2008's Final Presidential Debate

The final presidential debate is a pivotal moment in the campaign. According to Real Clear Politics, Senator Obama appears to be pulling ahead in the polls[1]. This leaves Senator McCain with little time to gain momentum and turn the tide of public opinion. To succeed in the debate, Obama must stick to his message of change and support for the middle class. McCain must illustrate real policy differences and explain to the public why he believes his policies would benefit them.

The economy will be the central issue in the campaign. With the stock market's recent decline many Americans are concerned about their future. The two candidates are somewhat locked into the position that the bailout was the best course of action to take. However, McCain must appeal to the more conservative factions of the Republican Party that believe governmental involvement in the financial markets is a disaster. He will illustrate how the eventual profits will be used and where the money will actually be spent. Obama will use the opportunity to illustrate the ability to pay for additional social programs such as health care programs.

The issue of tax policy always appears in presidential politics. The Tax Policy Center asserts that each candidate claims their own tax policy will help the middle class, will lower taxes for most Americans, and will spur growth in the economy[2]. Obama claims that he will cut taxes for every American making less than $250,000 per year. He will use this statistic repeatedly in an effort to convince voters that the Democratic Party is breaking with tradition and standing firm for lower taxes. McCain will assert that Obama's plan will kill small business, force more companies to leave the country, and will create higher rates of unemployment. He will push his own policy which would cut taxes for tax payers and businesses alike. One likely bone of contention will be whether Obama's tax cuts include the tax cuts under the current administration or if he plans to allow those to expire.

A final topic of debate will be the prevalence of voter fraud. ACORN has been a topic of discussion recently, as evidenced by the story on tampabay.com about Mickey Mouse being a registered voter in Florida[3]. This discussion will continue during the debate. McCain will attempt to show that Obama's connection with the group implicates him in their fraud that is being perpetrated. Obama will counter by claiming that the Republican Party is attempting to disenfranchise minority and economically disadvantaged voters by keeping them from the polls.

This is the final opportunity for the two candidates to answer the claims of the other in front of a large audience. With the financial advantages of the Obama campaign, McCain is against a wall. He must perform well in the debate if he hopes to make any progress in the polls. Obama is likely to see tonight as the beginning of his presidency and have the confidence that comes with being in command of the race.

[1]http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/latestpolls/index.html accessed October 14, 2008.

[2]http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxtopics/election_issues_matrix.cfm accessed October 14, 2008.

[3] http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/article852295.ece accessed October 14, 2008.