John Berman has been at ABC since 1995, and allowed to appear on television since 2001. He covered the 2008 campaign extensively, following John McCain and Mitt Romney during the primaries and then Barack Obama in the general election. He also spent more than 20 months chasing George W. Bush around the country as a producer from 1999 until 2001, earning the clever nickname, "Pain in the Ass," from our 43rd president. He is a frequent and sometimes welcome contributor to all of ABC's broadcasts.
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LIVE DEBATE BLOG
October 15, 2008 9:05 PM
10:35 pm ET: Obama also closes well. A strong debate all around -- for both candidates, Bob and Joe. Believe it or not, the next stop for the live blog is November 4 -- Election Day. We'll see you then -- when the polls, debates, and pundits make way for your votes. We eagerly await your decision.
10:29 pm ET: The "long line of McCains" mark a slightly emotional, and probably effective, close.
No big slips for Obama -- measured against that standard, another great night for him.
I'm wishing we had had three debates this good -- maybe Joe the Plumber should have been called a few weeks ago . . .
10:23 pm ET: McCain gets a voucher plug in too, just for good measure.
And wow this has been a really interesting debate. If this had been the first, and not the third, I could see more impact for McCain. Plenty of distinctions drawn this evening.
10:20 pm ET: From ABC's Teddy Davis: McCain was wrong to state that small businessman "Joe the Plumber" would end up paying a fine if he refused to provide his workers with health insurance under Barack Obama's health-care plan.
Under the Obama plan, small businesses are exempted from a requirement imposed on large companies that they contribute to a national health fund if they fail to make "a meaningful contribution" to their employees' health care costs.
10:18 pm ET: The post-debate polls should be fascinating. My sense is that McCain has done much of what he needed to do tonight -- that may not matter for the race, but it's a key hurdle. If the polls show a big Obama win -- that's telling in itself.
10:12 pm ET: McCain: "I don't know how you vote present on something like that." He's painting the portrait tonight . . .
Obama's response on the "life-saving treatments" question just missed the mark, it seems to me.
10:09 pm ET: If you're curious about Joe the plumber, my ABC colleague Jake Tapper did a thorough write-up of the exchange he had with Obama yesterday.
10:06 pm ET: Almost a really interesting Roe v. Wade answer. "I would never . . . " impose a litmus test, McCain says. He didn't follow with the typical code words a conservative candidate gives. Instead, he turns to the Gang of 14.
Sen. Obama most definitely did not vote against Justice Breyer. He was not in the Senate at the time. Clearly Obama misspoke.
10 pm ET: ABC's Matt Jaffe notes that Joe Biden likes to call John McCain's healthcare plan "cockamamie." Biden has recently argued that Petraeus - despite not saying as much - has essentially implemented Biden's Iraq outline. (Which was NOT a partition of the country, for the record.)
9:57 pm ET: Noticing the eyes -- McCain looking right at the camera as he explains his plans, McCain looking at the moderator. A little thing that helps Sen. Obama look presidential. John McCain only looks at the camera when he talks to Joe the plumber (who has officially gotten way too much air time).
Sen. Obama's plan is NOT single-payer.
9:51 pm ET: Drilling is a McCain comfort zone -- and he gets at it by attacking Obama's "words."
He's painting a broad portrait, without saying the words, that you just can't trust Barack Obama -- that his promise is based on something false, or at least faulty.
9:49 pm ET: More than halfway home -- clearly McCain isn't afraid of being aggressive, seated at a table or no.
9:48 pm ET: From ABC's Bret Hovell: By bringing out Bill Ayers and ACORN, John McCain makes an effort to placate those conservative voters who are frustrated that he has not been hard enough on Barack Obama - like the ones who on Friday confronted McCain at a town hall meeting in Minnesota. This feels like it could be a direct response to the five or so people who begged McCain to "take the gloves off."
9:44 pm ET: Obama: "If we have an across-the-board spending freeze, we're not going to" be able to expand autism research.
McCain attacks Biden in a way that Obama didn't attack Palin. "Cockamamie idea"! Don't tell me John McCain wasn't ready to mix it up with lines like that.
Big Obama smile on the cutaway shot while McCain attacks on spending.
9:43 pm ET: McCain on Palin: "She's a reformer through and through." "She'll be my partner." But wasn't the question what happens if her partner, um, can't serve?
9:40 pm ET: An odd cut on the running-mate question. But Obama uses it to build up Biden -- continuing the strategy of pretending as if Sarah Palin does not exist.
9:39 pm ET: I'm still perplexed about this "all the facts need to come out" thing from the McCain campaign. Why not make it about the substance, not alleged cover-ups?
