First of all, I loves me some Tom Brokaw. Should have asked a question about all the crap that’s been flying around from Clearwater, Florida.

Thanks for letting us know we can cheer and jeer at home, Tom.

And they come out of their respective corners.  I think I’ll be looking more at body language tonight, especially after the “poker tell” story from a few days ago.

We’re watching network at the moment – CBS. May change.

Obama steps right down front and connects with a jab at the “failed economic policies of the last 8 years.”  I like how he’s addressing the bailout and notes today’s hot news, AIG’s half-million fun junket after they got bailed out recently.

McCain steps to the firing line and uses Alan’s first name. He says angry, upset, and fearful. Well, that didn’t take long. He’s working the jury now, but he seems… very taut. He’s not just talking to the original questioner, either. And works in a second use of Alan’s name and talks about the mortgage crisis.  And busts out the first “my friends” of the evening. Trust? Yes, he knows how to do it, my friends.

Brokaw: opens up the idea of who Treasury Secretary would be. McCain’s caught flatfooted but quips “Not you, Tom.” McCain’s economic guy is Gramm… I don’t think he’s got much of a chance. He mentions Meg Whitman.  Obama does not deign to name names. Actually, he’s generalizing and reaching back to whack McCain’s “fundamentals of the economy” statement again. It’s interesting that he’s using his one minute to make more points on his economic policies and weigh in on the mortgage and homes crisis.

Brokaw: you have to be confined within a minute or so under the rules you both signed off on.

Next question is from Oliver, also about the bailout. McCain’s up and hits the “I suspended my campaign” button, but I suspect that was just grandstanding as do many others. Tries to claim Obama’s “cronies” are the problem behind Fannie and Freddie. Obama’s face is a picture of suppressed glee. It was Obama that warned about the crisis 2 years ago. This is going to be good. McCain’s on the attack, but this just gives Barack an opportunity.

Obama: the rescue package for you, Oliver, is that small businesses can’t get loans, make payroll, etc. The credit bailout. NOW he’s going to school McCain’s history. the Big Problem was deregulation and that McCain was the big deregulator. Obama notes he wrote to Paulson and Bernanke 2 years ago and warned them of the problem with the credit/securities sector. And he didn’t mention the Fannie May bill was not McCain’s own bill, he jumped on it as an also-ran. He turns back to Oliver: “But you’re not interested in hearing politicians pointing fingers… this is not the end of the process, this is the beginning of the process…”

Brokaw asks if Obama is saying it’s going to get much worse? Obama isn’t quite as smooth as he usually is, but gets back on track. Brokaw asks if McCain thinks the economy can get back on track. McCain says cronyism and special interests in Washington need to be removed. Interesting split screen on CBS shows Obama smiling attentively as McCain tries to paint him as a bystander and a cronyist at the same time.

Brokaw introduces Teresa Finch: “How can we trust either of you with our money when both parties got us into this global economic crisis?” She sounds not just nervous but also quite upset. Obama tries to sympathise, then points out we had a big surplus when Bush 43 came into office, and now we’ve got the biggest increases in deficit spending in our history, and McCain voted for 4 out of 5 of Bush’s budgets in that time. Obama notes that the blame is on both sides. He tries to explain about net spending cuts and says we’ve got to put an end to lobbyists and special interests.

McCain rises and places the mantle of Reformer about his manly shoulders, grasps his staff, and commands the waters to part… no no no. But he definitely shifts the mantle and talks about how we have to reform and invites us to look at the record as well as our rhetoric.  And now here we get the stuff about how Obama is the most liberal-spending Senator. McCain talks about eliminating pork barrel earmarks including something that was probably for the Adler Planetarium here in Chicago and paints him as an earmarker.  Which isn’t so much the case, as I live in Illinois, but there’s infrastructure earmarks and vanity earmarks. Obama’s not a vanity guy.

Brokaw: what are your highest priority your first year in office? Choosing amongst energy, health, education and entitlements?

McCain – wants to reform entitlement benefits. Oh, the retirees are going to lurve this. That’s his top priority between that, energy, and health?  McCain is a big one for wanting to cut Medicare – and has been for year.

