They talked about subjects ranging from the U.S. economy to a theoretical attack on Israel, pacing the stage and circling each other uneasily like timid prize fighters. So now we ask the key questions: were there gaffes? New insights? Any real changes in the race?

The tone of the campaign in recent weeks suggested that this might be a particularly angry encounter. John McCain had himself suggested that he would be much more aggressive. It even seemed to go that way for a while.

But overall, there wasn’t much of that.

Both men explained their policies and attacked each others’. It made for a serious debate but not a remarkable one.

In the context of the larger contest, public opinion polls tell us that Obama came into the debate ahead and McCain came into it in second place, with the election just one month away.

I’d score this one a draw that McCain probably needed to win.

What about you? Who won and why?

If you overlook the contrasting styles and the sparring, this debate, like the others, really does give the candidates a chance to compare their positions. One example - healthcare - is a big issue for U.S. voters, families and businesses.Obama favors an ambitious government-assisted plan to make sure everyone in the country can have affordable, private health insurance. They couldn’t be turned down. “It should be a right for every American,” he said.

McCain favors a tax credit to help people buy private insurance on their own, but he wouldn’t force any company to offer it.

“The fundamental difference between myself and Mr. Obama - notice he starts talking about government.”

In this election, Americans really do have a very clear choice and when you watch the debates, you see it.

The mudslinging started fast. In just the second question he answered, Senator John McCain went out of his way to accuse Barack Obama of involvement with the institutions at the center of the U.S. financial meltdown. And Obama responded in kind.

John McCain and Barack Obama seen at the Nashville Town Hall-style debate.

Have you been watching the graph at the bottom of the screen? Uncommitted voters in the state of Ohio are listening and responding electronically. They clearly don’t like it when the candidates turn against each other.

In fact, that was widely predicted before the debate got underway: experts said that both candidates risked alienating undecided voters if they attacked too fiercely. As we’ve watched, they’ve been careful but critical too.

So far in this debate, we’ve heard good questions (”How can we trust either of you when both parties created this economic crisis?”) and familiar answers.

Have you been impressed?

There are just a few minutes before the start of the second debate between John McCain and Barack Obama… and our online conversation.

Viewers around the world are already sending in comments from as far away as the island of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf and, apparently, here in the United States.

Join in!

And be sure to tell us where you are, what you’re waiting to see and hear from the candidates… and (just because we at CNN International are intrigued), tell us how you found our blog.

Editor’s Note: As with the previous U.S. debates, Jonathan Mann will be posting additional blog items, in addition to this one. So be sure to check for new posts during the debate and a wrap after it’s over.

And don’t forget to tell us where you are writing from!

ATLANTA, Georgia — Is this going to be the nasty debate?

With just a few hours to go before John McCain and Barack Obama meet in Nashville, there is every reason to believe that this debate will be different than the ones that preceded it.

John McCain and Barack Obama, pictured at their debate in Mississippi last month.

Suddenly, the campaign is different — angry and more personal. Both candidates have been attacking each other much more emphatically.

Why?

There is a feeling from the top to the bottom of the Republican campaign that McCain has to do something more if he wants to win.

He is behind, his poll numbers are dropping nationwide as well as in the crucial battleground states and the election is just one month off — so he hasn’t got much time.

One of McCain’s supporters asked him at a rally: “When are you going to take the gloves off and really go at him?”

McCain replied: “How about Tuesday night?”

Tuesday night will be Wednesday in much of the world. It’s an awkward time for many of you to be watching TV but people did stay up or get up early to watch the last debates. We heard from them on this blog.

So stay up, if you can, or get up, and send your comments. (Tell us where you are watching from too, if you can.)

It will be another interesting one.

HEATHROW, England — It’s been a long few months — from the war in Georgia to a plane crash in Spain, a visit to Syria and then a tour of Iraq — I’ve been on the road. For me, it’s the attraction and dream of working for CNN. But, a bit of bad luck has crept up on me: one morning in Baghdad I awoke, my face swollen and my head in incredible pain. Sometimes, you can’t help but laugh at the pain, as an impacted, infected wisdom tooth has crept into your life — at the most inopportune time.Off to the combat hospital I went. Normally I would not worry so much, but I was, and still am running a pretty high fever.

