During Senator Joe Biden's (D-DE) thorough questioning of US Ambassador Ryan Crocker yesterday, the former presidential candidate got Crocker to admit that Afghanistan, not Iraq, is the in the war against those that attacked us on September 11th:
US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker conceded during Senate hearingstoday that Afghanistan, and not Iraq, is the main front in the fightagainst al-Qaeda.
Evading a direct answer to a question from Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) asto whether the focus of the war against the terror network is in Iraqor Afghanistan, Crocker finally said, "I would ... pick al-Qaeda in thePakistan-Afghanistan border area."
That's exactly what every Democratic presidential candidate believed. John McCain feels a lot different.
Towards the end of the presidential debate, Joe Biden said that as nominee he would to Rudolph Giuliani:
"And the irony is, Rudy Giuliani, probably the most underqualified mansince George Bush to seek the presidency, is here talking about any ofthe people here. Rudy Giuliani... I mean, think about it! RudyGiuliani. There's only three things he mentions in a sentence -- anoun, a verb, and 9/11. There's nothing else! There's nothing else! AndI mean this sincerely. He's genuinely not qualified to be president."
Mildly funny, but definitely true. Immediately after the debate ended, Giuliani's campaign issued a response:
“Senator Biden’s comments were of particular interest. The good Senatoris quite correct that there are many differences between Rudy and him.For starters, Rudy rarely reads prepared speeches and when he does heisn’t prone to ripping off the text from others. And, Senator Bidencertainly falls in to the bucket of those on the stage tonight who havenever had executive experience and have never run anything. Wait, Itake that back, Senator Biden has never run anything but his mouth.
“Such a desperate attack from Senator Biden is to be expectedconsidering I – Katie Levinson – have a better chance of becomingPresident than he does.â€
And what did Giuliani actually do after 9/11, since that is what he is running on? Oh yeah -- he at Yankees games than he did with 9/11 rescue workers.
When you say, "Look how great it was during the 90s," and then refuse to release your records from that time, you cannot expect to get off easy. On immigration, on Iraq, Iran and Social Security, both John Edwards and Barack Obama finally took a stand. As I write this, many of the pundits are writing that Obama won the debate. I would say that overall John Edwards got the edge -- although barely. He was much more forceful, and came across as the more charismatic one. Obama was strong as well, and had a moment when he physically turned towards Clinton and accused her of doublespeak. Both Edwards and Obama were very strong. Hillary Clinton played rope-a-dope, and survived only because of how far ahead she is in the polls.
Here's my debate rankings:
John Edwards: The line directed at Hillary, "We should be in tell the truth mode," pretty much summed up how Edwards confronted Hillary without hesitation.
Barack Obama: Close, but not first place. Took Hillary to task on Social Security, the former First Lady's double-talk on immigration and schooled her on Iran.
Dennis Kucinich: As one commenter on this site wrote, if Barack Obama took the positions that Kurinich took in this debate (with the exception of the UFO answer), he would be winning in the polls.
Hillary Clinton: Clearly on the defensive the entire time. Not an implosion. But her Washington establishment roots and history of lying was exposed.
Chris Dodd: Much stronger than his other debate performances -- but that's not really saying much.
Joe Biden: Nothing doing there.
Bill Richardson: Not really impressive at all. He defended Hillary Clinton, which was not smart because he needed to create a distinction with her.
One more note. You can thank Hillary Clinton and all the other Senators who voted for the Iran bill for the recent spike in oil.
Welcome to 's coverage of the Halloween week Democratic debate from Philadelphia, which runs two hours. We are experiencing temporary difficulties with our chat window, and do apologize. As a last ditch effort, I will live blog it. Just keep pressing refresh for updates. Feel free to comment as well:
And so concludes our live blog. Sorry again about the chat window not working. But we made the most out of it. We will definitely fix those technical difficulties beforehand next time. SO WHO WON THE DEBATE?
11:02: Barack Obama will be Mitt Romney for Halloween.
10:58: Why is Russert asking if there is life on other planets?
10:57: Kucinich says he saw a UFO (No joke!)
10:55: Obama and Edwards are double-teaming Hillary on the former First Lady's answer about drivers licenses for illegal immigrants.
10:50: Obama on air travel: "This is a problem that has been building for a long time" ever since deregulation took place. "Anyone that has been flying commercial has known that service has gone down."
10:47: Obama says the reimbursement systemz for Medicaid and Medicare are not working properly.
10:40: Pretty much every candidate feels that children need to go to school longer. Edwards proposed that children's health care should be free.
10:33: KUCINICH: It is time for the Democrats to move on the issue of impeachment.
10:22: The moderators are now focusing almost entirely on domestic issues. Each of the candidates are given 30 seconds.
10:18: Edwards explained that America can be patriotic about other things in America besides war.
10:17: Edwards says he would use the arm of the Justice Department to investigate price-gouging on the part of oil companies.
10:12: They are on their second of two commercial breaks.
10:11: Obama says he is not fearful of Mitt Romney's swift boating of Obama's name.
