Greetings, loyal fans and first timers!  Welcome again to Iron Pundit vs. Iron Stomach, where I test my intestinal fortitude (and my dinner) against the ridiculousness that is our political system in action.

 I am dubbing tonight's episode the "Super Comfy" edition because I don't think we'll see anything earth-shattering from the candidates.  So I am going ultra comfy tonight.  Dinner was broiled sirloin, mashed potatoes and spinach salad.  And in order to stave off the cravings I experienced last time, I have already indulged in the chocolate ice cream.  I am also going super comfy with the clothing -- I've already put on the yoga pants, old sailing shirt, and put the hair up in the hairsticks.

As always, we will be tuned to MSNBC until I can no longer tolerate Chris Matthews, at which point we will watch CNN and its line-thingie.

Let's begin:

 7:56 p.m. -- My husband nixes Chris Matthews in favor of the last four minutes of SportsCenter.  I am not upset considering they have some stupid backlit ice sculpture of Chris Matthews that is particularly egregiously bad-looking.

 8:00 p.m. -- We are back on Countdown for some Keith-ey goodness.

8:02 p.m. -- I wrest control of the clicker from the husband.

8:04 p.m. -- Keith gives us a glimpse of the early voting numbers, though they flash by so fast I don't get to see more than the fact that Obama is up in all of them.

8:06 p.m. -- Okay the "Batman" clip is eerily on point and TOTALLY funny!

8:09 p.m. -- Keith has a chalkstripe suit on that makes him look all gangsterly.  I want to put a hat on him and start calling him Sky Masterson.

8:11 p.m. -- the seatedness of the debate is being discussed.  Are sit-downs more affable....probably, which means that if McCain does try to attack it will look even worse for him.

8:15 p.m. -- Chris Kofinis is really certain attacks from McCain will backfire.  And what's this about free CELL PHONE TOWERS? 

8:17 p.m. -- although, the irony is, most communities try to keep cell phone towers out because they are eyesores...

8:19 p.m. -- maybe it's the fact that I do not keep long fingernails (when you play with solvents and files for a good bit of the day, fingernails are a necessary casualty), but I think that sponges marketed as "nail savers" are stupid.

8:21 p.m. -- Ah, the voter suppression tactics are apparently officially underway.

8:25 p.m. -- Maddow is giving her highly intelligent commentary.  Obama can't look like he is on defense.  I think she's right.

8:30 p.m. -- David Frum makes "worst persons."  The guy who invents the "Axis of Evil" gets his panties in a twist and imagines he is being called a Nazi....??????

8:33 p.m. -- wow, Rush Limbaugh has really lost it.  I mean, seriously.

8:37 p.m. -- Okay, Keith gets lost in the baseball analogy.  This is what happens when you let sportscasters do political commentary.  At least Keith has that as an excuse.  George Will, of course, has no excuse.

8:43 p.m. -- Promo for Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa. For reasons I cannot go into right now, references to duct tape always make me laugh.

8:46 p.m. -- You know, "say it to my face" is turning out to be f-ing BRILLIANT.  If he actually does, he looks small.  If he doesn't, he looks cowardly. 

8:47 p.m. -- Apparently, McCain is planning on bringing up ACORN, Bill Ayres, and the whole kit and kaboodle -- except Jeremiah Wright.

8:50 p.m. -- It's going to be hard for McCain to bring up the attacks and still look like  a decent human being.  The comeback from Obama will be one for the books.

8:54 p.m. -- They've done 50 debates over the past two years.  JEEZ!

8:55 p.m. -- Okay, the sweater on Chris Matthews is not a real good look with the purple shirt.

8:59 p.m. -- okay, switching to CNN for the line thingie.  Although Wolf Blitzer is only slightly less irritating than Chris Matthews.

9:02 p.m. -- Bob looks like a central casting newscaster.

9:02 p.m. -- McCain already has a smirk on his face, from the moment he walks out.  And that makeup job is really bad on HD, lemme tell ya.

9:04 p.m. -- tepid response from the line thingie so far for McCain's dscussion of the economy.

9:07 p.m. -- Obama's line thingies are much higher, until he agrees with McCain.

9:08 p.m. -- McCain is going on the attack by bring up "Joe the Plumber"  and talking directly to him.  It's really kind of patronizing and gimmicky.

9:10 p.m. -- Obama's response is really great. 

9:12 p.m. -- McCain tries to play the snark, laughing at his own cleverness.  He reminds me of that kid in the back of the class who tries to make fun of what the teacher is saying but comes off as a jerk.  And McCain is back on the Ireland thing again.  WTF?

9:16 p.m. -- I like that Obama is explaining this in terms of investments that will make things cheaper down the line.

9:17 p.m. -- McCain decides to pivot back to homeownership -- and the line thingie drops like a rock.

9:18 p.m. -- McCain opposes ethanol subsidies.  This is why you can't win in Iowa.  "I know how to save billions."  And he wants the line item veto.

9:20 p.m. -- McCain says "I am not President Bush" -- that was a pure bid for a soundbyte.

9:21 p.m. -- If anyone made a drinking game out of the word "angry" they are in deep shit by now.

9:23 p.m. -- The "reaching across the aisle" response was beautifully done.  Men like "hatchet" because it is an aggressive word.  Women hate it for the same reason.

9:25 p.m. -- here it comes....the attacks.

