Obama says 'the more the merrier' in Democrat debates

[BeyondGeography]

OELWEIN --- At a campaign stop in Oelwein Saturday morning, presidential hopeful Barack Obama said the number of candidates in presidential debates should not be pared down.

The Illinois senator's comments come two days after Democratic rivals John Edwards and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., were overhead discussing the possibility of limiting the number of participants in presidential forums.

"My attitude is the more the merrier," Obama said in an interview. "I don't know how you'd draw the line to say some can participate and some can't, particularly when you know historically, for example, Bill Clinton was at 2 percent in the polls in some of these early contests.

<...Obama also suggested dispensing with 60-second answers as a way to bring more substance to debates.

"I'd love to see a change in format where there's a (fuller) debate, instead of a succession of 60-second sound bites.>

http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2007/07/14/news/breaking_news/doc46991b5e40958823823904.txt

[Colobo]

1. That's a true leader speaking!

[Tellurian]

7. Obama is full of sh*t..

He is desperate because of flailing numbers in the polls. He's a uniter alright.. Modeling himself after Republicans!

[zulchzulu]

9. Aww...still embarrassed that your candidate get busted for being an asswipe...

Too bad.

BTW, some polls have Obama gaining on Clinton. Yeah, I know it's early...

[IndianaGreen]

42. Must be that Bush 41-Clinton 42-Bush 43-Clinton 44 entitlement fever!

How sad they must be that they have to grovel to the voters when a coronation would be more appropriate. I really feel for them! :eyes:

[jefferson_dem]

11. LOL! Who's *really* desperate?

K/R for this *Post of the Day.*

:bounce:

[John Q. Citizen]

12. At least he hasn't conspired to rig the primaries yet. Unlike your candidate.

[Tellurian]

15. How, marvey...

I've drawn all three of you out of your hidey holes, all at once, because I've struck a cord. Your boy is sweating the big stuff (Rezko Trial)and the *small stuff* (sophomoric errors), he's got nowhere to hide. He's wide open...Tell him to bring it, we're waiting!! The more the merrier, indeed...:rofl:

[John Q. Citizen]

20. hey I'm not an Obama voter. I'm just calling 'em as I see 'em. If you have a problem with that

tough.

[Tellurian]

29. Hey! Don't try to foist your mistakes off on me..

especially when I waste my time trying to educate you to the "facts of life" !

[Forkboy]

51. He loves you too.

Kisses from the Obama camp!

[ProudDad]

61. Excuse me

but,tellurian, even among a lot of nutty posts, your last post was REALLY NUTS

:crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

Why don't you sing the praises of your candidate (and we all know who she is) and leave the insults to the freepers and republicans?


I'm not an Obama supporter, although my hard-core republican mother said she likes him, but you're WAY over the top with that last.

The ONLY thing I've seen Obama do is talk and act like a "uniter". He hasn't offered much of a platform that I've noticed, only Kucinich has done that, but I DEFINITELY believe that Obama would be MUCH better at uniting people if elected President than any of the rest of the "top tier"... He's got that kind of charisma and personality.

[More Than A Feeling]

54. That's an opportunist speaking.

He'd like to look good, but I'd like him to tell us just exactly how long he wants the debates to go on? Because if you remove the time limit on answers, but don't drop the number of candidates, a debate could go all night. That suggestion only makes sense if you know it is unrealistic, and are just proposing it to look good.

[ProudDad]

62. How about four hours?

Why not.

I thought the two hour debate I watched went awfully fast.

Isn't our democracy worth more than a bunch of stupid sitcoms and bogus "reality" shows...not to mention faux noose?

[Soulshine]

65. pfft....

It's smart for him to come out saying "the more the merrier". It's politically smart for anyone, to bad Hillary couldn't manage it.

