Last question is on education.
Obama: More to do with out economic and national security than any other issue. More accountability, more teachers, higher pay, parent involvement, affordable college.
McCain: Civil rights issue of the 21st century. More competition. School choice. Improve student loan system.
Should federal government get involved?
Obama: Local control but more federal involvement. "No Child Left Behind" left the money behind. More early childhood education and higher salaries in exchange for accountability. More charter schools. Opposes vouchers.
McCain: Aggressively pushes vouchers, using Washington, DC as an example. Says Head Start needs more transparency and reform... and we'll find the cause of autism.
Closing statements.
McCain: America needs a new direction. Can't do what we did the last 8 years. I have a record of reform. I've been a careful steward of your tax dollars. Have to stop the spending that mortgaged your children's futures. Spent entire life in service to the nation.
Obama: The policies of the last 8 years and Washington's unwillingness to tackle tough problems has put us in bad situation. Can't risk continuing the same failed policies and politics and expect a different result. Fundamental change is needed. Won't be easy or quick. Need spirit of sacrifice and responsibility.
Showing posts with label debate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label debate. Show all posts
Oct 15, 2008
Debate! Debate! 3
On to dependence on foreign oil.
McCain: We can eliminate our dependence on oil from the Middle East and Venezuela. Canadian oil is A-OK...within 7 to 8 years. More renewables and nuclear. Calls Obama an "extreme environmentalist" and naive on Nafta.
Obama: Ten years is realistic to get off foreign oil. More domestic drilling, but can't drill our way out of problem. Have to have more renewables, more efficient American-made cars. Advocate for American workers in trade agreements.
McCain goes after Obama for failing to understand Colombia's benefit to the U.S. Is there a big pro-Colombian vote out there? Obama brings it back to automanufacturers. McCain, in the last word, accuses Obama of being anti-free trade just like Hoover.
On to health care.
Obama calls it heartbreaking and then outlines his plan. McCain agrees and then outlines his plan. McCain revives Joe the plumber and says he'll be fined over mandates. Obama: Here's your fine, Joe: Zero. Some back and forth over Joe.
On to Supreme Court.
McCain says no litmus test on abortion, but doesn't really think a pro-Roe v. Wade jurist would meet his qualificiations. Then says Obama voted against Roberts and Breyer on ideological grounds (I think he means Roberts and Alito).
Obama says he wouldn't apply a strict litmus test either, but supports Roe v. Wade. Uses the Ledbetter case (equal pay for women) as a point of difference.
The two tussle over abortion in the classic Dem/Rep way.
McCain: We can eliminate our dependence on oil from the Middle East and Venezuela. Canadian oil is A-OK...within 7 to 8 years. More renewables and nuclear. Calls Obama an "extreme environmentalist" and naive on Nafta.
Obama: Ten years is realistic to get off foreign oil. More domestic drilling, but can't drill our way out of problem. Have to have more renewables, more efficient American-made cars. Advocate for American workers in trade agreements.
McCain goes after Obama for failing to understand Colombia's benefit to the U.S. Is there a big pro-Colombian vote out there? Obama brings it back to automanufacturers. McCain, in the last word, accuses Obama of being anti-free trade just like Hoover.
On to health care.
Obama calls it heartbreaking and then outlines his plan. McCain agrees and then outlines his plan. McCain revives Joe the plumber and says he'll be fined over mandates. Obama: Here's your fine, Joe: Zero. Some back and forth over Joe.
On to Supreme Court.
McCain says no litmus test on abortion, but doesn't really think a pro-Roe v. Wade jurist would meet his qualificiations. Then says Obama voted against Roberts and Breyer on ideological grounds (I think he means Roberts and Alito).
Obama says he wouldn't apply a strict litmus test either, but supports Roe v. Wade. Uses the Ledbetter case (equal pay for women) as a point of difference.
The two tussle over abortion in the classic Dem/Rep way.
Debate! Debate! 2
Now comes the question on campaign attacks. Are they willing to make the accusations their campaign have lodged to each others' faces?
