama had been harder on Palin's qualifications.

~Why does McCain ALWAYS get the last word?

~Obama hit the nail on the head when he said we had to cut costs AND provide more healthcare. McCain's $5000 tax credit is just not enough.

~Whoa--McCain just lumped coverage for cosmetic surgery and transplants into the same category of "gold-plated" health care. Really? And how can being taxed for my health care benefits be helpful even with a tax credit?

~Roe v. Wade and the Supreme Court: McCain--no litmus test, but qualifications important. But does anyone REALLY ignore ideology when it comes to supreme court justice nominations? Ah...here's the rub: anyone who opposes Roe v. Wade wouldn't have proper qualifications. Obama: no litmus test but RvW rightly decided. Strong support for choice--supported by constitutional right to privacy. Not really sure that Obama and McCain differ on this point about how they'd pick justices; clearly they differ on the issue of abortion.

~You go Obama: provide good education about sex and contraception.

~McCain: pro-abortion movement? Umm...not the same as pro-choice.

~Choice and competition in school...not so much. And when did we ever get to choose our elementary and high schools? The Kid went to school in NYC where there is choice, but the choice means cutthroat competition, and doesn't result in everyone having access to better schools by any means.

~At least Obama is willing to say that programs must be funded to work. Seems like a no-brainer to me, but it seems to have been overlooked all too often.

~Ooops. Doesn't McCain know that Palin's son has Down Syndrome, not autism?

~McCain, quit interrupting! And really, why does McCain get to diss Obama at the end of every question?

~Someone must've coached McCain not to say "my friends" tonight.

~Obama: We need fundamental change. Amen.