Brokaw: notes one minute of discussion for Obama on his priorities. 1. Energy. Gas is expensive, and it’s bad for national security because unfriendly countries benefit from high oil prices.  Okay, come on, let’s get to 2 and 3 and not take a nice rhetorical excursion.  2. Health care system is broken. 3. Education. Very important. Takes a shot at the “earmarks” charge. Notes the McCain tax cuts are a continuation of big-company Bush tax cuts. More money in your pocket.

Brokaw: another reminder about time… a larger deficit than the Federal government if we don’t take care.

Question from an older lady from Chicago. What are the sacrifices they will ask people to make?

McCain: Again with the earmarks and the corruption – he’s trying out that same old can of paint. Recommends a spending freeze except for defense and veterans. Oh, yeah, he’s a friend to veterans. And again he seems to think earmarks get shoved under the door late at night, the pesky buggers.  Goes on about health care with a “get ‘er done” kind of statement.

Obama: first to raise the spectre of 9/11. Remember how all of the country was ready to come together and make changes and become a more unified country.  An opportunity was missed when Bush said “Go shopping.” The American people are hungry for the kind of leadership that asks them to do something more than that…  like energy. Clean coal, nuclear energy, saving energy at home and at work.

Note: David and I have a Ford Escape hybrid and we have increased the energy efficiency of the house and our air/heat plant.

Obama talks about young people and how he’d like to increase the Peace Corps and other similar programs domestically.

Brokaw: Bush last summer said something about “Wall Street got drunk.” Nice from the former fratboy.

Obama’s answering this one too. He thinks people don’t feel as if the are sharing the burden with everyone else.  He talks about people who are less wealthy are shouldering more than people who are wealthy.  He wants to use a scalpel so that people who NEED help get it, and those who don’t need it don’t.

McCain makes a joke about nailing Jello to the wall, saying Obama’s economic policies can’t be categorized. Steps on his own joke regarding “the news is bad.” He keeps going on about that 5000.00 tax credit for health care that won’t be doing that much good. Obama wants to respond but Brokaw rules him out and says the next question will let him address McCain’s tax claims.

Brokaw: lays down a big ticking time bomb – will you give a specific deadline for Congress to fix Social Security within the first two years. Obama addresses tax plans again. Notes the Straight Talk Express lost a wheel on that. Wants to provide the tax cut for 95 percent of Americans.  Notes that small businesses would mostly qualify under the 200,000.00 limit. Contrasts to McCain’s tax cuts for big business and CEOs and other wealthy people. That is not fair, and it doesn’t work. Tax policies need to be good for the middle class.

Wow. too much fast typing, not enough watching body language.

McCain looks so stuff as he toddles forward for his turn. He talks about our wonderful Ronald Reagan and wonderful Tip O’Neill. Blah, blah, I’ve taken ’em on. The Maverick theme plays in my head all the time now. The stiffness of his upper arms – something to do with his old war injuries. Claims Obama never introduced a bill to reduce taxes on the middle class. Our best days are ahead of us.

Brokaw gives up a followup two minutes to stay on time.  Question from the hall: Ingrid Jackson wants to know about environmental issues, climate change, and green technology.

McCain reminds us we’re having tough times. Claims to be open to the idea of climate change – not saying global warming. Says Obama says nuclear power has to be safe, disposed of… “somethin like ‘at” but his time on a nuclear warship taught him that nuclear power is clean. Okay then!! Don’t worry about disposal problems!

Obama: This is one of the biggest challenges of our times. The New Energy Economy can be an engine of economic growth. It can be done but investments must be made. Contrary to what McCain keeps on saying, favors nuclear power. We agree that the big problem with energy. He voted 23 times against alternative fuels and he was in Washington for 26 of the last 30 years, when Congress wasn’t doing anything about energy.

We can’t simply drill our way out of the problem. We can’t deal with the climate crisis if we’re using fossil fuels. Knocks China’s horrendous pollution problem, building more and more coal plants.

Brokaw points out the pretty colored lights that mean “time’s up.”

McCain mentions a big larded-up energy bill by Bush and Cheney that Obama voted for that McCain voted against. I bet this is one of those procedural votes again where he actually voted against the final bill. Can’t wait for the debunkery to start.

Brokaw: Lindsey Trella wants to know about health care coverage – should it be treated as a commodity? it’s marketed as a profitable package for health care companies… Obama talks about the crushing burden families and small businesses pay. We have a moral imperative. Has ideas for reducing costs – you keep your plan if you like it, but the government would work with the system to bring costs down and reduce paperwork.  Notes McCain would want to add deregulation of state health care… and that there would be an element of “one hand giveth, one hand taketh away” with the McCain tax “credit” along with some other new tax.

