Democratic "YouTube" Debate Open Thread

By: Lowell
Published On: 7/23/2007 6:37:16 PM

Are you planning on watching the Democratic debate tonight?  This will be an interesting one, as it brings YouTube into the equation with video questions from regular people.  According to CNN, "the format could force candidates to produce more straightforward answers and less spin than they sometimes get away with in more traditional debates, because politicians are not as trained to deflect questions in this kind of setup."  We'll see.  The debate starts at 7 PM eastern time.

[UPDATE: This debate didn't have as clear a winner as the last one.  I'd say that of the top three candidates, Edwards, Obama and Clinton all did very well for different reasons.  I honestly have a hard time ranking them, although I think Obama made a mistake of inexperience in saying he'd meet with Kim Jong-il, Hugo Chavez, Raul Castro and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in his first year as President.  Edwards seemed fired up, very aggressive.  Clinton is great at debating, did well as always and got a lot of applause.  Biden's an excellent debater too and very funny, but I'm not sure how his slam of that guy who called his gun his "baby" will play out.  I'm also not sure what to make of Bill Richardson; he's kind of rambling and all over the place.  I've got to say, I've never been a Kucinich fan but he was very impressive tonight.  Gravel's bonkers, but his dyslexia story was moving and I actually thought his concept of changing the tax code to make us a savings nation more than a consuming nation was a good one.  Dodd...well, he's got really good hair! :)]

[UPDATE #2:  The more I think about it, the more I think Hillary Clinton won this debate.  I've concluded that debates simply aren't Barack Obama's or John Edwards' strong suits.  Not that they aren't both wonderful in other ways, but I think Hillary is the undisputed, heavweight debate champion, hands down.]


Comments



19 minutes to go! (phriendlyjaime - 7/23/2007 6:47:31 PM)
I am excited for this one.


Ha, this is hilarious! (Lowell - 7/23/2007 7:11:35 PM)
I think I'm gonna like this debate. :)


I like Hillary Clinton's answer (Lowell - 7/23/2007 7:17:39 PM)
that she's "a proud, modern American Progressive."


Get Gravel out of here! (Lowell - 7/23/2007 7:18:31 PM)
What a jackass.


Great answer by Obama.... (Lowell - 7/23/2007 7:20:09 PM)
slam!


Why? (tx2vadem - 7/23/2007 10:49:46 PM)
I like him because he gives honest answers.  He doesn't dance around questions or speak in platitudes. It's refreshing.  He also sounds less shrill and repetitive than Kucinich.


I thought Gravel was treated unfairly (Alicia - 7/24/2007 2:39:48 PM)
They invited him - so he should have gotten fair play.  To invite him and only allow him under 5 minutes total is insulting.  I'm undecided for 08 and would have loved to hear ideas from ALL the candidates.  No matter who has the biggest, fattest pocketbook.


Biden/Hagel? (Lowell - 7/23/2007 7:20:21 PM)
Ha.


Wow, John Edwards is FIERY tonight! (Lowell - 7/23/2007 7:21:18 PM)
No compromise, no retreat, no surrender! :)


Reparations for African Americans? (Lowell - 7/23/2007 7:25:36 PM)
*Edwards is against it, changes the subject to fighting for change in Washington.
*Obama says the reparations we need are things like investment in our schools.
*Kucinich is for reparations.  Nobody else raises their hand.


Dodd (GAida - 7/23/2007 7:26:02 PM)
I'm Impressed by Dodd so far.

Richardson hasn't had a chance at all tonight! whats up with that?



Yeah, it's very uneven.... (Lowell - 7/23/2007 7:42:01 PM)
...in terms of who is getting a chance to speak.  I don't understand that, although I wouldn't mind if we never hear from Gravel again.  What a senile old buffoon.


Katrina/New Orleans. (Lowell - 7/23/2007 7:28:09 PM)
Dodd:  If this had occurred in a white majority area, there would have been a rapid response. 

Richardson:  Eliminate red tape.  Let those that live there come back.  Stop predatory lending.  We need a president who cares, not just poses for photo ops.



Obama authentically black? Hillary feminine enough? (Lowell - 7/23/2007 7:33:36 PM)
Obama:  "When I'm catching a cab in Manhattan..."  "I believe in the core decency of the American people."  Need to overcome legacy of slavery and Jim Crow, close disparities and gaps.

