Jim Deakin, the long-shot candidate for the Republican nomination for Senate was nervous, sometimes stumbled over his words, and at times seemed overwhelmed Friday night. Clearly the event was stressful for him.

But Deakin answered the questions posed to him by Channel 3 moderator Frank Camacho. He gave viewers a consistent message on his philosophy--follow the Constitution when formulating public policy. A lecturer at Scottsdale Community College, he offered solutions that mesh well with this philosophy.

Sadly, Sen. John McCain and former Rep. J.D. Hayworth offered little insights into what they would do if sent to Washington. Instead, they showed off their abilities to memorize each other's records and attack them.

The two enemies treated the debate as a get-even event, refusing to give viewers insights into what they would do if be elected.

Here are a few areas where viewers could get a glimmer of where all the candidates stand on major issues:

1. All three candidates opposed recent legislation passed to reform Wall Street.

• Deakin is frustrated by both parties' tendency to use the tax code to manipulate the economy. He supports a flat tax and would repeal the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, which authorizes the federal governments to collect income taxes, to put the economy on a stable path.
• Hayworth didn't actually offer a solution but said the legislation would guarantee more bailouts.
• Likewise, McCain's chief criticisms of the legislation is that it doesn't address institutions that are "too big to fail" and does not reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two government-backed lending organizations that contributed to the housing market collapse.

2. Candidates had different views on the war in Afghanistan and how to win it.

• McCain supports keeping troops in Afghanistan and rejects the notion that we wouldn't know if we've won. Victory, he said, is the same measure as in Iraq, where a stable government is now in place.
• Deakin pointed out that the war isn't a formally declared one, and that both his opponents violated the Constitution by voting to allow the use of force. Eight years is too long to keep an army in a fractured country. Implementing trade and fair trade agreements is a better way to combat terrorism.
• Hayworth said victory would be the elimination of the Taliban. He also charged that President Obama does not understand the need to change the rules of engagement, an item McCain took issue with. General Petraeus, he stated, has "tweaked" the rules and knows what to do to win the war.

3. Candidates had different ideas about how to bring the economy back.

• Hayworth would take the money not yet used for stimulus and apply it to debt relief. He also said that the biggest mistake with TARP was to provide money to the largest banks instead of "Main Street" banks.
• McCain  said he led the fight to take over General Motors and to cut taxes for small businesses. He is, he said, the leader in fighting the Obama Administration.
• Deakin suggested a tax holiday.

On other issues, such as health care, McCain and Hayworth gave each other's records unfavorable reviews.

Deakin's solution to lowering health care costs is to eliminate the middlemen--insurance companies that bog down the system with paperwork--and have consumers take charge of their care. The goal, he said, isn't to control lives but to bring down costs by reducing bureaucracy. He also said providers should be held accountable if they fail to deliver promised services.

At the debate's end, Hayworth and McCain quickly shook hands and McCain bounded offstage, only to spin around to return the mike--depriving viewers of a Gordon Brown moment.

The debate is available to watch--thankfully in increments--on the Channel 3 Web site.