“Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama head into the final 19-day stretch of their presidential campaigns Thursday after a feisty final debate that snap polls say further cemented Obama’s lead in the race. McCain aggressively and even angrily attacked Obama’s policy ideas and goals during Wednesday night’s debate in a bid to turn around his flagging campaign. But instant polls by television networks said voters were dismayed by the Republican’s negative barrage, with Obama declared the decisive victor in the candidates’ last scheduled face-to-face clash before the November 4 election.” (10/16/08)