McCain agrees we can do a lot of things to impose efficiencies. He warns against government mandates. Senator Obama will fine you if you don’t cover your employees! He thinks it’s okay to deregulate state by state so people can cross state lines… yeah, there’s a great idea for those of us lucky enough to be able to travel to a state with a better health plan. Keeps saying “5000.00 refundable tax credit.”

Brokaw: is health care a right, a privelige, or a responsibility?

McCain: it’s a responsibility. Senator Obama is going to fine you! We might find that out tonight.

Obama: I think it should be a right. For every American. My mother died of cancer at the age of 53 and she argued with insurers in her hospital room in her last days. He repeats that you keep your plan if you like it. He notes that small businesses will get a discounted rate for providing health insurance. Notes that McCain voted against the Children’s Health Insurance bill. Notes that insurers hide behind the fine print, and notes that insurance companies will set up shop in unregulated states, similar to Delaware being the state haven for banking and credit card companies. We need fundamental change.

Brokaw: Foreign policy…. McCain wants to know if we heard the size of the fine?

Question from the hall: what about our ability to be a peacemaker in the world? But he insists that America is the greatest force for good in the world. Wait, I thought that was Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi, and Science?

Ah, nuts. I wish he’d stop calling us his friends. He’s not our friend.

McCain is so very stiff and insists that his judgement is sound. Hits on Obama’s “short career.” No time for on the job training, my friend.

Obama: McCain suggests that I don’t understand. I don’t understand how we ended up invadidng a country that had nothing to do with Osama Bin Laden. McCain’s judgement was wrong on Iraq, and costly. Iraq has put an enormous strain on our troops, and on our budget. We’ve spent 700 billion so far. 10 billion dollars a month while the Iraqis have a 79 billion surplus… these figures sound familiar.

We are a great nation… but we are losing the respect of the world.

Wow, they both use the word “fundamental” a lot. I bet the drinking game is going well.

Brokaw: What is the Obama Doctrine for the use of force when there’s not a national security issue at stake – as might have been in the early days of Rwanda? When genocide is happening… and we stand idly by, that diminishes us.  We’re not going to be able to be everywhere. That’s why allies are important. We could be offering logistical support, but only if we were able to lead.

McCain comes back to the “timeline” issue with Iraq. He mentions Al Qaeda… who weren’t in Iraq before we went there. He claims again that Obama would have brought troops back in defeat, blah blah.

McCain claims we need a cool hand at the tiller – he’s the least cool hand I know of today. He brings up the sad stories of Somalia and Lebanon, when our peacekeeping forces were in harms way and many young Americans died.

Brokaw: from the hall, Katie Hamm. Should the the US respect Pakistani sovereignty, and likens it to the bombing of Cambodia.

Obama: we made a bad judgement when we went to Iraq and got distracted instead of hitting Bin Laden, who went on to set up base camps and are stronger now than at any time since 2001.   Weaves the threads of drug trafficking in and proposes more insistence in our dealings with Pakistan, offering more and better aid, but taking a shot if we have a chance. Says “We will kill Bin Laden and crush Al Qaeda.”

McCain: notes Teddy Roosevelt said “talk softly and carry a big stick.” A valid point that talking loudly can cause more problems. Discusses the Taliban. Get the support of the people, and use the same strategy as Iraq… oy, that’s not going to work in Afghanistan, it’s a much different situation.

An argument threatens to break out over followups. Brokaw says he’s just hired help here. Obama gets his followup: if Pakistan is unable or unwilling to take out Bin Laden, then we should. Jokeyness: Bomb Iran, North Korea, not an example of speaking softly.  He walks around in circles while McCain tries to insert himself into his statements.

And now McCain gets a response – “Not true.” Obama sits sideways and smiles attentively. McCain says he knows how to get Bin Laden, and he knows how to fix the economy, and how to win the war.

Brokaw: response on developments in Afghanistan. British leaders have said ‘we’re failing, we cannot win there. What we need is an acceptable dictator.’

Obama: withdraw troops responsibly, send additional troops to Afghanistan to General McKieran (not McClelland, the guy in the Civil War Palin cited).

