Opinion, please: Who won the debate?

2008 Presidential Race, Local, National, Politics 1 Minute

The Democratic debate just concluded.  Who won?

Bonus question: who the heck is funding Mike Gravel?

Published

22 thoughts on “Opinion, please: Who won the debate?”

  2. Clinton seemed forced, maybe tense. Obama seemed more hip, but maybe too careful. Edwards seemed eager, but too soundbite aware. So much for the frontrunners.

    My favorite at this point, Richardson, was OK, but alas, he did little to distance himself from the pack.

  4. Hillary and Edwards did best. I continue to love Joe Biden, who did well, but he just hasn’t caught on out there. This was not an opportunity for anyone to distinguish him/herself; everyone but Gravel agreed on just about everything.

    So we end up commenting on demeanor, attitude, poise, etc. And who seemed to connect with the audience. I had the sense that the audience was buying Obama, Edwards and Clinton, and that was about it.

  5. I think Obama did his best here.

    I don’t want to say it, but Hillary did a good job too.

    Gravel – I haven’t a clue, and I hope he gets dropped next time.

  6. I only saw the last half. So, here are my semi-informed opinions:

    1) Who replaced Bill Richardson with George Hamilton? Or do I need to work on my TV settings?

    2) Hillary did a great job of nailing the technical routine. Too good of a job. I was writing each applause line 10 seconds before I heard it. Either she needs to ease up a bit, or I need to go work for a campaign.

    3) Joe Biden. He’s like that creepy uncle that you know mostly means well, but you don’t want your friends to talk to for more than a minute, because you know he’s going to say something really embarrassing. Ask Obama about tonight’s example.

    4) Obama. Well, okay. I suspect you’re happy for all of the practice. Because you could use it. Didn’t do anything wrong (tho’ the Biden-inspired response was a little strange.), but it feels like an extended warm up. Get moving.

    5) Gravel. What’s up with all the Gravel hate online? I think some of his proposals are complete non-starters (national sales tax), and he’s clearly no going anywhere, but he’s speaking more truth than anyone else up on that stage. And yet we have all these asinine calls for him to be pulled from debates.

    6) Edwards. There’s something about this guy that is saying, in a progressively louder voice – lightweight. And that’s a shame. I want to like him more. But it’s not happening.

    As a group: I hope someone will remember all these quotes about fixing mandatory minimum sentences and whatnot once one of them is in office.

  7. Thing I found interesting was Obama talking about universal health care. I got the impression from an article in Time that he was backing away from the issue. Not that he was necessarily against it, but more in doubt that it would be realistic to make happen in the ’08 term and interested in more practical compromises. I didn’t get that impression from this debate though. This felt more like he was promising it. As were most if not all the candidates. Regardless of how I feel about the idea of U.V.C., I’m not sure anyone can safely promise that for this coming term. At best they can promise to make steps towards it.

  9. Who’s funding Mike Gravel? Probably the same guys who were collecting signatures for Ralph Nader. Think about it. Biden needs to step back, too. It’s just distracting.

  10. VAB, there is this wonderful thing about the Internets. Want to know about Gravel’s money? It’s right here. Yeah, GOP is just flooding it with money.

    So no, seriously, what’s so distracting about someone who is up on stage with nothing to lose by being straightforward? Me, I appreciate the roll that folks like Al Sharpton, Ron Paul, and now Mike Gravel play. Is it just too much to take, a reminder that the candidate we’re all going to end up voting for never really does get around to being entirely honest?

  11. A couple of quick things:
    1. A lot of the candidates were being careful to stay on message and not say anything that might anger voters not in the audience.
    2. The second question – something along the lines of “Why is it that the unemployment rate of black high school graduates is 33% higher than white high school dropouts?” – provoked a whole lot of BS about education. Only Hillary tried to answer by saying something about hiring discrimination.
    3. Hillary hit a home run on the answer to the AIDS question.
    4. Obama didn’t hit a home run on anything.
    My guy, Richardson, did poorly in this debate. I’m not sure what’s wrong with him but it is becoming clear (at least to me) that he doesn’t have what it takes to make it. Sigh>

  12. Vivian, you don’t have to answer yet, but we’re all probably going to want to know down the line: who would choose instead if Richardson never does hit his stride? Obama? Clinton? Edwards?

    …Please don’t say Edwards….

  13. I don’t know. I kinda liked Obama’s suggestion that we put more effort into trying to find a cure for AIDS. It’s been a while since I’ve heard anyone actually talking about trying to cure anything (other than in stem cell debates).

    Got to echo Rob’s question, any transcripts floating around online for this?

  15. Cory, for personal reasons I have strong feelings about him as a candidate, and I’d prefer not to engage in personally deriding a democratic contender, even anonymously. In terms of his policy standpoints, we agree more than we disagree, but because of disagreements I have with some of his non-policy decisions I simply must support one of the other strong candidates we have in our strong democratic field this year.

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