Dem Debate Thread
 

The first Democrat debate is tonight on MSNBC. 8 candidates will try to convince the voters why their form of jackbooted thuggery will be superior. Should be interesting none the less.

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

Wow, that guy went crazy. That ruled.

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Kucinich packs heat who would have thunk it.

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Typical debate. Brian Williams asked several candidates how they would pay for their health care plans. Nobody actually answered the question asked. I would like the candidates to be interrupted and forced to answer the damn question.

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[img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] No MSNBC

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I can't believe Biden answered just plain "yes" to that question earlier.

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Typical debate. Brian Williams asked several candidates how they would pay for their health care plans. Nobody actually answered the question asked. I would like the candidates to be interrupted and forced to answer the damn question.

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Edwards said he would be rolling back the Bush tax cuts.

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

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Edwards said he would be rolling back the Bush tax cuts

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I must have missed that part of his reply. I was on the phone while watching a few minutes of the debate. So far Edwards has been the most impressive. He is extremely well prepared. I give him credit for his answer to the oil question. It would have been so easy to demagogue the oil question, instead he said supply and demand.

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Why do they call this a debate, they're all getting different questions.

Edit: The "show of hands" question was LOL, Hillary put her hand straight up but the other 3 who raised them were looking around at the others looking for cues first.

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Obama has disappointed, I will be supporting the Alaskan in the primary.

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I will be supporting the Alaskan in the primary.

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I sort of like him. When asked about whether or not we should follow the French model and increase our nuclear power capacity, it took him less than 2 minutes to get to Osama bin Laden rolling around in blankets. He's got that crazy drunk uncle feel to him. I think I might get behind this guy.

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

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I will be supporting the Alaskan in the primary.

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I sort of like him. When asked about whether or not we should follow the French model and increase our nuclear power capacity, it took him less than 2 minutes to get to Osama bin Laden rolling around in blankets. He's got that crazy drunk uncle feel to him. I think I might get behind this guy.

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"Who are you going to nuke, Obama?! Who are you going to nuke!?"

zomg can someone link me to this guy's website, I'm going to contribute right now.

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Obama handled the attacked by the Alaskan and Kucinich well and helped make up for a less than stellar performance.

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Edwards was really caught off guard with the moral leader question. He was super quick with a reply to ever other question.

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Kucinich's wife is a foot taller than him.

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http://mikegravel.us/

That guy was pretty cool, I enjoyed the rant about the military-industrial complex.

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

http://www.gravel2008.us/ the Alaskans website.
He calls for the repeal of the federal income tax.

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

Having so many candidates is frustrating. Not every candidate had the opportunity to answer the same question. It will be even worse for the Republicans. With so many in the field, an hour and a half is not enough. I am really glad they set a "no-applause" policy. A major pet peeve of mine in debates is the constant applause after every answer. Major waste of time and annoyance.

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I'm just kidding, I'm not going to contribute, but he was the only entertaining figure in this crew. I'd have so much rather listened to him for an hour and a half than watch that debate.

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The next President will be a Democrat. If you were going to bet right now at even money, which party would you bet on to win???

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I loved the Gravel guy. Obviously he wouldn't make for a pragmatic vote, but he doesn't hold back because he isn't exaclty "in the running."

I thought Obama did a great job, as did Clinton.

Biden was not impressive.

Richardson is a joke. I swear this guy is at the wrong primary.

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

Anyone know where you can see this online? I didn't watch the debate (I don't have MSNBC) and I don't see any video links on the MSNBC website.

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Gravel's website is down because too many people are trying to access it.

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

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He calls for the repeal of the federal income tax.


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Gravel 4 prez

Wouldn't it be awesome it if it ended up being Gravel vs Ron Paul for the president (to bad taking one million to one on that happening would be a bad bet)? Awesome for libertarians, obv.

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

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Richardson is a joke. I swear this guy is at the wrong primary.

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I actually thought this about most of the field.

Gravel should clearly moderate the next debate. He's obviously not a viable candidate, so his skills as an agitator should be put to better use. Either way, next time he should be given the key to whatever liquor cabinet he got into tonight and given a platform.

Between Richardson sounding like he just got out of a Heritage Foundation talking point briefing, to John Edwards oily sounding answers about who his moral inspiration is, to Obama having to do a second take on his "what would you do if there was a terrorist attack" answer to ensure the voting public that he's on board with slaughtering the terrorists with his bare hands and eating their faces, to Hillary almost admitting her Iraq War vote was a mistake -- because she hasn't quite abandoned trying to kowtow to the right on Iraq after 6 years ... I'm not sure I've got anything to get enthused about. So I'd rather just let Gravel make them squirm if possible.