McCain: "It's been a very tough campaign..." Brings up the town hall meetings proposal again as a reason he got "pretty tough." He then defends himself against the accusation by Congressman John Lewis and calls on Obama to apologize; then he hits Obama for flip-flopping on public financing.
Obama: "The American people are less interested in our hurt feelings..." Goes on to say the two camps should focus on the economy for the next three weeks.
Here comes Joe the plumber again...
Obama continues to keep turning the question on attacks back to the same point, that Americans want a different kind of debate. McCain agrees, but continues to lay out accusations, finally bringing up Ayers (I don't care about him, but we want to know about him!) and ACORN. Obama explains his relationships and then names the people he really relies on for advice. McCain once again presses ACORN and Ayers and then says his campaign is really about the economy.
How did the independents see that exchange?
On to the VP choices.
Obama" Biden fights for the little guy (is he dropping his "g"s on gerunds?) and will make a fine president if something "happens to me."
McCain: Palin a role-model to women and reformers all over America.... a reformer through and through...A freath of bresh air.
Obama doesn't criticize Palin but says special needs kids need more funding, which you can't do under a spending freeze. McCain criticizes Biden for "cockamamie" ideas about partitioning Iraq and then says Obama's answer to everything is more spending.
McCain: "It's been a very tough campaign..." Brings up the town hall meetings proposal again as a reason he got "pretty tough." He then defends himself against the accusation by Congressman John Lewis and calls on Obama to apologize; then he hits Obama for flip-flopping on public financing.
Obama: "The American people are less interested in our hurt feelings..." Goes on to say the two camps should focus on the economy for the next three weeks.
Here comes Joe the plumber again...
Obama continues to keep turning the question on attacks back to the same point, that Americans want a different kind of debate. McCain agrees, but continues to lay out accusations, finally bringing up Ayers (I don't care about him, but we want to know about him!) and ACORN. Obama explains his relationships and then names the people he really relies on for advice. McCain once again presses ACORN and Ayers and then says his campaign is really about the economy.
How did the independents see that exchange?
On to the VP choices.
Obama" Biden fights for the little guy (is he dropping his "g"s on gerunds?) and will make a fine president if something "happens to me."
McCain: Palin a role-model to women and reformers all over America.... a reformer through and through...A freath of bresh air.
Obama doesn't criticize Palin but says special needs kids need more funding, which you can't do under a spending freeze. McCain criticizes Biden for "cockamamie" ideas about partitioning Iraq and then says Obama's answer to everything is more spending.
Debate! Debate!
Last debate between Obama and McCain. Here we go...
McCain makes a point of making eye contact with Obama at the start before getting into his economic proposals. As he goes, he starts to channel Hillary Clinton in talking about mortgage relief to troubled homeowners. Obama sounds wonky as he tries to weave through his point.
McCain accuses Obama of wanting to raise taxes on Joe the plumber. Obama says Joe the plumber has been watching too many of McCain's commercials. McCain accuses Obama of waging class warfare and, in so many words, embracing wealth redistribution. (How many reporters are on the Internet right now trying to track down Joe the plumber?)
McCain reiterates his call for an across-the-board spending freeze and a line item veto, returns to his earmark attack against Obama. Obama tries to shift the conversation back to George Bush's economic record.
McCain: "Sen. Obama, I'm not President Bush..."
Obama: "When it comes to economic policies, essentially what you are proposing is eight more years of the same thing..."
And there you have the nut graf of the debate.
McCain makes a point of making eye contact with Obama at the start before getting into his economic proposals. As he goes, he starts to channel Hillary Clinton in talking about mortgage relief to troubled homeowners. Obama sounds wonky as he tries to weave through his point.
McCain accuses Obama of wanting to raise taxes on Joe the plumber. Obama says Joe the plumber has been watching too many of McCain's commercials. McCain accuses Obama of waging class warfare and, in so many words, embracing wealth redistribution. (How many reporters are on the Internet right now trying to track down Joe the plumber?)
McCain reiterates his call for an across-the-board spending freeze and a line item veto, returns to his earmark attack against Obama. Obama tries to shift the conversation back to George Bush's economic record.
