Live-blogging the debate
Showdown in Austin tonight! We’re watching and reacting in real-time. Read our full liveblog below the fold.
(image from CNN.com)
7:05
Chris - I missed the first 5 minutes or so. Tuning in, Hillary is opening and using her “registered voters in South Texas” vignette, as Bill did last night. She’s coming out positive, which makes sense to me. If she goes negative tonight, she might hurt herself more than it helps. She does need to draw strong contrasts between their platforms tonight, something which she’s failed to do effectively thus far.
Chris - The seated debate seems to favor Clinton. When they’re standing, Obama’s height and posture really makes him look presidential. That advantage is minimized when they’re sitting.
7:10
Michael - She knocked that opening statement out of the ball park. That was a home run.
(Obama is opening now)
Michael - This is his standard stump speech. hill comes out with details and obama is talking about generalities.
Chris - Clinton always seems so much more polished in the debate format. Obama is more thoughtful with his answers, which sometimes comes off as unsure.
Michael - Cuba is totally new in debates - again she is setting pre-conditions for meeting with unfriendly states
7:15
Chris - This is one area where I think Obama makes sense to the average Joe. His standard line about playground politics - not talking to those you don’t agree with - seems to sit will with most people
Michael - Obama says talk to our friends and enemies but notice he says “The United States” not “The President”. It sounds like he is backtracking to Hillary’s position
7:20
Michael - Hillary brings up Iran! She must be prepared for this topic. Sounds like a bait. Now she’s going back to Kennedy too.
Michael - You knew that line on Bush bashing was going to get some applause.
Michael - Obama is itching to get the last word in on the foreign relations issue
Chris - Hillary is always prepared
Michael - Hillary’s mastery of the issues is the foundation for her excellence in debates.
Chris - Gee, I can’t tell that you’re a supporter…
Michael - haha…John wants Obama to make a contrast here.
7:25 pm
Michael - Obama sounds a bit sick or hoarse.
Chris - Yeah, I noticed that at the Houston rally, too. I hear that he has a cold. A year straight of campaigning will do a number on your voice, too.
Michael - I think he hasn’t answered this question at all.
Roy - Obama is highlighting everything that is the same about the two plans for the economy.
Michael - He went back to stumping. He can definitely stay on message here. I think his strategy is just to get through this debate. He is certainly not making the first strike tonight based on his answers so far.
Chris - Obama brings up special interests - little jab at Hillary’s corporate backers?
Michael - Nice slam on Bush by Hill. She is getting lots of applause here ( a friendly audience?).
Michael: She, too, is not answering the question yet. How is she ready to be Commander in Chief and Obama not?
Michael - I can hear the urgency in her voice. It’s coming off as sympathetic and engaged.
Chris - Is that urgency? or desperation?
Michael - Obama can barely sit still listening to her.
7:30pm
Roy - whoa, brining up science. nice tip of the hat to UT
Michael - We love science!
Chris - for sure.
Michael - Obama touting is immigration reform experience. This is Obama’s chance to make inroads with Latinos.
7:35 pm
Michael - Now he’s raising NAFTA
Michael - The border issue is divisive. Really delving into Texas issues!
Chris - Border fence? Are either of them going to get those voters anyway?
Michael - HAHA Hill says “Both Sen. Obama and I voted for that” (the fence)
Chris - Smart vs. dumb? That’s Obama’s line about the war. She’s incorporating his language
Michael - one or two words do not a language make.
7:40 pm
Michael - Obama playing it safe . Clinton and I agree. He wants to reverse the fence policy.
Chris - What the hell? My connection is lagging behind. You guys have a 60 second jump on the responses. This is so unfair.
Michael - Obama is calling for comprehensive reform - don’t republicans say this has to be done piecewise? Look at McCain: He tried comprehensive and now the repubs hate him for it.
Roy: Obama thinks every student should be learning a second language
7:45 pm
Michael: I think that they should both just say no. There is no downside to becoming a bilingual nation.
Chris - woah. Not sure I agree with that. We’ll have to debate that on the site later.
