The New Hampshire Debates: 1/5/08

Some thoughts while the debate goes on...

In the Spin Room: Apparently, Hillary Clinton's campaign says she had a very strong night. That's not spinning, that's lying.

10:38pm: Admittedly, I am an Edwards supporter, but I have seen dozens of debates in the past 25 years and in my opinion and that of friends watching with me, John Edwards won this debate, clear and away.

10:32pm: Bill Richardson shows a fantastic sense of humor when he regrets naming Byron "Whizzer" White as his favorite supreme court justice.

10:21pm: I have to say, Obama really drives me nuts with his equivocating and "self-help" speech. He's so vague, half the time.

10:13pm: Obama dodges question about the watering down of his ban on lobbyists paying for meals.

10:10PM: Edwards is sounding and looking more presidential than he has in many debates.

9:54pm: Break time. I'd like to take this time out to ask....Does anyone think it's weird that in less than four years after its founding in February of 2004, Facebook is the co-sponsor of an important presidential debate?

9:51pm: Oh, how wrong I was about Bill. Yes, he's cuddly, but yes, he's presidential.

9:46pm: Obama on Iraq: "We should be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in." Great quote.

9:34pm: Obama and Edwards are putting Hillary on the defensive. Edwards is totally pushing Hillary back into the status quo pile. She's really sounding shrill and defensive.

9:27pm: Obama avoids health care mandates by claiming that when he goes into his town meetings, he doesn't see people who are avoiding paying for health care he sees people who want it but can't afford it, but I say that's only because those who can afford it but choose not to are likely not Obama supporters.

9:21pm: So far, this is a much more sedate and polite debate. Dare I say, boring? Maybe it's her placement on the stage, but Hillary seems like an afterthought.

9:18pm: Charlie Gibson scares the shit out of us by threatening us with a nuclear weapon attack in a US city. Note to self, "Move to small town."

9:15pm: Good point, Bill! We backed the Shah and it bit us in the ass. Richardson's a good man, but he's got the Q rating of a teddy bear. Good ol' cuddly Bill! But presidential? Nope.

9:14pm: Hillary lost me. Why is she getting into specifics about what happens if we launch missiles into Pakistan.

9:11pm: Wow. Bill Richardson just said he'd ask Musharraf to "temporarily" step aside. Bold call.

9:03pm: And they're off!

9:00pm: he Dems are about to start.

8:41pm: The GOP debate is over and IMHO, John McCain won. Mitt Romney looked like a complete stiff. The rest of the candidates really don't like Romney! The photo op with the democrats was a rather interesting and historic moment.

8:26pm: Mitt Romney for the umpteenth time is ragged on by McCain ("Governor Romney, you are indeed the candidate for change," referring to Romney's flip flopping on issues) and others. Mitt really has a thin skin and no sense of humor. He can't give or take!

8:25pm: Fred Thompson names the NEA and a "liberal interest group" whose policies Obama has adopted. Ooooh, scary! The National Endowment of the Arts!

8:20pm: These people are talking about building a fucking border fence, for god's sake! That's absolutely crazy.

8:14pm: Mitt Romney has the sense of humor of a lump of coal.

8:12pm Regarding illegal immigration, do these people who are against amnesty or a permanent residency program have an idea who might clean their homes, care for their children, pick their fruits and cook their foods? Illegal immigration is a red herring. It's not an issue. Every developed country in the world has a very important segment of their economy that runs on ilegal immigration.

John McCain just said that big pharmaceutical companies are the bad guys!

Ron Paul is a phony. All these young people giving him money and he's a) Pro-life, b) is against any amnesty or citizenship path for illegal immigrants and is in favor of a border fence, c) is against same-sex marriage but believes it's a state issue (like abortion, read: cop out) and d) supports extending Bush's tax cuts through 2010 and supports eliminating income tax. Sounds crazy to me. He's like Jerry Brown with a cheaper suit.