MSNBC doesn't strike me as left-wing. You can't get more right than Pat Buchanan. And they also have Tucker Carlson and Joe Scarborough hosting shows.

I will say MSNBC is my favorite of the news three over CNN and Fox.

5/7/2007 7:06:46 AM

Notice though that neither Carlson, Buchanan or Scarborough were there shooting questions to the Dems. We had Brian Williams, and hosts Matthews and Keith Olberman.

I like the idea that candidates from all parties have to face hostile questioners. Make them defend their ideas in public. I just wonder if and when the Dems will face any real questioning.

5/7/2007 10:44:43 AM

well carlson, buchanan really isn't in a place to be a moderator considering he is a politician, and scarborough is much a junior to williams.

5/7/2007 10:47:57 AM

i thought both of these debates were fairly laughable because of just how many people they crammed on stage. a big rolly eyes to the hand-raising questions on the dem side. i mean really, what did that debate show about anyone?

5/7/2007 10:50:19 AM

it showed that gravel and kucinich are the only democratic candidates who deserve to be there.

5/7/2007 10:51:45 AM

that's great and all, but they won't be the nominees.

5/7/2007 10:56:20 AM

^^^^^ I occasionally go read RedState and DailyKos to see what each party's nutjobs have to say. After the Democratic debate, DailyKos was pissed off they let a Republican surrogate like Williams be moderator with all his attacks on the candidates. RedState was pissed off they let a Democratic panderer like Williams be moderator and was so soft on the candidates.

So obviously whether an observer thinks a moderator was too hard or too soft depends less on what he asks and more just on that person's political views.

^^^^ Buchanan strikes me as the best political strategy analyst of all politics analysts I see and hear. He is able to break a candidate's view down and say what is best or worst, what they're aiming to do, and why he thinks it will or will not work. He is even able to do it for Democrats pretty well.

[Edited on May 7, 2007 at 11:00 AM. Reason : .]

5/7/2007 10:59:43 AM

and just when I thought fox news could go any further into a mire or right-wingery, I saw a show on foxnews as I was flipping through hosted by: OLIVER FUCKING NORTH

5/7/2007 10:22:12 PM

Republicans debate at University of South Carolina, 9pm on Fox News.

5/15/2007 8:55:41 PM

it's pretty uneventful so far.

reagan mention count: 3 or 4 already in 25 minutes

5/15/2007 9:24:40 PM

Yea! Get after them liberals!

5/15/2007 9:39:52 PM

they've thrown them so many softballs, there really isn't much to talk about.

5/15/2007 9:42:02 PM

Wow, I gotta respect Ron Paul for that exchange.

Way to call out the bullshit "They hate our freedom" argument for what it is.

[Edited on May 15, 2007 at 10:07 PM. Reason : too bad he doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of getting the nomination]

5/15/2007 10:07:17 PM

Wow! Guiliani/Ron Paul Cage Match??

5/15/2007 10:07:43 PM

Quote :

"Notice though that neither Carlson, Buchanan or Scarborough were there shooting questions to the Dems. We had Brian Williams, and hosts Matthews and Keith Olberman. I like the idea that candidates from all parties have to face hostile questioners. Make them defend their ideas in public. I just wonder if and when the Dems will face any real questioning. "

Yeah, all those liberals were throwing questions out tonight (Brit Hume, Wendell Goler, and Chris Wallace).

Quote :

"and just when I thought fox news could go any further into a mire or right-wingery, I saw a show on foxnews as I was flipping through hosted by: OLIVER FUCKING NORTH "

I think it's actually a weekly show.

5/16/2007 12:19:54 AM

There's another democratic debate tonight at 7:00pm

Quote :

"The Democratic debate will air live on CNN at 7 p.m. ET Sunday"

Quote :

"The debates will also be streamed free of charge on CNN.com's Pipeline."

6/3/2007 12:14:39 PM

They've got the link up on CNN's site now to see the debate, they are covering the pregame stuff now. It starts in less than half an hour.

The debate tonight is in New Hampshire. Edwards is polling 2nd there out of all the democratic candidates.



Iowa has the first round of caucuses and Edwards is doing well there too.

Hillary is on top in New Hampshire, which is a nice place to be, except in debates where you have no place to go but down.

6/3/2007 6:37:29 PM

this is just one of the reasons the caucuses need reforming

6/3/2007 6:42:27 PM

Are we safer now than before 9/11

Obama. Not safer b/c of bush. He's done a few things right, but more things wrong. The iraq war was wrong.
Edwards. Not safer, and the idea "war on terror" is a war you can't win, and is just being used to justify torture, spying on americans, and other abuses.
Hillary. We are safer. (this from the person who voted for the iraq war & stands by it)

Which one sounds least like a democrat.

