THE FIRST OBAMA-MCCAIN DEBATE: MCCAIN BLEW AN OPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME: HE FAILED TO BLAME THE DEMOCRATS FOR THE FAILURE OF FANNIE MAE

• MCCAIN DID WELL TONIGHT, BUT HE BLEW ONE HUGE OPPORTUNITY.

• IN 2005, MCCAIN CO-SPONSORED LEGISLATION TO REIN IN FANNIE MAE.

• THE DEMOCRATS BLOCKED IT.

• MCCAIN SHOULD BE POUNDING AWAY ON THIS - AS HE HAS THE SURGE.

• BUT HE DIDN'T.

• IN FACT: THE WORD "FANNIE" WAS UTTERED ONCE IN THE WHOLE DEBATE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THIS IS WHAT LIES AT THE VERY HEART OF OUR CURRENT FINANCIAL CRISIS.

• THE OBAMA PEOPLE MUST BE SIGHING A HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF.

• I SUSPECT MCCAIN RESTRAINED HIMSELF BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WANT TO EXACERBATE THE DEMOCRATS NEGOTIATING A BAILOUT PACKAGE.

• THIS IS NOBLE OF MCCAIN - WHICH IS TYPICAL.

• I HOPE HE'S MORE PARTISAN IN THE NEXT DEBATE.