Smaller groups is a dumb idea, you don't have all your candidates answering the same questions, nor do you give them a chance to respond to everyone else's answers, that's not a useful debate format either. If you can't see each candidate side by side, the point of a "Debate" is lost. You can make a debate an hour and still not limit answers by time, we might not get as many questions asked, but The Big Ones would and they'd get answered in depth. Ask a broad question like, "How would you improve health care?" let them back and forth on it an hour. Next week "What is your plan for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan?" We could ask 8 big questions in 2 months. Hell, make it interactive, tell people they get to vote for the question of the week. Maybe ad a few other polls, maybe a personality test "Which candidate are you most like?" Make them answer 20 questions on policy questions and then tell them which candidate they're most like. Give them a MySpace .jif to put on their page. The T.V stations would get behind it. They'd probably get money from alot of organizations to advertise political causes(think MoveOn.org & Swiftboat ads), not to mention campaign ads. I mean everyone says this is more like American Idol anyways. I wish it was that popular. I'm not ashamed to say tap into America's fascination with Reality T.V., if it means we expose them to what's happening in the country.

I STILL say you want to debate one or two people, WIN THE PRIMARY!

[maximusveritas]

2. Not surprising. Clinton and Edwards gave him this opening

I did like hearing his earlier comments on Letterman, where he showed Kucinich and the other lesser known candidates a lot of respect.
He definitely walks away from this mess looking the cleanest.

[Tellurian]

10. Hardly. Obama is all smoke and mirrors..

He has surrounded himself with Republican operatives...however, his inexperience at swimming with sharks will ultimately do him in- He's a goner!

[Exultant Democracy]

17. Ok everyone, Obama is smoke and mirrors, $32.5 million must have been

a fluke.

Any other wisdom today?

[Tellurian]

19. Yeah, we know... surely it will reflect someday in his poll numbers..

Meanwhile, Sen Clinton has a comfortable 16 pt lead over her nearest challenger, Obama!

[John Q. Citizen]

21. And nothing ever changes, so you are already in the White House. Good luck on that.

Maybe Clinton will get as big a landslide as Dean did.

[Exultant Democracy]

23. I was just about to mention that primary voters look for viability in the general

but you beat me too it.

[Tellurian]

26. What has led you to believe this is a normal election?

Where are the comparables to a white woman running and a blk male candidate?

[Exultant Democracy]

34. What do you think about the way the demographics break down

among female democrats who support Clinton and Obama.

What do women who support Obama have in common?
a. higher levels of education
b. better informed
c. more politically active
d. they know who he is.
e. All of the above

[Tellurian]

40. Hillary is easily identified with working career women...

Women who may be in the single woman demographic supporting a family on their salary alone. I don't think the education part of it is a driving factor to the volume of women that fit Hillary's demographic.

[Exultant Democracy]

46. So what happens when these working women find out who Obama is?

The demographics only matter in as much as they allow you to identify trends. Are you familiar with the term "alpha consumer"?

[Tellurian]

47. Yes, I'm familiar with neologisms...

whats your point?

[Exultant Democracy]

48. The point is they are called alpha consumer for a reason, if you would like

to keep you head in the sand that is fine. If you are going to talk about poll numbers then you should be willing to look at what they really say.

[Tellurian]

50. Don't hold back now!

Give me your interpretation of what the "alpha consumers" say..

when they find out about the mysterious Obama..

[Exultant Democracy]

52. They already found him, I said look at the demographics. I feel

no need to spoon feed you.

[Tellurian]

55. You have a point. His stagnating numbers reflect your POV...perfectly..

[Tellurian]

25. Yes, meet me in the Rose Garden for Tea @ 3pm..

Hillary is the Best.

I forgive you, because you know not what you do!

[John Q. Citizen]

27. Yeah, she just not smart enough to not be fooled by bush on Iraq, but

nobody is perfect, I guess.

[Tellurian]

28. I'll be kind...she's smarter than you give her credit for..

She's smarter than Bill, and the reason he loves her and respects her so much...

[TeamJordan23]

35. Reason he also cheated on her? nt

[jefferson_dem]

36. Is *THAT* what you call "love and respect"?

Ok.

[Tellurian]

39. Sometimes you never appreciate what you have until you're about to lose it?

Correct?

[jefferson_dem]

41. Of course but we're not sure that applies in this instance.

Really, we have no business knowing if it does anyway.

Going on what we know, from my personal perspective, "respect" would be one of the last words I would use to describe their relationship.

[Tellurian]

44. It all depends on what floats your boat. Doesn't it?

Different strokes for different folks, ring a bell?

Many men would be intimidated by Hillary's ability. In Bill's case, he gravitates to it.
That may not be your thing. You may rely on physical attraction as your guiding point for a relationship. He, apparently, has come of age where he realizes that in the PC world, infidelity is unacceptable and doesn't intend to make that mistake again. Their interests lie in a deep devotion to public service... They are dead serious in the end of making our country a better place, because they know what works and have a plan of how to accomplish their goals.

