Liveblogging The Democratic Debates
Well folks, we’re just minutes out, and it’s time to get this show on the road. I’m currently trying to get things set up on my end, so while I wait for the webcast to begin you can read the preview here.
Also, the way this works is simple. We do the liveblogging in the comments section, so you’ll have to go there and keep refreshing to get the latest updates. Further, you are free to contribute I just have some simple rules.
-Please be relatively polite.
-No spamming.
-Stay on topic. Quick forays like, “Hey how are ya?” are fine, but I don’t want to talk about what your kid is dressing up as for Halloween. That’s what email is for.
With that said, let’s watch some debates!
129 Responses to “Liveblogging The Democratic Debates”
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Okay, having issues. For some reason, they aren’t putting up the live feed yet.
Okay, I got something… Pretty much not much more than Brian Williams and pumpkin head on a static screen, but I’ll take it.
And here we go… trumpets! thirty second history fo Philadelphia and Drexel University!
Alright, way too much of a political junkie, I can’t even handle waiting as they talk about this university crap, LET’S GET IT ON!!!!!!!!
Jeez, calm down, son. You’ll bust a gusset. Have you considered, like, getting a real life?
obama first. And it’s straight up about the NYT interview where he promised to be more aggressive, and is asked about Hillary Clinton acting like a Republican, right out the gates we will hear if he’s ready to take the gloves off.
Gets a good laugh line about Rocky, but he’s punting. He was given an open door to attack Hillary, and so far it sounds as though he’s trying to run the clock out without going after Hillary.
Mick: No.
And I was wrong, he just pretty drug Clinton out on the floor about being a flip flopper.
And Hillary dodges Obama’s attacks right off the bat, talking about Republicans. She just showed him up, now if Obama asks for a rebuttal… nope.
She did it again, she dodged an attack by talking about how Republicans are talking about her.
Now it’s too Edwards, similar question. Edwards delivers the answer Obama SHOULD have given. He calls her out on the Iran vote! You know, I’ve not liked Edwards much thus far, but I like what he is doing right now. He’s not angry, he’s calm, smiling, and yet attacking.
Now Clinton on defense, and she’s really fronting this, “I stand up and fight Republicans”.
But she’s not addressing the heart of Edward’s attack on Iran, and is punting to fiscal responsibility. You can tell she’s afraid of her Iran vote. These people need to nail her on the Iran vote because her entire rebuttal is on SocSec, and that wasn’t even part of her answer.
GO TIM RUSSERT! He’s keeping Hillary on Iran. And she, for the third time already, pulled out the hillary pseudo laugh.
Hillary just said that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons; this I think is somewhat contradictory to the recent findings of the IAEA, in other words, I’m going to throw the bullshit flag down right here.
And she’s getting angry here. I don’t know she sounds very angry, and the conventional wisdom is that voters don’t like an angry candidate. Dodd now on Iran.
Dodd: What you should have learned from Iraq you should have learned right now.
He is breaking down Hillary’s logic, and he’s doing it without going straight after Hillary. I like this.
That’s the Dodd I’ve known for years. Finally.
And now up to Biden. And he does what Joe Biden does best. Let’s face it, Biden owns the Middle East compared to the rest of the field, and he’s forceful and eloquent. The key moment, “Our words have consequences.”
I liked “Big nations can’t bluff.”
Obama “I don’t think we should be talking about attacking Iran at this point.” He’s still being too senatorial. Okay answer. On to Clinton.
Even when she’s not angry, Hillary seems very defensive to me.
yeah, that was a great quote Mick.
Have you noticed, Clinton is still backpedaling from her vote.
Okay, I want to know something, is economic sanctions the only form of diplomacy? I mean, to the lay person, she may sound tough. But while she talks about carrots and sticks, she is long on the sticks and short on the carrots.
Clinton: “Everyone knows that Bush made a mess out of the situation of Iran.” She was part of that:
EDWARD JUST CALLED HER ON IT AND CALLED IT FROM NEOCONS!!!!
And Hillary just gave Edwards a very evil look. Edwards is kicking ass so far.
Richardson, would you negotiation with Iran without condition?
He says yes, but then fumbles on saying he’s the only one on stage to negotiate to a bunch of other candidates say, “that’s not true.”
Then he mentions Ahmadinejad, but, as the blogosphere has fleshed out quite well, and much to the contrary of what Richardson is saying right now, ahmadinejad is rather low on power in the dealing of the military. he may be president, but he is not the commander in chief.
Oooooo. Dennis said the “I” word.
