After a series of questions on domestic policy, moderator Bob Schieffer asked both candidates what makes their running mate more qualified than their opponent’s. In his response McCain cited Gov. Palin as a role model to women, a reformer who’s faced down the oil companies, and a breath of fresh air who will sweep out Washington’s old-boy network and cronyism.

“And by the way,” he added, “she also understands special-needs families. She understands that autism is on the rise. That we’ve got to find out what’s causing it, and we’ve got to reach out to these families and … give them the help they need as they raise these very special-needs children. She understands that better than almost any American I know.”

Palin’s youngest son Trig was born last year with Down’s syndrome.

Obama fired back by saying McCain’s support for an across-the-board spending freeze on government programs would make additional funding for autism research unlikely.

Regardless of the political motives that had the candidates talking about it on national TV, autism is a hot topic in the media. Numerous blogs and articles debate the link to vaccinations, and whether autistic children are better served by individual attention or being added to mainstream classrooms.

InEmeryville went to the Blue Sky Family Club at the EmeryBay Public Market and found several moms with strong opinions on the topic. Here’s what they had to say.

“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.

McCain supporters found at Emeryville’s historic eatery.
BY KATE KILPATRICK // Gathered around the copper bar at Emeryville’s upscale Townhouse restaurant on Tuesday night were a handful of folks seldom found in these parts: McCain supporters.

The volume on the flatscreen TV above the bar was turned down as Senators John McCain and Barack Obama faced off in the second of three presidential debates before election day.

MSNBC correspondent Tom Brokaw moderated the townhall-style Q&A, which was hosted by Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. The audience of undecided voters joined Internet participants in posing questions on a range of issues from foreign policy and health care to tax reform and—no surprise here—how to fix the economy.

In Emeryville’s previous neighborhood coverage of the TV debates turned up Obama fans in abundance. So much so that we began to wonder where in Emeryville all the McCain supporters were hiding.

“Ninety-five percent of my friends are liberal,” said Bob Blane, a retired engineer and small businessman who’s lived in Emeryville the past 36 years. Blane said he supports abortion rights and gay marriage, but is staunchly pro-business and aligns himself with Republicans on most economic issues.

“I don’t want big government to take care of me. I’ll take care of myself,” said Blane, his cheeks reddening as the bartender refreshed his martini. “I work for private enterprise. I have employees and their families to support.”

Sitting at the end of the bar were coworkers Brooke Grosskopf and Scott Craig, both staying in Emeryville on business.

“I’m from Montana so I’m Republican all the way,” Grosskopf said between bites of asparagus risotto. “It’s been really interesting for me working down here because I have to watch what I say.”

Although she hasn’t been following the election trail “a ton,” Grosskopf said one issue matters to her most. “My husband and I are very pro-gun, so obviously there’s one candidate who’s more pro-gun than the other.”

Craig, a Tennessee native now based in Portland, Ore., said he’d like to see Ron Paul in the White House, but will probably vote for McCain.

Following the closed captioning onscreen, Craig found it hard to tell who won the debate.

“McCain’s body language … he’s gesticulating a lot,” said Craig. “He’s obviously trying to make his point and be very forceful. And Obama appears … Obama’s a great orator. I have no idea if he’s tripping over his tongue, but I don’t think he is. He appears to have an answer for everything.”

A few seats over from Grosskopf and Craig sat Don Jacobs, a Boston native who works at a tech company in Emeryville.

“Such words, words, words,” said Jacobs, holding a slow-roasted beef taco halfway between his plate and mouth. “They all [give] the same scripted answers. I have election frazzle.”

According to Jacobs, the issue of greatest national importance is fiscal responsibility.

“The only reason I’d vote for John McCain right now is to have a mixed government—a Republican in the White House and a Democratic Congress,” he said. “Historically the government does better in terms of fiscal responsibility when you have that dichotomy.”

As the nominees exited the stage and the bar guests settled their bills, Texan-born Ed Gaspredes, a Townhouse regular, was left watching the post-debate analysis alone.

He was unimpressed by what he’d seen.

“Neither candidate addressed anything that has to do with the well-being of me or the country,” Gaspredes said. “If I had the opportunity I would ask, ‘What are you going to do to fix the country?’ It’s far more reaching than Afghanistan or the bailout.”

Gaspredes said he wants a leader who will fix the economy, deal with the Bush legacy, figure out a solution to social security, and appoint Supreme Court justices who support personal rights.

“I don’t know at this point,” he said, when asked whom he plans to vote for. “I don’t know that either of them represent who I want as president.”

EMERYBAY FOOD MARKET

BY ALBA MORA// The cook and the young waiter at the Asian food restaurant looked bored. The clean wok pans indicated there wasn’t much work going on. On Tuesday night, the Emerybay Food Market was emptier than the previous two debates of the election season. In front of one TV screen, a handful of people were eating their dinner of noodles and tempura. When it came to thoughts about the presidential debate, the second of three, no one seemed to have any strong opinions, in fact, many seemed disappointed in what they were watching.

“I felt like it was pretty much the same as they did before,” said Shayla McDaniel when the debate finished. “Nothing surprised me.” McDaniel, an Emeryville resident, came here to watch the past two debates.

Although foreign policy was an issue in the conversation, Senators McCain and Obama spent most of time talking about the economy, the bailout and health care.

“I think everybody knows now we are in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression,” said Obama. “And a lot of you I think are worried about your jobs, your pensions, your retirement accounts, your ability to send your child or your grandchild to college.”

McCain, for his part, said he had a plan that would include promoting energy independence so the United States could stop “sending $700 billion a year to countries that don’t… like us very much. We have to keep Americans’ taxes low. All Americans’ taxes low. Let’s not raise taxes on anybody today.”

Certainly the economy is the center of many Americans’ concerns and a main concern heading into the polls.

“What called my attention was health care and economy… I see my healthcare go up,” said Zeph Biggs, an Oakland resident. “And I believe this election is the most important in the U.S. history.”

But not everyone in the Emerybay Food Market thought the same way. Some 30 people were sitting far away from the screen and showed no interest on the second presidential debate.

“I don’t watch the debate because it distracts me from my real life. It makes you worry about things,” said Matt L., an Emeryville resident who has not registered to vote yet. “They are both [Obama and McCain] saying the same things in different words.”

Matt L. is not the only person feeling disconnected. According to the U.S. Census, one in four Americans are not registered to vote yet. With voter registration deadlines less than a week away in most states, Hollywood celebrities featured on a YouTube video remind people about their right to vote and the need to register soon.