Deutsch, BlackBerry share stage at debate: "BlackBerrys have become must-have gadgets for many busy politicians, one step better than cell phones because there's no need to leave a meeting or interrupt a conversation to receive instant messages. But political strategists said they have never heard of mid-debate BlackBerry e-mails.

"'They call them "CrackBerries" because they are so addictive, but I've never heard of a candidate needing it so badly that they took it with them to a debate podium,' said Republican consultant David Johnson, who coached Charlie Crist before his 1998 debate with Sen. Bob Graham."