BY ALBA MORA // Although the Giants were not playing, some 30 people gathered around the big flat-screen TV last night in Emerybay Food Market. Like nearly ten million other Americans, the spectators were watching the first presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain, but it didn’t appear to change anybody’s mind.

“I came down here to check it out. I grew up in Berkeley and this is like a community spot. Local food, local people… ” said Emeryville resident Yes Duffy. “It’s a funky weird community spot.”

The first nationally televised debate between the two presidential contenders was a popular event in Emeryville and spectators at the food market said they were glad it wasn’t cancelled. “On one hand it was true that there was some pretty relevant issues going on that maybe could cause someone to consider suspending the debate,” said Emeryville resident Nicki Bush. “But I like Obama’s response to that in his press conference that the president of the United States is gonna need to be able to juggle a lot of things at once.”

The debate, which was supposed to focus on foreign policy, dedicated more than 30 minutes to the economy. Moderator Jim Lehrer of PBS opened the debate with the most pressing question: Where does each candidate stand on the proposed $700 million bailout for Wall Street? Obama and McCain both said that action needs to be taken by Congress, but neither specified how.

Sitting in a spacious hall surrounded by food stands selling noodle soup, kebabs and burgers, people listened distractedly to the candidates while eating. The crowd strongly favored the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama. Though Ken Guerrero, 16, isn’t old enough to vote in the upcoming election, he said he supports Obama. “It is not because of his ethnicity,” he said. “I think he is very admirable in the way he presents himself.”

The debate did not appear to change anyone’s position, but it did make some unexpected impressions. “I was surprised,” said Bush. “I thought McCain did a little better job than I had expected. I thought that he would fall on his face.”

The next presidential debates will be Oct. 7 at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., and Oct. 15 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. Both candidates will have the opportunity to discuss other national issues; it remains to be seen if they can change more positions.