McClatchy: Two parties' presidential candidates hold very different debates

[babylonsister]

Two parties' presidential candidates hold very different debates
By David Lightman and Steven Thomma | McClatchy Newspapers

* Posted on Saturday, January 5, 2008



MANCHESTER, N.H. — Democratic presidential candidates sparred, sometimes intensely, over who among them was the true change agent, while their Republican counterparts held a virtual tea party Saturday night, as both groups held back-to-back debates just days before New Hampshire's Tuesday primary.

New York Sen. Hillary Clinton went on the attack, challenging Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards on their records and insisting that her life proves she can achieve change while they just talk about it. They came back at her with equal zeal, double-teaming her at times.

Republicans, on the other hand, basically agreed with each other on almost everything, except that Arizona Sen. John McCain couldn't hide his contempt for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's record of reversing positions on fundamental issues. Here are summaries of both debates:

The Democrats:

Clinton tore into Obama in a spirited debate, accusing her rival of changing positions often, notably on health care.

"As the AP described it, he could have a pretty good debate with himself," Clinton said.

Obama hit right back, suggesting that the AP had been "quoting some of your folks, Hillary," and chiding everyone not to "distort each other's records as Election Day approaches here in New Hampshire."

Edwards jumped in too: "I didn't hear these kinds of attacks from Senator Clinton when she was ahead," he said.

"I've been in hostage negotiations that were a lot more civil than this," quipped New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.

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[SCDem]

1. The number of candidates shaped the debates

The democrats were able to get more face time each - and expound on their policy etc because now there are less of them - and less than the Republicans. The nature of the debate is different.

[Cassandra]

2. Loved Richardson's line.

Basically, our debate was sane and theirs was not.

[xchrom]

3. the republick pary ''debate'' had to worry americans.

ghouliani didn't come off as all there -- mccain was like a dead man walking , except when attacking romney -- and huckleberry? -- came off as exactly that -- huckleberry.

terrible.