Youtube-CNN debate

[Michael Tee]

Anyone see this last night?  I caught the end of it. 

Dennis Kucinich is the man.  The only one of all of them to come out in support of gay marriage and the only one to call for an exit now from Iraq.  Gay marriage is such a straightforward no-place-to-hide kind of issue where you are either for equal rights under the Constitution for all citizens or you are not - - I can't believe he's the ONLY ONE who passed the test.  On that issue alone, none of the others even deserve a shot at the nomination.  They are so full of shit.  Then on Iraq he really outshone himself - - take the next appropriation for Iraq, I think it was $93 billion, and pass it ONLY if earmarked 100% to withdrawal of troops.  THAT'S a man!!  God bless him.  I never supported him as long as he was anti-abortion, but I used to wish he'd lose that position fast because I liked everything else about him.  Now I understand he's dropped anti-abortion.  The choice is pretty clear - - him or more of same, Bush Lite instead of Bush Stoopid. 

Obama and Hillary were embarrassing.  The white man's black man and the Compromise Queen.  Mike Gravel, the only other candidate besides Dennis of any interest at all, had them NAILED - - same ol' same ol'.  Although his jibe at their acceptance of Wall Street money was dead-on, he seemed too heavy, ponderous, bitter and just plain OLD.  Right message, wrong messenger.  And I love Sen. Gravel.  He really has fought the good fight.  From what little I know of him.

Joe Biden was a little bit better than the two front-runners, he got the only laugh I saw, at the expense of the gun-nut who claimed his assault rifle was his "baby."  After Biden had blasted the guy and questioned his sanity, he muttered, over the debate which had already moved on, "Hope he doesn't come after me."

The way it looks from here, Kucinich ain't got a snowball's chance in hell of getting the nomination.  Big Money will see to that.  The rest of them - - they don't DESERVE to be President.  "Follow the money," as Sen. Gravel said, and he was right.  I'd rather have Bush or someone who resembles him as much as possible.  Someone who'll bring the country down as fast as possible, so a new and better America can rise from the ashes.  Someone who will give militarism, fascism and racism all the rope it needs to hang itself so thoroughly that it'll be gone from the American stage forever.

[_JS]

I watched it.

Kucinich was himself. Spot on honest and true to what he believes. Also, let there be no doubt that none of the candidates in any party has a more beautiful wife than Elizabeth Harper Kucinich!

Hillary was awful. I really expected something from her, but there was no substance at all. She avoided every question and her strategy was apparently to talk up the Democrats and get a few digs in at Obama and Edwards. She was very professional, but never gave a real answer to anything.

I didn't think much of Dodd or Gravel. Biden actually surprised me and did a very good job. He answered questions honestly and didn't do much weaseling. He's not the most magnetic personality, but he's got a lot of experience and intelligence.

Richardson did a mediocre job I thought. I think that he needs to really start delivering a message to the public if he expects to win anything. The one area where I think he did really well was on a question of No Child Left Behind, where all of the Senators on stage voted for it, but Richardson (as Governor of New Mexico) actually had to implement it and he said that it failed miserably to deliver on its stated goals (Dodd was the only one to defend it to some extent).

Edwards did very well I thought. He and Obama were the only ones to really discuss healthcare to an impressive degree. Edwards also tended to answer the questions as opposed to Hillary who seemed to avoid them for the most part. He stuck to his populist image and was also critical of the plans and proposed policies of the others - something some of the other candidates would not do.

Obama did well too, though he is very big on rhetoric (not the negative connotation of the word). He is an excellent speaker, but I feel that occasionally he overuses that talent. He hit a homerun on the issue of minimum wage. On other issues he was somewhat shakier, the Iraq War being a good example, where he seems to use Hillary's tact.

All in all I'd say Edwards and Obama were the clear "winners." The biggest movers may have been Richardson and Biden, who helped themselves a great deal.

I look forward to the Republican YouTube debate, I expect some good answers and I'm keeping an eye on Ron Paul who seems really at home with this technology.

As for CNN, I like the format but I loathe the self-congratulation of the modern 24/7 news companies. Have some professional decorum for Pete's sake.

[The_Professor]

I watched this and it provided me with another method of evaluating the candidates. I must say it did not change my views of each of them, meaning my earlier view was confirmed - good and bad.

I did not see anyone truly stand out. I agree that Hillary is playing a conservative game, knowing she is the frontrunner and just trying to not mess up.

Support of gay marriage may be a more popular issue in Canada, perhaps, bit don't worry, MT, Hillary will surely address that when she gets into office in 2009 as the Gay Lobby is one of the Democrat's primary constituencies. And "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and produce massive unemplyment when she cancels many DoD program, thereby putting thousands of DoD workers and contractors out of work in places like Dallas, CT, and so on.

[Michael Tee]

<< . . . thereby putting thousands of DoD workers and contractors out of work in places like Dallas, CT, and so on.>>

You gotta be kidding, Professor.  Those guys are Merchants of Death.  They SHOULD be put out of business, the sooner the better.  Let'em learn how to pick crops in the field and reduce the market for Mexican stoop labour. 

[The_Professor]

I'm talking about the average American who may, like Plane, may be working at places like these, just working to make a decent living: the electrician, the riveter, the mechanic..everyday guys and gals, not the VP rolling in BIG BUCKS.

Nations do, after all, MT, rely upon their defense industries. Nothing wrong with that, is there?

[Lanya]

I watched highlights of it today so maybe my view is skewed.
I liked Edward's passion when he talked about health care. Obama looked like a freshman wanting to be asked to dance. Hillary looked in charge.  Biden was OK. That's all I saw.

[The_Professor]

Just how crucial was this event to the average voter, do you think? Do you think it changed anyone's minds or presented NEW perspectives, etc?

[Xavier_Onassis]

And "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and produce massive unemplyment when she cancels many DoD program, thereby putting thousands of DoD workers and contractors out of work in places like Dallas, CT, and so on.

=============================================
So your schtick is that we should pay taxes to pay for unneeded weapons as make work for a few DoD workers?

Should we start a war as well., so we could use up the excess weapons as well?

It looks as though DIPLOMACY is solving the North Korea problem. Too bad they didn't try harder with Saddam.

President Gore would probably have done this, but Juniorbush and Der Puppetmeister Cheney were not up to it, were they?

[Christians4LessGvt]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=2f9_1185242749

[Michael Tee]

<<Just how crucial was this event to the average voter, do you think? Do you think it changed anyone's minds or presented NEW perspectives, etc?>>

Probably not.  IMHO.

<<I'm talking about the average American who may, like Plane, may be working at places like these, just working to make a decent living.>>

Well, I'd hope if the government pulled the plug on them, they'd redirect their purchase orders to newer and more constructive industries and give the "defence" workers every opportunity to re-train for them.