BlogHer - ABC/facebook New Hampshire Rep/Dem Debates tonight: OPEN THREAD - Comments

Thanks for the WP Fact-Checker link.

Marilyn — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 07:14:49 -0600

missed second half of Dem debate

Marilyn — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 06:47:12 -0600

I couldn't stay awake through the Dem debate on the broadcast. I suppose it was because I was watching it in bed and trying to sit through the first half which I'd already seen on the live feed.

re my earlier comment about Hillary looking ticked off from the first time they showed her in her seat.. I saw on the broadcast something I hadn't seen on the live feed...and that was George S. telling Diane that "the Clintons are LIVID" with Richardson because they believe he brokered a deal to give Obama his second-round votes in Iowa. Have no idea if she was emanating anger at Richardson when she was sitting there. I mentioned that impression earlier because I know as an old-school feminist that a woman has it doubly hard in this situation, and in other appearances I've seen her smile a lot. (She was all smiles after getting drubbed in Iowa.) I thought her demeanor last night wasn't helping her...and I'm saying that despite the fact that I don't like or trust her.

I enjoyed reading everyone's viewpoints. Thanks for these threads.

The Land of Moo

Co-Founder of Bloggers for Darfur

I thought that was Hillary's worst moment of the debate

CityMama — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 02:07:47 -0600

accusing john edwards of causing that girl's death? that was a very low blow, esp since it was george w. bush who killed that bill.

Stefania Pomponi Butler

I blog:
CityMama
Kimchi Mamas
MOMocrats

Edwards was HAMMERING her

Erin Kotecki Vest — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:57:13 -0600

It was like Obama set him up and he just went to TOWN.

Hubby believes they pre-planned this strategy.

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain

I think he liked being able

lauriewrites — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:51:40 -0600

I think he liked being able to talk about that while the others were fighting among themselves (until the WMUR guy told him he'd screwed up energy then, so what was with the big talk???? ;))

Laurie
LaurieWrites

You know it!!!

CityMama — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:50:44 -0600

He was spot-on with all his points and definitely put her on the defensive...which isn't a good look for her.

Stefania Pomponi Butler

I blog:
CityMama
Kimchi Mamas
MOMocrats

I thought she did well tonight too.

lauriewrites — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:50:18 -0600

But then again, I thought she had the Howard/Smiley debate in the bag when I watched that one. I've been told by many people that I'm missing the fatal flaw here, but I'm taken in by brain power and specifics, I guess (What I get for being so abstract myself I guess. ; ) )

Laurie
LaurieWrites

I read a story once by a

lauriewrites — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:43:17 -0600

I read a story once by a journalist covering Bush in Crawford, who said a neighbor there said, "I love hanging out with him, but would I want him running my country? No."

I've since read other reports that say similar things. But it does become a popularity/personality contest on some level. Human beings respond to those kinds of impressions. Let's just hope we hit a double bonus in 2008.

Laurie
LaurieWrites

They went a little nuts with the "change" there for awhile.

lauriewrites — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:40:28 -0600

I thought she did a nice job with bringing that back to specifics. Overall, it was one of the most interesting conversations I've ever seen in a debate and that's saying something.

"I love change."
"No, I love change more."
"What kind of change are we talking about?"

And on and on and on...And all I kept thinking was, if I could get a magic answer as to which one of you could broker some REAL, COOL change (hi Little River Band...) I would vote for you right now.

Laurie
LaurieWrites

The only mention of

lauriewrites — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:35:58 -0600

The only mention of environment was Richardson loving all over Al Gore for a sec there. ; )

Laurie
LaurieWrites

But just how different are they?

Jill — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 22:57:42 -0600

I might sound like a sourpuss because I was a Biden-Dodd person, and Richardson now is my favorite, but I'm realistic and don't expect him to get the nomination.

Sure, there are differences between Edwards, Obama and Clinton, but even tonight, those differences, compared to the overall differences between the remaining Dem candidates and all the remaining GOP candidates seems so much bigger and obvious and more important, I am, for the first time, thinking more about electability than anything else.

What do people really feel/believe when it comes to that?

Jill
Writes Like She Talks

Republican impressions

Marilyn — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 22:55:24 -0600

Just watched the Republican debate in entirety...a few random thoughts...