[Edited on June 3, 2007 at 7:12 PM. Reason : .]

6/3/2007 7:10:21 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/23/democrats.dilemma/index.html

Quote :

"Dems in tough spot with war funding bill WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Democrats in Congress face a tough decision on a bill funding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that does not include a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops. Vote "yes," and they are certain to face the wrath of anti-war forces in their political base. Vote "no," and they may further delay funding for military operations, in turn exposing themselves to the charge that they don't support the troops. ... At a press conference on an immigration bill, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York deflected a question about how she would vote when the Iraq funding bill comes to the floor Thursday, saying the query was off subject. As she left the event, she again declined to answer, saying she had not seen the final version of the bill. Reminded that the bill would not include timetables, she responded with some frustration, "When I have something to say, I'll say it, gentlemen." ... Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois had a similar response, telling reporters that he hadn't "seen a final product" and didn't want to comment "until I do." "I actually want to read the provisions before making a statement on it," he said. "Alright?" ... Former Sen. John Edwards, who is running third in the polls behind Clinton and Obama, sought to ratchet up the pressure on the front-runners to oppose the bill, denouncing it as a "capitulation" to Bush. "What I'm asking is for the Congress to stand its ground, to do what it needs to do for America," Edwards told CNN's "The Situation Room." "This is not about politics. It's about life and death." When he was in the Senate in 2003, Edwards voted for the resolution authorizing President Bush to take military action in Iraq, but he now says that vote was a mistake. "

For whatever other reasons you might like or dislike Edwards... he's the only one of the top 3 not saying "no comment" and instead dealing something no one else will say yes or no on b/c its too unpopular.

------------

Here's an old post, but it speaks to what they are talking about right now, how Hillary & Obama wouldn't speak about it.

How Edwards stood up right away, and the others waited until the last moment & did it quietly to avoid being noticed.

[Edited on June 3, 2007 at 7:18 PM. Reason : .]

6/3/2007 7:16:02 PM

you have a serious thing for john edwards, don't you?

6/3/2007 7:20:24 PM

[Edited on June 3, 2007 at 7:22 PM. Reason : Yeah, in a pres debate thread you shouldn't talk about which candidates you like]

6/3/2007 7:22:16 PM

i'm enjoying this debate so far


wolf blitz is a fucking HORRIBLE goddamn moderator. that man is nothing less than a cunt.

6/3/2007 7:26:32 PM

Obama & Hillary just spoke really well on English as the national language.

Obama talked about how it was a divisive question, that instead of hanging up there, we should all work on a sensible immigration plan.

Hillary said she supported it, as it currently is, as our National Language, rather than an Official Language b/c of the legal connotations (no ballots in other languages, no government translators in hospitals).

6/3/2007 7:40:20 PM

this is hilarious... we should end a WAR because the TROOPS have become a TARGET ... fucking idiots

6/3/2007 7:45:41 PM

Intermission

6/3/2007 8:04:54 PM

I've got Barack Obama ahead on all cards, going into Round 2, based on that line ("You are about four-and-half-years late on leadership on this issue") and his answer on English as the official language. Anyone else got a leader?

6/3/2007 8:07:56 PM

I just switched over to the HH viewer response feed that has the lines over the screen, and they go up alot every time Obama talks.

6/3/2007 8:17:20 PM

After his performance of MTP, listening to Bill Richardson makes me throw up a bit in my mouth.

Did I miss the rule that said they couldn't stand up during this town hall portion? This is awkward.

[Edited on June 3, 2007 at 8:22 PM. Reason : add]

6/3/2007 8:19:01 PM

i've got biden and obama with hillary and edwards close behind

6/3/2007 8:42:41 PM

I may have to donate a bit to Biden for his statements on Darfur...that was heartening.

6/3/2007 8:44:42 PM

Quote :

" I'm not sure I know what a rich person is."

-John Edwards-







oh my.....

6/3/2007 8:47:04 PM

^ I laughed at that, as well.

6/3/2007 8:48:35 PM

just curious, how many people here watch the dem debate if you're a dem, the repub debate if you're a repub, or both (like myself) ?

6/3/2007 8:48:47 PM

200 k Plus a year was his cut off for rolling back tax cuts.

He was also the only one tonight to mention North Carolina specifically at all.

And was very pro-funding college students, making it a little bit easier for everyone who is qualified to go and willing to work

---

I very much don’t like Richardson being pro-line item veto. I think that takes a major part of the checks and balances out from between the executive & legislative branches.