Gravel For Debate Moderator '07/'08

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

Gravel was fun. I think it was on Daily Kos where someone summed him up as "he out-Kinciniched Kucinich".

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

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He calls for the repeal of the federal income tax.


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Gravel 4 prez

Wouldn't it be awesome it if it ended up being Gravel vs Ron Paul for the president (to bad taking one million to one on that happening would be a bad bet)? Awesome for libertarians, obv.

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I would hardly characterize Gravel as a libertarian. His views on health care and social security are pretty bad.

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

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He calls for the repeal of the federal income tax.


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Gravel 4 prez

Wouldn't it be awesome it if it ended up being Gravel vs Ron Paul for the president (to bad taking one million to one on that happening would be a bad bet)? Awesome for libertarians, obv.

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I would hardly characterize Gravel as a libertarian. His views on health care and social security are pretty bad.

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Yeah, but.. consider the alternatives.

(The ones tonight I mean, I know all about the lesser of two evils)

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

Man this was awful...but I imagine the Rep debate will be even worse.

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Randomly pick anyone from the British House of Commons and they would destroy any American in any sort of regular debate format. These 'debates' are an embarassment.

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Randomly pick anyone from the British House of Commons and they would destroy any American in any sort of regular debate format. These 'debates' are an embarassment.

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they aren't debates, their showcases. US politics is about selling themselves as a product.

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Randomly pick anyone from the British House of Commons and they would destroy any American in any sort of regular debate format. These 'debates' are an embarassment.

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they aren't debates, their showcases. US politics is about selling themselves as a product.

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Agreed, and it is a damn shame. The electorate is better served when an aspiring politician's mental acuity is brought forth via debate, being able to freely engage one another, these present formats succeed only in showcasing platitudes and stifling the intellect.

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

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Randomly pick anyone from the British House of Commons and they would destroy any American in any sort of regular debate format. These 'debates' are an embarassment.

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they aren't debates, their showcases. US politics is about selling themselves as a product.

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Agreed, and it is a damn shame. The electorate is better served when an aspiring politician's mental acuity is brought forth via debate, being able to freely engage one another, these present formats succeed only in showcasing platitudes and stifling the intellect.

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The only interesting part was when Obama and Kucinich went back and forth a little. I agree they need to be able to engage each other a little more freely. But with so many candidates it is not easy.

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

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The next President will be a Democrat. If you were going to bet right now at even money, which party would you bet on to win???

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You can bet on this at Intrade.com if u want. Dem currently at about 57 to win 43, Repub at 43 to win 57.

I dunno, I'm a democrat but none of these candidates get me very excited. As a NYer who remembers life under Dinkins I kinda like Rudy.

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Gravel's website is down because too many people are trying to access it.

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I'm sorry, you must be mistaken. I didn't see the debate, but I have been informed by Yahoo news and the Drudge Report that "Obama emerged as the clear victor."

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Gravel's website is down because too many people are trying to access it.

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I'm sorry, you must be mistaken. I didn't see the debate, but I have been informed by Yahoo news and the Drudge Report that "Obama emerged as the clear victor."

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I think it has something to do with initial low capacity for his site and the fact that no one has ever heard of him or the state he came from for that matter.

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

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Richardson is a joke. I swear this guy is at the wrong primary

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I think you guys are making a mistake with this line of thinking. Didn't the Dems just win back Congress for the first time in 12 years by fielding candidates who sounded a little bit like Richardson, especially in the South and West? When he says the Dems shouldn't automatically be for tax increases and gun control, he is representing a decent size minority of the party-The types who can win in marginal districts. You guys should think twice before wanting him and those views out of the party.

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

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Randomly pick anyone from the British House of Commons and they would destroy any American in any sort of regular debate format. These 'debates' are an embarassment.

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I thought the only politician more useless than the American Vice President was a British MP Backbencher.

Also, I'd prefer whoever sponsors the next debate to thin the field to maybe 5 candidates.

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Gravel's website is down because too many people are trying to access it.

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I'm sorry, you must be mistaken. I didn't see the debate, but I have been informed by Yahoo news and the Drudge Report that "Obama emerged as the clear victor."

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I think it has something to do with initial low capacity for his site and the fact that no one has ever heard of him or the state he came from for that matter.

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I was being a bit facetious -- I don't doubt that he made a great impression. Nevertheless, who do we expect the media to talk about but their pre-chosen presidential candidates?

Re: Dem Debate Thread
 

Is the debate online anywhere?