What to Look for in Tonight's Debate

September 26, 2008, 7:40 am
What to Look For in Tonight’s Debate
By Katharine Q. Seelye

Tonight’s debate should offer a striking contrast in substance and style as Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain face off in their first formal debate of the general election.

The encounter is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. Eastern time, at the University of Mississippi, and run until 10:30 p.m.

Senator John McCain announced that he will attend the debate tonight, ending several days of confusion as to whether the event would take place. We’ll be be live blogging tonight.


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Here are some things to consider as those 90 minutes unfold:

The first thing to watch for is whether Mr. McCain shows up.

He said Wednesday that he wanted to delay the debate until Washington resolved the financial crisis that has gripped the nation. Those negotiations have collapsed, and Mr. McCain has given no new clues about his intentions.