What others are saying

Here's a sampling of what other writers are saying about the second presidential debate:

Dana Milbank, The Washington Post

John McCain needed a big night at Tuesday's second presidential debate to turn around a race that seems to be getting away from him. So he hit Barack Obama where it hurts: in the overhead projector.

McCain was asked about the global economic crisis. The Republican candidate answered by accusing Obama of voting for "$3-million for an overhead projector at a planetarium in Chicago."

yThe Caucus Politics Blog, The New York Times

Mr. Obama had one of his best debate moments when he took on Mr. McCain’s accusation that he didn’t “understand” foreign policy. For one thing, he cited Mr. McCain’s singing of “Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb” Iran as a sign that his opponent is no diplomat when it comes to sensitive issues.

Mr. Obama: Sen. McCain, this is the guy who sang, “Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran,” who called for the annihilation of North Korea. That I don’t think is an example of “speaking softly.” This is the person who, after we had — we hadn’t even finished Afghanistan, where he said, “Next up, Baghdad.”

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