Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, speaks as Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., looks on during a Democratic presidential debate in Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Posted on 01/31/2008 7:11:37 PM PST by NormsRevenge
LOS ANGELES - Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton sought common ground Thursday on basic Democratic policies on immigration, health care and tax relief in their first one-on-one debate, but grew testy at times in trying to distinguish themselves as the candidate best able to assume the presidency.
Just days before the Super Tuesday contests, the two alternated addressing each other cordially with swipes, underscoring the high stakes of the upcoming contests. The debate came on the day when Obama's campaign reported raising a staggering $32 million in January, cash aplenty to advertise all through the Super Tuesday states, with its nearly two dozen contests from coast to coast, and beyond.
One of their most pointed exchanges came on the subject of whether illegal immigrants should be able to obtain driver's licenses. Obama supports doing so while Clinton initially supported it and now opposes it.
"Senator Clinton gave a number of different answers over the course of six weeks on this," Obama said, turning to Clinton. "Initially, you said you were for it, then you said you were against it." He said he was raising her apparent wavering to underscore that it is "a difficult political issue."
Clinton called the controversy "a diversion" from efforts to come up with comprehensive immigration reform. "I sponsored immigration reform before Barack came to the Senate," she said.
Obama argued for his candidacy, saying, "I respect Senator Clinton's record. I think it's a terrific record. But I also believe that the skills that I have are the ones that are needed right now to move the country forward, otherwise I wouldn't be running for president."
The two also reached out quickly to backers of former rival John Edwards, both praising his efforts in their opening statements.
Obama called Edwards "a voice for this party and this country for many years to come." Clinton saluted both Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, as setting "their personal example of courage and leadership" in their advocacy for the poor.
Moments during the debate when the two candidates praised each other were mixed with pointed jabs.
Obama pressed his theme that he is the candidate of change. Clinton said "having the first woman president would be a huge change."
She also drew rounds of laughter in the Kodak Theatre — home of the Academy Awards — when asked about the Bush-Clinton family control of the White House for decades. "It did take a Clinton to clean after the first Bush and I think it might take another one to clean up after the second Bush," she said.
Befitting a Hollywood audience, among the stars in the crowd were Diane Keaton, Jason Alexander, Pierce Brosnan, Rob Reiner and Stevie Wonder.
Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, speaks as Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., looks on during a Democratic presidential debate in Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
shudder
Why not modify your title to include Obama’s support for driver’s licenses for illegals? I didn’t know he was tone deaf enough not to have backed away from that after the way it helped Spitzer.
Obama turns out to be tougher on illegal immigration than McCain, according to what he said in the debate......
"If y'all would turn your backs for two minutes, I could get my hands around her throat like this...See?"
It’s interesting that we’re so often focused on the Democrat campaigns now. It’s all about America’s ex-wife and mother-in-law and whether or not her side in both parties will win.
The “debate” was nothing but a nauseating spectacle.
U.S. politics reduced to empty sophistry and theatre.
Everytime Hillary is standing in front of a crowd while on stage, there is at least one time she gets a surprised look on her face and points/waves to somebody. Does she have that many long lost friends who show up unexpectedly?
Was Stevie singing "Ebony and Ivory", "Uptight (Everything is Alright)", or "I Was Made to Love Her"?
even with being for driver’s licenses?
It was a regular liberal love fest.
They were both running against Bush and had complinetary comments about John McCain and each other.
Anyone who supports that should be put in jail for complicity in breaking the law.
Went out for dinner and caught the tail end for a couple minutes, saw some of it replayed, they beat the heck out of bush and hillary was gung ho with her 60 days and we pull out troops, a brigade or two a month.. she’s scary.
Obama was very specific and strict in his vision of how illegal immigration should handled, and I don’t think the illegals want to go through what he is requiring to become legal. Not to mention he also brought up the issue of securing the border and holding businesses responsible for hiring illegals. He is not for drivers licenses until the requirements are fulfilled according to what he said tonight.
I’m not a Obama fan though, I think Romney has the best immigration plan of the candidates remaining.
***even with being for driver’s licenses?***
There’s your Democrat ticket. The scenes where they kiss and make up at the convention will be nauseating.
It's up, and it doesn't sound real tough or different from McCain, with whom he said he worked.
"I did it when I was in the state legislature, sponsoring the Illinois version of the DREAM Act, so that children who were brought here through no fault of their own are able to go to college, because we actually want well-educated kids in our country..." (this was Huckabee's position also.)
nothing about the Z-visas that seem to trump all the provisions about going back and going to the end of the line. Certainly nothing about the fence.
you know Hillary will never take VP, and she’ll be young enough to run against a Republican incumbent in ‘12. There may be some serious undermining of Obama yet.
I posted this comment on the debate thread. I am not sure what Hillary was doing on that stage with Barak Obama, but whatever, it was it came as close to having a sexual experience with man as she has in decades.
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