McCain: "Sen. Obama, I'm not President Bush..."
Obama: "When it comes to economic policies, essentially what you are proposing is eight more years of the same thing..."
And there you have the nut graf of the debate.
Sep 27, 2008
going, think, now
The kids over at Indecision 2008 fed the transcript of last night's debate into the Wordle machine to see what kind of clouds would form. Obama's is more diverse, McCain's is more exact. Obama thinks, McCain knows.
Sep 26, 2008
Debate! Debate! 5
Onto Iran:
McCain first. Iran with nuclear weapons is a threat to Israel... "We cannot allow a second Holocaust." He brings up his League of Democracies proposal - "We could impose significant, meaningful, painful sanctions" that will affect Iranian behavior. In addition to nuclear, McCain says they are bringing in the most lethal IEDs into Iraq.
Obama says the war in Iraq is the single biggest reason Iran has become an immediate threat in the region. Says it's attempt to acquire nuclear weapons has accelerated since we invaded. Agrees we need tougher sanctions but also need to work with China and Russia - which aren't democracies. Also says we need to engage in tougher diplomacy with Iran.
No surprise that McCain rips into Obama, saying he would talk with nuts like Ahmadinejad and bring them legitimacy. References Reagan and says preconditions must be met... No surprise, Obama says Kissinger supports his ideas, says it is not like you'd be inviting over for tea. Uses North Korea as an example of where not talking does not work. Brings up McCain's weird assertion that he wouldn't meet with Spanish prime minister.
Back and forth and back and forth on what preconditions mean. McCain calls Obama's approach dangerous and naive. Obama says it's a nuanced way to engage our enemies that works better than simply isolating them.
Onto Russia:
Obama says we should offer some promise of NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine, but don't isolate because we have to deal with the potential for nuclear weapons falling into the wrong hands.
McCain once again calls Obama naive. Calls Russia a KGB-run government. Gets very fixated on Georgia, talks about the energy pipeline that plays a big role in the showdown there.
Obama links Russia's resurgence to America's use of oil and then hits McCain for not doing enough to get us off oil over the last 26 years.
Final question, what's the chance of another 9/11:
McCain: We're safer than we were but not safe enough. Brings up his support of a 9/11 commission. Announces his opposition to torture. Says he knows our allies better and will do a better job working with them. Oh, and border protection!
We are safer in some ways but we have a long way to go. The biggest threat to the U.S. is a terrorist getting their hands on a nuclear weapon, making nuclear proliferation a major issue. We have to refocus on al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Restore America's standing in the world - we are lest respected now than 8 years ago.
McCain - Obama still doesn't understand. Withdrawal from Iraq will lead us to defeat and offer al Qaeda a training ground. "That is the central issue of our time."
Obama - McCain and this administration have been solely focused on Iraq. Meantime, al Qaeda resurgent and we're borrowing billions from an increasingly influential China. Iraq has handcuffed our foreign policy and damaged our economy.
McCain - Obama is not ready to lead and has made major errors in judgment, including in his response to Russian aggression in Georgia (huh?).
Obama - kids around the world don't see us like they used to (huh?). Point of course is that our standing in the world matters.
And done.
McCain first. Iran with nuclear weapons is a threat to Israel... "We cannot allow a second Holocaust." He brings up his League of Democracies proposal - "We could impose significant, meaningful, painful sanctions" that will affect Iranian behavior. In addition to nuclear, McCain says they are bringing in the most lethal IEDs into Iraq.
Obama says the war in Iraq is the single biggest reason Iran has become an immediate threat in the region. Says it's attempt to acquire nuclear weapons has accelerated since we invaded. Agrees we need tougher sanctions but also need to work with China and Russia - which aren't democracies. Also says we need to engage in tougher diplomacy with Iran.
No surprise that McCain rips into Obama, saying he would talk with nuts like Ahmadinejad and bring them legitimacy. References Reagan and says preconditions must be met... No surprise, Obama says Kissinger supports his ideas, says it is not like you'd be inviting over for tea. Uses North Korea as an example of where not talking does not work. Brings up McCain's weird assertion that he wouldn't meet with Spanish prime minister.
