GOP candidates shown shaking hands with Dem candidates as the former leave and the latter enter. Audience gives sustained applause.
GOP version of this proved candidates can and will mix it up when left to own devices but less so when moderator asks them to do so. Romney was clobbered.
Join me in the comments for play by play . . .
Use the comments (register for free if you have not already) to add to this liveblog of commentary on the tonight's debate from Manchester, New Hampshire.
We'll have a separate liveblog posted right after this one for the Democratic candidates debate that follows.
Update [2008-1-5 18:51:5 by Ross Smith]: Liveblogs of tonight's debates are in the two posts just below. Join me there.
Just three days until the pivotal primary in New Hampshire two debates on ABC tonight and one on FOX News tomorrow night may play a role in the outcome.
The double header on ABC begins with the GOP (Giuliani, Huckabee, McCain, Paul, Romney, Thompson) at 7 pm ET for 90 minutes followed just as quickly as they can rotate audiences by the Democrats (Clinton, Edwards, Obama, Richardson). These debates can also be seen at co-sponsor WMUR's website.
The FOX News debate, best known so far for its exclusion of Ron Paul, will air at 8pm ET Sunday night and will be replayed on FOX News at 11 pm.
Click "Read more" for a complete preview, including discussion of the participation criteria, formats, and speculation about the course the debates will take and the effect they may (or may not) have.
There will be no Thompsons among the eight GOP presidential hopefuls as they take the stage for the 90 minute debate from The University of New Hampshire broadcast on FOX News this evening at 9:00 p.m., moderated by Britt Hume.
Tommy Thompson dropped out of the race a little more than a week after the last debate held in Des Moines. Ames straw poll results the week after that debate ratified the judgments of his debate performances.
Fred Thompson just got into the race. Or did he? He set up an "exploratory committee" months ago, his name has been included in polls for months, and his absence was noted as long ago as the first of these debates back in May.
Does participation matter? Will Fred be hurt by not participating? There is a debate about this question.
Join us in the comments section here as we catalog our reaction to tonight's debate.
You do have to be a registered user and log in, but it is free.
As an addendum to the preview thread let me predict here and now that Wolf wastes time on evolution since Brownback felt compelled to do a NYT op-ed after the earlier debates. Science issues are good. Evolution is just one more proxy for abortion, stem cells, and GLBT.
And in the least surprising development in debate coverage history, Lou Dobbs is beating the amnesty angst drum in the CNN lead in show.
And now for the debate . . .
Update [2007-6-5 18:59:35 by Ross Smith]: Just in the nick of time Dodd's campaign folks pass along a talk clock for this debate!
Ten Republican presidential candidates will take the same stage at Saint Anselm College occupied by the eight Democratic contenders two nights ago. The hosts, CNN, The Union Leader, and WMUR remain the same, as will the moderator, Wolf Blitzer.
But the similarities should end there. The Republicans are much more divided this cycle on core issues of interest to their base than are the Democrats. Immigration is the paradigm case. The race is nowhere near as settled -- the Dems have a clear top tier and a lone front runner while much of the biggest news will be about a Republican candidate, Fred Thompson, who is not even in the debate and while polls are all over the place with regard to Thompson, Giuliani, Romney, and McCain. Read more about what to expect from tonight's debate. . . .
Update [2007-6-5 17:56:31 by Ross Smith]: Should have listed time, 7-9pm EDT, and that it will be on CNN nationally, WMUR TV in New Hampshire and that both of those outlets have streaming video at their websites.
Here is the "best of" useful and information about last night's Democratic presidential primary debate.
Included below are links to the transcript, video clips, the campaigns' press releases (they all won), blog and press takes, and much, much more.
Click "Read more . . . " enjoy, and please help by adding your info, links or remarks in the comments.
Following the Democratic primary debate from St. Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH Larry King led the parade of CNN program hosts "analyzing" the debate. There were some strong moments in their coverage, but . . . .
The hermetically sealed system of debate coverage witnessed in the MSNBC debate last month happened with CNN coverage as well. Throughout the two hours of post debate coverage the network's talent (show hosts) provided the analysis from "from our own crack team of political observers, the best political team on television." Naturally one understands self promotion, but elevating their coverage uniquely insightful creates a closed interpretive system.
Immediately after the debate Larry King interviewed several candidates and asked each if Wolf Blitzer did a good job as moderator. Each was "forced" to say that they like the format and the Wolfe had a hard job. Then King talked with Blitzer, as part of his panel of experts, and told him on several occasions that the all the candidates reported he did a "great job." The circle was complete, self congratulation with CNN as the primary actor in this passion play.
Join me in commenting on the debate tonight as it unfolds . . .
Eight Democratic presidential candidates debate tonight at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire from 7 to 9 p.m. The debate can be seen on CNN, WMUR, and the websites of these, the co-sponsors of the debate along with the New Hampshire Union Leader.
Read below the fold for pre-debate notes and analysis, and come back soon for live-blogging and post-debate analysis.
The Presidential Cycle continues to move up. Everyone is getting on board and debates are scheduled even as many candidates are still considering entry. Two of the recent debate events have been cancelled with the "Major" candidate passing on participation.
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- Organizers of back-to-back Republican and Democratic debates in the first-in-the-nation primary state have moved them from April to June to accommodate candidates' schedules.
Several of the top-tier White House hopefuls had decided to skip the debates, originally scheduled for April 4 and 5, citing schedule conflicts or trips to Iraq.
Those who are barely registering in the polls, however, had said they would show up next month -- even if they're all alone on stage.
The WMUR-TV-New Hampshire Union Leader-CNN debates are now set to air nationally during the first week of June. Exact dates weren't announced.
Some top candidates were staying away from the April debates, recognizing a potential gaffe could plague them for the 10 months before New Hampshire voters cast their ballots. Others said simply appearing beside thus-far-non-factor candidates only elevates them.
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LAS VEGAS (AP) -- The Nevada Democratic Party has canceled an August debate that was to be co-hosted by Fox News Channel, citing comments by the network's president rather than an online protest launched by activists and bloggers who believe the channel is biased.
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