Feeds: 
symbol identifies content for paid subscribers only.
DEM DEBATE WRAP-UP.
All three major Democratic candidates acquitted themselves well tonight -- Edwards with his rat-tat-tat trial lawyer presentations, which are always more effective for his bringing his biography into them; Clinton defending her record quite credibly, though failing to draw any real blood from Obama; and Obama -- his slower or more contemplative (take your pick) manner contrasting with Edwards' -- occasionally able to present mini-versions of his invitations to the dance of changing history.
As Hillary defended her record creditably, so Obama defended the power of his words (don't discount the power of words, he said at one point). Hillary had a good night, going after some inconsistencies in Obama's record without coming off as aggressive, though I doubt this changed many votes. Hillary also gets credit for having the wit to link the coming recession with an Apollo Project-esque energy program. (Based on the performance of the two parties in the two debates, the Republicans want to employ Americans building a fence on the border; the Democrats want to employ Americans retrofitting what's on this side of the border.)
This was also the debate in which Edwards finally explicitly broadened his definition of the beleaguered middle class beyond the rust belt precincts of the abandoned factory workers to professionals as well, citing Alan Blinder's figures about the nearly 30 million jobs that may be lost to competition abroad, and stating that it's college grads who may be particularly vulnerable. Took him a long time to get here (countless kibitzers have urged him to do this throughout his campaign), but he seemed to have arrived.
All the candidates seemed on their game, though Richardson's game is to list program after program after program in a themeless pudding. It's also clear, however, that the soaring Obama of the speeches loses his majesty in a debate format, which is emphatically an arena of prose, not poetry.
--Harold Meyerson
COMMENTS (11)
Senator Clinton: We don't need to be raising the false hopes of our country about what can be delivered
I hope she lets us know which hopes are false and which are real
Posted by: hlah | January 5, 2008 11:30 PM
Clinton made a cogent and effective argument as to why change is not possible without experience.
Posted by: JoeCHI | January 5, 2008 11:36 PM
"Clinton made a cogent and effective argument as to why change is not possible without experience."
Do you really feel the need to post the exact same comment in every thread?
You support Hillary. Your support is duly noted.
Posted by: brewmn | January 6, 2008 1:05 AM
Obamabots complaining about Clintocrats spamming blog comments. Are you programed to recognize hypocrisy?
Posted by: obamakids are precious | January 6, 2008 1:31 AM
Clinton made a cogent and effective argument as to why change is not possible without experience.
And then, when asked at the end of the debate why she believes change is possible, cited her husband's achievements balancing the budget in his first term.
So, for HRC, the achievement that proves "change is possible" was accomplished by a first-term President who was unquestionably an outsider inexperienced in changing the ways of Washington?
Way to sell your own argument.
Posted by: anonymous | January 6, 2008 2:11 AM
The Iowa results (and Obama's speech) finally got me off the Edwards/Obama fence and into the Obama camp. Tonight's debate cemented my choice. This even though Edwards is much more knowledgeable vis a vis organized labor. Why? Because Obama's the only one I can actually envision as a President.
More than this: Watching all those young activists rallying behind Obama remind me of someone. Specifically: Me, many years ago. I watched my boyhood heroes, Bobby and Martin, get gunned down, then I've been ground down by thirty years of right wing hegemony. But just because my generation of idealists wond up cynics, doesn't mean the same fate awaits these kids. I know I felt something watching Obama's speech Thursday night I haven't in a long time.
Maybe 2008 is the year the progressive movement finally overcomes 1968. I've been wondering if I'd live to see it. 40 years and not a moment too soon.
ps: Hi Harold:)
Posted by: laborlawyer | January 6, 2008 3:09 AM
The last post hit the nail directly on the head. I was 8 when RFK was murdered. Being a kid, I didn't understand everything going on in that election year, but I intuitively knew that RFK meant a change in the course of the nation. 40 years later I see the the same possibility in Senator Obama. Finally a candidate who actually engages young people and gives them energy to see the future.
Posted by: Chris Tharrington | January 6, 2008 11:18 AM
"Took him a long time to get here (countless kibitzers have urged him to do this throughout his campaign), but he seemed to have arrived."
I guess he's never encountered a pink collar (yeah, it probably *does* have a BA). Well, frankly, I think this is the only reason he's not in first place. Silly boys.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 6, 2008 1:28 PM
you obamakids get off my lawn! we don't need your stinkin votes, money or volunteering. why, i can destroy the entire GOP with my walker! just watch me, you little punks! *cough wheeze*
Posted by: old fart for hillary | January 6, 2008 1:49 PM
WORLDWIDE CRIMINAL CORPORATIST RELIGIONISM!
