Well in the preview to the debate all the commentators agree that the debate should focus on the economy, unemployment, the stock market etc.  It would be nice if the questions really were about those topics for an in-depth discussion.

I see the candidates will be standing behind podiums, despite the fact that the format of sitting around a table in the last debate got rave reviews.  

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 08:05:21 PM EST

Solid start from Clinton on the economy going through her plan to stimulate the economy.  She attacks the President's plan.  Good, extensive detail.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 08:11:18 PM EST

Obama also focuses on the President at first, and then makes a reference to part of South Carolina specifically.

He then compares his record to Clinton's saying she is copying his approach on tax rebates.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 08:13:17 PM EST

Edwards makes it 3-for-3 in candidates addressing MLK and the relationship to the economy.

Edwards attacks the President's stimulus package for leaving out Americans who don't pay income taxes.  

He differentiates his policy by saying he supports green infrastructure.  Good differentiation.  He also brings up the Peru FTA as a jobs issue for South Carolina.  

He then says he supports unemployment insurance, aid to the states and mortgage relief when pressed on how he would solve in the short term.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 08:16:24 PM EST

Criticizes Edwards for not having sufficient short term policies in his stimulus.  

Addresses the trade issue by first taking a shot at Clinton about her support for NAFTA and then shifts to talk about Edwards support for the China trade deal.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 08:17:58 PM EST

Calls on the President to hold a summit on the economy.  Bush has provided "too little too late".

She gives an example of green-collar jobs, makes a reference for evidence to a program in California.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 08:19:31 PM EST

Wow.  Wolf should have let them continue.  Clinton ends with slumlord linkage in response to corporate interest linkage.

Edwards does a nice job distancing himself from both and is fairly eloquent at linking class and race.

by Tim ODonnell on 01/21/2008 08:38:19 PM EST

Both Obama and Clinton look terrible squabbling and Edwards had just the right tone as "the third candidate".   He also had an excellent answer about the historical legacy of racism and the effect that has on lending.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 08:43:15 PM EST

by Tim ODonnell on 01/21/2008 08:43:36 PM EST

Hillary overplays her hand.  Just when Obama started to look bad about the 30% amendment on the interest rate cap (including being questioned by Edwards) she continues with mudslinging.  

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 08:45:30 PM EST

In a huge turn of events Edwards is blasting Obama out of the water on the "present" votes.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 08:48:15 PM EST

This kind of debate hurts Obama the most. He'll have a hard time convincing people that he is a different kind of "post-political" candidate when he acts just like the rest of them.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 08:49:25 PM EST

In the New Hampshire debate many people thought that Clinton received some sympathy for being ganged up on by Obama and Edwards.  

Will this debate make Obama look like a similar victim of being ganged up on?

One reason it may not work that way is that he has been the first and most aggressive attacker in this debate - repeatedly attacking Clinton and her husband.  

Obama looks thin-skinned and not able to take a punch somewhat.  If he can't take this attack, how will he do in the general campaign or when he is President?

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 08:53:02 PM EST

...on health care universality.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 08:56:00 PM EST

Since the dust up with Edwards and Clinton, he has seemed less forceful and focused.  It makes him seem like he can't take a punch.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 08:57:38 PM EST

What is the virtue of NOT mandating coverage for all?  He doesn't do a good job of speaking to the virtues of his plan.

by Tim ODonnell on 01/21/2008 09:00:57 PM EST

Both Edwards and Clinton tearing Obama apart on health insurance coverage.  Obama is definitely off his game - both substantively and in impression.

Clinton has a great answer about her commitment to the issue of health care, and universiality.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 09:01:02 PM EST

Lucky for Clinton she got to answer the Iraq question first.  

Each of them would have made the argument that the threat to withdraw puts the Iraqi government on notice and has caused the progress in political reconciliation.  She'll get credit for it this way.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 09:06:03 PM EST

Obama seems to not have a good answer to questions that Hillary or Edwards drop on him. Both health care and Iraq got changed on him right before he was about to speak.

This almost seems an intentional move by both of them.

he has got to really win questions that open with him or this is going to be a long debate for Obama...

by MikeMaffie on 01/21/2008 09:10:47 PM EST

The break came about 15 minutes too late for Obama who seemed really off his game after the attack from Edwards. The problem in this for Obama is that it makes him look like he can't take an attack, which means he won't be strong in standing up to Republican opposition.  