Back and forth and back and forth on what preconditions mean. McCain calls Obama's approach dangerous and naive. Obama says it's a nuanced way to engage our enemies that works better than simply isolating them.
Onto Russia:
Obama says we should offer some promise of NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine, but don't isolate because we have to deal with the potential for nuclear weapons falling into the wrong hands.
McCain once again calls Obama naive. Calls Russia a KGB-run government. Gets very fixated on Georgia, talks about the energy pipeline that plays a big role in the showdown there.
Obama links Russia's resurgence to America's use of oil and then hits McCain for not doing enough to get us off oil over the last 26 years.
Final question, what's the chance of another 9/11:
McCain: We're safer than we were but not safe enough. Brings up his support of a 9/11 commission. Announces his opposition to torture. Says he knows our allies better and will do a better job working with them. Oh, and border protection!
We are safer in some ways but we have a long way to go. The biggest threat to the U.S. is a terrorist getting their hands on a nuclear weapon, making nuclear proliferation a major issue. We have to refocus on al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Restore America's standing in the world - we are lest respected now than 8 years ago.
McCain - Obama still doesn't understand. Withdrawal from Iraq will lead us to defeat and offer al Qaeda a training ground. "That is the central issue of our time."
Obama - McCain and this administration have been solely focused on Iraq. Meantime, al Qaeda resurgent and we're borrowing billions from an increasingly influential China. Iraq has handcuffed our foreign policy and damaged our economy.
McCain - Obama is not ready to lead and has made major errors in judgment, including in his response to Russian aggression in Georgia (huh?).
Obama - kids around the world don't see us like they used to (huh?). Point of course is that our standing in the world matters.
And done.
Debate! Debate! 4
Obama didn't bring up Iraq on the spending question, but Lehrer asks about the war. First to McCain:
McCain explains his support for the surge and praises Gen. Petreaus. Says the surge prevented a wider war and will allow us to leave Iraq with victory.
Obama: The first question is whether we should have gone into Iraq in the first place. Uses the question to imply he was a maverick, standing up to oppose the war at a time when it wasn't popular. He then circles back to the spending issue.
McCain: The next president of the issue isn't going to have to address whether we should go into Iraq, but how we get out. He hits Obama on the surge and pokes him for not going to Iraq or meeting with Petreaus.
Obama accedes that McCain is right, our troops and Petreaus have done a brilliant job since the surge began. But it is a tactic to address a war that was out of control. He then starts to hammer McCain on his judgment at the outset. This is the most aggressive he's been in this debate.
This is a fascinating back and forth on Iraq and Afghanistan... the thing everyone was waiting to hear. Two opposing views clearly defined - If you're gonna back up the TiVo to replay any part of the debate, here's where you should start.
Obama the first to invoke the name of bin Laden (i.e., let's capture or kill him). McCain says Obama's withdrawal could "snatch victory from the jaws of defeat." This after McCain said Iraq is the central front in the war on terror; Obama smartly dismissed the charge that he voted against funding the troops.
Onto Afghanistan:
Obama again begins. Says things are getting worse, Taliban and al Qaeda crossing into Afghanistan to cause trouble, and then links the war there to Iraq - saying the military cannot respond with more troops in Afghanistan because of we're bogged down in Iraq - place that had nothing to do with 9/11 and didn't harbor al Qaeda. He then lays out what he calls a comprehensive approach to the problems there, in addition to the military buildup.
McCain says he will not repeat the mistake of abandoning the mujahadeen. He says Obama is making a mistake saying he would send troops into Pakistan, says the U.S. needs to strengthen diplomatic ties with Pakistan rather than make military threats. He then says we need to employ the same strategy in Afghanistan that we employed in Iraq and gain the cooperation of the people on the ground.
Obama restates his policy re: taking out al Qaeda in Pakistan if Pakistani forces refuse to act on their own. He makes a glancing blow about McCain's bom-bom-bomb Iran song (whatever). He then criticizes the Bush administration for coddling Mushareff and for letting al Qaeda reconstitute itself under his rule.