I don't have a problem with it. It's what makes the world a more interesting place.

[John Q. Citizen]

49. So she didn't believe bush, she just wanted to steal the oil, is your argument?

So only 3600 American lives, 26000 wounded and she's very smart?

OK, either way you want it.

[Tellurian]

57. Yeah, the no accomplishments, Obama..

The scandal ridden candidate...

[Laurab]

66. The best what, exactly? n/t

[zulchzulu]

45. I'll take "smoke and mirrors" over someone who needs her adulterous husband to get $$$

I had Clinton fatigue in the 90s.

Why the hell would I want it again? Warts...no thanks. The only people I know or have run into who want Clinton as the nominee are Republicans. And it's not because they support her...

[Go Obama 08]

53. No kidding...

I'm not anti-Hillary, I just don't think we can look to the
Clintons for real change.

[zulchzulu]

58. Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[Indy_Dem_Defender]

68. Welcome to DU, Go Obama 08

:toast:

[ProudDad]

63. Any links for this slander?

"He has surrounded himself with Republican operatives."

(Cough -- Mark Penn -- Cough)

[Harry Monroe]

22. And don't forget he's also articulate!!

[illinoisprogressive]

3. Obama is a real leader, you are right. And he welcomes all.

[sampsonblk]

4. Good. That's the right answer

[Adelante]

5. Exactly right

I'm proud of the Big O.

[Bitwit1234]

6. Bullshit

think about it....with nine candidates those on the lower tier don't get called on much...What they should do is rotate them around Clinton with some of the lower, Obama with some and Edwards with some and then switch them around. If they only have four it would give all of them a chance at one of the debates to get in more of their platform. With all of them there Clinton, Obama and Edwards are usually the ones who get called on most.

[zulchzulu]

8. The primary season is six months away...Maybe you forgot...

A lot can happen between now and then. If your logic was the same as for 2004, debates would only be Dean, Lieberman and Gephardt.

[Exultant Democracy]

18. LoL, spot on Zulch.

[JANdad]

13. Well of course he does...

That way with more on the stage all he has to do is stand there and look cute and avoid delving into any true substance on the issues...

[jefferson_dem]

14. Sorry to be catty but this may not be the best line of attack

given your guy's "baggage"...

[JANdad]

16. Oh Snap!

Good One!

[Bullet1987]

24. Good for Obama to come out of this unscathed...but most media people

are blowing this off.

[Laurab]

67. You beat me to it! n/t

[Dinger]

30. Yeah, Democratic Debates (nt)

[Hippo_Tron]

31. It's DemocratIC Debates

Sorry I have to correct it when I see it. We can't be using their language.

[BeyondGeography]

37. It's lifted from the newspaper's headline...

[Hippo_Tron]

38. Thanks, I think I'm gonna send them an e-mail

[TeamJordan23]

32. Great point by Obama. Kerry was running near Sharpton numbers in 2004 race. nt

[Bolo Boffin]

33. Obama could keep doing joint meetings with the small fry.

It will make him look like one, potentially, but with the fundraising numbers he has, the type of organization he is building, it could work out well for him.

It's a risk, but not one I would advise he take at this point. The "more the merrier" line is an easy way of using some bad publicity on Clinton and Edwards to his benefit.

[Robeson]

43. He's right on both counts. Especially the sound-byte answer time...

...they are given for the questions. So far, these debates have been structured for people with ADD.

[gulliver]

56. Can both of his answers exist in the same universe?

More participants and more time per participant per debate?

I'm starting to think Obama is a pretty good politician!

[Bodhi BloodWave]

59. if serious, the answer is fairly simple

1: extend how long a debate lasts
2: limit debates to a few specific topics, like instead of having a myriad of em limit it just to a few relevant ones(Paris Hilton questions not welcome :P) so that each candidate can spend more time on them giving proper answers

[ProudDad]

60. HEAR, HEAR! (n/t)

[goodgd_yall]

64. Obama's right

It's too early to eliminate anyone in the debates and forums AND the 60-second sound bites are the problem, not the number of candidates. Fewer questions and longer time to respond is what's needed.