April 17, 2008
Democratic Debate's Winner: McCain?
The Nation: Obama, Clinton Event Offered No Clear Victor, Except For Right-Wing Talking Points
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Play CBS Video
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Democrats Grilled In Philly
The atmosphere was tense in the last debate between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama as each candidate was pressed to explain recent controversies. Dean Reynolds reports.
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Obama Grilled At Debate
Barack Obama was in the hot seat, grilled over his preacher and patriotism at a televised debate that drew criticism for dividing an already fragmented Democratic party. Dean Reynolds reports.
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Photo Essay
John McCain
Some call him a hero, some a maverick. Will Americans call him Mr. President?
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Timeline
Democratic Campaign Trail
Notable events in the race for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.
And the winner of the 21st debate of the Democratic presidential race is...
Right-Wing Talking Points.
At a moment when even John McCain agrees that the American economy is in a recession, when the U.S. trade deficit is breaking records, when the vice president and the secretary of state stand accused of organizing torture parties in Washington, when the president has gotten us bogged down in two foreign quagmires, and when official gaming of globalization has stirred up food riots around the world, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton spent most of the last debate before the critical Pennsylvania primary trying to out-FOX one another.
Instead of engaging in a needed discussion about economic issues - especially the trade policies that are devastating the Keystone State and so much of the rest of the country - the Democratic contenders sounded as if they were reading outtakes from a particularly lame Bill O'Reilly program.
To be fair, this was not entirely the fault of the candidates. The line of questioning from ABC "News" personalities Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos - Wednesday night's moderators, who pummeled Obama for most of the night - almost made a viewer long for a long-winded intervention by the CNN's self-absorbed but reasonably serious Wolf Blitzer. And the questions from viewers appeared to have been selected with the purpose of raising doubts about whether these people may be spending just a little too much time listening to Rush Limbaugh.
There were, of course, inquiries about the Rev, Jeremiah Wright Jr., including a demand that Obama explain whether he thinks an ex-Marine who raised legitimate questions about U.S. foreign policy should be considered "patriotic." Clinton made a bad moment worse by bringing up Hamas and Minister Louis Farrakhan in an obvious attempt to link Wright - and by extension Obama - to groups and individuals who do not get an especially free ride in U.S. media.
Clinton's trip to Bosnia was revisited, as was a comment she made 16 years ago about baking cookies.
Obama got asked why he does not wear a flag pin.
And both candidates were prodded by millionaire media personalities to talk about "elitism."
But the absolute low point of a debate that rarely left the low road came when former Clinton aide Stephanopoulos asked Obama about his meetings with Bill Ayers, a 1960s Weather Underground radical who went on to become a college professor.
Obama said he did not think he should be held to account for something someone he knows did "40 years ago when I was 8 years old."
Then, sounding more like Sean Hannity than a former anti-war activist from the '60s, Clinton said, "I also believe that Senator Obama served on a board with Mr. Ayers for a period of time, the Woods Foundation, which was a paid directorship position. And if I'm not mistaken, that relationship with Mr. Ayers on this board continued after 9/11 and after (Ayers') reported comments, which were deeply hurtful to people in New York, and I would hope to every American, because they were published on 9/11, and he said that he was just sorry they hadn't done more... I know Senator Obama is a good man, and I respect him greatly. But I think this is an issue that certainly the Republicans will be raising."
Remarkably, Obama went down the Hannity hole with Clinton, complaining that Clinton's husband, when he served as president, "pardoned or commuted the sentences of two members of the Weather Underground, which I think is a slightly more significant act than me serving on a board with somebody for actions that he did 40 years ago."
This was an ugly, unilluminating debate that neglected meaningful concerns because so much time was spent introducing what had been the silly side issues of the far right to the mainstream discourse. It was especially rough on Obama. But there was no winner, expect, perhaps, John McCain.
By John Nichols
Reprinted with permission from The Nation.
| If you like this article, check out www.thenation.com for more investigative reports, timely editorials and incisive columns |




Seems like mud-slinging and name calling is something the the Dem candidates AND liberal publications have in common. Not that the right wing is any better. But THIS PUBLISHED ARTICLE ABOUT WHICH I AM SPEAKING shows a clear two-faced and hypocritical standard.
But having read The Nation on cbsnews.com for so long....I''m not sure what else I expected.
http://www.savagepolitics.com
brilliant writing plus it offers a great community in which to discuss. The editor actually takes time to answer and the political humor section is awesome!!!
Baloney Progressive Liberals need to put on your big girl and boy panties and get over your selves and your excessive advocacy for Obama nad his empty failed candidacy and lucky for the Dem Party Hillary has shut him down and every turn and stuff the MSM rants and lies down their throats showing them for the fools they are. Stop whining he can not win in Nov, a camp counselor so you folks feel better hopeful, is not on the agenda of the county or the majority in the Dem Base. Obama should step away before he further drags the Party down his upcoming loss in PA and before Rezko conviction may be a good time. Yeah she beat his Arse AGAIN poor poor poor pitiful Obama WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Are some people so bedazzled by his soaring rhetoric and repetitious misuse of the word "hope" that they can''t see behind the facade? Or have their standards just fallen so low that they actually believe it is OK for a potential president to be consorting with low-lifes, criminals, and hate-mongers?
Larry M. Bartels, t
Are some people so bedazzled by his soaring rhetoric and repetitious misuse of the word "hope" that they can''t see behind the facade? Or have their standards just fallen so low that they actually believe it is OK for a potential president to be consorting with low-lifes, criminals, and hate-mongers?
Out-Shines the other perspective imcumbents all the way to the White House...The "Excitement" people are experiencing is for real and long overdue for this country ... John F. Kennedy was a HOPE just like Obama is now!!! And, it will happen.