Kucinich on the resolution:
calls those who say “All options on the table” are enabling Bush’s drive to war: He’s got a point. Calls preemption illegal. He just called for the impeachment of Bush. Great red meat for the liberal base. I’m not sure how this is going to play with the primary voters.
Obama does well on “short circuiting” the Iran having a nuclear bomb question, and goes on the attack on the politics of fear. And this is the best he’s performed so far. Well done, best answer of the night, and good all around, and hints at civil liberties.
Biden just talked in a big circle of cliches.
Uh-oh, Dodd’s applying for a job again.
And again, Biden brings up Pakistan in the Iranian nuclear debate… and damn, he just showed his ME and FP creds again. I think, in a different world, Biden would be a strong frontrunner.
Dodd is kinda meta-answering on experience, and it’s leaving me somewhat luke warm (and incidentally, he’s getting to obscure for the voters also, and its answers like this that has made it difficult for him to get traction).
hahaha…
Yeah…
Richardson: I think he’s gaining weight. At this point, he’s almost kinda begging people to believe him that he has the experience to do the foreign policy work here.
So’s Richardson. This never works for Dems. Why do they keep doing it?
hmmmm….
Me and Kucinich are going to differ on nuclear power.
I think those folks who do the kinda meta politicking is that dodd and Richardson have done are throw backs to a different kind of politics. What they’re missing is that American’s aren’t exactly up on experience right now.
Oh jeez, I’m almost to the point where I’m viewing Hillary like I view Bush, which is very bad.
Williams tagged Hillary with a statement by an impoprtant aide and she blew past it. Now she’s sayiong she’s agaionst the war and always has been. Does that count as a lie?
At some point she’s going to have to decide for real.
Obama, is Clinton’s answer on Iraq consistent? He ties it back to the Iranian resolution, okay, it’s still not biting enough, and I’m gonna say this right now. He’s not doing bad, but he’s going to get raked across the coals for “keeping the gloves on”.
“careful getting out as we were careless getting in”. Nice phrase. Sound-byte time. (Obama)
God, Edwards is on fire, and again is sharply attacking Hillary. And again, he earns a toadlike look from the frontrunner.
HOLY CRAP!! He just called her on her vote in the Iranian resolution, “She was moving from primary mode to general election mode”
Edwards just nailed her. She’s stuttering. And throwing Bush’s AQ-talk out there.
It is a good sound byte.
Interesting… Edwards throwing caution to the wind tonight, but who would that benefit. If his attacks stick, and Hillary starts hemmoraging support, will he pick it up?
And the funny thing is that Hillary is getting pissed.
NO!
WILLIAMS DONT GO TO BREAK!
KEEP THE HEAT ON HILLARY!!!!
DAMN
I’m going to the bathroom.
brb
Two hourts???!!! I was expecting one.
come on mick
fortune favors the brave.
You know, i’m gonna say right now, i don’t think it’s Obama’s time. I think it’s just not right now. He’s got a juggernaut to go up against, and I think Chris Matthews and Pat buchanan are right, he doesn’t have the eye of the tiger, he doesn’t have the aggression to overturn that. Edwards has that, but he doesn’t ahve the momentum…
back in game.
The first 20 mins or so, this looked like it was going to be a great debate, intelligent, adult, passionate. Now it seems already to be devolving into standard patterns. Hillary looks - and sounds - more and more defensive. The anger you mentioned is just below the surface. All a front-runner has to do is make one bnad mistake from loss of focus or anger getting the best of her and wer got a whole new ball game.
Edwards and Obama both looking very good.
new subject: electability.
man, this sounds like it’s an open forum on attacking Hillary.
Williams is quoting a much quoted Giuliani attack against Clinton, and she gets that smile on her face that says she LOVES getting attacked by the GOP frontrunner.
H dodged electibility question to fill out the job application.
And this opening question is a softball thus far for Hillary Clinton who is in her element not necessarily talking about substantive issues, but attacking the Republicans.
Russert on the archives that would verify Clinton’s experience as first lady, and she is dodging the direct question which is about Bill Clinton’s request to keep the documents in question being made available til 2012.
THEN HE HOLDS UP THE DAMN REQUEST!!!!!!
She dodges again.
OBAMA JUST HIT AN UPPERCUT ON HILLARY HOLY CRAP!!!!
Oops. Timmeh’s a lot tougher on Derms, isn’t he? H blew it. Nobody’s going to buy the Archivist excuse. And O calls her on it.