9:26 p.m. -- I still don't get the whole notion of how this could have been avoided if he'd done town hall meetings.  I mean, really, are you that thin-skinned that you have one thing refused and you lose your mind.  And now he's trying the John Lewis thing.

9:28 p.m. -- Obama is taking him to school on this.  Exactly as he should.

9:32 p.m. -- Obama's response is pitch perfect.  And he's rising above it, which is crucial.  Let McCain be the pig in the muck.

9:33 p.m. -- McCain is defending the people who come to his rallies.  And he's getting all righteously indignant. 

9:35 p.m. -- "disagree without being disagreeable."

9:36 p.m. -- McCain's numbers TANK when he turns back to Ayres and ACORN.

9:37 p.m. -- I like this part....let me tell you who I DO associate with.  That's new.  I like it.

9:40 p.m. -- Wow, that question about running mates was pretty much tailor made for Obama.

9:42 p.m. -- for those of you watching CCN on HD -- either Gergen just woke up or they fixed the rating thingie.

9:43 p.m. -- the women are NOT buying the Sarah Palin thing.  and the men of course, are being led with the small brain.

9:45 p.m. -- McCain, the three country thing in Iraq might not be as cockamamie as you think.

9:47 p.m. -- Canadian oil is fine....I am sure the Canadians are relieved to hear you think so, John.

9:50 p.m. -- Obama's getting wonky on the free trade thing.

9:51 p.m. -- if you drill right this second John, not a single drop of that oil will arrive on the market for three years.

9:53 p.m. -- McCain and his eyebrows make him come off as a jerk, as does the heavy breathing.

9:54 p.m. -- Is anyone else getting distracted by "Blinky the badly made up guy with the turkey neck?"

9:56 p.m. -- When McCain tried to bring up the "without conditions" thing, the women just dialed down and stayed there.

9:58 p.m. -- If Obama wins, it will be in no small part because of his healthcare plan.

9:59 p.m. -- You know, McCain is banking on Joe the Plumber being a McCain fan.  Which means that either Joe the Plumber was a plant at the Obama rally, or John is banking on no one being able to find Joe after the debate.

10:03 p.m. -- McCain is back to "spreading the wealth around."  I want CNN to find this Joe the Plumber.  Seriously.

10:06 p.m. -- "No litmus test"  where have we heard that before?  Can we replay that "View" episode, John?

10:09 p.m. -- I don't beleive in a litmus test, but I don't htink anyone who supports Roe could possibly be qualified.....contradiction anyone?

10:10 p.m. -- This is brilliant -- bring in equal pay for equal work.

10:12 p.m. -- women are really not digging this business.

10:13 p.m. -- McCain's facial expressions are going to get him in trouble.  It's like Al Gore in 2000.

10:15 p.m. -- McCain is just ready to pounce.  He looks a bit like a tool.

10:17 p.m. -- What makes Obama so great is that he sets up the framework for the issue as he answers the question, setting up how we should think about education, not just saying "here's my plan."

10:20 p.m. -- "Competition" is always the answer, eh? 

10:22 p.m. -- You know, I think it's a good thing that Obama is willing to say that he agrees with McCain on some things.  This is part of the reason why he is generally perceived as more positive than McCain.

10:24 p.m. -- Milking the autism thing is really not working for McCain.  And my husband is ready to kill someone right now.

10:27 p.m. -- Oh John, you're so clever, and such an asshat with that big "I'm so gonna git you"  smile.

10:29 p.m. -- McCain's summation was liked, but not loved.

10:30 p.m. -- the women LOVE Obama.  The men like him.

10:31 p.m. -- McCain looked like he'd rather be chewing glass than shaking Obama's hand.

10:32 p.m. -- My take on the whole thing is that McCain had higher highs and lower lows, but that doesn't mean that he made any progress here.

10:33 p.m. -- Bennett makes a great plumber joke.

10:35 p.m. -- Gergen's take (very important) is that McCain was too personal with the attacks, and so it all unravelled for him after that.  Obama's cool and calm was better approved.

10:36 p.m. -- Bennett likes "McCain the fighter pilot."

10:38 p.m. -- Hilary Rosen talks about how McCain "dragged himself down."

10:40 p.m. -- John King makes some good points about Independents and why they are Independents.  Toobin brings up the Supreme Court.

10:42 p.m. -- BOW TO THE COVERTROLL POWER OF THE FREAKY!!!!!

10:46 p.m. -- Soledad with the undecideds.  Most of them thought Obama won the debate.

10:49 p.m. -- Joe the Plumber seemed gimmicky to the undecideds.

10:50 p.m. -- Of Soledad's undecideds, three have fallen off the fence -- for Obama.

10:55 p.m. -- Hillary is now on CNN.  She's pointing out how "steady" Obama's leadership is.

11:00 p.m. -- Hillary makes a good point about not whittling down the majority in the Senate. 

11:01 p.m. -- Here come the poll numbers..... Obama by a landslide.  Obama's favorables go up.  McCain's favorables go down -- below 50%.  This is not good for McCain.

11:04 p.m. -- Borger talks about how McCain can't hide his disdain for Obama.  McCain is too angry, too contemptuous.

11:05 p.m. -- Dana Bash tries to make excuses for McCain.

I want to thank everyone for coming tonight.  I've had so much fun doing this, and I'll be here election night.  The problem then won't be the rhetoric, but the stress of watching and waiting for what we're all hoping for.....an OBAMA WIN!!!