Are you planning on watching the Democratic debate tonight? This will be an interesting one, as it brings YouTube into the equation with video questions from regular people. According to CNN, "the format could force candidates to produce more straightforward answers and less spin than they sometimes get away with in more traditional debates, because politicians are not as trained to deflect questions in this kind of setup." We'll see. The debate starts at 7 PM eastern time.[UPDATE: This debate didn't have as clear a winner as the last one. I'd say that of the top three candidates, Edwards, Obama and Clinton all did very well for different reasons. I honestly have a hard time ranking them, although I think Obama made a mistake of inexperience in saying he'd meet with Kim Jong-il, Hugo Chavez, Raul Castro and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in his first year as President. Edwards seemed fired up, very aggressive. Clinton is great at debating, did well as always and got a lot of applause. Biden's an excellent debater too and very funny, but I'm not sure how his slam of that guy who called his gun his "baby" will play out. I'm also not sure what to make of Bill Richardson; he's kind of rambling and all over the place. I've got to say, I've never been a Kucinich fan but he was very impressive tonight. Gravel's bonkers, but his dyslexia story was moving and I actually thought his concept of changing the tax code to make us a savings nation more than a consuming nation was a good one. Dodd...well, he's got really good hair! :)]
[UPDATE #2: The more I think about it, the more I think Hillary Clinton won this debate. I've concluded that debates simply aren't Barack Obama's or John Edwards' strong suits. Not that they aren't both wonderful in other ways, but I think Hillary is the undisputed, heavweight debate champion, hands down.]
Richardson hasn't had a chance at all tonight! whats up with that?
Richardson: Eliminate red tape. Let those that live there come back. Stop predatory lending. We need a president who cares, not just poses for photo ops.
Clinton: "I couldn't run as anything other than a woman." Proud to be running as a woman. Break that hardest of all glass ceilings. Not running BECAUSE I'm a woman, but because I think I'm the most qualified person. Make a decision on what is best for you and your family, not on ethnicity or race or gender. Gonna send a great message to a lot of little boys and girls around the world.
Edwards: Anyone who's thinking of not voting for Obama because he's black or Hillary Clinton because she's a woman, "I don't want their vote." Raise minimum wage. More women in poverty than men in poverty. Sen. Clinton deserves to be commended for her work on womens' issues.
Clinton: I have a great deal of admiration for Elizabeth Edwards. Womens' rights are human rights. Minimum wage. I have been on the forefront...I think it's terrific that we're up here arguing about who's going to be better for women!
Dodd: How would you like your children treated. Civil unions, not "marriage."
Richardson: "I would do what is achievable." Full civil unions with full marriage rights. Eliminate "don't ask dont' tell." Domestic partnership laws. Non discrimination in housing, etc.
Edwards: I have enormous personal conflict on this issue. Want to end discrimination. I personally have been on a journey on this issue. Elizabeth supports gay marriage, I do not. This is a very difficult issue for me. But don't deny anybody their rights.
Obama: Everybody has to be equal under the law. Civil unions that ensure all rights conferred by the state are equal. Marriage...up to individual denominations. In terms of civil rights conferred by government, those should be equal.
Richardson still seems awkward.
Dodd and Biden haven't had a lot of time but they've looked good.
Kucinich remains a little loony.
Gravel remains a jackass - he's not offering any ideas.
On these campaign commercials, I think Hillary's missed out. First off, they did not zoom enough to see what the first 2 placards said, and generally, it was anti-climactic. Chris Dodd's was good because it showed a humorous side to a guy who has come off as a robot. John Edwards, and I'm trying not to be bias, was great. "What really matters?" in the context of the ridiculous debate over his hair. Great.
I WANT MORE GRAVEL THOUGH!
Biden: "I'm so tired of this." Where we can act, America must. We should act now. Those kids will be dead before the diplomacy is over. I'm not joking. They think we can save them, and guess what, we can. Need troops on the ground.
Gravel: We haven't owned up to our responsibilies to a sense of global government. African nations are afraid of us.
Clinton: We need to start acting instead of talking. Move more quickly on divestment and sanctions. It does mean a no fly zone. NATO has to be there. American ground troops don't belong in Darfur at this time. We have to figure out what we're doing in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Obama: I opposed this war from the start. At this point, we can be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in. There's no military solution to the problems we face in Iraq. Angry at Iraqi parliament for going on vacation because it's hot. Need diplomatic surge.
Biden: We can't just pull out now. It's time to start to tell the truth. If we started today, it would take 1 year to get out of Iraq. You can not pull out of Iraq unless you have a political solution. Federal system, decentralized government. Begin to draw down combat troops by March 2008. Tell the truth for a change.
Way cooler than Clinton's silly paper thing.
Dodd's was good too. "Vote for the man with the white hair."
Clinton: Thanks to woman and their son for their sacrifice. Democrats have tried repeatedly to win Republican support for the simple proposition that we need to set a timeline now. I asked Pentagon if they had prepared to withdraw our troop, in response I got a letter accusing me of being unpatriotic.
