Tonight's Debates - My take

[Ava]

Before I post my views let me first state this: I respect all candidates and think every single one of them is a better nominee than each of the Republican opponents running right now. I know issues like this can get a little "testy" on DU sometimes, so please know that I am posting only my honest assessment of tonight's debate.

Tonight's Debates - My take:

Who won tonight's Democratic Presidential debate? That is the question on the mind of many Americans right now. This odd debate seemed to leave many of us confused. Perhaps is was the strange and unfamiliar style of the debate, or maybe it was that most of the nominees seemed confused in their own answers. Whatever it was it left me thinking there was no real "winner" in tonight's debate.

Chris Dodd didn't stand out at all among the pack, but perhaps that is a good thing. Many of those who stood out tonight did so for the wrong reasons. Barack Obama, who usually is the "rock star" candidate and one of the best speakers in the group, definitely stood out among the pack. However, the reason he stood out was not something to hope for. Tonight the Senator came off as too rehearsed while also spilling his answers with "uh uh uh"s. What happened to the rock star? I was so distracted by how uncharismatic he was tonight, that I didn't hear too much of what he was saying. Now flip that, get the opposite, and you have Hillary Clinton's performance tonight. While she spoke very well tonight and managed to get her points across quickly, her points were not something that has me running with arms wide open to her campaign. I do understand that Senator Clinton is being careful not to discourage those voting in the general election to turn away from her fearing she is too "liberal." At the same time in think she has managed to alienate her Democratic base on one of the most important issues of this Presidential election - the Iraq war. "If I knew then what I know now" seems to be her new campaign slogan. Why not just admit that her vote approving the Iraq war was a huge mistake. After all over 3,330 U.S troops and many more Iraqi civilians have died because of that mistake. It is important for us to remember that this war while started on the Bush Administration's lies, was approved by Congress.

On to Bill Richardson. The Governor seemed out of place and lost in most of what was going on. Richardson should have used tonight to shine, but instead he left many people thinking he was the "weakest link" among the nominees. I think that Richardson has some great credentials and experience to bring to the table, but if he cannot win over the hearts of the American people those credentials are worthless in this election. Joe Biden, like Dodd, also did not stand out very much but he did come off as somewhat cocky and arrogant in this debate. Luckily for him it was a forgettable arrogance. Dennis Kucinich has some great things to offer and some great plans for America. Unfortunately most Americans judge Presidential candidates not only on their politics and plans, but also on their charisma and appearance. Because of that I'm afraid to put my support behind him. As far as his performance in the debate I thought he did a good job, but besides when he pulled out his pocket book constitution, I'm afraid he also didn't take the spotlight.

That brings us to our final two candidates. John Edwards and Mike Gravel. Let me first begin with Gravel. He shined tonight because he stood up and demanded the spotlight. He was not afraid to speak his mind and make his voice heard. While I certainly admire him for that and like a lot of what he has to say, I'm afraid he might not have the ability to hold some of that back in order to win the general election. Gravel definitely managed to "stick it" to the other candidates tonight though. John Edwards stood out because of his charisma and charm, but also because Americans like a lot of what he has to say. Edwards came from a blue-collar family and has made the poverty happening right now in America one of the main issues of his campaign. He also has taken a firm stand against the Iraq war and flat out said "I was wrong." Edwards did seem down tonight and less enthusiastic as he usually seems.

In the end I didn't see any particular candidate as being the "winner" of tonight's debate. However after the debate I only have three candidates that stayed in my mind. Edwards, Gravel, and Clinton. If the rest of the pack wants to keep up, they need to begin to stick in the minds of Americans as well.

[H2O Man]

1. I think

they all did very well. Some more so than others. It is a good time to be a democrat, and an important time for grass roots progressives to make their voices heard.

[Ava]

6. I hope the next debate will be better

We didn't get much out of them this time around because there were so many candidates and so little time. maybe the next few debates will be more based on a few topics intead of trying to get through so many issues at once. the whole style of tonight's debate just put me off. very odd

[H2O Man]

9. Each one

will get better.

