What is a real debate?
In an interview with News10.net's Christina Mendonsa (Sacramento, CA), George Stephanopoulos said of his purpose this morning: "What I'm really gonna to try to do is to get these candidates to really debate.  We've seen a few presidential debates this cycle already, but they've been more like game shows or question and answer sessions rather than real debates."  

The adjective "real" inserted before "debate" is one way for debate promoters to distinguish their event from the rest of the field.  We'll have more (much more) to say about this one later.

What is a fatal mistake?

This morning's co-questioner, David Yepsen, of the Des Moines Register, offered this nugget which ran in an AP story posted at the ABC 30/KFSN-TV Fresno website:

"I mean there's always a danger in any debate that somebody makes a major gaffe. I think that's one of the things I watch for does somebody make a mistake, a fatal mistake."

While the possibility of a gaffe or "fatal mistake" is one that is likely to keep viewers tuned in till the end of the debate, they rarely happen in this sort of event.  

Earmarks and Bridges

Yesterday, while stumping in Iowa, McCain argued that Congress, specifically congressional earmarks like the $48 million set aside for an indoor rainforest in Pella, IA, were partially responsible for the I35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis.  The story, by Tom Witosky is in this morning's Des Moines Register.

That's one of those "hard calls" that is uniquely suited to McCain - it will play well among Iowans (at least those who don't care to visit an indoor rainforest) who believe the GOP has betrayed the fiscal conservative wing of the party.

Setting the Table and Picking Your Audience

Thomas Beaumont sets the table for this morning's debate with a story that examines the mood of the electorate in Iowa.  So who is the real audience for this debate?  It's a tough one for debate prep rooms.   On the one hand, it's a national audience given the wall-to-wall coverage on ABC.  On the other hand, its very, very local.  With an all important Republican straw-poll coming up in a week, the stakes couldn't be higher for some candidates.  Fare poorly and history says its time to start packing it in.  

New Polling Data

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll out this morning in advance of the debate demonstrates that the Iowans are not satisfied with the choices they'll see on the stage this morning.  Thompson (and Gingrich) therefore become part of the story despite the fact that neither is in Des Moines.