Bob McCarty Writes

The most exciting segment of tonight’s third and final presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain came at the 40-minute mark when McCain brought up Bill Ayers and, obviously displaying his discomfort with the subject, OBAMA GULPED!

Held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., and moderated by CBS News’ Bob Schieffer, the debate featured 90 minutes divided into nine-minute segments with questions followed by two-minute answers from each candidate and discussion periods afterward.

The “GULP” segment took place after a pitched back-and-forth discussion covered most of the political accusation that have been tossed about during the campaign in recent months.  It ended with Obama denying accusations that he had launched his political career in Ayers’ living room.  McCain told Obama there’s no denying the facts and that records are records.

Moderator Schieffer interrupted and changed the subject, noting that it might surface again.

Another exciting part of the debate took place at the beginning of the debate.

Click image to view video.

Both candidates ran through their talking points on the economy, then each was able to ask the other questions.  McCain brought up Obama’s encounter with Joe Wurzelbacher, the 34-year-old Ohio Plumber to whom he said we need to “spread the wealth around” after being asked point blank, “Your new tax plan’s going to tax me more, isn’t it?”

In response, Obama tried to dance around the fact, but McCain didn’t let him.  Instead, McCain hammered Obama on his “spread the wealth around” comment.

Other highlights of the night centered around Rep. John Lewis (D-Fla.) and his charge that McCain and running mate Sarah Palin were somehow exhibiting racist behavior, that both campaigns had engaged in terrible exchanges during the course of the campaign (Think crude t-shirts and epithets yelled at campaign rallies).

One of the best slip-ups during the night was McCain calling his opponent, “Senator Government.” So true!

Among the most-heated exchanges between the candidates took place on the subject of abortion.  McCain highlighted the many incidences of Obama voting in favor of infanticide, including voting against passage of Illinois’ Born-Alive Infant Protection Act, and Obama rolled out his boilerplate answers on the subject.

Did the debate help either candidate?  Yes, but only among those voters who paid attention.  Clearly McCain cleaned Obama’s “clock” with substance and details.

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UPDATE 10/16/08 9:41 a.m. CDT:  Early in this video footage of the debate, one can see Obama swallow deeply (a.k.a., “GULP”) as McCain discusses the topic of his relationship with Ayers.

[Note: Quotes and paraphrasing above are rough drafts.  Please refer to the debate transcript -- which I will post as soon as its available -- for exact comments.]