Roy: Obama bringing up the failure of No Child Left Behind
Chris: That’s not exactly a controversial stance.
Michael - I think Obama is playing it safe and sticking to what works in his speeches. Hillary has not attacked him yet. She may have decided that it is better to show off her policy chops in lieu of any direct attacks.
Chris - With his momentum, Obama doesn’t have to win. He just has to avoid any major slipups.
7:50
Roy - Giving Clinton the perfect opportunity to attack
Michael - Here we go . John is putting it out there. He is ready for fireworks (ratings!)
Roy - and she switches straight to attacking bush
Chris - Can’t say I blame her. As I said earlier, going negative is way too risky for her.
Roy - Obama has been making use of his little pad and pen the whole debate.
Chris - I noticed that last debate too - he seems to be jotting notes on the fly
Chris - Hillary goes back to the actions vs. words line, and gives him a perfect opportunity for him to talk up his record. Not sure that’s the best line when he’s there to respond
7:55
Michael - Obama brings up his endorsements - showing off his front-runner status.
Chris - Holy crap! The count stands at 19 debates and we aren’t even close to November yet.
Michael - Whoa - lots of applause for Obama.
Chris - Obama goes back to his big message. Hillary says “here’s what I can do for you”. Obama says “Here’s what we can do together”. That explains so much about these campaigns
Roy - Obama starts making jokes
Chris - Silly-season? Is he talking to preschoolers? (It’s still a good line, though)
Michael - Obama never one lacking in self-confidence! (as he says his speeches “are pretty good”)
8:00
Michael - Her response will be interesting
Roy - Clinton kind of attacking Obama on the speech-plagarization issue
Michael - Sorry, moderator - Clinton never raised that issue - Campbell did
Chris - Campbell was acting as a surrogate for her campaign. She had no problem picking up that meme tonight
Michael - She is bringing it back to universal healthcare and ending this better than she started. We are united, now what????
Chris: I still think Hillary’s plan for a mortgage freeze is a bad idea (and so do most economists).
Roy - Obama is explaining the difference between their health plans
Michael - What is Obama saying about his plan? He sounds confused.
Chris - Yeah, he’s just not as good at the quick back-and-forth of debates. Her political experience shows through in this format.
8:05pm
Michael - Obama brings it back to transparency in gov’t and bashes Clinton over the Healthcare “secrecy”
Roy - Obama’s commitment to transparency and reform in government is the main reason why I support him
Chris - His support for sunshine laws, and the fact that Larry Lessig is his tech/privacy/openesss advisor means a lot in my book
(commercial break)
Chris- I hate the people meters - what a gimmicky load of crap
8:10 pm
(After the commercial break)
Roy - “Hook ‘em Horns!”, heard shouted by an audience member
Chris - Heh!
Roy - Clinton demands to respond to Obama
Michael - Who is ready for day one? Clinton demands to finish on healthcare.
Chris- How does hijacking the debate show preparation for office? Clinton treats this like it’s a fight, when the president needs to be a consensus-builder.
Roy - Obama talks about how the mandated health insurance has failed in Massachusetts. The candidates just cannot agree on this issue
Chris - More like, it’s one of the few differences between them
Michael - Obama is attacking the mandates portion. Although he neglects to mention that he has to enforce penalties too.
Chris - She came across forcefully, almost rising out of her seat in support of her mandated health insurance, and it worked well for her.
8:15
Michael - The question - So why is Clinton ready for commander in chief and not Obama?
Chris - Well, as with most attacks, it’s easier to insinuate things when the person isn’t sitting next to you, ready to defend himself
Michael - Clinton is touting her first lady experience and senate armed services experience, and listing her foreign relations ties.
Chris - She skipped completely away from the question
Roy - Obama says his number one job as president is to keep the American people safe.
Chris - That question worked out well for him.
Michael - I sense the Iraq war vote coming up again. Which Obama never voted on.
Chris - but he spoke out forcefully against it from the start
Roy - Yep, he says Clinton showed wrong judgement when voting for the war
8:20
Michael - Clinton should be prepared for this question. Let’s see how she rebuts.