9:35 pm ET: HERE COMES AYERS -- and ACORN too. Wrapped in a Hillary Clinton mention. "All of these things need to be examined," McCain says.
The response: "Forty years ago, when I was eight years old, he engaged in despicable acts . . . I have roundly condemned those acts." Obama lays out the relationship like he typically does. And ACORN had "nothing to do with us."
I'm not sure how to score this one -- but it's a measure of the McCain campaign that so much is pinned to these two factoids.
9:33 pm ET: McCain: "I'm proud of the people that come to our rallies." (That was another Ayers opportunity he didn't take, by the way.)
This is a lot of time McCain is taking on the Lewis thing.
9:30 pm ET: "Senator Obama is spending unprecedented . . . amounts of money on negative attack ads on me," McCain says. That will not make them stop, or get him much in the way of sympathy. "I did not hear a repudiation of Congressman Lewis." (That's because there wasn't one.)
Also -- is it weird that Obama said a few times "your running mate," but didn't mention Sarah Palin? "I do think that he inappropriately drew a comparison," he says, finally, on Lewis.
9:28 pm ET: No surprise that they both use a question about tone to complain about the other side. Strikes me though that they both missed an opportunity to lower the temperature in a statesmanlike way.
And so the attacks will continue.
9:26 pm ET: Say it to his face, Schieffer says. "I regret some of the negative aspects of both campaigns," McCain said. But instead of then saying it to his face -- he attacks Rep. John Lewis, which is legit, sure. But he did NOT jump at the opening this provided to the Bill Ayers issue.
9:24 pm ET: From ABC's Teddy Davis: During tonight's debate, McCain said that Hillary Clinton proposed the same kind of mortgage buy-up plan that he did.
This is not true.
While Clinton has proposed directly helping homeowners by having the government buy and resell mortgages that are in danger of foreclosure, her proposal would force financial institutions to take a loss.
The McCain proposal, by contrast, is more generous to financial institutions and more costly for taxpayers.
9:23 pm ET: "When it comes to economic policies, essentially what you are proposing is eight more years of the same thing," Obama says.
9:20 pm ET: Obama was asked for specific cuts and he talks "new direction."
McCain: "If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run for president four years ago." Clearly he had that one ready -- a good line, easily cuttable into a soundbite.
But McCain is still saying he'd balance the budget within four years? This is silliness, and I think McCain knows it. I look forward to his campaign explaining how, exactly, he'll do this while extending the Bush tax cuts and funding bailouts.
9:17 pm ET: First mention of Hillary Clinton belongs to McCain. But then he starts talking energy independence and a whole bunch of other stuff? What does that have to do with a spending freeze (and didn't he just spend that $300 billion)? This response has the Palin problem -- lots of words, tumbling over each other. "A half a trillion dollars we owe China." Earmarks too in this answer. Over-eager tonight?
9:15 pm ET: Seems to me that the off-the-bat skirmish fell along rather predictable lines. That's all well and good -- but predictable is not great for John McCain, who needs more than Joe the plumber to un-clog the race.
9:11 pm ET: Joe the plumber wins the debate so far. McCain: "I want Joe the plumber to spread the wealth around." But then he said the whole premise of Obama's plan was "spread the wealth around"? Anyone else lost on that one?
And maybe enough of "Joe the plumber."
Also -- ABC's Jake Tapper notes that he got the last name wrong. It's Joe WurzelBACHER. Not Joe WurzelBURGER
9:08 pm ET: Think McCain had this one ready to go? Even remembered the guy's last name. "Joe was trying to realize the American Dream." McCain talking right to Joe: "I'll keep your taxes low. . . . I will not stand for a tax increase." (That's a real important distinction for him to draw -- if he loses the tax argument, he loses the election.)
9:06 pm ET: Sen. Obama also gets specific right away -- looking right to the camera with his bailout package for the middle class. And if you're looking for the first candidate to draw a distinction tonight, it's Obama, not McCain.
9:03 pm ET: "Americans are hurting right now, and they're angry." Populist tone out of the bat for McCain. "New direction." And an immediate turn to Fannie and Freddie -- obscure stuff, still, but the right gets really energized blaming Democrats for this. McCain carves out the $300 billion from the $700 billion -- that's a bit of a shift. Like the previous debates, McCain goes from broad to specific right away.
During tonight's debate, McCain said that Hillary Clinton proposed the same kind of mortgage buy-up plan that he did.
This is not true.
While Clinton has proposed directly helping homeowners by having the government buy and resell mortgages that are in danger of foreclosure, her proposal would force financial institutions to take a loss.
The McCain proposal, by contrast, is more generous to financial institutions and more costly for taxpayers.
