Clinton/Obama Debate. Who will be watching?

[Benzgirl]

This actually got third billing on the evening news.
http://www.csuohio.edu/debate08/

1. Weather: Cleveland is burried under snow
2. Former Police Officer awaiting sentence for killing his girlfriend and unborn daughter
3. The Debate

[nittanyalum]

I will, although I'm not going to lie, I'll be flipping back and forth between it & American Idol. 'Cause my priorities are all in order and whatnot.

[Kevin]

Gosh yes.. I need another debate to make up my mind.

In the history of primaries, have there ever been so many debates?

[Drolefille]

In the history of primaries, have there ever been so many debates?

Dunno, but I'm glad there aren't two more like Clinton wanted.

[pinkies up]

I like both of them, but Hillary is living up to every stereotype regarding a woman president and their "emotions". She lets her anger show. She needs to be cool.

Obama, like the way you're answering and holding your own. No talks about hope tonight-it's all answers.

Mcain- somewhere asleep. You know he can't stay awake past 6:30.

[shinerbock]

No, there isn't much excitement about McCain. He's not exactly a young people candidate. I think you saw a lot more of that with Mitt, for example.

But young people lean left anyway, and a "change" person like Obama is going to do exceptionally well.

[Benzgirl]

Oh, but AI is on at 8:00 Eastern and the debate at 9:00.
We discussed at work how there couldn't be a conflict between AI and the Debate. What would the world come to????

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by Benzgirl

Oh, but AI is on at 8:00 Eastern and the debate at 9:00.
We discussed at work how there couldn't be a conflict between AI and the Debate. What would the world come to????

Oh, alright then! Better! I expected it to start at 8. I'll probably watch it, then. As long as I can stand it, anyway. If it turns into a slugfest, I'm out. The more they tear each other down, the more the dark side wins.

[Benzgirl]

I have been watching the pre-debate coverage and noticed a huge contingent of young voters. Do the republicans have such a following of young voters or are Republican and Young Votors an oxymoron?

[shinerbock]

Originally Posted by Benzgirl

I have been watching the pre-debate coverage and noticed a huge contingent of young voters. Do the republicans have such a following of young voters or are Republican and Young Votors an oxymoron?

I'm a young republican voter. We're certainly out there, but we're in the minority at most places. The exception being traditional SEC type schools, where it is actually cool to be a Republican (though I assure you Obama is doing better than Kerry did).

I won't be watching the debate.

[Benzgirl]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

I'm a young republican voter. We're certainly out there, but we're in the minority at most places. The exception being traditional SEC type schools, where it is actually cool to be a Republican (though I assure you Obama is doing better than Kerry did).

But, how much excitement is there for McCain? All I see on TV are Senior Citizens waving the GOP signs.
I agree that Obama is doing better than Kerry, but I think a lot of that is because Kerry didn't fit the democratic profile (even though his very wealthy wife was married to a democrat prior to him). Don't get me wrong, I liked Kerry and voted for Kerry, but I do see Obama appealing to the masses moreso.

[nittanyalum]

I like Hillary.

I am confident either can do the job, but I just can't get "jazzed" about Obama like so many others for some reason that I just can't put my finger on. I don't doubt he could handle the job. Though I do think he'd have a steeper learning/adjustment curve.

I like Hillary. I like her strength. I like her smarts. I like that she's a Mom. I like the idea of the difference we might see out of our government under a (smart, strong) female administration. Women think differently, communicate differently, approach issues differently. It's time things are done differently.

I like Hillary.

[EE-BO]

I watched the debate. And I think Hillary won again, as I think she did in Austin. I have followed her career and even seen her speak live before- and Austin was one of her best nights ever.

Tonight was more low key and serious and I think she fared better than Obama because of it. She is much smarter, more pragmatic and more specific.

Obama stumbled several times- as he did in Austin- and as usual I really have no clear idea of how he is going to achieve what he promises.

Plus he just made a lot of stupid and sweeping statements. He actually at one point made reference to Exxon's profits last quarter and said Exxon would not let go of those profits easily. As if he has the right to just take profit from a private company?! This is Hugo Chavez talk. Where are the Obamas when oil prices are low and oil companies are losing money? How about the millions of US citizens who make good livings in the oil industry? Do they not count like the auto industry workers Obama is so desperate to court?

Sadly, this will not matter. I still think Ohio and Texas are toss-ups, but those who have already drunk Obama's Kool-Aid are not likely to focus on the subtle nuances of how he has presented himself in these last 2 debates as compared to Hillary in terms of substantive commentary.

To be fair, I don't think Obama is an idiot- far from it. I just fear his Kennedy-like approach to campaigning- especially since he is, like Dan Quayle, no Jack Kennedy.

Kennedy was one of the worst Presidents of all time from a foreign policy perspective with the Bay of Pigs incident and how he initiated our involvement in Vietnam- a good idea, but not executed with a strategy to win definitively.

That said Kennedy was brilliant on social issues- easily the greatest President of all time along with LBJ in that arena. And on that score I do not see Obama with the same degree of vision to execute policy like Kennedy did- nor is there the same degree of need now that there was back then. It is not an equal world- and it never will be- but we are certainly at a point where it is not as critical on the priority list as it has been in the past.

At a time when this nation is financially suffering under the burden of social entitlements and amid a very tense international situation that was inevitable- I don't think this is the time for an Obama Presidency, assuming there is ever a time for him.

[preciousjeni]

I laughed out loud at Obama's response about bombing Pakistan. I think they both did well and both stumbled in places.

[jon1856]

I wanted to watch it but:
1) I just found out that my FIOS does not carry MSNBC
2) And it seems as if the MSNBC web coverage was over-loaded.