Debate! Debate! 3

Obama maneuvers past Charlie Rangel. Edwards puts anti-poverty at the top of his list of goals and folds black America into his cause. Clinton reminds people she has 35 years of experience (i.e., I'm a late-term baby boomer ladies!).

Clinton talking about poverty. Falling asleep...

Here comes Obama, talking about the kids he met working in the projects as a young man. Biography is his strength. He needs to draw from that well much more often in these debates. Don't tell me why something is important to understand, make me understand it.

Obama pivots to the unity message and then slyly marginalizes Edwards. May be a smart tactic, but it was a little passive-aggressive.

Obama answering whether Bill Clinton was the first black president is a weird moment in history. I'll have to think about it for a bit. I'm not sure Obama's self-deprecation is the best tactic.

Clinton knows how to pick a moment; Obama is now trying to pick his. He knows he's running in South Carolina. That's his audience. Clinton is still running a national campaign.

Edwards playing the white male liberal. Time to speak up John... There he goes and, well, an OK job, but he needs a soaring message, not just a smart one. What would happen if we bred Edwards and Obama?