Democratic candidate Barack Obama and Republican candidate John McCain met tonight at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., in the second presidential debate of the 2008 campaign. Several OG staffers blogged their responses to the debate. Here is sophomore Katy Metcalf's reaction to the showdown.

8 p.m.

"Those in the hall are expected to be polite and attentive, no cheering or outbursts." Hey, debate-moderator-guy (Tom Brokaw of NBC) changed up the words this time. I like him. He's much less formal than Miss Ifill.

And hey! — people are asking questions. This is new. They said town hall meeting, and, surprisingly enough, they meant it.

Senator Obama just said something about bridge and road projects to keep people in jobs. I have two questions about this: Where will the funding come from, Barack; you just told me we had no money! And where will all these new bridges go?

Nowhere?

OK, I admit, that was low, but I had to say it.

And McCain just said something involving Meg Whitman and Secretary Treasurer in the same sentence. Wikipedia tells me Meg Whitman was the former CEO of eBay. Um …? Maybe I misheard.

Ha, but Mr. Moderator just told Obama off for spending too much time in his response.

8:15 p.m.

"A year ago I went to Wall Street, and said, 'We should reregulate.'" So says Obama. "McCain jumped on someone else's bill that, in the end, never got passed."

Ten seconds later — "But you're not here to hear politicians point fingers."

What?

8:23 p.m.

McCain: "He voted for nearly every spending increase … including $3 million for a planetarium in Chicago, Illinois."

Senator smackdown! This is getting a little bit out of hand; they're both throwing out these kind of remarks right and left. I give Obama credit; he is ignoring McCain's repeated pokings at his planetarium. But is it out of taking the high road, or because he has no explanation for his little earmark?

And neither of them can stick to the one-minute discussion rule. I need to find a timer and clock these, because they go on and on …

8:47 p.m.

You guys are uninteresting. You are saying nothing new. I am seriously considering turning you off.

But wait! What is this? A … stopwatch! Let's see just how long your discussions really are! Ready … and … go!

McCain: 1:27 of talking about how offshore drilling does, contrary to popular belief and most experts, equal cheaper gas, a better economy, less reliance on foreign oil, and finally energy independence. Hmm. But props for being only half a minute over time.

Obama: 2:43 on health care, again rehashing his previous statements. Over and over and over again. At least it was short.

8:53 p.m.

"Yes, I might need a hair transplant." What the … YOU'RE NOT FUNNY. How do you not understand that?

9:05 p.m.

They keep going. And nothing new has been said. Talktalktalktalktalk. I'm dying inside. Even my stopwatch is losing its shine. I need to find something new to keep me amused.

I've got it! Let's count how many issues have been discussed tonight!

• health care
• alternative energy and offshore drilling
• the economy
• WAR
• health care … wait, I already said that said that! Could this really be it?

Hmm. Then let's count the points made on each issue.

HEALTH CARE:

• McCain: Health care needs reform.
• Obama: Health care needs reform.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY:

• McCain: Let's use nuclear power! That sounds fun! And drilling offshore will completely relieve our foreign energy dependence.
• Obama: McCain is wrong. I am not sure what right is, but it's probably eco-friendly. I know the terms eco-friendly and green energy get me a lot of points from the voters, so I'm gonna see how many times I can use them before the moderator cuts me off. Green energy, eco-friendly …

ECONOMY:

• McCain: It's the Democrats' fault. They made earmarks. I'm not sure why that's important, but the more I use that word, the more important I sound. Obama earmarks voted earmarks to earmarks increase earkmarks spending (earmarks!).
• Obama: I blame the Republicans.

WAR:

• McCain: Don't pull out.
• Obama: Pull out.

Kitty-fight ensues.

9:20 p.m.

Oh, the poor moderator. Both candidates have told him multiple times what he can do with his time constraints … or maybe that's just my bored, bored head filling in the next-to-empty statements with fun (if graphic) remarks. Now he's adding "briefly, if you can" onto the end of all questions. Poor, poor moderator.

Yes or no question: Is Russia an evil empire?

• Obama: talktalktalktalktalktalktalktalktalk no real answer.
• McCain: Maybe.

9:30 p.m.

"What don't you know, and how will you learn it?"

Obama goes on entirely expected "poor family in land of opportunity" rant. Well, he obviously doesn't know the answer to this question.

McCain says he doesn't know what we don't know. Very abstract … and yet, still more relevant than Obama's answer. But now we're on to "patriot support our country" rant. What is this? The question was about knowledge, not "sum yourself up in one clichéd story about your childhood."

9:33 p.m.

It's over. Thank God. And the poor moderator's script is blocked. He's just had a bad night, neh?