Summary/Wrap-up

Too many candidates.

Obama was non-existent until the end when he was getting challenged by Kucinich & Gravel.

Clinton was Clinton, not amazing, not terrible.

Edwards & Richardson were both kind of out of it BUT Richardson came off very odd and poor.

Kucinch was less crazy than I expected.

Gravel picked up the crazy slack.

Dodd & Biden did pretty well.

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8:29 - Biden attacks Kucinich & Gravel and their way of thinking and oddly throws in a nice compliment for Sen. Clinton.

8:26 - Edwards, who is your moral leader?
No answer for twenty-seconds, mentions Jesus, his wife, his father.

8:25 - Gravel gets in on the fight.

8:24 - Kucinich challenges Obama on keeping “all options on the table” for War.

Great visual, Kucinich & Obama fighting it out with Clinton keeping quiet in the middle.

8:23 - Obama found a way to say his kids names on TV and avoid a question about how he personally has worked to be more green in his personal life.

8:22 - Mike Gravel continues his rein.

8:15 - Hillary needs to learn how to answer a question and stay on topic.

8:09 - Dodd gives a better answer to the question.

8:07 - Clinton is asked about Giuliani’s comments
Totally blows the answer with a rambling speech.

8:04 - Gravel

Military Industrial Complex controls our lives, there are no enemies.

8:02 - Biden, name three greatest enemies
North Korea, Iran & “frankly” movements by Mr. Putin in Russia.

8:00 - Mr. Obama name our three greatest allies.
Names NATO & the EU. Not good.

7:54 - Richardson, name one mistake you have made?
“I am impatient, I am too aggressive, I ram things down peoples throats.”

Thank you Mr. Richardson.

“I…”

Thank you Mr. Richardson.

7:52 - Gravel, going off the rails like a crazy train.

7:51 - Clinton & Obama play lovefest with eachother. Good strategy.

7:48 - Richardson either keeps yawning or zoning out or something. He keeps looking weird, it is distracting. Ran past his time again.

7:48 - Clinton
Not ready to put new money into a system that doesn’t work until we work out what we have.

7:47 - Obama, how would you fund your health care plan?
- Avoided an answer.

7:44 - Sen. Edwards, you would raise taxes? Which ones?

- I would take away the Bush tax cuts. Didn’t quite give an answer.

7:43 - Show of Hands - How many of you have, in your adult lifetime, had a gun in the house?

Gravel, Biden, Dodd, Richardson, Kucinich.

7:41 - Guns.
Richardson is NRA’s favorite candidate. Did Virginia Tech change your mind?

“Second amendment is precious…” So no it doesn’t seem to have changed his mind. First candidate to go over time.

7:40 - Name or Pass - Model Supreme Court Judge, Name or Pass

Cluster F. They got three in and stopped because it was taking too long. Williams should have explained it a little better.

7:32 - Domestic Topics.
Abortion

7:18 through 7:30 - Elephants in the room. Perception Issues: “what is wrong with you!” Now this should be some fun questioning.

-Obama first, corruption.

- Edwards, the $400 haircuts and his privileged life. Told a personal story about going to a restaurant with his father when he was young and couldn’t pay for the food. Williams followed up with a question about hedgefunds & Edwards involvement in them that Edwards pretty much danced around with no real answer.

- Clinton was asked about the hedgefunds as well. Danced around it as well. No real answer. Edwards did terrible with the answer, Clinton worse imho.

- Richardson asked about his hispanic/Gonzalez remarks. Everytime the camera cuts to him he looks odd, like he is going to pass out or something. Bad answer. First half hour is not making him look good.

- Dodd “most Washington” of the candidates and close to lobbyists. Long and winding “resume/talking points” response.

- Kucinich “why don’t you have more traction even though you opposed the war before the war?” response “This isn’t American Idol.. we have to look at 2003 when the other candidates were called upon to make a decision (Iraq vote) and they made the wrong decision. Kucinich is out to attack Hillary tonight.

- Biden, “gaffee machine.. Will you have the discipline on the campaign trail needed?”

Yes..

Laughs. End of answer.

- Gravel “You said you had no chance, why should you be here?”

“Some of these people frighten me (other candidates). The top tier candidates scare me. Called Biden arrogant.” This guy is like Dean, Perot & Nader wrapped up nice and pretty for Christmas.

7:15 - Mike Gravel is going to be the breakout wacky & passionate candidate. Sorry Kucinich but I think you have competition!

7:12 - Already two divergent camps of candidates. Those who are currently in the Senate who are taking a cautious and detailed position to get out of Iraq and those who are not in the Senate who are saying we need to leave Iraq, all troops out yesterday.

7:08 - Having to get through eight people for every question is already boring eight minutes in. Sorry, it is.

Edwards ducked a chance to hit Clinton hard and direct given to him by host Brian Williams on her Iraq vote.

7:06 - First question, Iraq, Sen. Clinton first, Sen. Biden second. Biden “change the fundamental process… decentralize the region… president get on the game plan..”

Barack Obama opens his line “I opposed the war from the start”

7:05 - Best part this far? No opening speeches thanking the organizers and everyone for joining in. I always HATE the introduction phases of these debates, what a great way to start. Right into the questions.