Obama goes straight to the mainstream voters. He says that we need to protect taxpayers through oversight of the financial bailout; that taxpayers can get that money back; that CEOS shouldn’t get golden parachutes and that we need to protect homeowners.

And then, right away, he goes after McCain, saying he has supported Bush’s failed economic policies.

McCain makes it personal, saying that he is starting to feel better about the crisis, because Dems and the GOP are working together. He says it’s the greatest fiscal crisis in our time. But he says the package has transparency and oversight, and he feels optimistic. He says we need to keep the institutions stable.

Jim Leherer – We have five minutes. We can negotiate a deal right here.

Obama says he’s optimistic, but hasn’t seen the language. He says we need to pay attention to how we got here in the first place, and blames an economic philosophy that is anti-regulation.

McCain says that a lot of people saw the trainwreck coming. McCain then compares himself to Eisenhower (!) and says that he will be accountable and that we need to require accountability in Washington and Wall Street.

Leherer is trying to get them to cross talk. No dice. They are sticking to their scripts.