Clinton: "I couldn't run as anything other than a woman." Proud to be running as a woman.  Break that hardest of all glass ceilings.  Not running BECAUSE I'm a woman, but because I think I'm the most qualified person.  Make a decision on what is best for you and your family, not on ethnicity or race or gender.  Gonna send a great message to a lot of little boys and girls around the world.

Edwards:  Anyone who's thinking of not voting for Obama because he's black or Hillary Clinton because she's a woman, "I don't want their vote."  Raise minimum wage.  More women in poverty than men in poverty.  Sen. Clinton deserves to be commended for her work on womens' issues.

Clinton:  I have a great deal of admiration for Elizabeth Edwards.  Womens' rights are human rights.  Minimum wage. I have been on the forefront...I think it's terrific that we're up here arguing about who's going to be better for women!



Gay marriage? (Lowell - 7/23/2007 7:36:15 PM)
Kucinich: Yes. If everyone is created equal, they should have the same rights as everyone else.

Dodd: How would you like your children treated.  Civil unions, not "marriage."

Richardson: "I would do what is achievable."  Full civil unions with full marriage rights.  Eliminate "don't ask dont' tell."  Domestic partnership laws. Non discrimination in housing, etc.



Another gay marriage question.... (Lowell - 7/23/2007 7:40:31 PM)
...using religion to deny gay Americans their full and equal rights?

Edwards:  I have enormous personal conflict on this issue. Want to end discrimination.  I personally have been on a journey on this issue.  Elizabeth supports gay marriage, I do not.  This is a very difficult issue for me.  But don't deny anybody their rights.

Obama:  Everybody has to be equal under the law.  Civil unions that ensure all rights conferred by the state are equal.  Marriage...up to individual denominations.  In terms of civil rights conferred by government, those should be equal.



Good across the board (DukieDem - 7/23/2007 7:43:14 PM)
Edwards, Obama, and Hillary all sound good.

Richardson still seems awkward.

Dodd and Biden haven't had a lot of time but they've looked good.

Kucinich remains a little loony.

Gravel remains a jackass - he's not offering any ideas.



I think Edwards gave a great answer... (MikeSizemore - 7/23/2007 7:46:56 PM)
..for the question asked. Especially for a general election candidate. But wow, was that a near attempt at cruxifiction or what? Ask a question directly critical and then have the guy in the audience to see if he's happy with the answer! I do like this format, its direct and informal, and a lot better than the average drone.

On these campaign commercials, I think Hillary's missed out. First off, they did not zoom enough to see what the first 2 placards said, and generally, it was anti-climactic. Chris Dodd's was good because it showed a humorous side to a guy who has come off as a robot. John Edwards, and I'm trying not to be bias, was great. "What really matters?" in the context of the ridiculous debate over his hair. Great.

I WANT MORE GRAVEL THOUGH!



Darfur (Lowell - 7/23/2007 7:50:32 PM)
Richardson:  I was at that refugee camp.  A woman who had been raped asked him when America was going to do something.  UN peacekeeping troops. Economic sanctions.  Diplomatic leadership.  No fly zone as an option.  Our strategic issues as a country aren't just oil in the Middle East, also AIDS and poverty in Africa. Permanent UN peacekeeping force.

Biden:  "I'm so tired of this."  Where we can act, America must.  We should act now.  Those kids will be dead before the diplomacy is over. I'm not joking.  They think we can save them, and guess what, we can.  Need troops on the ground.

Gravel: We haven't owned up to our responsibilies to a sense of global government.  African nations are afraid of us.

Clinton: We need to start acting instead of talking.  Move more quickly on divestment and sanctions.  It does mean a no fly zone.  NATO has to be there.  American ground troops don't belong in Darfur at this time.  We have to figure out what we're doing in Iraq and Afghanistan.



Iraq question. (Lowell - 7/23/2007 7:54:05 PM)
How do we pull out there, wouldn't that open it up to Syria, Iran, etc?  Don't we have responsibility?

Obama: I opposed this war from the start.  At this point, we can be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in.  There's no military solution to the problems we face in Iraq.  Angry at Iraqi parliament for going on vacation because it's hot.  Need diplomatic surge.

Biden: We can't just pull out now.  It's time to start to tell the truth.  If we started today, it would take 1 year to get out of Iraq.  You can not pull out of Iraq unless you have a political solution.  Federal system, decentralized government.  Begin to draw down combat troops by March 2008.  Tell the truth for a change.



The Edwards Video was Awesome (code - 7/23/2007 7:54:44 PM)
http://johnedwards.c...