Huckabee - wouldn't brag so much if I were him about how much he supports Bush - trotted out "endowed by creator" line (damn you, founding fathers!)...just wish Christians in this country didn't think they get to define that word for all of us...like that Charlie called him on his whole "we change our policies depending on the situation" thing...he was the only one (well, McCain a little bit) who brought up prevention vs. intervention in health care...I almost laughed when he said illegals should get back to their country(ies) on their own--on FOOT??..."sanctity of life"...scary to me...he sure made Obama's case for him though...

Bush - thought it was ironic that they tossed to Bush at press conference talking about any candidate needing a firm set of principles...granted, he didn't say they had to be GOOD principles...

Romney - kissing up to those pharmaceutical lobbyists big-time...yeah, Mitt, YOU're the candidate of change...

Giuliani - I'd forgotten he does that thing with his eyes...vertical shiftiness...I just don't like him - didn't like when he was asked what he stood for and he started rattling off policy points...thought it was weird that he implied Canadians come here for health care--since I thought we go there for meds...nuclear, nuclear, nuclear (power)...(at least he pronounces it correctly)...

Paul - I know nothing about him...is it true or urban myth that he's anti-evolution?...pointing out appropriately that young people are turning out for him and Obama in large numbers...

McCain - wish he'd kept it positive...didn't need to throw barbs at Romney--Mitt was doing himself in just fine...

Thompson - sorry, fred, did we wake you?...Obama's for all those damn liberal groups...you know, like educators...did I misunderstand or did he tell the WMUR moderator he doesn't care about oil prices?

all - jeez-louise, what's up the deification of Reagan?...so tired of hearing that name (but then I remember his governor years)...

Okay, off to watch the Dems now...

The Land of Moo

Co-Founder of Bloggers for Darfur

My brother just walked into the room

Erin Kotecki Vest — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 21:40:54 -0600

...and from the kitchen says, "GEEZ, how many times are they going to say 'Ronald Reagan?'"

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain

Edwards is on tonight

Morra Aarons — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 21:39:22 -0600

And I think it's so interesting that "entrenched" special interests are STILL huge in Dem debates- very similar conversations as in 2004. ExxonMobil laso had the biggest profits, I think, during the debate in 2004.

I'm upset the conversation isn't more new. A lot has changed since 2004. Not enough to discuss special interests.

Where is the environment? Mortgage crisis?

The thing that I think is the worst, and Obama is discussing it now: Republicans don't talk about social issues, although they did a bit more tonight. They talk about immigration...

Was inequality mentioned once during the Rep debate? Environment (once, by McCain, I think). The struggles of the middle class?

The binary nature is tired. As long as it's only Edwards drumming on about the "mill"- nothing will change. My 2 cents for now.

Sigh

Erin Kotecki Vest — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 21:32:20 -0600

Watching Repubs on WC feed and man are they all jumping on Ron Paul. ..and finding the Gibson mentioning he promised all candidate's people he wouldn't ask questions via video tape interesting. They have SUCH youtube-phobia!

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain

ABC/facebook New Hampshire Rep/Dem Debates tonight: OPEN THREAD

Morra Aarons — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 11:20:55 -0600

Tonight, starting at 7pm Eastern on ABC, ABC News, WMUR-TV, and Facebook are hosting back-to-back presidential debates at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH, just 3 days before the NH Primary. Republicans will debate from 7-8:30 p.m., ET and Democrats will follow from approximately 8:45-10:15 p.m., ET. The two 90-minute debates, moderated by ABC’s Charles Gibson with questions from WMUR anchor and political director Scott Spradling, will air in primetime on ABC.

Following each debate, Diane Sawyer will anchor live reports, providing a re-cap and analysis of the evening’s events. She will be joined by George Stephanopoulos.

This is going to be really exciting, and Mary Katharine Ham and I will be at the debates, covering them for BlogHer, Townhall.com and TechPresident. Please join us in commenting below in the open thread. Finally, I think this is going to be a riveting night of debates because everyone will be wondering, "Can Hillary Clinton pull off a victory in NH? And what about McCain"?

See you online, starting at 7! And remember to link your blog below- join our Election2008 team!

For more about BlogHer's Election2008, click here