As live blogging as I can get, anyway.
Wrap-up: I thought the debate started off lopsided on the questions for Clinton. However, not much later tough questions were asked to both, and it stayed this way throughout.
I thought some of the answers were rather bland. Except the the heated mini-debate on healthcare, no real zingers here.
I don’t think Obama made any mis-steps, but neither did Clinton make any real steps forward.
I think, and some people seem to agree on this already, that it was basically a tie here. I don’t know if it’s going to hurt or help either candidate.
Well, that’s all for tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow!
10:31pm: What question must the other answer?
Obama: She’d be great as the nominee. I’ll be better for President because I can do and have done stuff.
Clinton: I’ll be better because I’ve done a lot for a long time.
Me: So, basically the same answer. Also notice how neither actually answered Williams’ question?
10:26pm: Clinton on worst vote: “I should not have taken this country into Iraq.” She is ready to lead, having exp. on both ends of Pennsylvania Ave.
Obama: I didn’t stand up and stop Congress from interfering into the Terry Schaivo situation. Whoever is nominee will be ready to help.
Me: Can’t expect much else here.
10:22pm: Clinton: Russia’s successor handpicked. Bush has had an incoherent policy toward Russia. We’ll be meeting with him, but Putin will be the decider.
Obama: Clinton says it right.
Me: Eh, what else can they say?
Obama: Kosovo? If Russia tries to help Serbia, we’ll “talk.”
Me: Clinton not going to be let to reply on it? Meh.
10:19pm: Me: Good answer on the ratings, Obama. I don’t think it’s a liberal vs. conservative thing. People like John McCain should be for it. Shouldn’t he?
10:13pm: Clinton: “There’s a difference between denouncing someone and rejecting support.”
Obama: “I’ll reject and denounce.”
Me: Zing!
10:08pm: Obama doesn’t want Farrakhan’s support. Denounced him many times.
Now Tim is asking about Obama’s pastor, esp. on Jewish support.
“I have some of the strongest Jewish. I’ve supported them, they’ve supported African Americans. We love each other, man!”
Me: Good answers here.
Sorry, had to go sign up for community service…
9:42pm: Someone’s about to call him John McCain. “If they want a partnership for protection of stability in the region….” and stops there!
Me: Yet, he speaks against what John McCain has now clarified. Difference???
Now, Clinton: Withdrawl within 60 days. He talks the talk with Afghanistan, but doesn’t do anything when he chairs the subcommittee with authority over it.
Obama: We’ll cooperate with allies, but act if there’s a threat.
9:40pm: And he comes back: “She was for Iraq before she was against it.”
And, I’m loving it, and so are millions of fangirls, I’m sure: “PAHHHK-ISTAHN”
“I did not say I’d bomb them. Only if we had info on Al-Queda, and they won’t help us.”
9:38pm: Come back to Clinton late, but: “He’ll bomb Pakistan, and meet with dictators. FEAR HIM!”
9:35pm: Foreign policy: Obama brings up “100 years” again. Stop it!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and I love his pronounciation: Paaahk-istahn. Which may be right, according to Wikipedia.
Anyway, he basically says: Given the past seven years, my inexperience makes no difference.
9:33pm: On not getting the 200,000 jobs, Clinton says: I didn’t have the President I wanted. I’m not going to speak on job making, since I don’t know much about it, except to say: See globalization.
9:26pm: Clinton says we’ll be out of NAFTA unless we renegotiate the agreement. I think Clinton’s been put on the defensive unfairly, here. She’s been getting all the tough questions, and Obama’s been the responder so far.
Me: Wait…there we go. A little tougher. He brought up a thing that Obama said about NAFTA. Maybe it’ll be a little more fair?
9:22pm: Oooh, Obama goes on the attack, saying Clinton was for NAFTA before she was against it.
9:18pm: Clinton’s not happy she got the first question, and has on past debates, too. Doesn’t like NAFTA, notes where it’s worked, and where it hasn’t, like in New York. I’m sure you know the debate so I won’t bore you, but lost jobs to overseas, etc.
9:12pm: Clinton finally comes out and says she or her top staff didn’t authorize the photo. A little late perhaps, but finally she says it. Ok, then, back on my consideration list for you.
Now they’re talking about how their nearly similar healthcare plans are different. Clinton explains why she would require everyone to be on her plan and how Obama leaves out 15 million or something, and Obama says he doesn’t want to fine people who don’t want it. They want to keep on it, and won’t let the mods move on.
Me: I think both have good points, but I think Obama’s reasoning is better. By the way, I’d love to know who these “experts” they both keep talking about are.