McCain responds to the glancing blow with a restatement of his serious breaks with Republican foreign policy. "I have a record..." He starts to turn this into a discussion about experience and having to make life-and-death decisions... and then brings it back to Iraq: "We will win this one and we won't come home in defeat and dishoner and probably have to go back if we fail."
Obama has a bracelet, too. Oy. Would have been more effective if he remember the guy's name. "Senator McCain, no one is talking about defeat in Iraq." And then says he will take Afghanistan seriously rather than "muddle through."
McCain hits back: My subcommittee takes on the big issues and Obama should have visited Afghanistan.
McCain explains his support for the surge and praises Gen. Petreaus. Says the surge prevented a wider war and will allow us to leave Iraq with victory.
Obama: The first question is whether we should have gone into Iraq in the first place. Uses the question to imply he was a maverick, standing up to oppose the war at a time when it wasn't popular. He then circles back to the spending issue.
McCain: The next president of the issue isn't going to have to address whether we should go into Iraq, but how we get out. He hits Obama on the surge and pokes him for not going to Iraq or meeting with Petreaus.
Obama accedes that McCain is right, our troops and Petreaus have done a brilliant job since the surge began. But it is a tactic to address a war that was out of control. He then starts to hammer McCain on his judgment at the outset. This is the most aggressive he's been in this debate.
This is a fascinating back and forth on Iraq and Afghanistan... the thing everyone was waiting to hear. Two opposing views clearly defined - If you're gonna back up the TiVo to replay any part of the debate, here's where you should start.
Obama the first to invoke the name of bin Laden (i.e., let's capture or kill him). McCain says Obama's withdrawal could "snatch victory from the jaws of defeat." This after McCain said Iraq is the central front in the war on terror; Obama smartly dismissed the charge that he voted against funding the troops.
Onto Afghanistan:
Obama again begins. Says things are getting worse, Taliban and al Qaeda crossing into Afghanistan to cause trouble, and then links the war there to Iraq - saying the military cannot respond with more troops in Afghanistan because of we're bogged down in Iraq - place that had nothing to do with 9/11 and didn't harbor al Qaeda. He then lays out what he calls a comprehensive approach to the problems there, in addition to the military buildup.
McCain says he will not repeat the mistake of abandoning the mujahadeen. He says Obama is making a mistake saying he would send troops into Pakistan, says the U.S. needs to strengthen diplomatic ties with Pakistan rather than make military threats. He then says we need to employ the same strategy in Afghanistan that we employed in Iraq and gain the cooperation of the people on the ground.
Obama restates his policy re: taking out al Qaeda in Pakistan if Pakistani forces refuse to act on their own. He makes a glancing blow about McCain's bom-bom-bomb Iran song (whatever). He then criticizes the Bush administration for coddling Mushareff and for letting al Qaeda reconstitute itself under his rule.
McCain responds to the glancing blow with a restatement of his serious breaks with Republican foreign policy. "I have a record..." He starts to turn this into a discussion about experience and having to make life-and-death decisions... and then brings it back to Iraq: "We will win this one and we won't come home in defeat and dishoner and probably have to go back if we fail."
Obama has a bracelet, too. Oy. Would have been more effective if he remember the guy's name. "Senator McCain, no one is talking about defeat in Iraq." And then says he will take Afghanistan seriously rather than "muddle through."
McCain hits back: My subcommittee takes on the big issues and Obama should have visited Afghanistan.
Debate! Debate! 3
Asked what he'll have to scale back, Obama uses the opportunity to lay out his agenda for the next year. Energy independence, health care, education, investing in green jobs, infrastructure (Broadband reaching into rural communities... That's right, I said "rural.")
McCain says government will have to cut spending, starting with ethanol subsidies (nice line on Obama's liberalism, "It's hard to reach that far over to the left.") He brings up fixed-cost contracts for defense spending... Says every agency will have to be scrubbed for efficiency.
Lehrer, noticing neither man said what they'd cut specifically asks again. Obama says he may scale back his energy plan and will cut $15 billion in subsidies to insurers under Medicare.