If JFK had kept the same kind of dubious company before becoming president that Obama has been consorting with for all these years (Wright, Farrakhan, Rezko, Ayers,...), Nixon would have been our president eight years earlier, and no one would have ever heard of "The Great Society" or the name "Jackie Onassis". Unfortunately for Obama, if he gets the Dem nomination, his only "hope" will be that he can snooker the American public. If not, the next first lady will be someone who actually loves her country.
What we are all suffering from right now is candidate fatigue. We are just seeing too much from these two cobras, circling each other in a ritualistic fatal dance to political and social final death.
Cobras will use any and all tricks available to beat the other ivy-leaguer - Yale v Harvard v Naval Academy.
Go American - Go Navy Go McCain!
Now for the American people''s view:
"Friday, April 18, 2008
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday shows John McCain leading Barack Obama, 48% to 42%. The presumptive Republican nominee also leads Hillary Clinton 50% to 41%. Daily tracking results are updated daily at 9:30 a.m. EST
Just 68% of Democrats say they would vote for Obama against McCain. Twenty-three percent (23%) would vote for the Republican, 5% for a third-party option, and 4% are undecided. Clinton attracts 71% of Democrats. In that match-up, 21% would vote for McCain, 4% say they would vote for some other candidate, and another 4% are undecided. McCain attracts 85% of Republicans against Clinton, 82% against Obama, and leads both Democrats by double digits among unaffiliated voters.
McCain is viewed favorably by 56% and unfavorably by 41%. Obama%u2019s ratings are 47% favorable and 51% unfavorable. For Clinton, those numbers are 43% favorable, 55% unfavorable ."
..............Any questions?????????
Maybe voters can now see the end of the tunnel, that he''s not what he looks to be, a sweet talker and that''s all.
A debate is supposed to be a discussion, argument if you will, about a specific question or set of issues, not what some former white house press corp with an ax to grind has to say. The ABC "debate" was simp[ly the worst excuse for a debate I''ve ever seen.
The candiates should stop wasting our and their time with this absurd format.
You must be one of those insanely crazy wild-eyed liberals. And you threaten that you are going to "come after" us, huh? The only place you know how to "cut and run" is from the Terrorists. Maybe that''s because you sympathize with them. After all, just like Al Qaeda, you promise to "come after" us. You must be a domestic terrorist! You need to calm down and get a grip. Meanwhile, don''t associate McCain with Bush''s failed policies, any more than you would want Republicans to blame Obama for Wright''s wrongs or Hillary for approving the Iraq war. Oh also, please stop threatening people you don''t even know. It makes you look like an absolute idiot, which you probably are anyway.
What''s a "diconary"? Oh, you mean dictionary!? Funny, you tell someone to look up a word the ''diconary'' when clearly have no grasp of English yourself. You''re funny.
McCain 2008!!!
McCain 2008!!!
McCain 2008!!!
;)
I am very assured Mrs.Obama loves her country very much,as her husband does/she will make a Fine First Lady...a refreshing new face that will accomplish alot...for many.
IF BEING TRIFFLIN IS A WINNER - THEN HILL-DA-BEAST WON
IF BEING A LIER IS A WINNER - THEN HILL-DA-BEAST WON
IF BEING A SCAPEGOAT FOR A LIER IS A WINNER - THEN ABC WON
You''re redeemed. No wild-eyed liberal. Just left of center politically. You were in the service. We share that in common. Look, the point is that McCain is NOT Bush, and is NOT guilty by association. Joining him at the hip with failed Bush policies is liberal crazy-talking points. Republicans view him as a maverick, and aren''t sure what to make of him. But like us, he is a true patriot. His service to our country has gone far beyond what you and I could possibly imagine. His character and strength have been tested to the limit. Politically, he is moderate. If joined to the hip with anyone, it''s Joe Lieberman! McCain''s policies will be much different from Bush''s. Regarding Bush, we''re tired of mindless liberal Bush-bashing mantras. On terrorism, remember he''s kept us safe every day since 9/11. It''s no accident. If there is blame for 9/11, look at what Hillary and Bill didn''t do during their co-presidency to prevent 9/11 and get Osama off the streets when it was easy. On Iraq, re-read the news stories leading up to the invasion. There was strong bi-partisan support, including Hillary%u2019s. Hussein snookered the world into thinking he had bad things hidden. Bush%u2019s post-invasion tactics were opposed by McCain. We''d already be out if McCain had had his way. Whether or not we should have gone into Iraq, we DO owe it to the good Iraqi people to stay and help them recover. Cut and run is irresponsible retreat from our moral obligation to them.
You are obviously a true wacko. The institution you must be posting from should unplug your internet cable.
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Posted by JoeCoolSwat at 04:57 PM : Apr 18, 2008
John McSame should take care of his wifes drug problem before he goes after the bad guys.
Just like Hilter was promoted by Joseph Gobbels, this Obama guy is being promoted in much the same manner, mass propaganda campaigns by his fellow admirers in our elite liberal press.
This isn''''t exactly the "separation" that our Founding Fathers wanted between our "press and state".
We need major reforms within our "free left-wing press".
No question about it........ask Saturday Night Live
ps. The Nation is a member of the Pro-Obama movement too...........like I had to tell everyone that.
Really sad indeed.........
Did anyone wake up Mclame to tell him he won the debate?
If/when they wake him up straighten him out about the sunni/shiite guys.
He may have forgotten.
A special woman?
There''s the women I''d have s*x with,
and there''s the women I''d wanna have s*x with,
and there''s the women I have s*x with.
And then there''s you.
Tim McLaughlin
Until 1:00 AM.
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by parachutepol
April 19, 2008 1:15 PM PDT
- Look! Sen.Obama is a good man trying to fix some of the problem that divides us. Get it!
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