Finally, the first debate has arrived.  And yes, John McCain has decided to join the party.  From Politico:

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) ended three days of suspense on Friday morning and announced that he will leave bailout negotiations in Washington and fly to Oxford, Miss., for tonight’s opening presidential debate.

You didn’t actually think he was going to skip it did you?

We’ll be blogging about the debate throughout the night so stay tuned.  And if you have any good debate drinking games, please share.  We’re thinking of taking a shot for every time Obama says “change” and McCain says “my friends.” It should be an early night.

UPDATE 9:14: 

McCain seems much more comfortable than Obama.  McCain’s running around a little bit with his answers though, he should have nailed Obama on his proclaiming this crisis is a result of 8 years of George Bush. 

UPDATE 9:16:

Woohoo.  Way to nail him on the $930 million in earmarks. 

UPDATE 9:20:

Great job clearing up why such high business taxes are incentive to go overseas. 

UPDATE 9:23:

This financial crisis is giving liberals cause for claiming that the free market doesn’t work.  Sheesh. 

UPDATE 9:27:

10 years time we’ll be done with foreign oil because of investment today in solar and wind?  He must not know enough about solar energy. 

UPDATE 9:34:

Great stat on job creation from building nuclear power plants.  Create 700,000 jobs to build 45 new plants.  Now that has a nice ring to it. 

UPDATE 9:39:

On to Iraq.  Let’s see how Obama handles this. 

UPDATE 9:41: 

Did anyone else just catch Obama saying he questioned whether the intelligence was sound as a quick side note under his breath?

UPDATE 9:46

Obama just killed him on Iraq.  Thing is, Obama is focusing on 2003 and the decision to go in while McCain is focusing on what’s happening today.  What will voters be more interested in?

UPDATE 9:48

McCain hits back.  Going at Obama’s vote for cutting off funds was smart.  Now Obama is saying that he wants to get out in 16 months.  Wasn’t he saying the same thing 12 months ago?

“Senator Obama does not know the difference between a strategy and a tactic.” Heh.

UPDATE 9:51

Obama just said there was no al Qaeda in Iraq before we invaded.  Is he that ignorant?  Doubt it, he just counts on most of the voters being ignorant on the issue.

UPDATE 9:53

On to Afghanistan.  McCain is showing a good understanding of the situation in Pakistan and at the same time is showing a mastery of the delicacies of big stakes diplomacy that Obama’s blustering talk on Pakistand lacks.

UPDATE 9:55

Up until now, I’d say Obama was getting the better of the exchanges.  The economy, as expected, was Obama’s territory.  Now, on foreign policy, McCain is finally finding his footing.

UPDATE 9:57

Is this the friggin Twilight Zone?  Now Obama is a hawk all of a sudden, he’s the big defender of the troops, willing to take the fight to our enemies?  Please.

UPDATE 10:00

Battle of the bracelets.  It makes me uneasy to hear this sort of thing get dragged into the campaign.

UPDATE 10:03

On to Iran.  Finally.  McCain calls it an “existential” threat to Israel and a threat to the region.  “We cannot allow another holocaust.”

McCain proposes a “League of Democracies.” And he’s making the connection between Iran’s involvement in Iraq and their hand in killing US servicemen.

Obama’s turn.  He says that the war in Iraq has strengthened Iran.  “We cannot tolerate a nuclear Iran.  It would be a game-changer.” “We need tougher sanctions.” “We’ll need the cooperation of Russia and China.” Seriously?  He wants “direct” tough diplomacy.

UPDATE 10:08

McCain hits Obama and meeting with Ahmadinejad and other dictators without precondition while he is in New York “talking about the extermination of the State of Israel.” He’s showing a good understanding of history.  Why is Obama smiling?  Strange.

Obama stands his ground, says he will meet with anyone in the world at a time of his choosing.  Is he doubling down on meeting with Ahmadinejad?

Time for a beer.

UPDATE 10:13:

McCain gets in a good jab about the fake seal.  Nice. 

UPDATE 10:15:

Senator Obama started off much stronger than McCain and I was pretty worried.  However, as it turned to foreign policy, McCain showed who the real leader is and who has the experience and JUDGMENT to lead. 

UPDATE 10:16:

Russia. McCain’s opportunity to wipe the floor with Barry.  Let’s hope so. 

UPDATE 10:22:

And I was right.  McCain is absolutely on fire and in charge of the foreign policy discussion.  He’s making Barry seem like a freshman. 

UPDATE 10:27:

John McCain’s answer was great for 9/11.  We’re safer now.  Right on John.  Keep fighting to keep us safe. 

UPDATE 10:29:

Obama just said the biggest threat we face is a terrorist getting a nuke.  You still want to talk to Iran.  Talk till you’re blue in the face, by which time they would have handed off a dirty bomb to be let off in NYC. 

UPDATE 10:32:

Did John McCain just tie Obama to Bush, wow.

UPDATE 10:35

Wow.  John McCain just finished off incredibly strong.  Obama is playing the negative card about Al Qaeda being resurgent and our debt.  American’s don’t want to hear that.  And they don’t want to hear Obama studying.  They want to hear that a strong and stable America will prevail as always.  I was worried at first, but I think John McCain pulled this one off.

Let the spin begin.

WRAPUP:

So Obama was the one that got angry and frustrated and not McCain.

McCain repeatedly used “Senator Obama does not understand.”

Obama kept saying “I agree with John” in many different ways and McCain agreed with Obama on nothing.  Interesting how this will play.

Quick work by the McCain campaign: