DEBATE TIME!

As I am laboring away at work, the top two Democrats are debating.  Use this post to comment on the debate as it happens.

Comments

[Michel]

The way I predict this is going to go down, Clinton will do the equivalent of pulling the goalie and adding a new player to the field. She's going to attack strong, in a hope that the points she'll make will hurt him more than it will hurt her. As in hockey, this strategy works less often than not. But one thing's for sure: what we see happen in just one half-hour is what the strategy she will maintain for the remainder of the home stretch. This will be Hillary at her most desperate. I'm giddy and nervous.

[Michel]

I think a fair number of people are tuning in to CNN in anticipation for the debates. If that is the case, a latino guy who was on Lou Dobbs' program surprised him a bit by saying that Clinton has "walked on both sides of the border fence", while Obama has been consistent in his platform. And now a reporter is describing Clinton as "desperate".

[Michel]

The tension in the candidates is palpable!

[Michel]

Hillary's talking about her past in Texas, helping people to vote. Mentioned Barbara Jordan, Ann Richard.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Jordan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Richards
She's really going for saying things that get claps.
Woah, she said her campaign is really "your campaign", which goes against criticism that he says "we" while she says "I". Now it is Obama's turn.

[Michel]

Obama just said that after all this, they will still be friends. It reminds me of the language Hillary used when she was in the lead.
While Hillary talked about what she's done for Texas, Obama's focusing on the problems he's seen in families he's met. He reiterated that the money for the war he disagreed with could have gone to help infrastructure in the country.
He used inclusive language acknowledging her in helping along putting issues in the forefront.
He also included "Barbara Jordan" in his speech.

[Michel]

First question: Fidel Castro. Will Hillary meet with Raoul directly at least once? She says she'll look for indications of a change in direction, welcome that, and then open communication. It took her several minutes just to say that...
Obama: Would you meet with the new leader? Yes. Talk to friends and also enemies is important. Though he'd also love to see progress. Anchor accused him of changing position since 2003, that he would without exception talk with Cuba, but he defended himself ok.
Clinton: Opening up with Iran is important. "Like Cuba, like Iran". However, without preconditions, meeting people in the beginning would be poor judgement. Let's also not do what Bush has been doing. Let's be bipartisan. The old era is over.
Obama: Reiterating what Clinton was saying. "Meeting president, priviledge has to be earned" is backwards, I think the international community would appreciate being at the same level.

[Michel]

Question: Why are candidates different?
Obama: Economy is in trouble. Take money away from rich, give to average Americans. Remove loopholes, help seniors. Up the standards. Transform into a "green economy". Invest in solar, wind, bio-diesel. Now sounding again like Clinton when she was in the lead. Saying democrats are unified. Overcome special interests.
Clinton, you said "Day one". What would you do?
Clinton: Fix the tax code, loopholes. Make tax code strengthen middle class. Rich have had a president in the last 7 years. Enforce trade agreements. Strengthen import regulations. On day one, 90-day moratorium on foreclosures. Freeze interest rates for 5 years. Create clean green jobs. Invest in infrastructure. Fix "war on science".
Yikes, little tussle with moderator.

[Michel]

Immigration.
(I was distracted for a bit.)
Clinton: Learn English. Introduce path to legalization.
Obama: I would add we need comprehensive reform, stronger border security, crack down on employers who are taking advantage of illegals, remove spanish surname discrimination, learn english, backlog on path to citizenship, some things are unfair. Improve relationship with Mexico. Bush dropped the ball.
John King: Border fence. Clinton, would you finish the fence, or would you reconsider?
Clinton: Me and Obama have agreed on this. But Bush didn't do as we had expected. We should ask the people who live along the border.
John King: Does that mean you've changed your position?
Clinton: Saved herself. Then invoked Bush again.
Interrupted again by moderator (the girl, forget her name).
Obama: We almost entirely agree. Bush doesn't listen well. Said much of the same things. Help children.
Q: Is there a problem with increasing bilingual population?
Clinton: Learning another language is great, but English is our "unifying language". It shouldn't become our "official language", and I fought against that. I encourage people to become bilingual, but think English first.
Obama: Important that everyone learns english, which binds us together. I also think that students should learn another language. Bilingual education should exist, including for english students. No child left behind has been so focused on standardized tests that it has pushed out many key areas. Need to invest in it.

[Michel]

Ok. Break time. I think now anything after this will be largely ignored. There's nothing spectacular or ground breaking coming from Clinton. She's just relying on the fact that she really believes she does better in debates. If she saves herself, either it is because she's keeping a wildcard until the very end, or it just won't be in this debate that she's going to do it.

[Michel]

Clinton dropped the bomb of the guy who couldn't mention a single one of his accomplishments.
Obama did a good job of flipping "all talk, no action", showing he has taken action.
"Let's get real", somehow my supporters are delusional? (audience laughed, I did too).
She dropped the bomb first, he retorted. Huge applause. *Excellent* job.

[Michel]

Also got a chance to correct the "plagiarism" thing. "He gave me the line, and suggested that I use it". OMG he's gold!

[Michel]

"I've not just been talking about hope and inspiration. Also --" listen a bunch of things he's been talking about. Moderator stopped him. (I'm happy she did, it just seemed like such an easy win to just list his accomplishments.)
Oh, now they had a little back and forward.
Ok, I'm awake again. This is getting fun.

[Michel]

Obama said "we should focus on the two points she made" in that whole speech she made (not word for word). Anyway, it was kinda negative of him to say that.

[Michel]

Hillary decided to drop the question they asked to finish on health care. But it was unfair of them to cut it off on commercial... and now both Obama and Clinton are running away with this issue, for like 5 minutes, against the moderators. Crazy.

[Michel]

Oh, something Hillary said before: "It's change you can xerox". Yaow!

[demostrat]

she looks so desperate. WOW!!!!

[Michel]

Right as the debate ended, Candy recapped, and she said Clinton didn't trip up Obama. But she got a standing ovation at the end, and that was sorta big.

[Michel]

They're repeating her standing-o a lot. I guess that's the tool she'll get to use moving forward.

[demostrat]

Big deal.... This was all theatre as usual. Nothing major occurred. There is no way this debate will result in a huge swing toward HRC. NO WAY!!!

[demostrat]

Oh , and one more thing. Her comment at the end sure seemed like a concession to me...

[Michel]

CNN's undecided voter dial testing showed a tie, so... not the turn-around Hillary was expecting.