6/3/2007 8:50:12 PM

I watch both.....I would like to think of myself as an American, and not just Dem or Repub.

6/3/2007 8:50:13 PM

Wow Biden is pretty passionate, I hope he doesn't have a stroke!
Richardson is not doing very well

and I agree with the sentiment that Wolf Blitzer is a shitty moderator, at this point Rivera or Huffington would be doing a better job.

6/3/2007 8:51:05 PM

Quote :

"I watch both.....I would like to think of myself as an American, and not just Dem or Repub."

the founding fathers would be proud of you

as for specific statements, i'm very drawn towards the college funding statements, but i also really liked the statement about volunteering for the country for a year or 2 and getting a full ride college education

6/3/2007 8:52:12 PM

I always watch both.

Reminder: Tomorrow, the top-tier Democratic Candidates--Clinton, Edwards and Obama--will be back on CNN for a discussion on Faith and Politics.

Quote :

"Richardson is not doing very well "

Better than he did on "Meet the Press" last week.

[Edited on June 3, 2007 at 8:53 PM. Reason : add]

6/3/2007 8:52:19 PM

I think Gravel needs a nap. He's been very ranty and grumpy.

This debate was pretty good, though.

[Edited on June 3, 2007 at 8:59 PM. Reason : .]

6/3/2007 8:57:11 PM

they keep talking about restoring america's "moral authority" in the world. well that doesn't help when morals are first of all, relative, second of all, relative to one's religion, and third of all, irrelevant considering the basis of modern morals

6/3/2007 8:57:13 PM

i wish we could take traits from each candidate and make a super president. lol like richardson's remarks about a min wage for teachers just a second ago, and obama's remarks about pulling troops out IF nothing has changed and then moving onto healthcare

6/3/2007 8:58:31 PM

jibba-jabba? are you fucking kidding me?

6/3/2007 9:05:48 PM

^^There were several candidates on the stage, and a ticket takes 2, so you can combine some elements to some degree if it works out that way.

Edwards vocally supported Obama for being right on the war from the start. Edwards & Obama vocally supported each other for being the first and second respectively to release a comprehensive healthcare plan and admitting they shared a lot of overlap. They’ve both been for the idea of supporting our troops by bringing them home. They aren’t exactly alike, but could balance each other well.

And while there are a few things about Hillary I like, my ideal ticket composed out of people from the top 3 does not include her.

[Edited on June 3, 2007 at 9:06 PM. Reason : .]

6/3/2007 9:05:52 PM

so, who won?

6/3/2007 9:38:08 PM

Hard to say. Hillary did well, but Edwards/Obama closed the gap between her and them for sure.


http://blog.johnedwards.com/

Post there, they'll definitely be reading it right now. (i think its the quick post area... maybe the live talk is the right area, i'm just checking it out now) I'm sure the others who have big online campaigns will be checking their sites too.

6/3/2007 9:44:30 PM

Quote :

"^^There were several candidates on the stage, and a ticket takes 2, so you can combine some elements to some degree if it works out that way. Edwards vocally supported Obama for being right on the war from the start. Edwards & Obama vocally supported each other for being the first and second respectively to release a comprehensive healthcare plan and admitting they shared a lot of overlap. They’ve both been for the idea of supporting our troops by bringing them home. They aren’t exactly alike, but could balance each other well. And while there are a few things about Hillary I like, my ideal ticket composed out of people from the top 3 does not include her. "

I think Edwards would love to have Obama as his Veep if he got the nod.

6/3/2007 9:46:38 PM

Well I think Edwards got more face time than a lot of them, and it probably helped him out. Biden was a little too violent in a few places, though I appreciate his compassion for those in Darfur: most other candidates glossed over that. Dodd and Kucinich had a few good points, nothing too crazy. Richardson kept harping about everything he's done in New Mexico: whether he can do it on a national scale is unclear, though I liked that he was willing to pay teachers much better. Hilary and Obama maintained a good standing throughout, I don't think it hurt them at all. So I guess I think Edwards improved the most in this one.

I think Gravel did the absolute worst, though. He looked like the cranky oldtimer in the corner for 90% of it, bitching about how the rest of the candidates won't solve any of the country's monetary problems.

6/3/2007 9:50:44 PM

Quote :

"Richardson kept harping about everything he's done in New Mexico: whether he can do it on a national scale is unclear"

6/3/2007 9:53:16 PM

^^^ people keep mentioning that pairing, in that order.

perhaps i'm the only one, but i'd find an obama/edwards ticket more attractive.

6/3/2007 10:11:27 PM