Way cooler than Clinton's silly paper thing.

Dodd's was good too. "Vote for the man with the white hair."



(MikeSizemore - 7/23/2007 7:54:49 PM)
Can we get Grandpa Simpson (gravel) out of there???


ha ha ha (GAida - 7/23/2007 7:56:52 PM)
seconded!


Iraq question #2 (Lowell - 7/23/2007 7:58:24 PM)
Are Democrats putting politics before conscience?

Clinton:  Thanks to woman and their son for their sacrifice. Democrats have tried repeatedly to win Republican support for the simple proposition that we need to set a timeline now.  I asked Pentagon if they had prepared to withdraw our troop, in response I got a letter accusing me of being unpatriotic.

Kucinich:  Yes, it is politics, the Democrats have failed the American people.  The American people asked us to end the war. Tell President Bush, "no more funds for the war."

Dodd:  First responsibility of Commander in Chief is to keep our nation safe and secure.  We should set a time certain.  No other way to convince political and religious leaders in Iraq to get serious.  Robustly pursue diplomacy.  We've lost our moral leadership so nobody listens to us.

Richardson: The lives of our young troops are more important than George Bush's legacy.  We should bring all our troops home within 6 months with no residual forces.  This war is a quagmire, endless.  The time has come to bring the troops home.



Question for Gravel about Vietnam. (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:02:01 PM)
Gravel:  I've never flip flopped before.  Our soldiers died in Vietnam in vain.  What did all these people die for?  What are they dying for in Iraq every single day?

Obama:  Our soldiers have done everything that's been asked of them, carried out mission with great courage.  The Pentagon response to Hillary Clinton was ridiculous, but the time to ask how we were going to get out of Iraq was before we went in.  Troops not dying in vain, but civilian leadership has responsibility to ensure that troops can succeed in their mission.

Edwards: Troops never die in vain. What is going to be done to stop this war?  While the Iraq Parliament is on vacation, is George Bush going to be on vacation in Crawford, Texas.  We need to turn up the heat on Bush.



Should women register for Selective Service? (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:05:43 PM)
Dodd:  Yes. I'm an advocate of universal national service.  Give every American the opportunity to serve their country in some way.  Shared experience.

Clinton:  Yes.  I don't support a draft.  Women should register.  I agree completely with Chris, introduced legislation for public service academy.  We have to get young people back into public service. 

Obama:  Tuskeegee Airmen...helped to change America.  Same thing with women.  Not necessarily combat roles, don't agree with the draft.

Edwards:  Women can serve courageously and honorably.

Gravel: Yes. "What's the difference?"



Muslim states believe women are second class citizens (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:07:38 PM)
Question to Hillary Clinton, how would you be taken seriously?

Clinton:  I represented our country in 82 countries.  I've met with kings and sheikhs and tribal leaders.  There isn't much doubt in anyone's mind that I can be taken seriously.  Other countries have had women presidents and prime ministers, and they are taken seriously.  It would be quite appropriate to have a woman president deal with Arab and Muslim countries.



Anwar Sadat to Egypt... (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:11:16 PM)
...would you meet with leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea?

Obama:  I would.  The notion that not talking to countries is punishment to them is ridiculous.  Reagan spoke to the Soviet Union at a time when he called it an "Evil Empire."  We have obligation to find areas where we can move forward.  It's a disgrace that we haven't talked to them.  We need to talk to Iran and Syria.

Clinton:  I will not promise to meet with leaders of these countries in first year.  I don't want to be used for propaganda purposes, but we definitely need to get back to diplomacy. 



When will we be out of Iraq? (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:16:58 PM)
How many family members do you have serving?

Dodd: I've advocated having our troops out by April of next year.  Pursue diplomatic efforts in region.  Responsible withdrawal.

Richardson: I'm trying to provoke a debate here because there's a difference between the Senators and me.  I advocate 6 months with no residual forces.  Diplomatic work won't work as long as our troops are there.  There is a civil war.

Biden: #1, there's not a single military man who will say we can get all the troops out in 6 months.  Better be ready to get thousands of civilians out of Green Zone or let them die.  Going to take a minimum 5,000-10,000 troops just to protect our civilians.  Mine resistant vehicles...how can anyone vote against that?

Clinton:  I've put forth a comprehensive three point plan.  Joe is right.  The best estimate is that we can move a brigade a month, that is a lot of months.  They're not even planning for that in the Pentagon. Until we get this President and the Pentagon to at least tell us they're going to withdraw, we can't turn this around.  We want to pull the troops out safely, orderly, carefully.  It's going to be complicated.