Sorry, got excited there. He just took her to task on the request, and points out the direct contradiction about turning the page on the Bush administration, but remaining as secretive as the current administration.
And directly went after her on the partisan issue.
BEST ANSWER OF THIS SEASON FOR OBAMA!
Edwards shouldn’t have asked to jump in on this. He’s not saying much new compoared to obama, and Obama’s answer was a tough act to follow.
Oh, he did bring up the lobbyist money, and really goes into where Hillary is getting her money, and that’s a powerful attack.
nevermind… Edward’s “toothfairy” bite was brilliant, I take it back.
You know, Mick, you bring up Timmeh’s hard case against Clinton, and you know, I’ve listened to Matthews, and I’ve listened to Olbermann, and now Timmeh, and you know, I think MSNBC as a whole is turning on her.
And Hillary is not answering the attacks. And she’s seething.
I wish they’d stop asking experience questions. They’re stupid.
Obama is now being asked to talk about his own inexperience, and he’s going on what is a big work for him. he’s working the bipartisan angle, which is good on, he’s again attacking Hillary, and another solid answer.
Well, she’s the front-runner. That’s what they do.
Richartson can take his positive “let’s be nice” and stuff it.
Well, you know, the experience question in this context was to put obama on the spot.
Richardson, you know, he’s taking issue with people attacking Hillary, and he’s pretty much just going ahead and putting up a big sign that says, “Please don’t invite me to anymore debates,”
Okay, you said it quite well.
you know, I’m with you on this. Months ago, I was of the same opinion as Richardson. But the thing is, Hillary is such that, she gets the nomination, we will be voting for a Republican or a Republican. Remove Hillary from the field, and I’m all about let’s play nice.
Good point. Take her out and we got something.
Sorry, I was distracted.
Biden: He uses a noun a verb and 9/11
Beautiful!
He’s saying what needs to be said about Rudy Giuliani.
This answer! Biden… This is what has puzzled at least me is that he delivers answers like this, and yet he gets no traction in the polls.
Timmy is DRILLING Hillary on this, and called her on a blatant contradiction on lifting the cap.
And she is dodging again. This is not the best performance of Hillary during a debate, a lot of these questions are pissing her off, and she’s having less and less control
“I am not repeating republican talking points.”
Obama just raised his hand… this should be good.
Biden bragging about being better than Richardson is like measles bragging about being better than diptheria.
Now Russert just quoted Bill Clinton, and drills Hillary on Republican talking points.
Man, you gotta think that she’s going to lose her top tonight.
HAHAHAHA
Come on, man. There’s no significant problem with SocSec and Obama knows it. Mistake.
You know, Mick, one thing that is interesting, though, Biden, Obama, they’re learning, they’re attacking the republicans, they’re unifying, Obama is… Obama is quickly turning this into his best performance so far.
Told yah. He left her her first real opening and she’s filling it up. Still sounds mad, tho.
Hillary Clinton: Fiscal responsibility is turning into her Giuliani 9/11.
HAHA, to coin a phrase.
obama on Mitt Romney’s flubbing his name.
Great opening on Mitt Romney’s flip flopping ways.
This was a softball of a question, and he answers it well.
I don’t know if H is actually going to lose it but I agree with you - she’s rightn on the edge, definitely flirting with a meltdown. We should be so lucky….
Second break…
Okay, Hillary is getting pissed, this has turned into a shooting gallery, and while Obama looked like he was going to punt early on, he’s come out swinging after everyone got warmed up.
Edwards, meanwhile, started off strong and aggressive, but as Obama went up, it’s felt as though Edwards went down.
I think she’s too disciplined to break on stage, but anyone who has been paying attention will not miss the fact that she’s slipping, and I think that’s going to play in the analyses that we’re going to see over the next few days.
It’s also important to note that Dodd is still inflicted with the meta answers, and resume filling that has plagued him thus far, and Biden is still showing much of that flare that should have him higher in the polls than he is.
Feels more like a back-and-forth to me. I don’t think Obama is as strong as you do, and I’m betting you don’t think E is as strong as I do. Cumulative score: Even-stephen.
Fair enough
thirty second limits on questions.
Biden: Gotta remember, this is the most comncise I think I’ve ever heard him. On the hustings, he a windbag.
Standard answers to a standartd question (tho I liked E’s promise to investigate oil companies - nice touch).
Are people doomed to paying more for energy costs this winter: down the line
Dodd: Low income energy assistance, rebates, and reinvestment. And he just did the “go to my website” which turned into something of a gaffe for Kerry.