Lehrer again asks for a broad
A freeze on spending on everything but defense McCain says. Obama brings up Iraq and says the war needs to come to an end. McCain says we spend $700 billion in foreign, a lot of it going to countries that don't like us very much and then brings up nuclear power.
Will this crisis affect the way you rule the country?
Obama: There is no doubt it will affect our budgets... but we need to know what our values are and what our priorities are.
McCain responds by saying Obama's health care plan will federalize health insurance and then says we can adjust the budget (didn't he just say he'd institute a spending freeze?). McCain says the crisis is partly due to out-of-control spending - will Obama bring up Iraq now?
Obama doesn't go for the Iraq issue but does bring up Bush - saying this "orgy of spending" happened under his watch. McCain says he's different, calls himself "a maverick of the Senate."
McCain says government will have to cut spending, starting with ethanol subsidies (nice line on Obama's liberalism, "It's hard to reach that far over to the left.") He brings up fixed-cost contracts for defense spending... Says every agency will have to be scrubbed for efficiency.
Lehrer, noticing neither man said what they'd cut specifically asks again. Obama says he may scale back his energy plan and will cut $15 billion in subsidies to insurers under Medicare.
Lehrer again asks for a broad
A freeze on spending on everything but defense McCain says. Obama brings up Iraq and says the war needs to come to an end. McCain says we spend $700 billion in foreign, a lot of it going to countries that don't like us very much and then brings up nuclear power.
Will this crisis affect the way you rule the country?
Obama: There is no doubt it will affect our budgets... but we need to know what our values are and what our priorities are.
McCain responds by saying Obama's health care plan will federalize health insurance and then says we can adjust the budget (didn't he just say he'd institute a spending freeze?). McCain says the crisis is partly due to out-of-control spending - will Obama bring up Iraq now?
Obama doesn't go for the Iraq issue but does bring up Bush - saying this "orgy of spending" happened under his watch. McCain says he's different, calls himself "a maverick of the Senate."
Debate! Debate! 2
Both men look nervous in their opening remarks. The gravity of times are such that cute and pithy just won't do.
Given an initial chance to tear into each other, the two men keep their eyes on Jim Lehrer and try once again to restate their opening statements. My guess is that Obama will relax some when he gets on the ropes - he seems to prefer playing defense.
Lehrer tries again to prompt them into a face-to-face and once again they demur.
No surprise that the debate is starting out with a discussion about the economic crisis. Not only the first but the second question focuses on the issue, as did both the candidates' opening statements.
As McCain gets onto the issue of corruption he starts to gain some traction, repeats his "I'll make them famous" line and lays into Obama for requesting earmarks. How will Obama respond?
Obama moves past the earmarks issue and opens up a line of attack on McCain's tax-cut plan. He uses the opportunity to say he'll cut taxes, too, but for the middle class... and McCain comes back and hits him on earmarks again... he admits Obama will make cut taxes - is this the first time? Obama is also the first to interrupt.
Lehrer again asks McCain to respond directly - it's an awkward conceit to command them to confront each other in some manufactured way. Perhaps Lehrer should notice it's a losing strategy.
Obama made a muddle of the tax loopholes vs. tax cuts for businesses... finally makes it back to clarity in talking about health care tax credits. McCain then breaks in with talk about an energy vote and then moves it back to tax cuts.
Given an initial chance to tear into each other, the two men keep their eyes on Jim Lehrer and try once again to restate their opening statements. My guess is that Obama will relax some when he gets on the ropes - he seems to prefer playing defense.
Lehrer tries again to prompt them into a face-to-face and once again they demur.
No surprise that the debate is starting out with a discussion about the economic crisis. Not only the first but the second question focuses on the issue, as did both the candidates' opening statements.
As McCain gets onto the issue of corruption he starts to gain some traction, repeats his "I'll make them famous" line and lays into Obama for requesting earmarks. How will Obama respond?
Obama moves past the earmarks issue and opens up a line of attack on McCain's tax-cut plan. He uses the opportunity to say he'll cut taxes, too, but for the middle class... and McCain comes back and hits him on earmarks again... he admits Obama will make cut taxes - is this the first time? Obama is also the first to interrupt.
