DEM DEBATE: Edwards, Not Obama, Hits Clinton Hardest, Smartest

thenation ^ | 10/31/2007 | John Nichols

[milwguy]

It was supposed to be the night Barack Obama took Hillary Clinton down.

But, when all was said and done, Obama was a bystander.

The opening question in Tuesday's Democratic presidential debate was a softball pitch from NBC's Brian Williams to the senator from Illinois. Noting Obama's interview in the Sunday New York Times, in which the senator from Illinois promised to get tough with Clinton for acting like a Republican, Williams asked him detail the votes and statements from Clinton to which he objected.

Obama should have been ready to knock that one out of the park. Instead, he swung and missed.

"Some of this stuff gets over-hyped," said Obama, who then tried to tell a boxing joke before rambling on about his support for "big meaningful change."

Finally, the Illinoisan suggested that Clinton had flip-flopped on trade, torture and Iraq -- moving in each case from bad positions to better ones -- while admitting that her evolutions might have been "politically savvy."

Asked for a rebuttal, the frontrunner seized the opening, noted the many attacks on her by GOP presidential candidates and then delivered a classic debate one-liner: "I don't think the Republicans got the message that I'm voting and sounding like them."

Touche!

Were it left to Obama, Clinton would not only have escaped the night unscathed, she might actually have come out ahead.

But this is a multi-candidate race. Where Obama was unfocused and ineffectual, John Edwards landed plenty of blows. The former senator from North Carolina began by suggesting that "it's fair" to talk about essential differences between the candidates. Then he highlighted a big one. "(Clinton) says she'll stand up to George Bush," argued Edwards. "In fact, she voted to give George W. Bush the first step to war on Iran..."

[milwguy]

OK...I admit it. There was nothing on TV last night so I actually watched most of the debate. I did not think Hillary was terrible for the most part. Her troubles came near the end when she bombed the Social Security question by repeating endlessly the ‘fiscal resposnibility’ and everything was great before Bush became President. Then she went off the deep end when Russert asked her about releasing papers from the Clinton Library. She claimed the Nat’l Archives was working hard to get the millions of papers relased. Then Russert destroyed her by holding up a copy of a letter Bill wrote the archives demanding none of the relevent papers regarding Hillary be released before 2012. Hillary had the ‘deer in the headlights’ look and was reduced to repeating her lame Nat’l Archives excuse. The grand finale was when the immigration license came up. Prissy Mathews was beating her over the head repeatedly after the debate, asking each of the candidates he interviewed in the spin room if they favored licenses for illegals. None would take the bait, but used the opportunity to beat Hildabeast over the head with the issue. .........Obama was his usual self, I thought he deserved a C or C-. He had every opportunity to destroy Hildabeast, but instead was milquetoast with his criticisms. .........Edwards was best I thought, most aggressive and passionate. He is fake as a $3 bill, but comes across as being for the little guy. ..........Richardson was defending Clinto so I think his deal is to go for her VP. Most of his answers were hesitant and weak. .........Kucinich must have said impeach Bush, defend the Constitition and illegal war 20 times. he actually said he saw a UFO so he kept his moonbat credentials intact. ..........Biden was sharp and arrogant, but he at least comes across as knowing the issues. Wonder why he is not doing better.

..........Dodd was his usual self, third tier at best.

[claudiustg]

Hillary is an empty pants suit.

[ClearCase_guy]

I was amazed at the general weakness of their field. They really have nothing to say except "Bush is bad". I can't picture Obama or Edwards as president. They'd be in over the heads at once.

Hillary is the only Democrat who is at all ready for Prime Time -- which is both funny and scary.

[Tanniker Smith]

They really have nothing to say except "Bush is bad".

Which is why the GOP can't respond with "Hillary is worse!"
Didn't work for Bush 41 or Dole against Bill.

[Piquaboy]

The other candidates should be very carefull about saying things about Hitlary. That could be hazardous to their health.

[wilco200]

I must admit this was great TV.

Edwards and Obama hammered Hillary all night. I was so glad to finally see someone stand up and hit her on the two isues that hurt her most.

1. Double talk - refusing to answer any question with an answer
2. Experience - calling out her refusal to release White House records

And they never let up. Last night’s debate gives plenty of ammo to both the Dems and Pubs to beat Hillary.