[MadBadger]

2. I dont think Edwards did anything special tonight at all.

[Ava]

5. I don't think anyone besides Gravel did

I do think Edwards stood out though.

[MadBadger]

7. I disagree with that as well

I think that Joe Biden did very well for himself as well. But I think the top three didnt do anything to help or hurt themselves.

[Ava]

8. his one word answer "yes" was the only memorable moment of his answers

besides that his performance tonight wasn't very good imo.

[DeepBlueC]

25. they threw out haircuts and hedge funds...

not much for him to work with. That was bullshit.

[Colobo]

3. Those who were expecting miracles from Obama

probably never liked him in the first place.

[Ava]

4. this is why i posted the intro to my views on the debate

i like obama, i like many of the candidates. my assesments were of tonight's debate and the statements each candidate made.

[sellitman]

10. This was a debate not a Beauty Contest therefore..

I think Dennis won hands down. He made them all look like wimps by not backing his Cheney Impeachment.

[Ava]

14. besides his pocket book consitution moment he didn't do anything that caught my attention

btw, i really like kucinich. i saw him speak twice in DC and loved both speeches - i know he can do better. he let me down tonight.

[sellitman]

19. I met him a number of weeks ago with his lovely wife.

They are real down to earth people who would make us all proud.

[Dawgs]

23. I thought just the opposite.

It made him look small and unimportant.

[kster]

28. YOU GOT THAT RIGHT !!!

Not one candidate raised their hand, UNBELIEVABLE, K needs to package his impeachment deal into a good quick soundbite, Chenney lied us into war, and all the other candidates refuse to do their constitutonal duty and impeach, Will all the other candidates also let Cheney rape their daughters and still not impeach him.

K did great, He stood out when he pulled out his "book" Go K, make them all look like lapdogs.

Challenge both parties dem and rep to YOUR HR 6200 Presidential election CHALLENGE!!!!!!!!!


I'd like to see them ALL SQUIRM !!!!!!!


GO DENNIS!!!!! GIVE THEM THE HR 6200 CHALLENGE!!! DO IT NOW!!!!

[alfredo]

11. Remember, the vote had some strings attached. Bush agreed to them.

Before the ink was dry on his signature, he was going back on his word. He had no intention of allowing inspections or honoring the other requirement congress put on the use of force. He was going to war no matter what. Even if he wasn't given authority to use force he would have.

From the resolution:

Whereas on September 12, 2002, President Bush committed the United States to "work with the United Nations Security Council to meet our common challenge" posed by Iraq and to "work for the necessary resolutions," while also making clear that "the Security Council resolutions will be enforced, and the just demands of peace and security will be met, or action will be unavoidable";

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(b) PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION.

In connection with the exercise of the authority granted in subsection (a) to use force the President shall, prior to such exercise or as soon there after as may be feasible, but no later than 48 hours after exercising such authority, make available to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate his determination that

(1) reliance by the United States on further diplomatic or other peaceful means alone either (A) will not adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq or (B) is not likely to lead to enforcement of all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq, and

(2) acting pursuant to this resolution is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations or persons who planned, authorized, committed or aided the terrorists attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.

(c) WAR POWERS RESOLUTION REQUIREMENTS. --


(1) SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION. -- Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution.
(2) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS. -- Nothing in this resolution supersedes any requirement of the War Powers Resolution.

SEC. 4. REPORTS TO CONGRESS

(a) The President shall, at least once every 60 days, submit to the Congress a report on matters relevant to this joint resolution, including actions taken pursuant to the exercise of authority granted in section 2 and the status of planning for efforts that are expected to be required after such actions are completed, including those actions described in section 7 of Public Law 105-338 (the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998).

(b) To the extent that the submission of any report described in subsection (a) coincides with the submission of any other report on matters relevant to this joint resolution otherwise required to be submitted to Congress pursuant to the reporting requirements of Public Law 93-148 (the War Powers Resolution), all such reports may be submitted as a single consolidated report to the Congress.