10:09: Clinton claims there is little difference between herself and Obama on Social Security. However, there actually is a difference. Obama wants to raise the Social Security tax cap from $97,000 to $200,000.
10:07: Obama accuses Clinton is giving convoluted answers on Social Security. OBAMA: "I am not fearful to have a debate about this (social security) with Rudolph Giuliani."
10:01: Biden is slamming Giuliani, saying that he is not qualified to be president. As far as what Giuliani ever talkes about, it's always "a noun, a verb and 9/11."
9:59: Edwards again was strong, saying that we are not going to look our children in the eye and hand this mess over to them.
9:51: Edwards had a few great lines -- confronting Clinton on her defense industry connections. Furthermore, Edwards courageously said that the 2008 race isn't about any of them. It is about the next generation of children being better off than their parents. Excellent!
9:49: I just got back into the room as Obama laid the smack down on Hillary for not releasing records, and prolonging the secrecy of the Bush Administration. And then now Edwards is laying into her. Edwards says that if you want the status quo, then vote for Clinton.
9:39: Commercial intermission. I'm taking a quick break.
9:38: CLINTON: "I stand for ending the war in Iraq, and bringing our troops home." (That's spin.)
9:36: EDWARDS: "We should be in tell the truth mode." Edwards is really slamming Clinton!
9:34: CLINTON: "We've got to get the Iraqi government to understand its obligations, because there is no military solution."
9:31: Kucinich calls for the US to fully participate in the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
9:30: Richardson wants an international agreement that we use diplomacy first. RICHARDSON: "I went head-to-head with Saddam Hussein. ...I've done it (diplomacy)."
9:28: Chris Dodd says Pakistan more dangerous than Iran, especially if Pakistan falls.
9:26: BIDEN: "President's make wise decisions" based on "the situation they find themselves in the world."
9:24: CLINTON: "I intend to do everything I can to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb." She was then challenged by Russert.
9:23: KUCINICH: "We need to reject" war against Iran. "There is no basis for it whatsoever....When you say all options are on the table, you are licensing President Bush." (Excellent, Kucinich!!!)
9:21: RICHARDSON: "I am the only one up on this stage that has negotiated with a foreign country." Kucinich interrupted in response, "That's not true."
9:19: Edwards slamming Clinton, asking, "Has anyone read this thing?" -- pertaining to the Iran vote.
9:18: Clinton is defending her Iran vote, saying that it gives Bush "carrots and sticks" to confront Iran.
9:18: CLINTON: "We will not permit him (Bush) to go take offensive action against Iran."
9:16: OBAMA: "This kind of resolution (Iran war resolution) sends the wrong message" to the world.
9:15: BIDEN: The Administration's actions have "driven underground every moderate in Afghanistan and Pakistan."
We expected this to happen. Joe Biden simply does not have the resources to compete in multiple states at once without first winning Iowa. At the end of the second quarter, Biden came in sixth among the Democrats in fundraising, with only . The Democratic Senator from Delaware is bringing all of his consultants to Iowa.
Acording to , no matter what Biden will remain in the race until at least the Iowa Caucus:
Larry Rasky, communications director for thecampaign, confirms that the decision to move senior staff en masse intoIowa means Biden is in the race until at least the caucuses -- quietingrumors (for now) that the Delaware senator might drop his candidacybefore the end of the year.
We are entering the home stretch before the first primary contests. Third quarter fundraising totals will come out after Friday at a time of each campaign's choosing. John Edwards and Barack Obama are competing to pick up the (SEIU) endorsement. Three days ago, Hillary Clinton turned it up a notch and appeared on . This is the real deal, folks.
Tonight's debate is by far the most critical of any others thus far. Not only do we have about 100 days until the first vote, but this debate happens to be in New Hampshire, which is likely to and vote second. Analysts are expecting a large viewing audience tonight in the Granite State. With a lot on the line, here is what each of the major candidates must do:
Hillary Clinton: Don't mess up. You coasted through the five news shows on Sunday unscathed. Good job. Now here comes a harder test. This is a field of candidates know you are the front-runner, and will do anything to pick you apart as a Washington insider. So take the hits, but don't take any rhetorical risks. This debate is yours to lose.
Barack Obama: Think aggressive and think big. This is the one downside of branding yourself as above the typical political discourse. Sometimes you have to get your feet muddy and play hardball. Tonight is one of those nights. In a new , Obama trails Clinton by 20 points. The deficit was only 9 points in July. Obama must be aggressive. So how do you do that against the Clintons? Think big -- which is everything the Clintons are. Think in terms of big ideas. Play to your strengths by wowing people with your charisma. Remind New Hampshire voters what they liked about you in 2004 and earlier this year during your Chicago announcement. It's time to step it up, or get out of the way and let someone else take on Hillary.
John Edwards: Be the anti-Hillary candidate. For Edwards, this debate should not be about Hillary Clinton -- it should be about Barack Obama. The SEIU of endorsing Edwards because they were worried about whether he was better suited than Obama to beat Hillary. With that endorsement hanging in the balance, Edwards will need to make the case that he, not Obama, is the most viable alternative to the former First Lady.