Kucinich: Yes, it is politics, the Democrats have failed the American people. The American people asked us to end the war. Tell President Bush, "no more funds for the war."
Dodd: First responsibility of Commander in Chief is to keep our nation safe and secure. We should set a time certain. No other way to convince political and religious leaders in Iraq to get serious. Robustly pursue diplomacy. We've lost our moral leadership so nobody listens to us.
Richardson: The lives of our young troops are more important than George Bush's legacy. We should bring all our troops home within 6 months with no residual forces. This war is a quagmire, endless. The time has come to bring the troops home.
Obama: Our soldiers have done everything that's been asked of them, carried out mission with great courage. The Pentagon response to Hillary Clinton was ridiculous, but the time to ask how we were going to get out of Iraq was before we went in. Troops not dying in vain, but civilian leadership has responsibility to ensure that troops can succeed in their mission.
Edwards: Troops never die in vain. What is going to be done to stop this war? While the Iraq Parliament is on vacation, is George Bush going to be on vacation in Crawford, Texas. We need to turn up the heat on Bush.
Clinton: Yes. I don't support a draft. Women should register. I agree completely with Chris, introduced legislation for public service academy. We have to get young people back into public service.
Obama: Tuskeegee Airmen...helped to change America. Same thing with women. Not necessarily combat roles, don't agree with the draft.
Edwards: Women can serve courageously and honorably.
Gravel: Yes. "What's the difference?"
Clinton: I represented our country in 82 countries. I've met with kings and sheikhs and tribal leaders. There isn't much doubt in anyone's mind that I can be taken seriously. Other countries have had women presidents and prime ministers, and they are taken seriously. It would be quite appropriate to have a woman president deal with Arab and Muslim countries.
Obama: I would. The notion that not talking to countries is punishment to them is ridiculous. Reagan spoke to the Soviet Union at a time when he called it an "Evil Empire." We have obligation to find areas where we can move forward. It's a disgrace that we haven't talked to them. We need to talk to Iran and Syria.
Clinton: I will not promise to meet with leaders of these countries in first year. I don't want to be used for propaganda purposes, but we definitely need to get back to diplomacy.
Dodd: I've advocated having our troops out by April of next year. Pursue diplomatic efforts in region. Responsible withdrawal.
Richardson: I'm trying to provoke a debate here because there's a difference between the Senators and me. I advocate 6 months with no residual forces. Diplomatic work won't work as long as our troops are there. There is a civil war.
Biden: #1, there's not a single military man who will say we can get all the troops out in 6 months. Better be ready to get thousands of civilians out of Green Zone or let them die. Going to take a minimum 5,000-10,000 troops just to protect our civilians. Mine resistant vehicles...how can anyone vote against that?
Clinton: I've put forth a comprehensive three point plan. Joe is right. The best estimate is that we can move a brigade a month, that is a lot of months. They're not even planning for that in the Pentagon. Until we get this President and the Pentagon to at least tell us they're going to withdraw, we can't turn this around. We want to pull the troops out safely, orderly, carefully. It's going to be complicated.
Kucinich: I reject that we'll be in Iraq until next President. It is not credible to say you opposed the war when you voted to fund it. We cannot wait until the next President takes office.
Obama: Teacher in 5th grade...just came to the US, felt a bit out of place, teacher had lived in Kenya, helped make him feel special and welcome.
Biden: Couldn't hear very well.
Edwards: Teacher made him believe in himself...
Biden: It was a mistake. Voted for it against my better instincts because I have great faith in Ted Kennedy who's so devoted to education. My wife's been teaching for 30 years. It's just not working.
Clinton: Chelsea went to public school from Kindergarten to 8th grade until we moved to Washington.
Obama: Went to private school because it was the best option for our kids. We don't have good public schools for all our kids, including people who can't work the system.
Biden: Kids went to private school because wife and daughter were killed.
Kucinich: Daughter went to Columbus public schools and had a great education.
Gravel: Went to public school and private school. We need some compettition in our system.
Dodd: My daughter goes to public school.
Obama: Romney apparently forgot that he made the exact proposal when he was running for Gov. of Massachusetts. Kids need to understand when someone's doing something wrong to them.
Dodd: 50 mpg standards by 2017. Entire fleet of federal automobiles hybrid. Corporate carbon tax. Need to move away from fossil fuels, have to deal with issue of price or we'll never get away from fossil fuels.
Obama: We should explore nuclear power as part of the energy mix. Solar, efficiency standards, cap on greenhouse gases. We've been talking about this for decades, things never change. We've got to put national interest ahead of special interests.
Clinton: Strategic energy fund. Take away tax breaks for oil companies. Spend $50 billion doing what America does best. We can solve these problems if we focus on technology and innovation. I'm agnostic about nuclear power, need to figure out answers to waste and cost. Let's figure out what to do about those things. This can create millions of new jobs in America.
