2008 Presidential Debates: Videos and Transcripts

Here is last night's final presidential debate in its entirety:


Full transcript is here.

I've watched all three debates and I have to say this was much better than the other two.

Obama played it safe, and in keeping with the seriousness of the economic crisis, tried time and again to steer the conversation back to the issues instead of making cheap shots. That's not to say he didn't return fire when called for. When McCain kept harping about Rep. John Lewis hurting his feelings, Obama said "the American people are less interested in our hurt feelings ...than addressing the issues that matter to them". When the subject of Ayers came up, Obama said the fact that Ayers is now the centerpiece of McCain's campaign says more about McCain than about him.

Meanwhile, McCain was the total opposite; coupled with his combativeness and arrogant rudeness, it was McCain at his worst. He looked ready to pounce on Obama any minute; an "exercise in anger management" was how David Gergen put it. McCain's rabid base might have liked it, but it doesn't take much to get them all pumped up, anyway (mention abortion and gay marriage and they're ready to bring out the pitchforks). Considering that voters by a margin of 2 to 1 think he's running the more negative campaign, he didn't help himself with his dismal, unpresidential performance last night.

That's my take. What did you think?

For comparison purposes, here is the video of the second debate:


Full transcript here.

Lastly, here is the video of the first debate:


Full transcript here.
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