A Hard-Hitting Final Round

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McCain, Obama Spar in Final Debate

Less than three weeks before election day, presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama debated from Hofstra University in New York. The event was moderated by Bob Schieffer of CBS News.

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"In other words, we're going to take Joe's money, give it to Senator Obama and let him spread the wealth around," McCain said. "The whole premise of Senator Obama's plans are class warfare."

At times, McCain's voice was edged with sarcasm, even on sensitive topics such as abortion and pay equity for women, both of which were raised during a discussion about the Supreme Court.

The abortion issue has surfaced infrequently during the campaign, despite the candidates' stark differences on the issue. But Wednesday night, Obama and McCain differed sharply over abortion and the use of a woman's health as a reason to override restrictions on the procedure.

McCain cited Obama's opposition in the Illinois Senate to a ban on what opponents call "partial birth" abortion, a measure that Obama said he would have supported, had a maternal health provision been included.

The senator from Arizona cited "the eloquence of Senator Obama," and then said with a scowl: "The health for the mother -- you know, that's been stretched by the pro-abortion movement in America to mean almost anything. That's the extreme pro-abortion position, quote, 'health.' "

When asked about the qualifications of their running mates, each gave full-throated support.

"Joe Biden, I think, is one of the finest public servants that has served in this country," Obama said, adding that he "has some of the best foreign policy credentials of anybody," but also that "his entire life, he has never forgotten where he came from."

McCain called Palin "a reformer, through and through," and said she would be a "breath of fresh air coming into our nation's capital."

McCain said Biden is qualified "in many respects," but added that "he's been wrong on many foreign policy and national security issues, which is supposed to be his strength," and that he had "this cockamamie idea about dividing Iraq into three countries."

Schieffer asked Obama whether he thought Palin is qualified. "You know, I think it's -- that's going to be up to the American people. I think that, obviously, she's a capable politician who has, I think, excited the -- a base in the Republican Party."

On the question of foreign oil, McCain said he thinks the country "can easily, within seven, eight, 10 years, if we put our minds to it, we can eliminate our dependence on the places in the world that harm our national security if we don't achieve our independence."

Obama seemed to agree, saying, "I think that in 10 years, we can reduce our dependence so that we no longer have to import oil from the Middle East or Venezuela. I think that's about a realistic time frame."