Kucinich:  I reject that we'll be in Iraq until next President.  It is not credible to say you opposed the war when you voted to fund it.  We cannot wait until the next President takes office.



Favorite teacher? (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:23:43 PM)
Gravel:  I was dyslexic, teacher taught him how to speak.

Obama: Teacher in 5th grade...just came to the US, felt a bit out of place, teacher had lived in Kenya, helped make him feel special and welcome.

Biden:  Couldn't hear very well.

Edwards:  Teacher made him believe in himself...



No Child Left Behind (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:26:02 PM)
Richardson: Scrap it, it doesn't work.  It is not just an unfunded mandate, also "one size fits all."  Takes schools that are not doing well and penalizes them, we should help that school.  Have a minimum wage for all our teachers, $40,000 per year, emphasize science and math.  Major federal program of art in the schools.

Biden:  It was a mistake. Voted for it against my better instincts because I have great faith in Ted Kennedy who's so devoted to education.  My wife's been teaching for 30 years. It's just not working.



Great answer by Obama (DukieDem - 7/23/2007 8:27:36 PM)
On the private/public school question.


Send kids to public school or private school? (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:29:29 PM)
Edwards:  All have gone to public school.

Clinton:  Chelsea went to public school from Kindergarten to 8th grade until we moved to Washington.

Obama:  Went to private school because it was the best option for our kids.  We don't have good public schools for all our kids, including people who can't work the system.

Biden: Kids went to private school because wife and daughter were killed.

Kucinich: Daughter went to Columbus public schools and had a great education.

Gravel:  Went to public school and private school. We need some compettition in our system.

Dodd:  My daughter goes to public school.



Planned Parenthood, sex education (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:31:27 PM)
Edwards:  We've had 4 children, two youngest are 9 and 7.  Yes, we've had frank talks about inappropriate touching, sex using medically appropriate terms.

Obama:  Romney apparently forgot that he made the exact proposal when he was running for Gov. of Massachusetts.  Kids need to understand when someone's doing something wrong to them.



Global warming question by a "snowman" (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:34:15 PM)
Kucinich:  Connection between "global warring" and "global warming."  Move away from reliance on oil and coal and towards wind and solar.  Take an entirely new approach, organize entire country around sustainability.  Other candidates are not green enough.



How will we decrease energy consumption? (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:36:25 PM)
Gravel:  Change tax structure.  Tax people on what they spend, not on what they earn.  Take this from a consuming nation to a savings nation.

Dodd: 50 mpg standards by 2017.  Entire fleet of federal automobiles hybrid.  Corporate carbon tax.  Need to move away from fossil fuels, have to deal with issue of price or we'll never get away from fossil fuels.



Another climate change question, nuclear power (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:39:31 PM)
Edwards:  Biofuels.  Do not favor nuclear power.  There's a reason we haven't built a nuclear powe plant in a long time in  this country. No safe way to dispose of waste.  Don't liquefy coal, the last thing we need is another fossil fuel.

Obama: We should explore nuclear power as part of the energy mix.  Solar, efficiency standards, cap on greenhouse gases.  We've been talking about this for decades, things never change.  We've got to put national interest ahead of special interests.

Clinton: Strategic energy fund. Take away tax breaks for oil companies.  Spend $50 billion doing what America does best.  We can solve these problems if we focus on technology and innovation.  I'm agnostic about nuclear power, need to figure out answers to waste and cost.  Let's figure out what to do about those things.  This can create millions of new jobs in America.



Voting. (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:41:18 PM)
Richardson:  Verified paper trails.  We only have 50% of Americans voting, that is inexcusable.  We need same day registration.  We need to get Republican Party to stop suppressing minority voters. 


Whoever this CNN anchor is... (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:45:42 PM)
...what an idiot!  She has no clue what she's talking about, keeps making major misstatements.  This is why I don't watch TV.


Would you be willing to be paid national minimum wage? (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:48:09 PM)
Gravel:  Oh yes I would.  We need a living wage.

Dodd:  I don't think I could live on the minimum wage, need to increase it to $10 per hour.

Clinton:  Sure.

Obama: We can afford to work for min. wage because most people on this stage have a lot of money.

Richardson:  Yes I would.

Biden:  My net worth is $70,000-$150,000.

Kucinich:  We need to increase for minimum wage.  I would work for minimum wage.

