US election at-a-glance: 15 Oct

DAY IN A NUTSHELL

In the final debate of the election campaign, the candidates discuss domestic policy, with questions on the economy, healthcare, education, abortion and the conduct of their campaigns. Snap polls indicate that Barack Obama is the clear winner.

KEY QUOTES

"Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush you should have run four years ago. I will take this country in a new direction."
John McCain

John McCain tells his rival that he "is not President Bush"

"Mr Ayers has become the centrepiece of Senator McCain's campaign over the last two or three weeks."
Barack Obama

"I'm proud of the people that come to our rallies."
John McCain

"She's a capable politician who has, I think, excited the base in the Republican Party."
Barack Obama on Sarah Palin

"'Health' for the mother. You know, that's been stretched by the pro-abortion movement in America to mean almost anything."
John McCain

Obama and McCain are asked to explain the merits of their running mates

"What you want to do to Joe the plumber and millions more like him is have their taxes increased and not be able to realize the American dream of owning their own business."
John McCain introduces plumber Joe Wurzelbacher to the nation

"I'm happy to talk to you, Joe, too, if you're out there."
Barack Obama wants a piece of the action

"It's pretty surreal, man, my name being mentioned in a presidential campaign."
Joe Wurzelbacher, the now-famous plumber

NUMBER NEWS

After the previous three debates, post-debate snap polls gave the victory to the Democratic candidate.

The fourth and final debate was no exception.

CNN's poll of debate watchers suggests that 58% thought that Barack Obama had done best, while 31% thought John McCain had been the victor.

The CNN poll also indicated that debate watchers' favourable opinion of Obama increased during the debate from 63% beforehand to 66% at the end of the debate, while Mr McCain's favourables decreased, from 51% to 49%.

A CBS poll of undecided voters also suggested that Mr Obama had won the debate, by 53% to 22%.

DAILY PICTURE

John McCain's running-mate Sarah Palin sits back with her husband Todd to watch the last presidential debate.