October 15 marked the third and final presidential debate of this election year. The subject was domestic policy, not “Joe the Plumber,” as many had innocently mistaken.

The candidates spent most of the given hour and a half attacking and/or defending their prospective taxation proposals. Somehow, they just managed to always come back to this. While other topics were breached, it seemed that Senator McCain only wanted to lambaste Senator Obama’s strategy of raising taxes on those earning upwards of $250,000, and Senator Obama wanted nothing more than to disdainfully laugh at his objections.

When asked why his economic plan was better than his opponents, Senator McCain started his response with: “Americans are hurting right now.and they’re angry. They’re hurting and they’re angry. They’re innocent victims of greed and excess on Wall Street.and, as well as Washington, D.C. And.they’re angry.”

McCain is not a very talented public speaker, especially against someone like Obama, who is charming and eloquent. But, as the last eight years have shown us, you do not have to be a great public speaker to be President. In fact, you barely have to be literate.

With Senator Obama’s response, the floodgate was opened for the myriad addresses to “Joe the Plumber,” a blue-collar hero from Ohio. Each trying desperately to appeal to the middle class audience that was so crucial to their possible election. McCain was throwing the name around like he had placed a bet that he could say the name x amount of times.

Apparently, McCain’s word of the day was repudiated as well.

McCain came off at points like your grandfather at the dinner table, stammering and getting so frustrated at opposing views that he cannot contain himself. While Obama semi-calmly waits his turn, McCain will get testy, and rudely interject during Senator Obama’s responses.

And it makes sense that McCain would be on the offensive here. Negative campaigning is a time-honored tradition, one that proves the most effective when a candidate is falling behind. The country hasn’t seen this many states swinging blue since the Clinton re-election of 1996. If it appears that McCain will not pull ahead, the RNC will most likely relocate their funding.

Obama would wait his turn, but that smug grin he wore on his face while listening to Senator McCain’s accusations probably was a detriment. While his body language could have been read as benign, they also could be supplemented to the already growing opinion that he is an elitist. This disposition could easily be read as Obama viewing McCain’s points as asinine and unnecessary.

Obama’s way of speaking may be eloquent, his words flow so naturally, one would think that he has all the answers taped behind his eyelids, but he comes off as arrogant and condescending. He has this superior air about him that makes him always seem as if he is talking down to the viewer.

Both candidates made some good arguments, mostly revolving around Senator Obama’s proposed tax plan and the consequences, but good arguments nonetheless. They didn’t really touch on many other subjects throughout the evening, the only new topic that could be discerned was abortion, albeit briefly.

Both proposals have their benefits; Senator Obama’s would purportedly tax companies that can afford it to stimulate the economy. Senator McCain’s plan would cut the business tax rate to help create more jobs.

The deciding factor in this election will most likely boil down to the tax proposal that these two gentlemen were so focused on. It’s good that they spent quite a bit of time on that particular subject.

With all their talk of stimulating the economy, how this is the greatest financial disaster this country has faced since the Great Depression, how we need to cut spending, why then must we, the taxpayers spend all this money, for the “long run?”

The debate took a turn toward tabloid territory when the candidates were asked if they were “willing to say to each other’s face what your campaigns, and the people in your campaigns have said about each other?” And to the credit of both candidates, particularly McCain, neither really bit at the opportunity. Just spoke out about their hurt feelings like they were feuding teenage celebrities appearing on “The View.”

All in all, this debate was the least consequential of the three. No drastically new information was presented and the “vigorous debate” these two men competed in read more like a last ditch effort by McCain to not appear dead in the water.

It has been said that most people vote for the candidate they would prefer to have a beer with. The rhetoric about their running mates, their empty promises about the deficit, all of it, is basically irrelevant. If that is the case, it is doubtful that McCain’s aggression and impertinence will earn him a lot of pints. On the other hand, who wants to be talked down to when they are trying to relax and nurse a few? It’s just too bad that Clinton can’t run again.