I think Edwards said yes as well.



Social Security. (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:50:40 PM)
Dodd: Totally opposed to privatization of Soc. Security.

Obama: Preserve Social Security.

Richardson:  Bipartisan effort to fix Medicare.  Major prevention programs.  Find a cure for diabetes.  Stop raising the Social Security trust fund.  Universal pension, ensure portability.



Taxes. (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:52:35 PM)
Biden:  Change the tax structure.  Top 1% got a huge tax break, not needed.  We need more revenue to pay for the things we talk about.  Take tax cuts away from people who don't need them.

Kucinich:  Reverse tax increases for top bracket, end war, lower trade deficit by ending NAFTA and WTO.



Health care. (Lowell - 7/23/2007 8:58:56 PM)
Alzheimers, chronic disease, breast cancer/preventitive medicine...

Obama:  Health plan provides universal coverage.  I disagree with Edwards.  Don't need to mandate coverage.  Affordability is the issue.  It is an outrage that the wealthiest nation on earth can't provide coverage to all people.  We couldn't get it done before...need a President who will fight so that special interests don't have veto power.

Edwards:  Obama's plan doesn't provide universal coverage, need to mandate it.  He's made a serious proposal, it just doesn't cover everybody.  There are millions of people in this country who are suffering so badly.  Three-day poverty tour.  Man who lived 50 years and couldn't talk because he couldn't afford procedure for his cleft palate.  We should be outraged by these stories.

Clinton:  Thanks questioners.  The fact that this is happening in a country as rich as ours is a national disgrace.  I tried and have the scars to show for it. We need a sense of national commitment that universal health care is an American value.  Cover everybody and provide decency and respect to everybody in this country.



Does health care plan cover undocumented workers (Lowell - 7/23/2007 9:00:38 PM)
Dodd:  Stem cell research.  I think he said to cover everybody.

Richardson: Cover everybody.  Stem cells.  Mandatory phys ed.



Bush/Clinton/Bush/Clinton question (Lowell - 7/23/2007 9:03:32 PM)
Clinton:  It IS a problem that Bush was elected in 2000. (loud applause).  I thought somebody else was elected in that election.  I'm running on my own merits but am proud of my husband's record as President of United States.  Any one of us would be a better President than our current President or future Republican nominee.

Gravel:  Clintons and DLC sold out Democratic Party to Wall Street.  Please wake up.  They're lock, stock and barrel in their pocket.

Obama: Cynicism about change in country.



Hillary Rocks (elevandoski - 7/23/2007 9:11:12 PM)
Best answer!


What does "In God we Trust' mean to you? (Lowell - 7/23/2007 9:06:58 PM)
Biden:  Informs my value.  My religion taught me about abuse of power.  I don't find anything inconvenience with my religious belief and ability to use reason.

Edwards:  We will embrace and lift up ALL Americans, whether they have faith or not.  As President, it is not my job to impose my personal faith beliefs on American people or decide any policy on the basis of my personal faith beliefs.

Obama:  Proud of my Christian faith, it informs what I do. I'm a strong believer in separation of church and state.  Translate religious values into moral terms that all people can share, including non-believers. That's what the founding fathers intended.



Guns. (Lowell - 7/23/2007 9:09:06 PM)
Richardson:  The issue here is instant background checks. Nobody who has criminal record should be able to get a weapon, and that includes gun sales at gun shows.  Attacking poverty is part of it too.

Biden: If that's his baby (a gun), he needs help.  I don't know that he's mentally qualified to own that gun.  I wrote the assault weapons ban.  We should be working with law enforcement against people who don't know what to do with a gun.



Biden should have stopped (elevandoski - 7/23/2007 9:13:45 PM)
after the needs help part. 


One thing you like, one thing you dislike (Lowell - 7/23/2007 9:13:45 PM)
Gravel:  I like Chris Dodd, I have a difference about where money is coming from.

Dodd: I like John Edwards, love his wife and his family.

Edwards:  I admire what Sen. Clinton has done for America. 

Clinton:  I admire and like very much Barack as I do with all the candidates here.  We are ready to lead.

Obama:  I like the fact that Bill Richardson has devoted his life to public service.  I don't like the fact that he doesn't like the White Sox.

Richardson:  I love all the candidates here, they would all do great in the White House as my Vice President.  Joe and I disagree about Iraq, but he has devoted his whole life to public service.

Biden: Missed that one and Kucinich's because of technical difficulties with my computer...