Biden: Foreign Policy
Edwards: DoJ investigate oil companies. Ask for mutual sacrifice. Good answer
Clinton: I have no fresh ideas, so I’m just gonna attack Republicans. Note, these folks have notepads, Hillary’s notes? Attack Republicans: Fiscal Responsbility…. OOOH Ownership society language.
Obama: much of the cost is risk, lower rhetoric. Fuel efficiency. Good answer.
Kucinich: Iraq War. Attack the administration. Constitution international law… Only slightly touches on the cost of oil. I word. Broken record, and while I appreciate the I word, I don’t like it here.
Richardson: percent percent percent, I think I’m falling asleep.
Kind of strange question for Dodd on making the compromise between people’s needs and protecting the environment.
Yeah, and he blew it. He’s writing his own jackety blurbs now.
“jacket”
Bottomless pits for survivors of natural disasters for Edwards? Not exactly directly answering the question, but the idea of a national family is resounding, and one I can get behind.
“surge in New Orleans” very nice sound bite for Edwards.
Williams still trying to pin him down on whether there should be limits, and I think Edwards kind of sort of agreed that there should be no limit.
Hillary on alternative minimum tax. She’s calming down, and kind of signalling more taxes for the rich, less for mid and lower classes.
I do not like her invoking dying military personnel in this subject, it does not belong, and she’s fishing here.
No he didn’t, he just blew past it with a cliche. Mistake.
And hey, she looked at her notepad and started attacking Republicans.
She’s fishing, dodging, and refusing to be specific - again.
It is a cliche, i’m not going to call it a political mistake though.
Obama gives I think a good answer on taxes, and I’m going to take this moment to say something.
Usually, people rag on the moderators, but tonight, I’m giving them a big win. Williams and Russert are not letting go, they are spending as much time as they can to hold these candidates down and get them to answer the questions.
You know, I’ve thought kucinich has had good performances before, good political performances as well as good progressive performances, but tonight he is channeling the absent Mike Gravel in that he’s broken record repeating Impeachment. I like the idea, but it’s not Giuliani 9/11, it’s not Clinton Republicans/fiscal responsibility, etc.
Edwards, though, i like what he has done with the connection of Wal Mart lobbying against container inspections, and the way lobbying against regulations has resulted in the dangerous Chinese imports.
I’ll agree, overall. They’ve asked some dumb questions but by and large they’ve done better than I can remember in the last 8 years.
Biden gets points for mentioning race.
Lightning round on education.
Richardson wasted his entire thirty seconds saying “this is what I would do” and Williams had to repeatedly cut him off.
Kucinich, wastes time describing a statue, goes over.
Obama: money in schools, increasing research grants, nice tie to the money for wars, and not spending enough on incentives for education.
Clinton: Pre Kindergarten. For once, she actually answers the question pretty decently.
Edwards: universal pre k. Nutritional healthcare needs. National teaching university. Incentive pay to teachers willing to pay… God, he’s good for it.
Biden: proposed longer school in 97. Minimum sixteen years of education. Focus on socially disadvantaged.
Dodd: Senatorial answers. Fills his resume, and hey, at least his autobio is being worked on.
Final break, and then we got the last fifteen.
The lightning round wasn’t a huge success. Education. Figures. 30 secs ought to be enouigh to discuss that topic, don’t you think? LR - Bad Idea. The other way was working better even if not everything gets covered.
yes he does, though race is tricky for Biden.
Okay, we are almost done, I’m going to say, since I won’t have time for final remarks tonight, I think Edwards and obama come off winners, Hillary comes off a loser. Biden still deserves to be in the debates, but everyone else kinda needs to go at this point.
I agree, education is not seen often as a big emotional political issue, but you know it deserves better than thirty second answers, and to all the candidate’s credit, (and maybe to Hillary’s discredit considering she was done in thirty seconds), they all should have gotten more time on this.
Yeah, you know, Clinton comma Bill was good on education, one of the few issues I had to give him major credit for without hardly any reservations, so it figures H would do well. She was involved in it up to her neck. I’d be happy if somebody else is Pres and gives her EdSec.
Edwards gets points for bringing nurses into the med question.
Student question: How to continue to attract quality people in medicine with Medical professionals losing pay.
Dodd: kinda blusters out.
Biden: Help them pay their education. Get the insurance company out of the medical decision making (nice laugh line on staying in time)
Edwards: Nursing crisis (very clever, speaks more to the middle class, his target bloc).
