It’s about half over, and so far this is John McCain’s best debate.

Barack Obama has been trying to say that the Republican attacks against him over ACORN and William Ayers are just distractions from the real issues—the economy, jobs, health care and taxes.

John McCain has been steering the debate to the emotional hot buttons—accusations that Obama will raise taxes, plus Ayers and ACORN.

Asked about their running mates, Obama emphasized Joe Biden’s foreign policy and experience credentials, and McCain is repeated his contention that Sarah Palin is a “reformer ... and by the way, she understands special needs families.”

Obama is attempting to maintain the calm, thoughtful, above-the-fray presidential view and demeanor, while McCain is on the attack.

Even when it came to a question about negative campaigning—when at times 100 percent of the McCain TV ads have been attacks on Obama and his running mate is accusing Obama of “palling around with terrorists—McCain blamed Obama. He made the surprising claim that the tone of the campaign has been negative because Obama wouldn’t agree to his plan for joint town hall appearances.

Obama partisans will say McCain is flailing, and continuing his strategy of distracting the debate from the economy, an issue on which he’s losing to Obama. But McCain partisans will be happy to see McCain on the attack.

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