Dodd: I don't think I could live on the minimum wage, need to increase it to $10 per hour.
Clinton: Sure.
Obama: We can afford to work for min. wage because most people on this stage have a lot of money.
Richardson: Yes I would.
Biden: My net worth is $70,000-$150,000.
Kucinich: We need to increase for minimum wage. I would work for minimum wage.
I think Edwards said yes as well.
Obama: Preserve Social Security.
Richardson: Bipartisan effort to fix Medicare. Major prevention programs. Find a cure for diabetes. Stop raising the Social Security trust fund. Universal pension, ensure portability.
Kucinich: Reverse tax increases for top bracket, end war, lower trade deficit by ending NAFTA and WTO.
Obama: Health plan provides universal coverage. I disagree with Edwards. Don't need to mandate coverage. Affordability is the issue. It is an outrage that the wealthiest nation on earth can't provide coverage to all people. We couldn't get it done before...need a President who will fight so that special interests don't have veto power.
Edwards: Obama's plan doesn't provide universal coverage, need to mandate it. He's made a serious proposal, it just doesn't cover everybody. There are millions of people in this country who are suffering so badly. Three-day poverty tour. Man who lived 50 years and couldn't talk because he couldn't afford procedure for his cleft palate. We should be outraged by these stories.
Clinton: Thanks questioners. The fact that this is happening in a country as rich as ours is a national disgrace. I tried and have the scars to show for it. We need a sense of national commitment that universal health care is an American value. Cover everybody and provide decency and respect to everybody in this country.
Richardson: Cover everybody. Stem cells. Mandatory phys ed.
Gravel: Clintons and DLC sold out Democratic Party to Wall Street. Please wake up. They're lock, stock and barrel in their pocket.
Obama: Cynicism about change in country.
Edwards: We will embrace and lift up ALL Americans, whether they have faith or not. As President, it is not my job to impose my personal faith beliefs on American people or decide any policy on the basis of my personal faith beliefs.
Obama: Proud of my Christian faith, it informs what I do. I'm a strong believer in separation of church and state. Translate religious values into moral terms that all people can share, including non-believers. That's what the founding fathers intended.
Biden: If that's his baby (a gun), he needs help. I don't know that he's mentally qualified to own that gun. I wrote the assault weapons ban. We should be working with law enforcement against people who don't know what to do with a gun.
Dodd: I like John Edwards, love his wife and his family.
Edwards: I admire what Sen. Clinton has done for America.
Clinton: I admire and like very much Barack as I do with all the candidates here. We are ready to lead.
Obama: I like the fact that Bill Richardson has devoted his life to public service. I don't like the fact that he doesn't like the White Sox.
Richardson: I love all the candidates here, they would all do great in the White House as my Vice President. Joe and I disagree about Iraq, but he has devoted his whole life to public service.
Biden: Missed that one and Kucinich's because of technical difficulties with my computer...
Senator Dodd get's the best hair video
Senator Clinton get's the Mike Gravel award for the most unique "stone in the water" style video
Senator Biden get the line of the night ... what I like about Dennis (Kucinich) is his wife
Hillary really looked good tonight as well, and her closing on the Bush/Clinton/Bush question was great. She is really learning to appeal.
I, personally, have not gotten a sense that she has any convictions. Why did she get into public life? Why did she relocate to New York to become a Senator? She has been in the public space for quite some time now and all of these issues discussed are certainly not new. If she has not been able to bridge the partisan divide and surmount special interests in the past, why should we believe that she will suddenly accomplish these tasks now?
We need a leader who's a fighter (remember "Born Fightin"?).
John Edwards has the passion of his convictions, while I think the others are far too cautious and calculating to bring about transformational change. If you believe the major corporations and power brokers in WDC are part of the problem, then you've got to consider "Fightin' John".
BTW, I thought Hillary's failure to praise liberalism, to sound like it's negative was my biggest disappointment. Every major social cause since 1932--from the New Deal to the Great Society, from SS to Medicare, from environmentalism to sound energy policy, was/is championed as a "liberal" cause. Hillary made the word seem toxic. Not acceptable.
I was surprised to see you write that Hillary was the "undisputed heavyweight debate champion, hands down." Although I thought all of the candidates did well -- except for Mike Gravell who shouldn't be there -- I thought John Edwards clearly made some people think twice about their vote last night. He was sharp, energetic and took on the lobbyists with passion that the others didn't have. Hillary is great on the issues but, sorry to say, she is not passionate at all IMHO. CNN gave viewers the meters that measure candidate responses and Edward's comments about health insurance when he described the 50-year old man he met with a cleft-pallate were the highest of all the candidates for the entire debate. And Hillary didn't score well at all in her response about being a liberal. These two responses alone seem to dispute any claim that she was a clear winner.
Overall, the Democratic candidates are showing that we have some really good choices. I haven't made up my mind yet on a candidate although I do like what Edwards has to say and I thought he did well last night. I loved his ad too!