McCain: Strategy and tactics. It’s the same overal strategy. We have to work more closely with the Pakistanis.  Still says Obama was “wrong” about the surge. Hello, the “surge” wasn’t what made things work, it was better relations with the Iraqis, and some of the influential leaders coming in to talk with the US military leaders and call for a cessation of hostilities.

Meh.

Brokaw: Russia.

McCain repeats his K-G-B line about Pooty-poots eyes.  Rattles sabre about Georgia, a tiny democracy (that’s on the side of the Republican angels, oh and they have a fair amount of oil, I believe).

Obama: Russia’s resurgence is a central issue of the next presidency. He keeps framing his statements wrong!! He needs to say “McCain agrees with me.”   The next Commander in Chief needs to anticipate problems instead of react to them and not muddle through, rushing into Iraq before we were done with Afghanistan

Brokaw: Russia an evil empire, yes or no?

Obama: Very dangerous.  Energy is the big issue – if we reduce our dependence on oil, we reduce their petrodollars.

McCain: Maybe. Waffles that if he says Yes, we’re reigniting the Cold War, if No, we’re ignoring the problem.

Brokaw: a retired chief petty officer rises to ask about defending Israel against an Iranian attack.

McCain gets the money shot, shakes the man’s hand and says everything he ever learned about leadership he learned from a chief petty officer.  Wants to put pressure on Iranians to modify their behavior rather than put troops in harm’s way – but in the end, we can never allow a second Holocaust. There’s that line again.

Obama: his “thank you for your service” is, sadly, a formality. He can’t beat McCain’s handshake and knows it.  He says it’s important for us to use all the tools to prevent the scenario where we have to decide on sending troops.  Change their cost-benefit analysis. Repeats we should deliver a tough, direct message to Iran, that there could be dire consequences. We have a better chance at better outcomes if we try diplomacy.

Brokaw: Last question gentlemen, please.

Peggy in Amherst: “What don’t you know, and how will you learn it.”  WIN!!

Obama: My wife Michelle could give you a long list.  Wanders into a narrative about how he succeeded despite his background. Are we going to pass on the American Dream to the next generation? Not hearing the Zen koan in this answer yet. We need fundamental change, again, and he’s hopeful.

McCain: What he doesn’t know is what all of us don’t know – what’s going to happen here and abroad. He’s addressing the challenges that we will face. What I don’t know is what the unexpected will be. He talks about dark times. Yet this is a guy who lived a life of privelige. Believes in the country’s future and greatness.  Need a steady hand at the tiller. Never commanded a ship, you know.  He barely commanded a fighter group in Florida before retiring.

Both candidates move in front of Brokaw’s Teleprompter screen, forcing him to duck and weave to read his closing comments. Funny moment.

Cindy McCain’s hair looks like crap.

Michelle Obama works the crowd shaking hands and smiling.

Okay. I’m disappointed, just a little, that Obama did not call McCain on the negative campaigning issue, especially on that stuff from the Clearwater crowd at Palin’s rally today.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a McCain confidant, told The Post’s David Broder that the campaign would “go down in history as stupid if they don’t unleash” Palin. Well, the self-identified pit bull has been unleashed — if not unhinged.

Barack Obama, she told 8,000 fans at a rally here Monday afternoon, “launched his political career in the living room of a domestic terrorist!” This followed her earlier accusation that the Democrat pals around with terrorists. “This is not a man who sees America the way you and I see America,” she told the Clearwater crowd. “I’m afraid this is someone who sees America as imperfect enough to work with a former domestic terrorist who had targeted his own country.” The crowd replied with boos.

McCain had said that racially explosive attacks related to Obama’s former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, are off limits. But Palin told New York Times columnist Bill Kristol in an interview published Monday: “I don’t know why that association isn’t discussed more.”

Worse, Palin’s routine attacks on the media have begun to spill into ugliness. In Clearwater, arriving reporters were greeted with shouts and taunts by the crowd of about 3,000. Palin then went on to blame Katie Couric’s questions for her “less-than-successful interview with kinda mainstream media.” At that, Palin supporters turned on reporters in the press area, waving thunder sticks and shouting abuse. Others hurled obscenities at a camera crew. One Palin supporter shouted a racial epithet at an African American sound man for a network and told him, “Sit down, boy.”

Oh, and later in the same rally, some yutz yelled “Kill him!”