Bill Richardson: Think big and loosen up. People know about his resume and his position on Iraq. What people don't know is what kind of person he is, and what kind of political philosophy he would implement. Richardson also needs to show some passion, and not come across as too polished. He is a western Senator, and he should look like it. Loosen up a bit too while you are at it. Tell some jokes, and at least try to mean them this time.
Joe Biden: Don't yell. People know you are passionate about foreign policy. But show that same passion on other issues too. And while you are at it, stop yelling -- it's not very presidential. Voters have been waiting for him to show a softer side. Like Richardson, show voters what kind of person you are.
The debate starts at 9 PM ET. Don't forget to join us for the live chat. Yap away with fellow progressives as you watch the debate on television.
Generally speaking, in the state of Iowa, Obama has the support of younger voters, including a significant pocket of voters between 50 and 60. Edwards is strongest among middle-aged, blue collared workers, especially if they are in unions. Hillary wins out among voters 60 and older, especially those already retired. In the end, that is the most important:
While older voters are traditionally the most active, they dominate inthe early voting state of Iowa. About 64 percent of those whoparticipated in the 2004 Iowa Democratic caucus were at least 50 yearsold, according to the state party.
Clearly, Obama has room for improvement:
A University of Iowa poll in August found Obama, a senator fromIllinois, ahead among voters under age 60, but voters over 60 preferredClinton by a wide margin and Obama fell to fourth place, behind formerSen. Edwards and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.
Social Security. Prescription drug costs. International diplomacy. Leadership. Obama needs to do a better job of explaining to voters how his so-called translates into strong leadership on these issues, which concern that pivotal voting block. He can't just complain about the Washington establishment. That generic talking point strikes a strong chord with young voters, but not necessarily with all progressives. Some Democrats like the system in Washington, think the system has been hijacked by the far-right, and believe that a Washington insider like Hillary is the only person capable of taking it back.
John Edwards and Bill Richardson, however, are in a tough predicament right now because Obama and Clinton are sucking up all the airtime. But remember, Iowa voters will look at Edwards and Richardson too, maybe even Biden as well, during the final month. When Gravel, Dodd and Kucinich are no longer a factor, the five major candidates will have the spotlight on them, and Iowa voters will see for themselves who would make the best president.
One week after unveiling the ad "", Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is spending a good chunk of his relatively on another television ad, this one called "Security." The one-minute television spot attempts to tout his experience in the over the last two decades. His campaign hopes it will bring more attention to his candidacy in the middle of what has been a primary election season dominated thus far by Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards:
Here is the ad:
As the , Iowa's most well-known newspaper, explains, the Biden campaign is playing the 'experience' card. It is similar to the message that Hillary is trying to convey:
Biden has vast experience in one area, foreign relations, that otherfrontrunners in the race do not. The veteran Delaware senator, whoseperformance in Iowa has been lackluster so far, is stressing thatexperience in an effort to gain on those who are way ahead of him inthe polls: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards and BillRichardson.
But is experience everything, or should this campaign really be about a candidate's judgment? In the ad, the narrator claims that Biden wants to end the war "now." If that is so, maybe Mr. Biden can explain why he to give Bush the money to keep this war going? You can't say that you want to end the war now, and then turn around and give one of the worst presidents in US history an extension on a homework assignment that has already cost US taxpayers half a trillion dollars and at least .
As I read the latest political buzz each day from a wide variety of sources, I don't think anyone has touched on how unprecedentedly unique the Nevada primary is shaping out to be. The Nevada contest, at least so it seems, will take place after Iowa and before New Hampshire. Last week, the Edwards Campaign in that state, opening the door for second-tier candidates like to suck up the support of potential Edwards backers.
Richardson and Biden are pouring resources into Nevada, meaning it will probably be their best and only opportunity to make their move. Anything lower than a second place finish would spell doom for their campaigns, since neither of them would have the financial resources to compete in the February 5th primaries without a positive media bounce beforehand. But if Richardson or Biden do finish second, heading into New Hampshire they would establish themselves as the number one alternative to the front-runner. Then it's a whole new ballgame!
In an interview with magazine, Joe Biden said under no circumstances would he be interested in becoming the next Secretary of State:
Would you feel unfulfilled in your career if, as someobservers are predicting, you ended up not as president but assecretary of State under the next Democratic president? Ipromise you, I don’t want to be secretary of State. If I did, this iscertainly not the best way to go about it. I’m going to be takingsharper and sharper exceptions with my colleagues. And it won’t be easyto then turn around and ask to be secretary of State. The truth is, Iwill be upset only if I don’t say what I think during this campaign. Ican die a happy man not hearing “Hail to the Chief.â€
By eliminating his name from the list, that opens the door for Wesley Clark and Bill Richardson, assuming the New Mexico Governor will not win the Democratic nomination. It is still early though. Keep in mind that during the , John Edwards was not even in the top-four in Iowa, but in January finished second. Just about anything can happen.
As for Biden, even though he is a smart man, not having him in the next administration would be a relief for future press secretaries in every foreign policy-related department. Without Biden, they would not have to conduct damage control after each time he opens his mouth.
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