Live blog — from Nashville, a grand ol’ debate!
Things should be getting under way at Nashville’s Belmont University in just a few minutes.
For those joining our debate live blog for the first time, everyone is invited — indeed, encouraged — to contribute thoughts by adding their comments to this post.
Pre-debate spin is focusing on “John McCain’s last stand.” The consensus of polls is that Barack Obama is widening his lead, anywhere from 6 to 8 points. McCain needs something tonight to stop the bleeding.
Two trivia questions to get things started:
1. What highly-ranked NCAA Division I basketball team lost to tiny Belmont in December 2003?
2. Name the 1975 movie in which a fictional presidential candidate named Hal Philip Walker played a key role, though he was never on screen. Who directed the movie?
Kevin Horrigan is deputy editor of the editorial page. He writes editorials on local, state and national politics and public policy and also contributes a signed column to the Sunday Commentary Page. "The Old Sport" is a former sports columnist for the Post-Dispatch and for 10 years hosted radio talk shows on KMOX and KTRS in St. Louis. He lives in South St. Louis with his wife, Kate, and a dream of one day starting a professional catfish noodling tour. 
You must have a new definition of “diplomacy” because they were letting Iraq do whatever they wanted with no real punishment. The UN stopped working with the US a long time ago and we can’t hope that they will defend our national security.
“Obama says if genocide is taking place, then the US has to intervene. Hello, Iraq? This is a contradiction of everything he’s said up until now!”
HiLO
Who is the genocide perpetrator in Iraq now? At least, who is killing civilains, women, old people, children? The Liberators.
The American public was misled about why U.S. troops invaded Iraq. Your note says “alleged” WMD. Al Qaeda is a transnational network hardly limited to Iraq. Then the U.S. should be considering invading Syria, Iran, etc., under that logic. Why isn’t there more emphasis where Americans are currently under hostile enemy fire from terror groups in Afghanistan?
Obama’s old lady didn’t look too happy about the what he doesn’t know response. Prediction: McCain will tell a ‘Nam story to close it out.
Actually, I like this last question. Can you imagine Bush being asked something like this eight years ago?
Keep it simple, that’s what McCain does best. It keeps him out of trouble….. sometimes.
Obama articulates best but McCain speaks to his base so I guess he gets points. If he is the one who is best able to bring the country together (George’s promise) why hasn’t he and why Palin?
Two strong closing statements.
McCain basically said he’d go into Israel if they were attacked. Obama never said it. Obama said he’d talk directly to Iran (again no pre-conditions). How can anybody think this guy is ready to lead our country and our foreign policy?
Let’s see what Obama doesn’t know…. He knows that the challenges you don’t expect end up consuming most of your time. Good answer cause he’s right. This country gave me oppty. don’t know where he’s going. Are we going to pass on the American dream… where’s the answer. Let’s see what McCain says.
Let’s see what McCain doesn’t know… What’s going to happen here and abroad is what we don’t know. Spent my life serving this country. Know what it’s like in dark times, to keep the hope, to rely on others. Comrades pick you up and put you back in the fight.
Neither answered well. But McCain answered the question better, IMHO
I mean, think about it: Bush would have still been answering the question three or four days later.
Obama never said intervene in cases of genocide. He said the country had a moral obligation to do what it could which doesn’t translate into you must.