The U.S. Combat Hospital in Baghdad is one of the best medical facilities in the world. CNN has spent some time there: we reported on the advances they’ve made in battlefield medicine. They, in typical military fashion x-rayed my entire head then sat me down.

“It’s just no good,” said the captain. “It’s infected, it’s impacted, and it’s deep. You need to see a surgeon in the U.S. quickly — and get that pulled.” He then proceeded to give me two buckets of pills and a bottle of some liquid. “This one for the infection,” he said. “This one for the pain,” he said. “And this needle goes into this bucket of fluid — you inject it into the back of your mouth.”

Fantastic, I thought.

No problem Sir, I’ll just shove that thing right back there. I mean, I am tough - but who’s shoving a needle into the back of their swollen mouth?

“That fever gets any worse — you come back here — and we’re going to have to fly you out. Otherwise, get yourself home.” he said.

So, back to the bureau I went — fever, pills, weird looking needle and all, to plot my way home. After three days of resting and struggling to learn the effects of the various crazy medications he had put me on, I was off to Baghdad’s International Airport.

Booked on Iraqi Airways to Beirut — it was my quickest route to the U.S., home for surgery. Luckily for me, I had one of our local producers with me — to make sure I got checked in and into the waiting area OK. For someone as well traveled as I am — I was still so very happy to have him. When you’re running a fever of 101 degrees and are on various medications, it’s easy to get confused. Especially in Iraq, where nothing goes as planned.

Which brings us to the “your life has entered the twilight zone” section of the piece. As I was waiting to board the plane the public announcement said “please proceed to gate 45 for Iraqi Airlines flight 131 to Beirut.” So, I went to the gate, handed my ticket to the woman from Iraqi airlines and she said, “it’s now Basra-Beirut.”

Basra-Beirut? Did she just say Basra? Basra? Like, the southern Iraqi port city of …

“Basra?” I asked.

Although with a puffy face it came out more something like “Bassswrwa?”

“I’m sorrwy,” I slurred. “We’re stopping in Baswwra?”

“Inshallah,” she answered.

Inshallah, literally translated from Arabic means “God willing.” But it’s a term that is used with such repetition; it can also mean, “We hope,” “probably,” “think so,” “most likely,” and in some cases, “yes.”

Now — for an American boarding a plane to Beirut, a stop in Basra can be a bit off putting — especially when you’re struggling to focus on anything due to a fever and a bucket of pills that Captain America has given you three days earlier.

“Do I change plawwnes in Basswwra — or is it the same one?” I drooled in her direction.

“Same plane — Inshallah,” she said.

I called the bureau — to let them know I was flying to Basra. I said to our Bureau Chief, Ingrid, who has had more of these strange moments than I think anyone else in the business that I was worried about being “strwwanded in Baswwra.”

She understood, we talked it over, security is always a concern — but I am sick — have to get out.

So, on the plane I went. As it turned out — it was a code-share flight between Iraqi Airlines and “Flying Carpet.”

After an hour, we landed in Basra. Three people got off. We waited about 40 minutes, and the same three people got on. My Arabic is not even close to fluent, but people were making phone calls to Beirut — letting folks know — we’ve made a random stop. I figure we stopped so three people could have a meeting! But, who knows for sure - and there was no “dental, English-Arabic” producer on board, so my questions would have only been confusing.

Without re-fueling, we took off again, and over two hours later, we landed in Beirut.

Now in Heathrow Airport in London, I’ll soon board a flight to Washington. Should be there in about 8 hours if United does not decided to make a random stop in Sweden.
Inshallah.

BANKGOK, Thailand – In how many riot zones can you eat an ice-cream?

On location in Bangkok: Riot zones and ice-cream cones.

Seriously, Bangkok this morning, was a sea of choking tear gas, baton-wielding cops, firing stun grenades, furious anti-government protesters launching rocks into the air… and ice-cream salesmen. I’m not complaining. Ice-cream, I like, I lick.

