There’s going to be Democratic debate on CNN tonight. I assume we’ll be debating the Clenis and the Clenis’ role in the campaign, and race, and gender, and Ronald Reagan, and pretty much anything other than the differences between Democrats and Republicans, the policy distinctions between the candidates, and the war in Iraq. Actually, I expect the candidates to be asked why they won’t acknowledge that Iraq is the bestest place ever. If you want to talk about this outright assault on the intelligence of every thinking American, here’s a thread to do it.
About The Author

BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
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Audience warm-up act by Wolf. sigh.
good to see you’re here and ready to go.
blue tie for edwards.
down right depressing, the turn and tone of the campaign, Imho a compelling case against the Clintons. They’re pissing off a lot of voters.
Paul Starr in Wapo and at American Prospect is seeing
The Democrats Could Blow It Again
[.] after the first rounds of caucuses and primaries, the prospects don’t look so rosy for the Democrats or so bleak for the Republicans.
The presidential race now looks like a toss-up — perhaps even with a Republican edge. edge.
And the quad-annual candidate Nader is contemplating another attempt to distract. A crowded field if you factor a Bloomberg run.
obama goes with the red power tie.
Clinton goes with a
Mao suitvery odd black pantsuit with pumpkin shirt.I was wondering how you were going to describe it. I’d call it a Star Trek pantsuit.
Next Generation? Does she have a bullet-proof vest under there, it looks puffy.
She wouldn’t look out of place on-screen ordering Jean Luc into some stupid situation.
And whoever did her eyes tonight – she should hire and take with her everywhere.
Hey, I just said that…it is a VAST improvement over Vegas. Did she have Botox or something? She looks less wrinkled tonight too.
They all look like they’re caked in make-up to me. It’s even worse than the sports pundits on SportsCenter, who are on in HD all the time.
Maybe she just got some sleep. These are pretty absurd schedules they follow.
Make it so.
Obama got the most applause.
ready for them to ask about Clyburn telling the Clenis ‘to chill a little bit’?
Andrea Mitchell earlier tonight: “If he’s dominating his wife’s campaign now, what role will he play if she wins?” Maybe someone will ask that.
Obama pretty much did – “Sometimes I can’t tell who I’m running against.”
who’s in control of production here?
This is the most disorganized debate yet. The antithesis of Wolf’s Las Vegas debate.
The Beard, I think.
has wolf put you asleep yet?
Take a drink every time he thanks the CBC – you won’t notice how bad he is.
wow, no rules in the 2nd hour.
I’m impressed. They went for topic number one.
isn’t the number 1 problem the war in Iraq is killing our economy???
Me too! Earlier on the news only Romney was shown making any statement about the economic news today.
obama just touched the issue..a little squandered money in Iraq…I propose stop all payroll taxes for a couple of months..
Oh my God, we’ve been lectured by Wolf Blitzer about the importance of “the issues.”
More wine please.
I prefer ‘goose’ to ‘stimulate’.
Let’s get the bidding going… How much taxpayer money will you put in the pocket of average folks if they vote for you?
Hillary goes for a 90 day, ‘don’t let people freeze’ plan.
Yeah, I’m dying to hear her explain how 90 days later people will suddenly be able to afford their adjusted mortgage payments simply because the time elapsed.
And no one questions her on it.
Good question.
People will save all those tax rebates to pay the mortgage when the rates go up. Net effect – zero.
by Bill’s sleigh of his wand. He performed a robust economy in the 90s.
Obama
And the bit about putting more money in every senior’s SS check… maybe pandering to the older folks?
Edwards is going for the full pander. Of course, he’s pretty good at it.
it’s called reaching out..pandering is for Hillary and Republican..sorry for the commentary..
What is green infrastructure?
I think it’s the infrastructure necessary to begin making the move to utilizing cleaner energy sources.
Support for alternative energy industries – storage tanks for hydrogen if we’re going to move to fuel cells, etc.
smartass.
it could be worse, imagine the response if the Giants had lost yesterday?
It’s too awful to contemplate.
bong free or hookah free smoking?
You are so wrong for that! š
Edwards ties Peru to NAFTA and ties it around Obama’s neck. Interesting.
Greening the ecomony (Edwards’ stimulus plan) is great as a long term strategy. It does nothing to address the economy’s imminent collapse.
And Obama just read my mind!
Wahoo! Obama is attacking NAFTA and noting Hillary’s support.
and he hit Edwards on MFN status…finally!
MFN? Monday Football Night?
Obama nails Edwards (correctly) on trade with China.
Obama hits Edwards back on trade with China, hits Hillary on NAFTA.
But so far Hillary wins this round because she’s stayed on topic and talked about specific plans. The fact that people may not be able to evaluate them isn’t important. She’s talking crisis, wake up call. This is a good political answer.