[kabar]

Hillary is the only Democrat who is at all ready for Prime Time -- which is both funny and scary.

She is many things, but she is not ready for prime time. Since when does being a First Lady and a senator for 8 years with an undistinguished record[both "accomplishments" being the result of latching on to her husband's coattails or something else] qualify her to be the CEO and Commander in Chief of a nation of 300 million? Her performance last night demonstrated again her incompetence and inability to articulate any specific solutions to many of our most difficult issues facing this country, i.e., SS and immigration.

Hillary has been kept in a bubble off limits to the MSM [except by invitation] and unassailable by her Dem opponents who make her look good by their even worse performance. The MSM is all in a dither from last night's pillow fight. The only one who can defeat Hillary is Hillary and her handlers know that.

[A_perfect_lady]

Sounds like Obama has already given up and is jockeying for Clinton’s VP.

[RC2]

Hillary’s answers always blamed the President. She still doesn’t get it......PRESIDENT BUSH ISN’T RUNNING AGAIN. Instead of debating the issues, the Democrats simply attacked the President. Waste of time when it comes to debates. Some questions really showed that Hillary gets confused if she doesn’t like the question. She was also showing the hate, with the look on her face, when someone attacked her. Guess what she will do if elected.

[jimmyo57]

“He is fake as a $3 bill”

Nice review but I believe the expression is “QUEER as a $3 bill. Which makes more sense anyway.

[scan59]

I was amazed at the general weakness of their field. They really have nothing to say except "Bush is bad".

Sort of like Air America, they have no original ideas of their own. Hillary's saying President Bush's "lack of fiscal responsibility" was to blame for the Social Security mess was laughable. He tried to fix it and she voted him down.

[Phlap]

The "I hate Bush." refrain ain't going to cut it. Even most democrats know Bush will not be on the ticket in '08 and with out a message to sell they are doomed.

[ClearCase_guy]

she is not ready for prime time

Well, I guess I won't disagree -- and I certainly won't defend or praise Hillary! But I do think she has some ability to sidestep a lot of difficult questions.

When she fumbles, she can fumbles pretty badly (the Spitzer-drivers licenses-for-illegal-immigrants thing was laughable). But as I recall, one of the other candidates was asked a question about (I don't know) economic sanctions against Iran and their answer began "The water shortage in Atlanta is important ..."

I'm making that up, but it was a blatant effort to not answer a question, to change the debate to something where they had a canned response in their pocket. I forget which guy it was, but it was darn clumsy and embarassing. I think Hillary handles those situations more artfully than the others up there. She is very well-rehearsed. Now, if you catch her off guard, she does poorly -- but she's harder to catch off guard than the others. When I say she's somewhat ready for Prime Time, that's what I mean.

[Old Retired Army Guy]

As much as I am against Hillary, Edwards and Obama scare me more. Obama is cluless and Edwards is the biggest phony who ever ran for office.

[Don Corleone]

There have been frequent reruns of "EVITA" on cable lately. It is scary to see the similarity between Her Thighness and Eva Peron. Scary!

[kabar]

But I do think she has some ability to sidestep a lot of difficult questions.

Some may see that as an asset. I don't.

Hillary handles those situations more artfully than the others up there. She is very well-rehearsed. Now, if you catch her off guard, she does poorly -- but she's harder to catch off guard than the others. When I say she's somewhat ready for Prime Time, that's what I mean.

All of the candidates have their canned responses, which they perfect during the campaign. When all else fails, they just go into their routine whether it is relevant or not.

[Judith Anne]

The way they get out of answering questions is to say something like: “That’s not the issue at all, what we should focus on is...” their talking points.

It’s called “redefining the issue” and it means they never have to answer a question, just memorize the talking points.

We’ve all heard it a million times, in almost those exact same words.

Someday, some interviewer will have the stones to say, “Just answer the question.”

[tioga]

Big laugh lines were when kucinich admitting he’d seen a UFO and when Obama announcing there WERE humans living on earth.........otherwise the audience was so silent I thought there was none.....

[Kirkwood]

My concern is that the rest of the F-troop will make Hillary appear normal by comparison.

[tioga]

admitted and announced.........gees