Clinton/Obama Debate. Who will be watching?

[pinkies up]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

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

I like the way he said Pakistan.

I'm an Obama girl. Hillary just left me with all of the bipolar symptoms she's been displaying. At times she was looking at Obama like she wanted to slap the ish out of him. And the SNL crack was simply unprofessional. Why whine about who gets the first question??? (and she's supposed to be ready on day one...)

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by 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.

And hysterical.

Not like ha-ha, but like cuckoo and irrational.

But hey, whatever floats your boat.

[Kappamd]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

And hysterical.

Not like ha-ha, but like cuckoo and irrational.

But hey, whatever floats your boat.

Lol. I completely agree.

I haven't seen any of the other debates, so I don't know if she is normally as wound-up and obnoxious as she was last night, but I thought she was hysterical. (I think Brian Williams thought so too).

She needs to take a chill pill if she wants people to take her seriously.

[EE-BO]

Senusret,

What I don't get is why he does not get more specific. I think if he did then it would be much easier for him to walk away with this. The man is not an idiot. Even before Bill left office the world knew Hillary would be back. His success in this primary is enormous because he is beating the ultimate heir apparent of the opposing side at a time when an incumbent President is not even popular within his own party.

But then again, he is doing very well so maybe this is a good strategy. I don't like it since I think voters should expect leaders who are intelligent and get into specifics- but many a campaign has been lost on a specific position that gets torn to pieces in debates. And maybe I expect too much of the average voter

It is my automatic assumption that his lack of specific and pragmatic debate points indicates he is not prepared to lead- and that is a safe and reasonable assumption about such an important job. But maybe he is ready. I just don't know.

[preciousjeni]

Originally Posted by EE-BO

Senusret,

What I don't get is why he does not get more specific. I think if he did then it would be much easier for him to walk away with this. The man is not an idiot. Even before Bill left office the world knew Hillary would be back. His success in this primary is enormous because he is beating the ultimate heir apparent of the opposing side at a time when an incumbent President is not even popular within his own party.

But then again, he is doing very well so maybe this is a good strategy. I don't like it since I think voters should expect leaders who are intelligent and get into specifics- but many a campaign has been lost on a specific position that gets torn to pieces in debates. And maybe I expect too much of the average voter

It is my automatic assumption that his lack of specific and pragmatic debate points indicates he is not prepared to lead- and that is a safe and reasonable assumption about such an important job. But maybe he is ready. I just don't know.

I don't get where you don't get that he has been specific. His biggest problem in getting to specifics is that he agrees so much with Clinton. They bounce back and forth with "specifics" and end up supporting each other. Clinton has stopped harping on the issue of specifics (because it is no longer an issue) and has taken to challenging Obama on experience.

Did you witness the argument during tonight's debate about health insurance? It took up a large portion of the early part of the debate. BOTH candidates addressed the specifics of each other's plans as well as promoting their own.

[tinydancer16]

I don't know if this was just me, but I felt like Hillary really embarrassed herself tonight. While the content of her debate was good, it was overshadowed by her range of emotions being splayed clearly across her face every time she was displeased or every time that she came up with a counter point while Obama was talking and felt like she was going to be able to "stick it to him," if you will. That, coupled with her veritable hissy fit over the unfairness of her having each question first, I thought, made her look like a first class baby. I wanted to just shake her and say "Honey you're playing in the big leagues now, step up your game...and while you're at it grab yourself some big-girl panties!"
Overall I really thought that Obama handled himself with much more decorum, professionalism and class -all things I value highly in as prominent a figure as they're vying to be, especially considering the last eight years.

[EE-BO]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

I don't get where you don't get that he has been specific. His biggest problem in getting to specifics is that he agrees so much with Clinton. They bounce back and forth with "specifics" and end up supporting each other. Clinton has stopped harping on the issue of specifics (because it is no longer an issue) and has taken to challenging Obama on experience.

Did you witness the argument during tonight's debate about health insurance? It took up a large portion of the early part of the debate. BOTH candidates addressed the specifics of each other's plans as well as promoting their own.

I saw it. I heard a lot of claims about who was going to get benefits- but Obama offered nothing substantive about how it would get done and be universal as advertised.

I think national health care would be a disaster, so I am not in favor of any of this- but in a cold analysis of their stated positions to date Hillary is the one who is laying out just how something like this has to be done if you really want to cover everybody.

I could write pages on this, but the question at hand is whether Obama has provided specifics at a high level on how his plan could be made to work- and I have yet to see any of that. He is very good at talking about who he will help and making assumptions about human nature (like the idiotic idea that "everyone" will want to buy national coverage since it is cheaper than private), but this is real life and the most powerful job in the world. It is disrespectful of the job for Obama to be so vague and lacking in substance on issues like this which have a powerful impact on many Americans.

FWIW- Obama is coming back to Austin tomorrow to give a speech which is being billed as a substantive discussion of his economic plan.

This suggests I am not alone in thinking that many voters are concerned about his promises and whether they can really be brought to actual policy.

Back to the big picture, I am waiting to see if some Obama scandal comes out Sunday on the talk shows or Monday morning. Tuesday is make or break for Hillary and there are many reasons Republicans might prefer to run against her versus Obama.

Right before the really key set of primaries is the perfect time for a little mudslinging and I really think something is going to happen along those lines.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by EE-BO

Back to the big picture, I am waiting to see if some Obama scandal comes out Sunday on the talk shows or Monday morning. Tuesday is make or break for Hillary and there are many reasons Republicans might prefer to run against her versus Obama.

Right before the really key set of primaries is the perfect time for a little mudslinging and I really think something is going to happen along those lines.

The Rezko trial is a possibility of something, although I'm doubting anything is there that could hurt Obama badly. Our favorite Illinois governor has just been named as "Public Official A" though so that leaves Obama out of the running for that particular slot.