Best performance... (Sean Holihan - 7/23/2007 9:14:33 PM)
goes to Clinton.  I'm slowly but surely deciding to back her. 

 



Me too (elevandoski - 7/23/2007 9:17:49 PM)
Gladys Knight and the Pips (probably before your time, Sean) was the after debate comment... but too funny!


Hillary was awesome. (Susan P. - 7/24/2007 6:55:19 AM)
Obama, too.  I'm sorry that Richardson has melted into a puddle of goo, and that Edwards just doesn't seem as impressive as some of his policies, like his health care plan, might otherwise lead you to believe.  The important thing is, these two front runners are head and shoulders above each and every potential Republican nominee.


quick awards (Shawn - 7/23/2007 9:15:44 PM)
Senator Obama wins the best youtube video award!

Senator Dodd get's the best hair video

Senator Clinton get's the Mike Gravel award for the most unique "stone in the water" style video

Senator Biden get the line of the night ... what I like about Dennis (Kucinich) is his wife

 



This woman looks familiar to me (elevandoski - 7/23/2007 9:21:02 PM)
The black woman with the cowboy hat talking to Obama looked familiar.  Did anyone see her/know her?


John Edwards' video (MikeSizemore - 7/23/2007 9:22:49 PM)
Showing hair, hair, hair, with the song playing, then showing images of travesty around the world and then asking "what reall matters?". Awesome.

Hillary really looked good tonight as well, and her closing on the Bush/Clinton/Bush question was great. She is really learning to appeal.



Overall, blah! (tx2vadem - 7/23/2007 11:04:02 PM)
I dislike this format of one minute responses.  There is no substantive discussion of any issues, just an echo of platitudes.  This isn't helping make up mind about anyone.  Though I love Elizabeth Edwards, maybe I'll write her in.


Hillary vs. Obama (middleagemom - 7/23/2007 11:41:09 PM)
As someone who went into the debate very apathetic about Hillary, having had to endure a very boring speech she gave a few months ago at the "Emily's List" lunch, I was surprised about how well she did in this format.  She came across not only as experienced, articulate, calm and cool-headed, but also able to speak clearly and with the "common" touch.  My heart has been with Obama, but my brain is now leaning towards Hillary. 


Really? (tx2vadem - 7/24/2007 4:56:04 PM)
In all of her short responses, what revealed that? 

I, personally, have not gotten a sense that she has any convictions.  Why did she get into public life?  Why did she relocate to New York to become a Senator?  She has been in the public space for quite some time now and all of these issues discussed are certainly not new.  If she has not been able to bridge the partisan divide and surmount special interests in the past, why should we believe that she will suddenly accomplish these tasks now?



Edwards is the real winner (Shenandoah Democrat - 7/24/2007 5:37:06 AM)
Depsite good performances by the two "frontrunners", they also showed their weaknesses. The real winner IMHO was John Edwards, and a post on Kos shows it all:

http://www.youtube.c...

We need a leader who's a fighter (remember "Born Fightin"?).
John Edwards has the passion of his convictions, while I think the others are far too cautious and calculating to bring about transformational change. If you believe the major corporations and power brokers in WDC are part of the problem, then you've got to consider "Fightin' John".

BTW, I thought Hillary's failure to praise liberalism, to sound like it's negative was my biggest disappointment. Every major social cause since 1932--from the New Deal to the Great Society, from SS to Medicare, from environmentalism to sound energy policy, was/is championed as a "liberal" cause. Hillary made the word seem toxic. Not acceptable.



Edwards won the debate (Terry - 7/24/2007 2:53:25 PM)
Lowell,

I was surprised to see you write that Hillary was the "undisputed heavyweight debate champion, hands down." Although I thought all of the candidates did well -- except for Mike Gravell who shouldn't be there -- I thought John Edwards clearly made some people think twice about their vote last night. He was sharp, energetic and took on the lobbyists with passion that the others didn't have. Hillary is great on the issues but, sorry to say, she is not passionate at all IMHO. CNN gave viewers the meters that measure candidate responses and Edward's comments about health insurance when he described the 50-year old man he met with a cleft-pallate were the highest of all the candidates for the entire debate. And Hillary didn't score well at all in her response about being a liberal. These two responses alone seem to dispute any claim that she was a clear winner.

Overall, the Democratic candidates are showing that we have some really good choices. I haven't made up my mind yet on a candidate although I do like what Edwards has to say and I thought he did well last night. I loved his ad too!