Live blogging tonight's debate; economy dominates

Live blogging tonight’s presidential debate, this year’s second. The economy dominated the night.

6:06: The first question, predictably, is about the recession. “The middle class needs a rescue package,” Obama tells Alan, the first questioner. Obama continues the populist tone, repeating his desire to ease things for middle class Americans.
Tackling the same question, McCain tries to distance himself from the Bush policies. He says of his own plan for tackling the recession, “It’s my proposal, it’s not senator Obama’s proposal, it’s not President Bush’s proposal.”

6:14: McCain takes a shot at Obama and his “cronies” in Congress who’ve helped Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae put their economic capital in a precarious situation. He quickly adds, “or friends,” after “cronies.” But he doesn’t back off, finishing by saying, “There were some of us who stood up against it. There were others who took a hike.”
After a few shots of his own at McCain, Obama returns to the question. “You don’t want to hear politicians pointing fingers. You want to hear how this will help you,” he tells the questioner.
As a follow up, Brokaw asks whether the economy will get worse before it got better. Both candidates duck the question.

6:24: McCain stays on the attack, going after Obama’s support for pork barrel projects – including, according to McCain, $3 million for a new overhead projector system. McCain certainly seems to be taking more swings in the early stages of the debate, though Obama scores points for specifics.
McCain ducks Brokaw’s follow up question about whether he’d put more importance on energy reform, health care reform or social security issues, saying he thinks we can tackle all three at once.
Obama does prioritize: energy reform is number 1, he says, throwing out a JFK shoutout along the way.

6:37: McCain is really going at Obama, and seems to have the upper hand in the debate. After a rather circular answer from Obama about tax policy, McCain counters that “Nailing down Obama’s tax proposals is like nailing Jello to the wall.” McCain is clearly trying to win the spin cycle by going on the offensive, and so far it seems to be working; Obama isn’t responding in kind.
Obama’s had enough, saying that “The straight talk express lost a wheel there,” a reference to McCain’s loose campaign bus’s slogan.

6:50: Still punching: McCain veers off the question about energy to take yet another shot at Obama. Talking about an energy bill in Congress right now, McCain says, “It was loaded with goodies! You know who voted for it? That one. You know who voted against it? Me.” McCain is clearly trying to make the issue of earmarks even more of an issue, coming back to the topic repeatedly throughout the debate.

7:05: Brokaw asks a very pointed question about the Obama and McCain “doctrines” on whether the use of American military force is required in a humanitarian emergency when our national interests are not at stake. Obama stops short of pledging U.S. support in such circumstances, even though in the previous question he lamented the military’s inability to intervene in Rwanda because it is occupied in Iraq and Afghanistan.
McCain declines to answer the question, talking about Obama’s desire to bring home the troops prematurely.

7:09: Obama threw in a JFK reference earlier; this time its McCain who calls Raegan his “hero.”

7:13: Another question, another McCain jab, criticizing Obama for telling Pakistan he wants to attack inside their borders.
At this point, there can be no mistake: John McCain is trying to use this debate to turn around the entire election and reverse a trend of polling that has severely worsened for the McCain camp in the last three weeks.