Clinton, after struggling in the middle of the first segment, including being booed, found her stride again on health care and Iraq.

Edwards has been the clear winner of this debate so far.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 09:12:49 PM EST

As someone who has been highly critical of the media questions in previous debates, I have to be very complimentary of the focus of the questions in this debate.  Economy, health care and Iraq - allowing the candidates to go in-depth on them - have allowed the debaters to make some important comparisons.

When the debates have veered off into negative politics it has been because of the candidates, not the media.  

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 09:15:34 PM EST

Feels good, but not best for the country.  

But he did well answering it.

by Tim ODonnell on 01/21/2008 09:21:16 PM EST

Edwards is (again) good on this question.  He's done better than any candidate at invoking the spirit of the day and demonstrating its connection to his candidacy.

by Tim ODonnell on 01/21/2008 09:23:39 PM EST

Have pretty good personal narratives about their commitment to reducing poverty.

 

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 09:26:41 PM EST

for Obama.  I'm surprised he's the only one really doing it in this debate.  That has been Clinton's strength in previous debates.  I'm not sure she's mentioned SC once tonight.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 09:27:47 PM EST

He has the best stories, life experience (being raised in poverty), and life work on that topic.  

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 09:30:23 PM EST

He's even likeable.

His nonverbals when Obama was answering the race question and said this race between a "woman, an African American, and John" was classic (and the camera captured it well).

by Tim ODonnell on 01/21/2008 09:30:28 PM EST

...for Obama to kiss up to Bill Clinton after he took so many shots at him earlier, including basically calling him a liar.  

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 09:33:08 PM EST

They are really hitting him hard with symbolic representatives of the black community.  

That's unfair.  

Best line of the night "I'd have to see his (Bill Clinton's) dancing abilities before I assess whether or not he is a brother."

by Tim ODonnell on 01/21/2008 09:33:31 PM EST

...to not use her answer talking about the color of her husband's skin.

She is, instead, padding her MLK credentials and basically going meta on the debate.  Even though we fight, we are all working together - trying to capture Obama's unity theme.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 09:35:10 PM EST

Totally change the argumentative trajectory.

by Tim ODonnell on 01/21/2008 09:36:23 PM EST

Unifying and credibility enhancing.

by Tim ODonnell on 01/21/2008 09:38:35 PM EST

HRC: The two fer your vote is implicit here.

by Tim ODonnell on 01/21/2008 09:42:14 PM EST

Her answer is pretty solid on the role of her husband.  Her reference to the spouses of the other candidates personalizes it.

She quickly moves on to more broad themes - the first time using "ready on day one" (1 hour and 40 minutes into the debate) and can effectively achieve change.

I'm surprised Obama took the time to attack Bill Clinton again.  He does much better making his electability and broadening the party arguments.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 09:44:48 PM EST

argument.  

Although seriously, are Democrats really going to campaign in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama?  I'd settle for winning Ohio.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 09:47:35 PM EST

Edwards answer can only help Obama (enthymeme is Clinton is unelectable) unless you think he (Edwards) can come back.  

by Tim ODonnell on 01/21/2008 09:47:53 PM EST

After noting the dramatic and extremely predictable difference between the first and second parts of the debate - that sitting down minimizes the head-to-head battling - one has to wonder why anyone would use the first format at all.

Obvious answer - money talks.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 09:50:10 PM EST

Pretty good exchange on lobbyists.  Clinton makes a strong case against Edwards taking money from spouses, children, clients of lobbyists.  She kind of misses on the trial lawyers issue.  Edwards has a good response on that.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 09:58:31 PM EST

This debate will help Obama in South Carolina - I think he'll benefit from being attacked, and Black voters will respond to him favorably.  Edwards should also get a bump in South Carolina, and that will probably come at the expense of Clinton.

On the other hand, I think nationally this debate will hurt Obama.  He seemed very weak during the middle of the debate when he was being attacked and lackluster in much of the rest of the debate.  

If Edwards was competitive nationally, this debate would help him, but I'm not really sure his excellent performance in this debate comes in time.

For the most part Clinton was solid, had some flourishes of excellent moments, particularly on health care.

Steve Mancuso

by SPMinOHIO on 01/21/2008 10:04:55 PM EST