Chris - I’m not sure all the preparation in the world will excuse that vote to the voters. It’s the big issue this election against McCain
Roy - He’s making the point that its not experience that matters so much as president, but having the good judgement to make the right decisions
Michael - Obama’s speaking out would be stronger argument if he hadn’t later waffled on that in defense of Kerry . By saying he did not know how he would vote on that very same issue.
Michael - Here we go….
Roy - Is the surge working?!
Michael - no
Chris - no
Roy - Clinton agrees
Michael - Who picks their ear in a presidential debate?!
Chris - You ever been on stage? It’s hot and uncomfortable up there under those lights
8:25
Michael - Clinton is name dropping all the valley cities in Texas.
Chris - somewhat awkwardly, I thought
Roy - Obama name drops the 1st Cavalry out of Ft. Hood
Chris - The war vote is Obama’s ace in the hole Clinton can argue nuance, but we know how well that worked out for Kerry in 2004.
Michael - You can say the same about Obama, He was against the War but then he voted for it.
Chris - Hrmm - I must have missed that one…
Chris - Hillary has this weird half smile on, like she’s pissed but has to look nice on stage, and you can tell she can’t wait to respond.
Michael - Yeah, hill is looking very awkward up there waiting for her turn on Iraq
Chris - Commercial Break. More bullshit about the people-meters. Sigh.
Chris - The replay shows that the audience booed Hillary when she attacked his so-called plagiarism.
8:30 pm
Roy - Secrecy and abuse of executive power! And earmarks!
Roy - Obama brings up his google for government. That’s exactly the kind of transparency in government i’m looking for
Chris - Agreed
Michael - Yeah, just wait until people are googling your social security number and driver’s license or medical records. Transparency is great but we all know the gov’t makes mistakes and google could get dangerous.
Chris - Are you seriously against the government indexing laws, bills, earmarks, and expenditures? Shouldn’t we know where our money is going?
Michael - My point on google is that you need recognize that these technologies also have the power to do serious harm , not to mention issues in execution - so it would be nice to talk about them and not just thow this out there like it can just be done because you say so.
Michael - That would be great, but if it starts to creep is the problem.
Chris- That’s a slippery-slope argument - it’s a logical fallacy
8:30 pm
Chris - Hillary attacks Bush on fiscal responsibility for the second time tonight - can’t say I blame her, it’s a good line.
Michael - Superdelegates! Oh My!
Chris - They both support the system of supers, but Obama hedges his bets and says the system should reflect the outcome of the primaries and caucuses.
Michael - That “simple answer” from Clinton and Obama went on for quite a bit…
8:40 pm
Michael - Soft ball question on “moment of crisis”
Chris - Obama’s answer is a standard few lines from his stump speech.
Michael - Clinton gets in a dig at herself, mentioning her own “crises”. Instead she talks about injured soldiers and American’s who are far worse off than she is.
Chris - Nice use of humor, those are the kind of humanizing moments she needs more of. It doesn’t shine through her policy wonk, raging fighter exterior
Michael - I think she really wrapped it up nicely there. A sense of graciousness displayed
Chris - Quite a contrast to her campaign’s attacks. She took the high road tonight
Michael - Well Clinton ended it the way she started it. With a homerun.
8:40 pm
Chris - It was solid, but I don’t think this is going to sway anyone. No major missteps by either party.
Michael - I have to say Obama had some good points about his Iraq speech, some great lines about bringing the party together, and changing the politics of old. But given Clinton’s performance tonight, I would have to say she was the winner tonight. She put more of herself out there compared to Obama. The question is if it will be enough.
Chris - Yeah, if you had to pick a winner, it was probably Hillary, as usual. Her wins in the previous debates didn’t do much to boost her vote, though.
Michael - Nevada? New Hampshire?
Chris - she ended up with less delegates in Nevada
Michael - one delegate difference.
Roy - I think it will be interesting to see how the Univision broadcast will be recieved by the latino voters. This might be the first time some of them get to hear Obama talk
Chris - I’m tired - not going to liveblog the spanish telecast too. (especially since I don’t speak spanish)
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