One of the few enjoyable, if anxious, points of the first Democratic candidates' debate tonight was the "Elephants in the room segment"- so-named to bring up very tetchy topics facing our beloved candidates. Hedge funds came up a lot. Speaking of, Edwards on abortion hedged on the Supreme Court's ban on late term abortions. So did Obama. ick. Kucinich did not, but he'll never be president. Clinton sounded firm on universal health care and has a nice way of using her failure back in 1993 as a key preparation for a national program should she become president. Anyway, I paraphrase (apologies) the candidates' answers to the itchy questions below:

Obama: you promised a new kind of politics, but what about this dodgy business deal with a donor in Illinois? Obama basically said I didn't do anything wrong, and I have a track record of doing things right- he mentioned community organizing.

John Edwards: the haircuts!

Why did he pay for his haircuts from campaign funds? Edwards: "It was a mistake. I live a privileged and blessed lifestyle now...but it's not where I come from. Daddy...mill worker, etc"

Hillary: Something like, you're from New York, where all these rich financial hedge fund managers are from. Is that a good thing? Does it slant your views? Hillary said basically, I represent the entrepreneurial values of America, but I also represent poor people who need health care.

Her second question: why don't the American people like you more? Hillary takes it as a "perverse form of flattery..."

Richardson: you said you did not initially push for Gonzales' dismissal because he is hispanic...Richardson: yes, it did influence my decision initially. I am an honest candidate...not blow dried (oh snap, Edwards!. But I did call for Gonzales' dismissal...once I thought on it.

Dodd: You are the most Washington of all candidates. How do you make the case that you will reform?
Dodd: I have done great public service, civil rights. My siblings are teachers. I am a pro-growth Democrat and I have experience and have helped create jobs in Congress.

Kucinich: "you were anti-war before it was popular. Why don't you have more traction"?
Because I'm crazy. No, he didn't say that. To his credit, he said people are looking for a president who has the integrity to take an unpopular stand, and take a stand from the heart.

Biden: "words have not been your friend. Uncontrolled verbosity and a "gaffe machine" according to the LA Times. Do you have discipline you'd need on the world stage?"
Biden had a great line, and I quote: "YES."

Gravel (aka Howard Dean '08): why are you here?
He said roughly, I can stand up with any of these mainline candidates...and I won't wage war with Iran. Gravel then went on to call Obama and the "top tier" candidates arrogrant on Iraq. We need to "plain get out."

MSNBC has a great site to vote on candidate performance: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/