October 15, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (2224)
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What about the small business owners that already had to close there doors and then lost every thing? If it's in the past do we just leave them there? Just because they were hit hard first does that mean we forget them?
Posted by: Megan | Oct 15, 2008 9:15:59 PM
McCain keep repeating the same, already demonstrated false lies. hope he keeps it up!
Posted by: bennie | Oct 15, 2008 9:16:19 PM
spread the wealth? End entitlement programs and get people working....invest in the american people...what about illegals??!!
Sweet talkin Obama can't accomplish his promises -totally unrealistic
Posted by: Khamers | Oct 15, 2008 9:16:42 PM
Incorporation!
Posted by: CaseStreet | Oct 15, 2008 9:16:53 PM
Obama is still smooth - he's showing up McCain by proving himself to be the better communicator.
Posted by: Bill Adkins | Oct 15, 2008 9:17:05 PM
This is a travesty, not a debate. Can we hear about some solutions to the mess we are currently in? Can we hear what they want to do in a positive light, instead of jabbing and digging at each other?
Posted by: LennyK | Oct 15, 2008 9:17:07 PM
If business owners get tax breaks it would they actually put it back into the economy or take more spa trips with the extra money?
Posted by: Carmen | Oct 15, 2008 9:17:23 PM
Obamas plans are going to ruin the small businesses and small business owners like me and other people are not going to be able to keep our business going. We are not multi millionares and are not rich by far we provide services that keep people happy and he is going to tax the hell out of us so that we cannot provide those services anymore and obama doesnt care!! Mccain cares and thats whats important
Posted by: Holly | Oct 15, 2008 9:17:30 PM
GUN CONTROL? WHAT ARE THE VIEWS?
Posted by: Tracy | Oct 15, 2008 9:17:33 PM
Off shore drilling isn't going to help it is only going to continue our independance on OIL!!! Making their profits even bigger, we need to stop this now.
Posted by: rzahrte | Oct 15, 2008 9:18:02 PM
If this is the best McCain can do, turn out the lights as you leave GOP HQ
Posted by: Bill Adkins | Oct 15, 2008 9:18:04 PM
What the hell is McCain eluding too? Joe the Plumber my big toe. I cant afford to have Joe the Plumber over, esp at his $95.00 trip charge. Who ever paid ME to come to work? When was the last time McCain had a plumber over to his mansion period? Did he have problems paying the bill like many of us retired folks would? You are out of touch, old man!
Posted by: Dave | Oct 15, 2008 9:18:07 PM
The 700 Billion to "countries who don't like us very much" has been factchecked to death each debate. Why is McCain still using that figure
Posted by: TakingPictures | Oct 15, 2008 9:18:10 PM
Ever hire a plumber? Had a $1700.00 dollar bill in ONE DAY! More than my mortgage payment! If the guy makes $270,00.00+ a year, that's pretty good.
So you pay more taxes, where is all the rich corporations money? In off shore bank accounts.
Posted by: steve | Oct 15, 2008 9:18:11 PM
Incorporation!
Posted by: CaseStreet | Oct 15, 2008 9:18:14 PM
Why isn't McCain say what he will cut in programs? Why is he just rattling on?
Posted by: Ethel | Oct 15, 2008 9:18:20 PM
neither has mentioned a specific cut they'd make yet
Posted by: skiprat | Oct 15, 2008 9:19:02 PM
neither has mentioned a specific cut they'd make yet
Posted by: skiprat | Oct 15, 2008 9:19:04 PM
Everytime McCain talks you can tell he feels like he is against the rope, talk policy not joe the plumber politics.
Posted by: Todd in MI | Oct 15, 2008 9:19:09 PM
Lets talk about gun control and lets talk about Acorn i bet thats one subject that will not come up
Posted by: Holly | Oct 15, 2008 9:19:23 PM
Why doesn't someone say that class warfare is UN-AMERICAN! Obama's plan takes money from people and sends it to people that pay -0- Federal Income taxes.....He calls that a tax cut, but what it really is giving someone money they did not earn and that belongs to someone else. Does the term socialism mean anything to anyone anymore?
Posted by: Mike | Oct 15, 2008 9:19:23 PM
Tracy:
What is with gun control?
Posted by: rzahrte | Oct 15, 2008 9:19:24 PM
Is Joe the plumber the same guy as Joe Six Pack?
Posted by: Eva | Oct 15, 2008 9:19:35 PM
McCain just can't seem to get his ideas together. Kinda sad.
Posted by: Jane | Oct 15, 2008 9:19:55 PM
McCain needs to stop quoting his campain commercials!
Posted by: lori | Oct 15, 2008 9:20:04 PM
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