You scream, they scream, we all scream for ice-cream, especially when the tear-gas is choking you and you need some soothing cool coconut glace down your throat.

But it was slightly incongruous to say the least, to see cold refreshments being served amid the chaos.

Thailand though, does a good line in juxtaposition and defying cliche. It’s a riot, but only until lunchtime, when protesters and police retreat to enjoy a fiery plate of rice and minced pork. Then it’s back to the serious business of overthrowing the government.

We have an in-house joke among my team in Bangkok. The protesters seem to change their demands and aims so often, their chant should be: “What do we want? Anything! When do we want it? Whenever!” The fact is these days they aren’t just calling for the overthrow of the prime minister (they already got rid of the last two, Thaksin Shinawatra and Samak Sundaravej).

Now they want nothing less than the overthrow of the entire political system. Their argument goes something like this: the vast majority of voters are poor, uneducated farmers who are susceptible to corruption by Thaksin and his allies, therefore we should abandon democracy to prevent this corruption. It’s a sort of getting rid of freedom to ensure freedom argument.

The government predictably denies any corruption and says it’s the most popular party around. But the laughably named People’s Alliance for Democracy protest group has today claimed another political scalp — the deputy prime minister, who resigned after the appalling scenes of violence.

The current Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat was forced to climb a fence and escape parliament in a helicopter because of the baying crowd outside which had barricaded-in lawmakers. Many are still stuck inside the building as I write; at least they’ll have ice-cream to keep them going.

Watch my report

Over the past weeks of preparation and rehearsal for the launch of a new show — BackStory – on CNN International, our correspondents have sent in some fine pieces of work.

Sara Sidner’s coverage of the recent flooding in India was outstanding – and tough on her and the crew, both physically and mentally (although of course no one is making comparisons between their challenges and those faced by flood victims.)

Days traveling in flood ravaged areas, bearing witness to bloated bodies, suffering on a staggering scale, and all the while having to actually do your job and file reports can take its toll.

Fortunately, Sara’s team chronicled their journey for BackStory – giving us what will be the backbone of the program - the stuff you don’t normally get to see.

Sara also gives us an insight into the personal impact – and frustrations – of watching such a tragedy unfold.

I have felt similar frustrations in my career – in the West Bank, in Iraq, and perhaps most notably in Rwanda in 1994, where we bore witness to a genocide and felt the frustration (anger, actually) that grew from the world’s inaction.

Arwa Damon has been covering the war in Iraq from the beginning. I’ve worked with her there on many, many occasions.

She’s a good mate, but also a terrific reporter and one of the bravest people I know.

Back in early 2004 I was in a two-car CNN convoy that was ambushed just south of Baghdad, which cost the lives of two friends and colleagues and wounded a third.

It was around that time that what the military calls “unilateral” travel (i.e. traveling independent of the military) became nigh on impossible for safety reasons.

Arwa’s report today documents her team’s journey to Taji, north of Baghdad.

To the casual viewer, it’s just a road trip outside of the capital.

What makes it extraordinary is it was a journey made “unilaterally” - a real milestone event for a western TV crew. For Arwa, producer Mohammad, cameraman Sarmad and the rest of the team, it was the first time literally in years that they’d been able to drive out of the capital to cover a story without military protection.

From her report, you’ll get a sense of the emotion of that trip - emotion ranging from nervousness to amazement she’s even doing it.

We hope to see a lot more of Arwa and Sara on BackStory. 

Watch BackStory on CNN International Monday to Friday 2000-2030 GMT (1600-1630 EST)

Maybe he’s nervous that election day is now less than one month away and he’s running out of time to win. Or maybe he’s disappointed with how he did in the first presidential debate. But John McCain is paying much more attention to this week’s encounter with Barack Obama than he did the first time they met. McCain traveled and campaigned actively before last month’s debate, squeezing in preparation time between other obligations.

Is John McCain getting nervous?