(c) To the extent that the information required by section 3 of Public Law 102-1 is included in the report required by this section, such report shall be considered as meeting the requirements of section 3 of Public Law 102-1.


The big mistake was taking bush's word. They misjudged him. They assumed he was an honorable man.

[Captain Hilts]

12. The war is Bush's fault. No HillaryC's. Not Kerry's, etc. It's Bush's fault.

He was honest or sincere about his intentions.

[alfredo]

22. That's it. The war is bush's fault. Congress acted in good faith,

bush didn't.

[Time for change]

13. Interesting take -- I look at it a little different

I think that all the candidates did well tonight, but nobody did great. Gravel stood out, as you say, but perhaps that was partly because he has no chance of winning, so felt free to say whatever was on his mind. I think that if he had been a front runner he would have turned a lot of people off for being too strident and anti-war -- though I did find him refreshing.

I will probably vote for Edwards, though I don't think he did great.

Did anyone catch the fact that Hillary actually admitted that she made a mistake with her vote on the war? Not at the beginning, when she was asked the question directly, but later on. Asked what her biggest mistakes have been, she answered that it was trusting "the President..." (I thought at that point that she was talking about her husband) about the Iraq War. If that wasn't admitting that she made a mistake with her vote, that's about as close as you can get.

[papau]

15. The night was Hillary's - it was the first really obvious off night for Obama I've ever seen

Edwards did well -

and Gravel made me feel young again!

[leftchick]

16. Clinton? The one who wants to bomb Iran Clinton??

oh my. :(

[Ava]

18. did i say i liked what she had to say? no

i said she came across as a good speaker - and that she did

[DeepBlueC]

26. I think the the answer to such questions

is ALWAYS keep options open. If you explicitly rule things out it reduces your leverage and weakens your negotiating position. If you rule out bombing Iran now you lose the opportunity to use this particular security assurance to get something back from Iran in negotiation.

[Canuckistanian]

17. Sounds like you yourself had some "expectations" for Richardson

Sorry to hear you didn't see what you wanted to.

[BeyondGeography]

20. To each his/her own

I've seen Edwards do much better and, given the fact that he's stuck in 3rd place, both nationally and in South Carolina, I thought the stakes were a little higher for him tonight. He did not impress me at all.

[Laurab]

21. I don't think anyone "won" either

Oddly enough, I was most impressed by Biden. I'm leaning Obama, I like Edwards, but neither of them impressed me much tonight. Hillary sounded WAY too hawkish in my opinion. To me, Biden seemed most "Presidential" in this one debate. Kucinich and Gravel were okay, I don't see either of them gaining any traction, unfortunately, because most Americans will see them as being a bit too "out there", although I can't say I disagreed with anything they said.

Dodd and Richardson made no impression on me at all. I'm looking forward to seeing many more debates, and hearing a lot more, and more than anything, I'd like to see ALL the candidates directly answer the question, rather than circle 'round it, which I thought most did tonight, in order to get what they wanted to say out, rather than respond directly to the question. I can't say I blame them, time was short, and I'm sure the future debates will be better.

The one thing I did like is that they didn't attack each other, even when prodded (except for Gravel). They focused on more important things, and it was nice to see.

[Morgana LaFey]

24. Ava, you're probably the Star tonight.

You are somethin' else, girl. I've said that before. VERY astute analysis for someone your age.

I think they all won: none embarrassed him or hersefl unduly, all did "okay" or slightly better. All will still be in the race tomorrow. :D

:hi:

[rightiswrong1]

27. 77 minutes to post this, you slacker!

I'm just kidding! Very insightful. I disagree with you in that I feel Dennis shined, it's a shame that all the DLC candidates wimped out on backing the call for impeachment. Edwards was ok, but I've seen better performances from him and Obama.

[illinoisprogressive]

29. Obama always talks with the uhs. That is his normal style.