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The Presidentilal Debates
Image: Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama listens to his Republican rival Sen. John McCain Wednesday night at the final presidential debate of 2008.
Final debate a lagging indicator of reality
Despite the testiness at points, which made the event good TV watching , the third Obama-McCain debate mostly ended up where the previous two had been: a familiar ritual which could not quite encompass the shattering new financial reality. Full story
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More debate news and analysis
McCain goes on attack in final debate
Analysis: McCain puts Obama on the defensive
Fact check: Candidates again twist truth
'Plumber' says he has no plumbing license
Fineman: McCain stock souring in New York?
Can John McCain still win?
Newsweek: Don't buy the "comeback" script
Dan Rather has no kind words for the debates
Schieffer to moderate last debate
Political debates lack TV drama of past
Presidential debate watched by 63.2 million
Cosmic Log: McCain's planetarium problem
Low-voltage debate for presidential rivals
Newsweek: What the candidates got wrong
McCain calls for bailout of homeowners
Obama, McCain stretch facts in debate
Newsweek: By not losing the debate, Barack Obama won
Newsweek: John McCain's debate attacks fall short
Newsweek: Overstating and misstating in the second debate
MSNBC pundits on who won the townhall
Todd: Debate make or break for McCain
Fineman: McCain's last chance
What I learned at ‘town hall’ events
NYT: Campaigns shift to attack mode
Palin didn't win debate, but didn't lose either
Newsweek: Factchecking the debate
Biden, Palin clash on Iraq, economy
Analysis: Palin tops debate expectations
Newsweek: Palin scored, but didn't win
Facts go adrift in Biden-Palin debate
MSNBC hosts rate the debaters
Newsweek: A tale of two debates
Todd: What Thursday's debate really means
Style often trumps substance in debates
Newsweek: Spinning the pre-debate spin
PBS’ Ifill dismisses questions of partisanship
Newsweek: The debate - High entertainment, low real effect
NYT: Palin confident, but often vague
Newsweek: Onscene awaiting the debate
NYT: Biden often tripped by spontaneity
Bank crisis overshadows defense in first debate
Candidates debate foreign policy, not costs
Presidential debate becomes must see TV
Obama rejects McCain call to delay debate
NYT: McCain's scrappy debate record
NYT: Obama carries uneven record to debate
NYT: Pact on debates will let candidates spar
Clinton, Obama rumble in Cleveland
Fineman: Hillary's last stand
Clinton, Obama debate in Calif.
Romney, McCain clash in California
Economy central issue to Republican debate
Todd: Let the sunshine in
Obama, Clinton clash in fierce S.C. debate
Newsweek: Fact-checking the Democratic debate
Dem front-runners seek common ground in debate
Watching Tuesday's parallel campaign dramas
Six Republicans debate in South Carolina
Kucinich, Hunter, Gravel cut from debates
Republicans debate tax reform
GOP hopefuls debate immigration
GOP rivals spar in YouTube debate
Walter: McCain the spoiler?


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  Presidential debate transcripts

Oct. 15: Third presidential - Hempstead, N.Y.
Oct. 7: Second presidential - Nashville, Tenn.
Oct. 2: Vice presidential - St. Louis
Sept. 26: First presidential - Oxford, Miss.
Feb. 26: Democrats - Cleveland, Ohio
Jan. 24: Republicans - Boca Raton, Fla.
Jan. 15: Democrats - Las Vegas, Nev.
Sep. 26: Democrats - Hanover, N.H.
Oct. 9: Republicans - Dearborn, Mich.
Oct. 30: Democrats - Philadelphia, Penn.
Nov. 15: Democrats - Las Vegas, Nev.
Nov. 28: Republicans - St. Petersburg, Fla.
Dec. 12: Republicans - Johnston, Iowa

Video: Watch all the MSNBC debates!
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Analyze this! Review the presidential debate
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Video: The third presidential debate
Watch the final presidential debate
Oct. 15: Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama debate the issues for the final time before the election.
Who's got the better economic plan?
Helping Joe the plumber
Facing fiscal reality
Budget, Bush and independence
Why the mudslinging?
Obama, Ayers and ACORN
Whose VP choice is beter for America?
Reducing energy dependence
Free trade and jobs
Health care costs vs. coverage
Roe v. Wade
Improving American education
Last words
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Video: The second presidential debate
Watch the second presidential debate
Oct. 7: Debate moderator Tom Brokaw leads a town hall style debate between Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain.
American fiscal recovery
Choosing a financial leader
The bailout and the average American
What's next for the economy?
Trust you?
Restoring the dream
Reining in government spending
Fixing Social Security and Medicare
Environmental challenges
Solving the health care crisis
Protecting the world
Chasing America's enemies
The return of the empire?
A Zen question
Video: The vice presidential debate
Economic crisis concerns
Oct. 2: Debate moderator Gwen Ifill asks Joe Biden and Sarah Palin if this past week's action by Congress on the financial crisis is the best or worst of Washington.
Placing the economic blame
Class warfare?
Reneging on promises
Tough times and bankruptcy limits
The causes of climate change?
An agreement on gay rights
Iraq exit strategy
Video: The first presidential debate
McCain and Obama's first presidential debate
Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama debate foreign policy and the best solution to the economic crisis.
Paying the fiscal recovery piper
Learning from Iraq
What about Afghanistan?
Dealing with Tehran
Meeting with enemies
Russia: Competitor, enemy or partner?
Another terrorist attack?
Video
The benefit of hindsight: Highlights from past presidential debates
Sept.25: Watch video highlights of the debates dating back to 1960. By John Harwood of CNBC and the New York Times and NBC's Marisa Buchanan.
  McCain and Obama on the issues
Image: Obama, McCain
AP

Click here to see where the two candidates stand on key issues.

Video: Decision '08  
  
Turning Point: 2008
Nov. 5: NBC's Tom Brokaw recaps the historic election of America's first black president. Produced by msnbc.com's Kevin Flynn.
Looking back at the historic race
NBC calls an Obama win
2008: Obama announces 'change has come to America'

Week I: China
Week II: Iran
Week III: Same-sex marriage
Week IV: Energy
Week V: Immigration
Week VI: Taxes
Week VII: Globalization
Week VIII: Medicare and Social Security
Week IX: Pakistan
Week X: Iraq
Week XI: Guns
Week XII: Abortion
Week XIII: Science
Week XIV: Consumer issues
Week XV: Education

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Election A to Z
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  Picking the president: The candidates
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John McCain
  
Barack Obama

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