A CNN/Opinion Research poll found that 51 percent of those who saw that debate thought Obama came out on top. Just 38 percent said John McCain did better.

This time, the Washington Post reports that McCain is preparing the conventional way. He’s virtually cleared his schedule and gone into seclusion in his home state of Arizona. He’s had practice debates with a former Congressman, Rob Portman, standing in for Obama.

Obama is preparing in Asheville, North Carolina. Former State Department official Greg Craig, who portrayed McCain before the last debate, is on the ‘debate camp’ team again.

We’ll keep you posted as we get more details.

Editor’s Note: See the next presidential debate - Live - on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 0100 GMT | 0900 HK (Tues. 9pm ET). CNN International viewers can also see replays at 0900 GMT | 1700 HK and 1600 GMT | 0000 (Thu) HK.CNN’s Jonathan Mann will be blogging during the McCain-Obama debate. Join the discussion!

SAMARRA, Iraq - It was my first time at Iraq’s ground zero.

View of the al-Askari Shrine missing the golden dome and rubble on side of the road.

Al-Askari Shrine in Samarra, one of Shiite Islam’s holiest sites, has been bombed twice. It was the first bombing on February 22, 2006, which destroyed the shrine’s golden dome and changed Iraq forever.

The U.S. Military and the Iraqi Government blamed the attack on al Qaeda in Iraq; Shiites blamed Sunnis. Reprisal attacks against Sunnis quickly escalated into a bloody sectarian war claiming tens of thousands of lives.  Chills ran down my spine as I thought of the lives lost since that day.

The U.S. Military organized our media trip to the city after it was recently listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The security situation in Iraq – including the predominantly Sunni city of Samarra – has changed for the better over the past few months, but little looked like it had changed at the Shrine.

Rubble from the bombings was still piled high on the sides of the road leading to the shrine. The few workers on site looked unenthused.

The shrine is protected by Shiite guards deployed by the prime minister. The tough looking guards asked our U.S. Military escorts to stay outside as they took us into the complex.  Citing orders from the P.M., they hurried us through parts of the shrine.

However, just a few months ago a similar tour might not have been possible. “You couldn’t walk here without taking fire,” one soldier said.

The security situation in Samarra has drastically improved in recent months and U.S. commanders attribute that to a number of factors including the Sons of Iraq, former Sunni fighters who have turned against al Qaeda.

Following our visit to the shrine, soldiers from the 101st Airborne drove us back to their base just a few minutes drive from al-Askari compound.

What once was “The Samarra Resort Restaurant” is now U.S. Patrol Base Olsen. We were taken on to a building rooftop for a joint press conference by U.S. and Iraqi commanders.

The view from the roof was breathtaking … it was one of the very few times I have had the chance to admire the beauty of Iraq. A panoramic view of a Samarra landmark — the 9th century minaret (al-Malwiyya), al-Askari shrine and the lush farmlands on the banks of the Tigris. 

Lieutenant Colonel J.P. McGee, the charismatic U.S. commander in Samarra, said the fact that we were standing on the roof was evidence of the city’s security transformation.

But like the rest of the country these remarkable security gains are fragile and that is why McGee and his men have shifted their focus to rebuilding the city. They are working with local leaders to provide residents with essential services like power and water.

McGee believes by getting services to the people of Samarra they will have no reason to fight the government.

Up until a few months ago Samarra was a stronghold of al Qaeda in Iraq. One local resident said insurgents had terrorized the population with bombings, kidnappings and public executions. Until recently the city was paralyzed.

Also paralyzed up until six months ago was the reconstruction of the shrine.

Samarra’s mayor now expects it to be rebuilt in two years.

Captain Josh Kurtzman, commander of Charlie Company, smiled when I asked him how it feels to have such an important shrine as part of his area of responsibility.

“It’s a great responsibility, the most important thing that I think I have been able to do in my life so far and the most interesting time of my life has been in this city. I would say just because of all the history … both old history and history being made,” he said standing in the shadow of the destroyed shrine.

As our chopper took off, I gazed at the shrine and wondered if the wounds it left in Iraq would ever heal.