Democratic Presidential Debate in Nevada
My take on the Democratic Presidential Debate in Nevada — by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at The Care2 Election Blog)
I have to say…I don’t normally enjoy watching these debates. However, tonight’s debate has pleasantly surprised me. I’m still not happy that MSNBC excluded Dennis Kucinich from this debate, but I did like the format and the content. There was no singing, no podiums, and no pandering. I enjoyed the forum style of this debate, and the depth to which the candidates answered questions. I was especially pleased that even though the candidates were given the opportunity to perpetuate the race issue, they all graciously stepped away from this divisive topic.
The New York Times — A Democratic presidential debate unfolded with an exchange of pleasantries and acts of contrition among rivals on Tuesday as Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama promised to dispel a rancorous feud over race and gender that had threatened to divide the party and alienate voters.
As far as the content of questions and answers from this debate…Excellent! No stone was left unturned. There was extensive discussion on both Iraq and the economy. All three of the candidates had plans and promises – They will remove combat troops from Iraq within a year, they have plans for health care reform, better energy policies, and strong economic reform.
John Edwards proved tonight that he is still a viable candidate. Edwards appears to understand the insecurities of the middle-class, and his message resonates with voters who are now increasingly concerned with the economy. I would not count him out of this race.
Barack Obama continues to be strong and charismatic. I liked that he sees the negative influence of special interests groups in Washington. I also like that he has ideas to provide tax relief for families making less than $75,000 a year. Barack was also give an opportunity to address the many lies that are circulating about him via the Internet.
Hillary Clinton really took on Bush with some strong language [liked it], and made it clear that this campaign is about the need to right the wrongs of the Bush administration. The one disappointing comment she made was at the very end…When for the second time in this campaign I heard her invoke “fear of a terrorist attack” as a way to score political points. [The use of fear mongering to manipulate the American people is a Bush/Republican tactic, and I am 100% against it...Please stop this Hillary.]
Overall, I thought this debate was the best and most informative yet. I can now see any of these three candidates as our next president. If you didn’t get a chance to see this debate, I would highly recommend you try to catch it when it is re-aired.
If you watched this debate, I would love to hear your thoughts. Did you like the MSNBC format? Do you feel you know these candidates better after seeing this debate? Will you vote for one of these candidates?
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