Not that anyone is reading my blog breathlessly awaiting my next entry...don't flatter me...
After last nght's trainwreck (watch them, or just listen and see which are the adults in the room) it's quite satisfying to watch two competent adults discuss substance on policy rather than pulling hair and sucking up to the teacher.
So far Obama seemed better on healthcare...Clinton speaking a little more coherently on immigration, but it's close.
(later) a little tension about immigration and who said what, when...though both seem happy to return to the theme of we differ somewhat, but we're on different planets from the Republicans.
Oh good, questions about character....blech...coming up.
(later x2) highlights from the first part of the debate in the middle of the debate (I'm watching the stream from cnn.com - we don't get CNN) instead of commercials? I think I'd rather have commercials.
So far questions have been good. Wolf has kept the train on the rails by avoiding stupid questions, and Doyle McManus from the LA Times has had nothing but substantive stuff. The woman from Politico.com seems really uncomfortable reading questions from their website (performing at the Kodak theater may be outside her comfort zone)
Here goes the experience question...
(later x3) need to come up with a way to merge their names...Obinton or Clintama...maybe Badminton - that's pretty close... why are so many politicians lawyers?
Clinton going through her record...not much more time in the senate but....she's quite a bit older and so has done more shit...certainly an impressive record.
Question of US as big business...how can you be the CEO of the US...really stupid question...really stupid. Hilary answered well. Obama smacks down Romney's waste of his own money. Moving on...
(later x4) question about Teddy Kennedy's endorsement to Clinton. She's taking the highest road...oh...maybe going in for an underhanded jab. Really staying away from sharp jabs.
Wolf goes off the rails with nostalgia for Clinton years to goad Obama...stupid Wolf. Obama talking about all the new voters (and caucusers - yeah you Stephen) he has brought into the race. Making good point about the value of those new voters.
Damn Politico questions...oh, actually not bad, getting at my bugaboo about Clinton and Bush dynasties...38 year old woman who's never seen an election without one or the other. Clinton responding...talking about how great the 8 Clinton years and how good Clintons are at cleaning up Bush messes...pretty good line.
Commercial...or I guess more highlights from what I just saw. All in all still good thouogh far less substantive from the beginning. More impossible questions to answer.
(later x5) another blog makes a good point about how stupid it is for Democrats to have a debate in Holywood in front of movie stars...not going to smack down any stereotypes with that.
...and we're back. Jim?...
Iraq (dum dum dum!) trying to get Hilary to nail down her plan on Iraq, which I think is causing her to be disingenuous...last I knew she was planning on keeping 80,000 troops in Iraq for the foreseeable future...changing the direction of the question with genuine points (what to do with Iraqis that helped us) but avoiding the original question. She seems to have changed her tune on troop numbers.
Like how Obama pronounces both Iraq and Pakistan correctly - I'm a sucker for good diction.
(later x6) Obama describing their similarities...talking now about Iran...shifting to the bad decision making that led to the mess. Pretty smooth transition. Good bit about ending the mindset that led to war...
Clinton trying to shift the focus away from her vote...onto shitty Bush policies...and Bush's complete and utter lack of diplomatic skills...and onto sponsoring legislation to stop permanent bases and Bush's bullshit agreement (not a 'treaty') for just that.
Politico question...judgment question for Clinton... about war vote...stalling to come up with an answer...a little too esoteric...
If she knew now...blah blah blah...
(later x7) PETRAEUS!!!! Isn't the surge awesome? Obama smacks it down hard. Going into the fact that the entire policy was fucked, not just poorly executed...good stuff.
Clinton trying to get out from under the shadow of her own decision making. "No one could have fully appreciated." NOT BUYING IT. Sounds a little too much like the old Condi Rice argument about the August 6 PDB (wonking hard with that reference).
My bias may be influencing my judgment but she really does NOT have a good answer. Wolf tries to zing her...Clinton makes decent point about realities of being in the senate....she was lied to. Definitely throwing spaghetti at the wall...
(later x8) Obama smacks her with the 'need to be RIGHT on day one" line.
Another break...notice how Wolf's beard matches his tie. It'll blow your mother fucking mind (still working towards that full out R rating). Why in god's name is there a spin room? WHY do journalists sit and listen to rabid partisans talk about how their candidate did? WHY? What value does it provide? Now onto clips from earlier.
Back again...
Too much sex and violence from Hollywood? Come ON! Obama puts onus on parents...but...parents need some help. Can't shit on that parent vote. Industry needs to think about who they are marketing to, especially violence. Good point there, relative to how wound up we are about sex.
(later x9) question about WTF is up with Bill. Can Clinton control Bill? Pretty much dodged a somewhat stupid question. Says it's her on the ballot.
Last question...and then my live blog is over...
Dream ticket? Badminton O8!!! President and Veep? This is going to be all about the silly, and pandering, and sucking up. Obama talking about quality of people in his administration. No more sycophants in the cabinet and advising the Bush. The government is supposed to be working for the people.
No where for Clinton to go with such a substance free question. Now she's advertising.
Will Obama throw out some advertising?
Wolf: "I want to thank you both for coming very much." Sounds like something a porn director might say.
Goodnight!! We love you!!
6 comments:
Hee. Pat watches the debates, so we don't have to. ACtually, I should have watched the debates rather than a blah Lost. That'a a debate I'm willing to have with MT.
Seriously, excellent live post. Thorough as hell.
Just a couple of things: I don't buy Clinton's experience thing. She's older, done more stuff, but she keeps pushing that, which I think is to her detriment (although I'm sure a lot of her supporters, particularly the elderly, eat it up). Stack Obama's work next to Clinton's, and some argue that Obama comes from a stronger background of actual experience, rather than diplomatic knobbing. A Newsweek column (can't remember the sourse, just trust me) called her time as First Lady as "sideways experience". If we count that, then let's roll Obama's experience overseas into the equation, and count the international outlook we presume he has. And as I've said before, her "I'm ready on Day One" comment is simply meaningless. All candidates see themselves as Ready to Go (to borrow Obama's slogan, which isn't much better... need a laxative, do you?)
The other bit for me is simply the issue of the dynasty. That's all. I don't think another four years of Clinton will return us to the so-suggested Swingin' Nineties. Clinton's Healthcare Plan II: The Return isn't as inspiring to me.
Stephen: I believe you can still watch the whole debate: CSPAN.org.
I listened to a large chunk, rebroadcast today on NPR.
Good God - the Republicans are both running on a platform of KEEPING THE TROOPS IN IRAQ. I'm not sure either of these two can lose.
And worse...that's as detailed as they get about anything.
The Republican party has no policies, just slogans.
I'm totally against the dynasty thing as well, as was a 38 year old caller from South Carolina.
I never got into Lost, so there was no chance of me tuning into that.
I like how Huckabee continues to bring the attention back to his court. He is not willing to say that he is out. I will go out on a limb and say that if McCain gets nominated, he asks Huckabee to be his running mate.
There was a good line this weekend from Huckabee. It goes something like this: When asked if he was getting in the way of Romney, Huckabee said, "Are you kidding me? I would say that Romney is getting in my way."
hey - I did enjoy your Mixcast -
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