In the final two weeks of campaigning, presidential candidates will continue making their case to Americans in the hope of picking up votes on Nov. 4. Linda Haynes, a 30 year teaching veteran, watched the third and final presidential debate last week, hoping that each candidate would better explain various parts of their policies.

Haynes, a self-described independent, shifted her support to Obama after the debate.

“I’m an Independent, but Obama won me over tonight. He just explained his policies better,” she said.
Bob Schieffer of CBS News moderated the debate and questioned the candidates on issues such as the economy, negative campaign ads, vice presidential nominees, foreign oil, health care and education.

Both candidates have been heavily criticized for their plans to pull America out of the economic crisis.  Schieffer pointed out critics who said each plan will "inevitably increase the national deficit by $250 million."

When McCain and Obama were asked how they would alleviate this debt, they agreed on one thing: America must become energy independent.

I’m afraid people are going to get in there and vote for McCain because they’ll decide they just can’t vote for a black guy. Linda Haynes, 30-year teaching veteran

They don't agree 100 percent on the types of energy the government should invest in, but both see energy independence as key to the success of the American economy.

Sens. McCain and Obama both pointed to jobs new energy investments could crate. These potential jobs would significantly decrease the number of Americans who are unemployed, and drastically improve the economy in the short and long term.

In addition to new energy investments, Obama went on to say that investing in the education of our youth was an "important first step in decreasing the national deficit." He cites early education as critical, and the importance of affordable college education. 

Sen. Obama proposed a $4000 credit to college students who provide community service, and an increase in all teachers’ salaries. McCain, on the other hand, supported charter schools and vouchers, and for the removal of teachers who are not proving effective in the classroom.

Haynes opposed the vouchers proposed by McCain by saying, "I don’t think my tax money should go to someone else’s kids just because I don’t have my own," she said.

Haynes said the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 was a good thing in the beginning, but it hasn’t helped as much as people thought it would.   She wanted to see the program cut, and for tax money to be invested directly into the classroom.

Though she disagreed with McCain about vouchers, she favored his stance on finding qualified and effective teachers, and weeding out the rest.

"I agreed with McCain on one thing, and that’s teacher accountability. Teachers need to be responsible for what goes on in the classroom. One thing I know, there’s nothing worse than being a good teacher, and working with a bad teacher," Haynes said.

Though Haynes plans to vote for the democratic candidate, she fears race may prove to be the reason Obama fails in key states.

When asked who she thought would win the election, Haynes said she couldn’t say for sure, but feared what she called, 'gut reaction voting.' "I’m afraid people are going to get in there and vote for McCain because they’ll decide they just can’t vote for a black guy," she said.

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