All That Our Whole World Has Ever Needed - And Still Presently Needs Foremost , And Now More Than Ever – Is An Incorrupt National Reevaluation!
Our Mock-America’s Satanic Corporatist Global Politico-Religionism!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
HAPPY NEW CENTURY!!!
THE ALMIGHTY GOD’S TRUE NUCLEAR WORLD DEMOCRACY (THE UNIVERSAL INDIVIDUAL EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO REACH GOD’S BEST HUMAN GIFTS) shall never exist for us in our “America”, and in our “Free” “Nuclear” World, until GOD’S DEMOCRACY VITAL KEYS – UNIVERSAL FUNCTIONAL LITERACY and UNIVERSAL GOOD-SAMARITAN HEALTH INSURANCE – are Legislatively Enforced (CONSTITUTIONALLY) AS A Fully Punishing Criminal Humanitarian Law; that is, until Our Insatiable Ultra-Filthy-Wealthy Corporative “American” Government so give The True Example, OF SUCH A SACRED UNIVERSAL HUMAN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, for Our Whole Totally Exploited Suffering Illiterate and Health-Helpless “American” World!
THE ALMIGHTY did not Inspire to write HIS BIBLE just for The Implacable “Sacrosanct” Religionist Corporations of the World to use IT as toilet paper; that is, to use IT as such a Globalized, Religionist, Super-Materialist, MUM-PIOUS=EQUALLY TERRORIST, NUCLEAR, SUICIDAL, SUBLIMINAL INHUMAN EXPLOITATION!
Why “THE TRUE UNIVERSL CHURCH” – AS “FREE AND SEPARATE FROM THE STATE” – NEVER TAKE ALL OF THIS AS THE TRUE PREACHING DAILY INITIATIVE???!!! BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT TRUE SERVANTS OF ALMIGHTY GOD – BUT OF THE POLITICAL GOVERNMENTAL “COMFORTABLY” RAPACIOUS CORPORATIST AND MOST INHUMAN WORLD POLITICS!!!
MAY WE TRULY PRAY HAT WE ALL AS TRUE SOLID AMERICANS REALLY ENABLE OUR ALMIGHTY GOD TO BLESS (SAVE) OUR MOST BELOVED TRUE AMERICA!!!
Posted by: Octavio Saenz MD Sr | January 21, 2008 6:59 PM
CORPORATISM'S WORSE CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY!
All That Our Whole World Has Ever Needed – And Still Presently Needs Foremost and More Than Ever – Is An Incorrupt National Reevaluation!
Evil, Religionist, Corporatist, Criminal Global Desecration of True Democracy’s Highest Divine Human Rights!
GLOBAL NUCLEAR PERPLEXITY!
(In Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Most Patriotic Legacy!)
The Nucleus of Our Whole World ever-growing Suicidal Nuclear Crisis is created by none other than The Most False as Most Greedy Ultra-Conservative and/or Ultra-Libertine Politico-Religionism everywhere – Universally. The World has No True Religion Anywhere!
The only and Nuclear ambition for all this Universal “True Atheism” is none other than The Most Voracious Global Inhuman Corporative Economic Exploitation – all by extreme disregard of The Most Basic Universal Human Literacy and The Most Basic Universal Good Samaritan Health Insurance. These two together are Almighty God’s True Democracy’s vitally essential means for True Individual Equal Opportunity to reach HIS BEST Personal Human Gifts (RIGHTS).
All of Our Vast Perpetually Dehumanized Illiterate and Sickly Western World is so ever more and more so “CRUCIFIED” or threatened with impunity by The Religionist-Instilled Fear of “Going to Hell” – if they have no “Faith” or disobedient to their Politico-Religionist Leadership: “’Heaven’ is ‘Living’ in Satanic Exploitation”!
Our Thoroughly Politico-Religionist Western World has always even tried to expand our Most Voraciously Greedy Corporatism to Our Islamic Eastern World’s “Friendly” Governments, but I most strongly suspect that Islamic Religionism has an opposite but Equally Religionist Inhuman Self-Defense: when our Western Corporatistly Imposed Inhuman Intervention reach their Eastern Critical level – like in our Iraq’s Unending Perplexity – the Islamic Religionist “Inspiration” to go to Heaven is The Super-Terrorist “Salvific” Individual Self-Immolation. All of these are for sure the portending Symbolism of A Most Certain Nuclear Armageddon! NO WAY FOR NUCLEAR SALVATION!!!
MAY WE ALL TRULY PRAY THAT WE ALL TRUE SOLID AMERICANS REALLY ENABLE THE ALMIGHTY TO BLESS (SAVE) OUR MOST BELOVED TRUE AMERICA!!!
Posted by: Octavio Saenz MD Sr | January 21, 2008 7:37 PM