Good god! The question is what are you going to do NOW. Clinton was the only one who had an answer. Obama wants to talk about Peru?
Round 1 – Hillary.
anyone think Obama gets an advantage from being placed in the middle, or am I being to quirky? Hillary was in the middle in the Nevada debate
And he’s the tallest. Historically, the tallent one wins.
Great comeback re Peru trade deals – Edwards says he was leaving enforcement to George Bush. Obama said, “in a year, it will be me enforcing them.” š We can hope!
this is one of the keys to Obama…his experience actually working in the urban community.
where the only mills were steel mills.
He’s starting to say that line as much as Edwards uses the mill line.
Obama has a glint in his eye tonight no?
Is Hillary gonna cry again? She looks pissed! Obama’s rippin’ her & Bill a new one.
hillary is Republican lite…and hillary voted for the war in Iraq and for a war in Iran..
she’ll through her tears. Anyone sec now
Hillary cannot agree more that she and her husband are liars. Remarkable…
I mean, we had all just heard what she had just said, and she was already lying about it. Terrible.
When lying comes so easily to you…
Hillary just told a BALD FACED LIE re what Obama said about Obama. Wow. Can’t wait to see him call her on it.
Here we go. This will give us an idea of how Obama will deal with direct political attacks.
Yep.
He needs to stop raising his hand like he’s in class.
OMFSM – he just nailed her on Walmart
Dayum!!!
Completely deserved.
she’s losing it…anyone got that picture of W, Bill and HW..
And he’s awesome! A real slugger, in a good way.
Hillary is a LIAR. I hope Obama smacks her back.
I hope he says “There she goes again …
Just came in. Do they always show black faces in the audience when Obama speaks. He’s giving Clinton a look now, as Clinton is trying to say that Obama likes the Republicans’ “ideas.” This is obviously the “Reagan” thing.
Wooo! Walmart.
SCORE!!!! “While I was working with people who were losing their jobs – you were sitting on the board of WalMart!!””
A FIGHTER EMERGES. KO!!!!!
While I was working those streets, you were sitting on the board at WalMart!
I feel like CNN should be using some of the old batman graphics and noises during some of these exchanges.
BAM!!!
POW!!!
ZING!!
who fucking cares about this shit?
this is the result of a Reality TV culture.
<crickets>
That whole exchange was bullshit and only hurts the entire party.
To the average voter not into inside politics – that looked absurd.
here we got Clintonian speak..what is the meaning of “is” is..
Another one!!! “I can’t tell who I’m running against sometimes.”
Either he’s really tall or she’s really short. Never noticed before.
he’s over six feet tall.
That Rezko line will get played over and over.
Will it help or hurt him.
Clinton has enough scandals – old and new
it’s a year old story for which no criminal activity on his part has ever surfaced.
Can we say Whitewater? Travelgate? The Clintons were accused of worse, and it never led anywhere.
How many kids is this gonna get healthcare – this squabbling! Good line, John!
Edwards just put the smack down on the debate format and the other 2 candidates in one fell swoop.
Kick. Ass.
Edwards is the only one who looks like an adult up there.
But I didnt hear him respond to his China vote. Not the first time he skirts the question
Edwards just redirected well. The other two look incredulous. I can only imagine what’s going to happen with the rest of this campaign.
PIE!
I love John Edwards.
“Let me finish, cause Lord knows you let them go on forever”
Me too.
I can’t tell if either Hillary or Obama gained from that exchange. It think they both lost.
If they’re this at each other throats today, I can hardly imagine how bad it will be in 2 weeks.
Is that smoke pouring out of hillary’s ears?
She looks very emotional.
It’s only going to get worse when whoever faces the Republican.
The only reason Edwards isn’t under attack is that he’s not a threat.
Yeah, I had to laugh at that one too!
But the knives are out.
And they’re both going to walk away bleeding. Way to go, candidates. What was that you all said about wanting to help the country?
I don’t know that that can be helped at this point. He can’t let Billary’s charges go unanswered.
She voted for Bankruptcy bill but hoped it wouldn’t pass. I don’t understand that…. Good one.
i don’t think Hillary will look out for the average Joe. She’s nit-picking..
Hillary is coming off as angry, desperate, shrill.
He’s coming off much stronger tonight than I’ve seen him in any of the debates.
Woo, is she ever desperate.
That stance, her eyes, the whole shebangabang…Not good. She sounds pissed.
hillary’s getting booed!!
Anyone else “present”??
Edwards just lost a point – he asked a question, Obama answered it, and Edwards didn’t understand the answer and asked it again. That makes him look either dumb, or as if he’s making a statement at the expense of the truth.
We’ll get to discuss their underwear again? Please?
Hey, I have no television. Is there a way to watch this online, or do I just have to rely on y’alls reports?
CNN is streaming it online. That’s how I’m watching.
60 days? That’s a huge difference from say a few months ago where she was saying years.