Third and final presidential debate of the 2008 campaign

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama arrives at the Long Island Marriott hotel in Uniondale, N.Y., prior to the presidential debate at Hofstra University. Obama’s record-shattering fundraising efforts have bolstered his campaign effort and blanketed the airwaves with thousands of ads.  (Joe Raedle / Getty Images)

Republican presidential nominee John McCain, with his wife, Cindy, arrives at Hofstra University prior to the presidential debate. The debate offers McCain his best and probably last chance to convince voters of his viability after weeks of faltering in the polls.  (Charlie Dharapak / Associated Press)

Stagehands take a break outside the school’s David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex, where the third and final presidential debate of the 2008 campaign will be held, ahead of the event.  (Paul J. Richards AFP / Getty Images)

Former New York Mayor Ed Koch attends the presidential debate at Hofstra University.  (Win McNamee / Getty Images)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) arrives at the presidential debate at Hofstra University.  (Matthew Cavanaugh / EPA)

New York Gov. David A. Paterson arrives at the presidential debate at Hofstra University.  (Ron Edmonds / Associated Press)

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, John McCain’s rival in the Republican primary, attends the presidential debate at Hofstra University.  (Spencer Platt / Getty Images)

Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of the former president, and her husband, Ed Schlossberg, await the start of the presidential debate at Hofstra University.  (Win McNamee / Getty Images)

The audience awaits the start of the presidential debate at Hofstra University.  (Paul J. Richards AFP / Getty Images)

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama’s rival during the Democratic primary, awaits the start of the presidential debate at Hofstra University.  (Spencer Platt / Getty Images)

Roberta McCain, mother of Republican nominee John McCain, awaits the start of the presidential debate between her son and Democratic nominee Barack Obama at Hofstra University.  (Seth Wenig / Associated Press)

Cindy McCain, center, wife of Republican presidential nominee John McCain, their daughter Meghan, left, and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-N.C.), await the start of the presidential debate at Hofstra University.  (Seth Wenig / Associated Press)

Michelle Obama, right, wife of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, talks to Lilibet Hagel, wife of Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), before the start of the presidential debate at Hofstra University.  (Charles Dharapak / Associated Press)

A man protests the war in Iraq as police stand guard during a demonstration outside Hofstra University, the venue of the third and final presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama. Several protesters were arrested; some were injured by equestrian police.  (Don Emmert AFP/Getty Images)

War veterans protest the war in Iraq outside Hofstra University.  (Don Emmert AFP/Getty Images)

Protesters and police clash outside Hofstra University, the site of the third and final presidential debate. Several protesters were arrested, some were injured by equestrian police.  (Don Emmert AFP/Getty Images)

John McCain, left, and Barack Obama, greet each other at the start of the presidential debate at Hofstra University.  (Charles Dharapak / Associated Press)

Bob Schieffer, the moderator, speaks to the audience before the start of the third and final presidential debate of the 2008 campaign, which was held in the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex at Hofstra University.  (Mario Tama / Getty Images)

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, left, the Democratic presidential nominee, answers a question during the presidential debate.  (Ron Edmonds / Associated Press)

Arizona Sen. John McCain, left, the Republican presidential nominee, responds to a question during the presidential debate.  (Charles Dharapak / Associated Press)

Barack Obama, left, and John McCain appear at the presidential debate. McCain, a four-term Arizona Republican, and Obama, a first-term Illinois Democrat, argued fiercely about the relative merits and shortcomings of the economic rescue plans and promises they have outlined on the campaign stump in recent days.  (Win McNamee / Getty Images)

Barack Obama, shown, who leads by 10 points or more in some national polls, delivered a buttoned-down, low-key performance during the third and final debate. He appeared unruffled by repeated dust-ups during the debate and he hammered McCain for diverting attention from important issues.  (Win McNamee / Getty Images)

John McCain, shown, replied sharply when Barack Obama accused him, as he has repeatedly, of supporting 95% of President Bush’s policies, including four of Bush’s budgets. “Sen. Obama, I am not President Bush,” McCain said. “If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago.”  (Spencer Platt / Getty Images)

Though the first two debates included questions on the financial crisis, the third and final debate focused almost entirely on the economy and domestic policy, including healthcare, energy and education.  (Win McNamee / Getty Images)

John McCain, left, and Barack Obama shake hands as debate moderator Bob Schieffer looks on at the end of the presidential debate. On a day when the Dow Jones industrial average tumbled more than 700 points, McCain and Obama sought to assure anxious voters that they were best suited to lead the nation away from economic disaster.  (Charles Dharapak / Associated Press)

John McCain, left, with his wife, Cindy, and Barack Obama, with his wife, Michelle, wave to the crowd at the end of the final presidential debate. The face-off at Hofstra University was the last time voters would see the two candidates debating side by side before election day, Nov. 4. McCain failed to deliver a clear knockout blow during the debate despite a series of sharp verbal clashes with Obama about higher taxes, negative campaigning, former radical William Ayers and a bald man nicknamed Joe the Plumber.  (Win McNamee / Getty Images)