President Bush and Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry faced off in the third and final debate Wednesday evening.
CBS News' Bob Schieffer moderated the 90-minute debate, which focused mostly on domestic policy.
Bush seemed more at ease than in previous debates, which took the emphasis off style and back to the issues, UW-Madison political science Professor Charles Franklin said.
\He didn't just avoid scowling or grimacing, but he was more himself,"" he said. Bush emphasized several issues repeatedly, particularly education.
""No Child Left Behind is really a jobs act when you think about it,"" Bush said.
Bush used lawsuits against the medical establishment to explain the scarcity of flu vaccine and as part of the reason for increases in health care costs.
Kerry used the flu question to talk about declining health-care coverage. He stated he favors importing drugs from Canada and allowing Medicare to negotiate for cheaper drugs in order to lower health care costs.
Both candidates dodged bullets on the issue of social security. Schieffer mentioned Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan stated social security cannot continue ""unless we recalibrate.""
Bush favors allowing younger workers to invest part of their social security payments, while Kerry said he would roll back Bush's tax cuts to make up the deficit. Neither candidate presented a permanent solution.
""Nobody, honestly, has a good plan on social security, so they both talk around it,"" Franklin said. ""Every serious study says we're looking at a massive deficit in this area.""
Bush spoke more honestly than Kerry in that he acknowledged that something had to be changed, while Kerry spoke mostly on what he would not do, Franklin said.
Schieffer pointed out that both candidates are opposed to same-sex marriage, and asked if they believed homosexuality is a choice. Bush responded he didn't know, and he favors a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
""As we respect someone's rights, and as we profess tolerance, we shouldn't change, or have to change, our basic views on the sanctity of marriage,"" Bush said.
Kerry stated that homosexuality is not a choice and that same-sex marriage should be left up to state governments.
""Although he is against gay marriage, gays and lesbians and their supporters are going to look at this as saying, 'I'm more favorable than Bush,'"" Franklin said.
Most states are likely to ban same-sex marriage and possibly partner rights, Franklin said.