Clinton: I have no fresh ideas, so I agree with everyone else. And then she repeats what Biden said.
obama: Insurance companies, fix medicare medicaid, focus on healthcare on prevention. Education costs. National service. decent answer.
Kucinich: I wrote a bill. I’m also going to say the same thing about insurance companies that everyone else has but I’m going to be tougher about it.
Richardson: I have a plan, this is what I’ll do. You know, I’m not going to knock Richardson’s intelligence, he’s a smart guy, but his style is terrible.
obama on airline travel.
And I have to fly three thousand miles to visit my family in california, and I’m going to say, yes, flying sucks. It costs too much and is not worth it.
Okay answer, I guess, but transportation is not the kind of emotional question that is gonna be a big deal.
Obama correectly identifies deregulation as the reason for the airline industry’s mess but won’t suggest re-regulation.
Clinton on illegal immigrant driver’s licenses. Dodges the question, talks about federal immigration reform.
Chris is calling her out.
Dodd and H getting into it over a Pub issue of immigrant drivers’ licenses? Sheesh. What a waste.
To defend Obama, he did get cut off.
Back to the fireworks between Dodd and Clinton.
And SHE STILL WONT ANSWER THIS QUESTION!
H don’t like being challenged. She’s po’d again.
Government guidelines on the internet to edward.
He would for protecting children, and then he… Yeah, get that.
He is calling Hillary out on double talk, and Hillary is laugh about it.
obama is heaping on with Edwards.
Aw, this is just Hillary-bashing. We’re outa time and they’re using it to hit her. Generally, I’m in favor but….
And obama just did what Hillary did not do, and he stood up and agreed with Illegals getting driver’s licenses.
Yeah, well, the Hillary bashing is better than Kucinich on UFOs.
ARe you kidding?!?!?!!?!?!
Christ, a joke question to end. Two joke questions. Aaaaargh
Obama takes a question which is absurd, and turns it into a great answer. “I don’t know if there is life on other planets, but I know there is life on THIS planet.”
Loudest applause/laughter of the night.
Obama handled his joke well.
SHIT!
My coverage just got cut.
Well, unless the livestream magically decides to take me back to the debates, which it doesn;t, that’s gonna be a night for me.
H knows abouit cancer cause she went to a seminar with Lance Armstrong. Name-dropping, Cheesy.
sigh
Time to go home.
Mick, thanks so much for joining me for this, these things are always much better with someone else joining me.
As for the debates, I’ll probably right a final analysis first thing in the morning.
Again, thank you Mick, and I’ll catch everyone later.
Sorry, Kyle, but it’s over anyway. They just asked O what he’s going to wear for Halloween. “Mitt Romney mask with 2 sides that go in both directions at once.”
Quick assessment:
A better debate than usual, a better poerformance from the moderators than usual, and still not much that was new.
Winners (to play that game, which I don’t usually do): I agree with Kyle: Obama and Edwards. Dodd did himself some good but he’ll never break out of the pack. Biden was controlled and peppy for a change with only one answer I caught that tended to wander, but it’s a good performance that probably comes too late in the game to be of much use.
Losers: Hillary, who was off her game and teetering on the edge of a blowout. Her answers were a long series of dodgeball moves - Duck, Dive, Dip and Dodge - and she managed to say nothing of substance all night except her 30 secs on education. Richardson was embarrassing. Based on tonight, he’d be doing himself - and us - a favor by pulling out tomorrow morning. Not that he’s likely to show that much good sense.
Dennis was a wash. He didn’t hurt himself, he got off a number of good lines and made a few good points, but he clearly doesn’t belong. Enough already.
Good job guys.
Why won’t Richardson just run for the Senate already?
Thanks Fellas. That was fun to read.
Thanks for the play by play, I didn’t get a chance to check this out.
Jeez guys. When I started thinking about a live blogging event yesterday and realized that you (Kyle) had not been around for the past two days I figured it was a no go. In the end I opted to carve pumpkins while watching the debate. Woops.
That being said, the Zen-like focus involved in carving a dragon face on a pumpkin gave me a unique perspective on this debate. I hate to say it but I think the top three were Biden, Dodd and Edwards in that order. The losers were Richardson, Clinton and Obama - who seems to be afflicted with John Kerry syndrome; the inability to deliver a succinct point in under 30 seconds.
Of course, the question among the punditocracy will be some iteration of “did Hillary do so grievous as to cause her to lose her ‘front-runner’ status?” A straw man, or woman in this case which will ensure she does not fall more than five points in the polls.