Lehrer again asks McCain to respond directly - it's an awkward conceit to command them to confront each other in some manufactured way. Perhaps Lehrer should notice it's a losing strategy.
Obama made a muddle of the tax loopholes vs. tax cuts for businesses... finally makes it back to clarity in talking about health care tax credits. McCain then breaks in with talk about an energy vote and then moves it back to tax cuts.
Apr 16, 2008
Debate! Debate!
The opening statements in the Pennsylvania Democratic presidential primary debate... But first, a few questions. Why the fuck did ABC News choose to air the debate un-live on the West Coast? And why is there a commercial immediately following the opening statements?
OK, now to the first question from a moderator. Will they pledge to get bunk beds in the White House (i.e., be each other's running mate)? Jesus, what a terrible question. After some awkward stares, Barack Obama gives his pat answer about choosing the nominee first before the nominee chooses a running mate. And then, PIVOT, right into a discussion of the economy.
Will Hillary Clinton even bother to answer the running-mate question before she starts talking about the economy? (Oh, wait, Charlie Gibson forces the issue). Clinton wants the party to come together behind the nominee... and, yes, there it is: The Pain of the last 8 years under a Republican administration.
Now, the first real question. Who'd have guessed it would be about the "bitter" Pennsylvanians? "Not the first time I've said something that was mangled up," Obama concedes, then he clarifies that people turn to religion, guns and "hot-button issues" when frustrated by an economy that has left them behind.
Clinton reminds us she is the granddaughter of a Scranton man who went to church. She does not believe he or anyone else cling to religion when Washington fails them, or cling to guns, or cling to anything else. Cling free. She also understands why they'd be offended by what he said, even though they're super resilient.
Now here comes George Stephanopolous... Hillary, can Obama beat John McCain? A Democrat has to win, she says. He presses. Yes, yes, yes. But I think I can do a better job. (Much better answer).
Obama wants to go back to her bitter response to his bittergate statement. Sen. Clinton has taken one statement and beat it to death over the last few days, he says. Ooh, the double-reversal neck kick! He brings up a shitty thing said about her as an example of nasty politics and, in the process, gets to remind everyone of something very unflattering about Clinton while pretending to defend her. He's getting much better at these debates.
The opening statements in the Pennsylvania Democratic presidential primary debate... But first, a few questions. Why the fuck did ABC News choose to air the debate un-live on the West Coast? And why is there a commercial immediately following the opening statements?
OK, now to the first question from a moderator. Will they pledge to get bunk beds in the White House (i.e., be each other's running mate)? Jesus, what a terrible question. After some awkward stares, Barack Obama gives his pat answer about choosing the nominee first before the nominee chooses a running mate. And then, PIVOT, right into a discussion of the economy.
Will Hillary Clinton even bother to answer the running-mate question before she starts talking about the economy? (Oh, wait, Charlie Gibson forces the issue). Clinton wants the party to come together behind the nominee... and, yes, there it is: The Pain of the last 8 years under a Republican administration.
Now, the first real question. Who'd have guessed it would be about the "bitter" Pennsylvanians? "Not the first time I've said something that was mangled up," Obama concedes, then he clarifies that people turn to religion, guns and "hot-button issues" when frustrated by an economy that has left them behind.
Clinton reminds us she is the granddaughter of a Scranton man who went to church. She does not believe he or anyone else cling to religion when Washington fails them, or cling to guns, or cling to anything else. Cling free. She also understands why they'd be offended by what he said, even though they're super resilient.
Now here comes George Stephanopolous... Hillary, can Obama beat John McCain? A Democrat has to win, she says. He presses. Yes, yes, yes. But I think I can do a better job. (Much better answer).
Obama wants to go back to her bitter response to his bittergate statement. Sen. Clinton has taken one statement and beat it to death over the last few days, he says. Ooh, the double-reversal neck kick! He brings up a shitty thing said about her as an example of nasty politics and, in the process, gets to remind everyone of something very unflattering about Clinton while pretending to defend her. He's getting much better at these debates.
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